The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-11

government in it's relations with for
eign countries, but of the sincere de-
sire which is entertained. by such an
exposition of its course, to cherish and
perpetuate the friendly feeling. which
will see in the scrupulous regard that
is paid to the rights of other, and even
of rival parties, one of the surest guar
antees that it's own will continue to be
respected"
Wharton says:
Prior to the acknowledgment by the
United States OF the independence of
the southern Spanish-American colo
MES, informal agents were sent to them
by the president. but diplomatic agents
from several of these states were re-
fused at the same time official diplo-
matte recognition at Washington City,
though personally received"
Wharton also says that Secretary
Seward took the ground that the Unit
ed States would decline TO hold inter-
course, official or unofficial, with agents
from insurgents against governments
with which the United States were at
peace"
But" Wharton continues, when the
belligerent is recognized as such, this
Implies an intercourse at least between
agents. in reference to terms of bellig
erency. This intercourse may be very
informal, and between belligerents who
are parties to a civil war may for a
time be limited to negotiations for ex-
change of prisoners and for cognate OBJ
jects."
Our supreme court in the opinion CIV
en- by Judge Grier in the prize cases
spoke in plain language as to what the
world at large recognized as war. or as
belligerency.
"A civil war" Judge Grier said in his
opinion, 'is never solemnly declared; it
becomes such by it's accidents-the
number, power and organization of the
persons who originate Ii and carry IL
on. When the party in rebellion occupy
and hold in hostile manner a certain
portion of territory; have declared sheir
independence; have cast off allegiance;
have organized armies; have commence
ed hostilities against their former SOW
ereign, the world acknowledges them
as belligerents, and the contest war"
Addy's Kent. quoted by Wharton,
says:
1T has been the constant practice of
European nations and of the United
States to look upon belligerency as a
fact rather than a principle holding
with Canning, that certain degree OF
force and consistency acquired by a
mass of population engaged in war en-
titled that population to be treated as
belligerents.'
In 1868 Secretary Seward, referring to
the war OF FRANCE against MeAlCO, Sdlu
under date of April "a to Mr.. Dayton
some things especially interesting in
view OF the Cuban question to-day. He
said:
Difficult as the exercise of self-gov-
eminent there (Mexico) has proved to
be, IL Is nevertheless quite certain that
the attempt to maintain foreign au-
thority there would encounter insur-
mountable embarrassment. The coun-
try possesses immense. practically in
exhaustible resources. They invite for
eign labor and capital from all foreign
countries to become naturalized and in
corporated with the resources of the
country and of the continent, while all
attempts to acquire them by force must
meet with the most annoying and in
furious hindrance and resistance.
This is equally true of Mexico and
every portion of the American conti-
nent.
1T is more than a hundred years
since any foreign state has successfully
planted a new colony in America, or
even strengthened its hold upon any
previously existing here. Through all
the social disturbances which attend a
change from the colonial state to indie
pendence and the substitution of the
democratic for the monarchial system
OF government, IL still seems to us that
the Spanish-American states are stead
lily advancing toward the establishment
of permanent institutions of self-gov-