The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-16

in the decisive vote in the house of
representatives on the pending resolu-
ton suggesting belligerent recognition,
and the state department. was free to
pursue its Alabama negotiations
Senator Cameron in the recent mi
nority report of the senate committee
of foreign affairs alluded to a rumor
of belligerency proclamation having
been signed by President Grant. 1t is
true that in the summer of 1863 and
While the proffer of mediation suggest
ed to the president by Mr. Paul S.
Forbes as coming from General Brim,
was pending at Madrid, the state de-
partment had. on the request of the
president, prepared a draft of procla-
nation of belligerency. Some time
after the president signed it he went
on a journey to the west and on the
way wrote the following letter:
Kane, Pa, August IA, 1S69.-ffon.
Hamilton Fish, secretary of state. My
dear sir-On reflection | think it adj
visable to complete the neutrality
proclamation which L signed before
leaving Washington and to issue 1t II
General Sickles has not received an
entirely satisfactory reply to his prop
osition to mediate between Spain and
the Cubans; in fact, 1 am not clearly
satisfied that we would not be justified
LOOK WITH SOME ALARM
upon her proposition to send 10000 more
troops to Cuba to put down, as Amer
leans believe, the right of self-govern-
ment on this continent. Not that Spain
has not perfect right to prosecute as
vigorous a war as she pleases upon her
own soil observing the rules civil
lied warfare, but that the rights of
@1xrf
vaded by Spanish troops or volunteers
that such a course would arouse. the
sympathies of our citizens in favor of
the CubanS to such a degree as to re-
Quire all our vigilance to prevent them
from giving material aid. The question
might we'll be asked whether Spain
would not be weaker with 10000 more
troops in Cuba; and also by us, whether
we would be justified by our own peo-
pie to let them do so without at least
putting Cubans upon the same footing
with their adversaries first. Except
the issuing of the proclamation, L do
not give this as instruction, but as
sCmethink DO think of whether 1T is
not sound. If deemed so, the policy of
acting upon it will be discussed after
wards. l will be in New York city on
Thursday next on my way to Newport;
will be ait Mr. Corbin's a few hours
before sailing. Yours truly.
~. S. Grant"
GRANT ENDORSES FISH'S WISDOM
On the 10th of July, 1870, in a CONVEX
satAon in which Mr.. Fish had expressed
to the president his desire to retire
from the office which he had accepted
on the understanding that de was TO
hold it only till the president could
perfect other plans in regard to it, Mr..
Fish was strongly urged by the presi-
dent to remain through his term, and
assured him that his course was not
only entirely satisfactory to him, but
gave satisfaction and confidence to the
country. These are the words of the
diary upon the subject:
1.-The president said: Without re-
fering to other instances on two inn
portant occasions at least your Steadi-
ness and wisdom have kept me from
mistakes into which [ should have
fallen On one of these occasions you
led me against my judgment at the
time you almost forced me, in the
matter of signing the Cuban message.
/ now see how right You were and L
desire most sincerely to thank you.
The measure was right and the whole
country acquiesced in it
He repeated that he wished to thank
me especially for these two occasions
They were one preventing the issuing,
last August and September, of the
proclamation of Cuban belligerency,
which he had signed and which he
wrote me a mote inStructing me (Which
did. and to issue (Which / did not,
and. second. the Cuban message of June
IS