New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
GRANT AND BELLIGERENCY.
HOW THE PRESIDENT WAS KEPT FROM
RECOGNIZING CUBA.
DIARY BY THE LATE HAMILTON FISH THEN
SECRETARY OF STATE. THROWS MUCH LIGHT
on THE ALLEGED CONFLICT BETWEEN
HIS DEPARTMENT AND THE
EXECUTIVE.

EXECUTIVE.
Albany y Y. March 15-Speaker Fish talked
TODAY in regard to Senator Shermans recent
declarations concerning conflict OF Opinions
over Cuban affairs between President Grant ana
the then Secretary of state.
on the authority OF his fathers private papers
the Speaker said that President Grant mad al one
time under the circumstances OF pending heeo-
tlat,on at Madrid, been inclined to recognize the
bellgerency of Cuba. but on June IL. 1917. the
opinion of the President and the CABINET was
unanimous that there were no facts 10 JUSTIFY
a declaration OF belligcrency, and that the salts
faction Of the President with the Cuban pohcy Oh
his administration. and Its effect on the country
and the Republican party, found expression rev
weeks later in thanks to the Secretary OF state
for whatever share In it may have been due 10
his wisdom and Judgment
During his eight years service in the state De
partment Hamlltoa Fish kept. chiefly as reier-
ence record for his own eyes. diary containing
= minute Of important transactions, OF his con-
yersations with the President, members Oh the
cabinet Senators and other leading public men,
IN rc,,arl 70 the mo-c prominent OF the Foreign
ouestions with which he had 10 deal From May
81 10 June 49, 1870 the date Of President Grant
special message to Congress on Cuban oefhger-
ency. the entries In the diary are many and very
full In regard to the origin. preparation. discus
sion TN Cabinet and final completion OF tnat
snecial message Some Of these entries have
peculiar interest IN the light OF recent events
Under date Of February 10, 1870. there is a sug-
geat.on OF A rift in the unity OF the Republican
party In defence of that policy. respecting Foreign
affairs which policy the President had announced
In his annual message Of the previous December
The entry IL as follows,
Called this morning Thy appointment TO see sen,
a,Or John Sherman subject OF the mt OF
Coinage" After conversne on that question, re-
ferred 10 his resolution introduced In the senate
and his speech IN favor OF recognizing the pei-
ligerency OF Cuba. and asked II ne had recently
examined the treaty with span or LOO ne san.
ne had not: was not aware OF the existence OF
such a treaty. referred TO Is provisions ana 10
he probable consequences OF the exercise by SPAN
OF the right of visit tor of search thought our
people would submit 10 It. and that the CON
sequences would soon develop In war; SAID ttat
nght ng was not belligerency; there IL lighting but
no beillgerency in cuba; there is no government
OF the insurrectionary party no poltcai orsan.Za,
the subject closely but said there is good deal
OF excitement In the country on the subject. ! al
v.sed him. In connection with the passing OF his
resolution OF beligercncy. to prepare bills for the
Increase OF the public debt and 10 meet the in
creased appropriation which Will be necessary FOR
the Army. Navy. etc
On June II there is this entry:
Stay at home and prepare message on the
Cuban bel gerency question. 10 be submitted for
the Presidents consideration. In case he agree to
send one lie has yet returned from his fishing
excursion.
Speaker Fish said that the original draft of
the message. with Its many erasurea and IN
terlineations. is all In Mr.. Fish's own hand.
The message sent to Congress. and printed
as Ex Doc No. 49, Is verbatim as in that draft
down to the following paragraph near the end:
There Is not a de facto government in the island
Of cuba suficien, to execute Law ana maintain Just
able suppress the opposition TO Spanish rule on
tho !slard nor TO award speedy Justice TO other
nations. or citizens OF other nations when their
rights have been invaded.
Senator Cameron, in the recent minority report
OF the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, al
luded 10 a rumor OF a belligerency procamatio
having been signed by President Grant II Is
true that in the summer of 1862 and while the
proffer OF mediation suggested 70 the PRECEDENT
by Paul S. Forbes. as coming from General Prm.
was pending at Madrid. the State Department
had on the request OF the President, prepared
and sent to him draft Of a proclamation OF
belligerency.
On July TO- 1870, In a conversation In which Mr.
Fish had expressed to the President his desire
to retire from the office. which he had accepted
the understanding that he was to hold 1t only
TN the President could perfect other plans In re-
gard to IT, Mr.. Fish was strongly urged by the
| President to remain through his term and as
sured that his course not only entirely sat-
isfactory to him. but gave satisfaction and con-
hdepca to the country" These are the words Of
| the diary this subject:
The President said: without referring to other
instances. two important occasions at least your
| steadiness and wisdom have kept me from mistakes
| into which should have fallen. On one Of these
occasions. you led. too against my Judgment at the
tme--you almost forced me-in the matter Of sign
| ing the late Cuban message now see how right 1t
was. and desire most sincerely to thank you The
measure was right and the whole country acquiesces
In H. He repeated that he wished to thank me es-
pecially for those two occasions They were one
Of the proclamation Of Cuban belligerency. which
he had signed and which he wrote me a note In
(Which did nop, and second. the Cuban message OF
June 49, -
NEY MIrcIN uIII NON nurn4no