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


Sherman and Senator Hill as to the
attitude of President Grant and the
then secretary of state, Hamilton Fish.
Senator Sherman declared that there
was a conflict of opinion over Cuban
affairs between the presidents and his
secretary of state. The speaker of the
assembly, Hamilton Fish, son of the
late secretary, is in possession of in
formation upon this subject contained
in the diaries kept by his father that
is of great Importance in the contro-
versy On the authority of these dia-
ries it is shown that President Grant
had at one time, under the circum-
stances of a pending negotiation at
Madrid, been inclined to recognize
THE BELLIGERENCY OF CUBA,
but on June Is, 1870, the opinion of the
president and the cabinet was unani-
nous that there were no facts to JUS
tify the declaration of belligerency, and
that the satisfaction of the president
with the Cuban policy of his admins
tration and it's effects upon the country
and the Republican party found ex-
preston few weeks later in thanks to
the secretary of state for whatever
share in it may have been due TO his
wisdom and judgment.
During his eight years of service in
the state department Mr.. Fish kept,
chiefly as a reference record for his
own eyes. a diary in his own hand
writing, containing a statement of inn
portant transactions with The presi-
dent. members of the cabinet senators
and other leading men in regard to
the more prominent foreign questions
with which he had to deal. From May
81 to June 81, 1870, the date of President
Grants special message to congress on
Cuban belligeIency, the entries IN the
diary are many and very full in regard
to the origin, preparation, discussions
in cabinet and final completion of
THE SPECIAL MESSAGE.
Some of these entries have peculiar
Interest in the light of recent events
and were shown today to the CORE
spondent OF the Associated Press.
Under date of February H. 1870,
there is a suggestion of a rift in the
unity of the Republican party in de-
Tense of that policy respecting foreign
affairs. which policy the president had
announced I'm his annual message of
the previous December. The entry is
as follows:
Called this morning Cby appoint
ment) to see Senator John Sherman
on the subject of unit of coinage. After
ccnVersing on that question. referred
to his resolution introduced in the sen
ate and his speech in favor of recog-
nizing the belligerency of Cuba. and
asked if he had recently examined
the
TREATY WITH SPAIN OF 1I99
He said he had not. was not aware
of the existence of such a treaty. l re-
ferred to ats provisions and to the
probab1e consequences of the exercise
L. If RIGHT IN visit for of
search; thought our people would not
submit to it and that the consequences
would soon develop in war; said that
fighting was not belligerency: there is
fighting, but no beliigerency in Cuba;
there is no government of the insurrec-
fionary party; no political organization.
etc He admitted lie had not examined
the subject closely. but said there is a
good deal of excitement in the coun-
try on the subject. Advised him in
connection with the passage Of his res
Olutioa of belligerency. to prepare bills
for the increase of the public debt and
to meet the increased appropriations
which will he necessary for the army,
navy, etc.
An evident solictude among Republi-
cans lest the party. in presence of the
approaching autumn election, should
be divided on the Cuban question by
reason Of representations TO the coun-
try in regard to the
PRESIDENTS REAL ATTITUDE
is indicated on June 10 by this entry:
Judge Orth and General Butler
called in the evening to urge the send
ing of = message by the president on
the question of Cuban belhgerency.
Orth Sc s the vote will be close. Banks
will make the closing speech, but there
are some twenty or thirty members
who may be decided by his speech,
but would not go against the presi-
dents views"
on June u there is this entry:
stay at home and prepare a mes
sage or the Cuban belligerency ques-
ton. to be submitted for the presidents
consideration in case he agreed 10 send |
one. He has not yet returned from his |
fishing excursion
OF the discussion in the cabinet on |
the 18th. the day on which the special |
message was sent to congress, the |
diary says:
1T was generally admitted that if
war is to be resorted to. it would be |
nv direct declaration and not by en-
barrassing Spain by declaration of |
helligerency; agrees unanimously that I
no condition of facts exists TO justify !
beTligerency. Finally, the president |
amends his sentences by referring in !
general terms 10 seizures on the nigh |
seas. embargoes of property and per- !
sonal outrage. Robson adds the con-
GLIDING sentences, claiming the dues- |
non of belligerency is distinct from |
these
QUESTIONS OF WRONGS
which are being pressed for indemnifi- /
cation and, if not satisfied, they viii be |
made the subject of future message. |
And thus it is agreed that the message
shall be sent in.
Speaker Fish said that the original |
draft of the message with its many |
erasures and interlineations is all in |
Mr Fisf's own hand. The message
sent to congress and printed as ex
tfoce No. 80 is verbatim as in that
draft, down to the following paragraph
near the end:
There is no de facto government in
the island of Cuba sufficient TO exc
cute law and maintain just relations
with olher nations Spain has not
been able to suppress the opposition to
Spanish rule in this island, nor to
award speedy justice to other nations.
or citizens OF other nations when their
rights have been invaded
Those sentences were written and in
serted by the president; the next two
were written in the cabinet on the
presidents suggestion. aided by the
secretary of state: the last and con-
cIuding three were written and added I
IN cabinet by the secretary of The navy.
Sneaker Fish then showed extracts to