The herald., 1896-12-22
CUBAN RIGHTS.
A Long Report Accompanied by Terse
Resolutions.

Resolved, By the SCI. ate and house of
representatives, in congress assembled.
that the independence of Cuba should
be, and the same is hereby acknowi-
edged by the United States of America;
be it further,
Resolved, That the United States will
use it's friendly offices with the govern
ment of Spain to bring to close the war
between Spain and the republic of Cuba.
THE REPORT
The report is very voumirous. 1t be-
gins with review of the action of con-
gress at its last session pledging itself
to friendly intervention with Spain for
the recognition of the independence of
Cuba.
Spain having declined these over
lures, the report continues, the only
question that remains to be decided is
the nature of the next step to be taken.
with proper reagrd to the customs and
usages OF nations.
Then follows an exhaustive review of
this countrys insurrectlons of peoples
claiming inde rendence by right of re-
volt The French revolutionary wars,
which disturbed the entire world for five
and twenty years are cited as having
fixed the beginning of our modern IN
ternational systems at the war OF 1913,
in the treaties CT Vienna and of Paris,
and of the holy alliance. The settlement
of local disturbances proceeded under
these treaties, until the Greeks rose in
insurrection ag ,:ns. the sultan in 1921,
The modern precedents Of European
insurrection and; intervention, where
independence was the issue involved,
are cited as having begun with Greece.
The massacres and atrocities perpetrat-
ed against the Greeks during this strug-
gle are reviewed.
Previous to this, at Troppau, in No
vember. 1920, the three powers of Rus
sia. Austria and Prussia hail united in
signing a protocol expressly intended to
assert the right of Intervention in all
cases where a European power should
suffer in its interna tionai regime an al
tercation brought about by revolt and
the results of which are menacing to
other states"
After reviewing the diplomatic con-
test arising from the revolution in
Greece, the report states: I'm the whole
discussion from March, 1921 to January
1923. the right of intervention was never
disputed except by Turkey"
This was the state of affairs when
George Canning, becoming prime min
lister of England, recognized Greek bel
ligerency.
CANNING'S CONDITION.
The report ADDS: InlS seems 10 nave
been the step which led to Canning S
somewhat famous definition OF the ma
ture of belligerency in 1925.
1.-The Turkish government we are told,
complained that the British government
allowed to the Greeks belligerent
character and observed that it appeared
to forget that to subjects in rebellion no
national character could properly be-
long.
yr, +b;s ro~,o,s+,o,oa Coppipr replied Il
through the British minister resident
at Constantinople that the character Of
belligerency was not so much prin-
ciple as a fact; that a certain degree OF
force and consistency acquired by any
mass of population engaged in war, en-
titled that population to be treated as a
belligerent. and, even If their title were
Questionable, rendered it the interest
we'll understood of all civilized nations
SO to treat them"
The report continues: CAN the die
tum of Canning was never. SO far as we
kr: r:,w-, officially published; it was quoted
by Lord John Russell. then her majesty's
secretary of state for foreign affairs, in
the speech which he made in the house
of commons, May 6, 1861, as his single and
sufficient authority to Justify the ster
upon which he and his colleagues
in the government had decided on recog-
nizing the bellgerency of the power OF
community which he officially called the
Southern Confederacy of America,
and which at that tIVe had not shiI
at sea or an army on land and which
had given az yet no eff Aal evidence oi
war to the British government. Simui.
taneously the same action was adopted
by the government OF France, Whicr
'concurred entirely in the views of he:
majesty's government and whose con-
currence. In the absence Of protest or OBJ
lection by any other power. made Rus.