The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-10

lutionary committee and proposed Gu
ba republic, but that he had been unable
TO grant this request. He added that it
I was with great personal regret that he
authorized the destruction Of property
of citizens of the United States, but
that in his opinion it was a military
necessity, and sacrifice which seemed
necessary to be made 10 the cause Of
| liberty.
| Another, and even more important
objection which is made against recog-
milton unless circumstances compel II, is
| in the fact chat such action would give
| to the Spanish government the right OF
! search of American vessels on the high
! seas, and confiscation OF their entire
value and that of the cargo carried in
case any arms or munitions of war
would he found on board them. This
! claim was so broadly asserted and so
! vigorously sustained during the late
OWL war 10y the United States that
Spain could not fail to assert and sue
cessfully maintain It.
A case which attracted much atten-
ton at the time, and which has been Of
ten referred to as establishing this right
of search on the high seas in the fullest
and broadest sense, is that of British
vessel carrying a cargo valued at $780,
600, en- route to Nassau, which was
seized and searched by one Of the Unit
ed States vessels shortly after the recog-
milton of the confederacy by Great Bri-
tain. The mere fact that 135 guns were
found on boaDd this vessel, although
she was shown by her papers TO be
bound only for Nassau, was held to be
sufficient to warrant her seizure and
confScation of vessel and cargo, and
flis extreme View was sustained by the
admiralty court of New York, and af-
L. :,
United Statese
SEIZURE OF SHIPS.
This celebrated case is often referred
to in matters OF this character, and
would doubtless subject vessels OF the
United States upon the high seas to the
closest scrutiny from Spanish vessels,
and would be liable to cause the seiz-
ure of any vessel owned by citizens of
this country headed for any South
American port, which might chance TO
have on board anything that could be
classed as munitions of war. The re
suit of a condition such as this it is felt
would naturally be very damaging to
the commerce of the United States with
South America, and even endanSer phe
cOasting trade in the Southern Atlantic
water or the trade with any Of the
West Indies group.
These two considerations, the pros
pSCIike loss Oh GIdlIIlS MIllSIl
citizens of the United States would have
against Spain under present circum-
stances, and would lose in case of rec
ognitiOn Of the belligerents, and the
great danger and certain damage TO our
commerce with South America and the |
West Indies, are being strongly pressed
today 10y communications by wire and
mail upon the officials of the govern |
ment whose duty it will be to determine |
whether or not the belligerents of Cuba |
are 10 be recognized.
There is no doubt but that a strong |
effort will be made to precipitate &C |
ton of this sort. This sentiment comes |
more especially from the west, where
the probable damage to the property of |
citizens of this country by an act of this |
kind ds not recognized. Several MEM |
beers have resolutions looking to this ac-
ton ready for presentation to the house
when it meets tomorrow. In this con- |
nectiOn some statements by President (
Grant in regard to the recognition of |
belligerency and its effects are of inter-
est.
GRANT ON BELLIGERENCY.
In his message ITO congress in 1870, /
when Cuba had been two years in a
state of revolt, Grant said:
'SThe question of belligerency is one
of fact not to be decided by sympathy
for or prejudice against either party.
The relations between the parent state
and the insurrectioniStS must amount in
fact to war in the sense of international
1aNV. There must be above all a de
facto political organization of the insur-
gents sufficient in character and reSour-
ces to constitute it, If left alone, a state
nations capable to discharge the
duties of state. The insurgents hold
no town or city, have no established
seat of government, no organization for
the receiving and collecting of revenues,
no seaport ITO which a prize may be car
ried, or through which access can be
had by a, foreign power"
1t is largely because Of this view OF
the case that It is now felt that a sue
cess by the insurgents which would give
them a seaport to add to the political
which they have already
made, would require recognition. On
the other hand, the danger which would
come TO our shipping interests and COM
merce were as keenly recognized by Gen
eral Grant in 1875 as they are today. On
that occasion still declining to recognize
the belligerency of the CubanS, upon
the same grounds of this of 1870 he add |.
ed, as a warning to those who were
pressing therefor:
IF the belligerency be recognized, the
commercial marine of the United States
becomes liable TO search and to seiZ-
ure by the commissioned cruisers of
both parties; they become subject to
Tbfs ad indication of priZe courts.