The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-03-16
A PAGE FROM HISTORY F.!
why President Grant Failed to Recognize
Cuban Belligerency.
SECRETARY FISH RESPONSIBLE
The President Afterward Thanked His
Chief Adviser for Having Saved Him
From a Serious Brror-scraps From
the Diary of Secretary Fish.

| ALBANY, March 16-Durinp the debate
on the Cuban question in the United
States senate many illusions were made
both by Senator 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 conflict of opinion over Cuban
affairs between the president and his Sec
retary of state. The speaker of the as
sembly, Hamilton Fish, son of the late
secretary, is in possession of information
upon this subject contained in the diaries
kept by his father that is Of great impor-
tance in the controversy
On the authority of these diaries It is
shown that President Grant had at one
time, under the circumstances of pend.
ing negotiation at Madrid, been inclined
to recognize the belligerency of Cuba; but
on June 13, 1870, the opinion of the presi-
dent and the cabinet was unanimous that
there were no facts to justify the declara-
tion of belligerency, and that the satisfac-
tion of the president with the Cuban pol
! icy of his administration and its effects
upon the country and the Republican
| party found expression few weeks later
| in thanks to the secretary of state for what
ever share in it may have been due to his
wisdom and Judgment.
During his eight years service in the
state department Mr.. Fish kept, chiefly as
a reference record for his own eyes, u diary
| in his own handwriting containing min.
ute of important transactions, of his con-
versations with the president, members of
| the cabinet, senators and other leading
public men, in regard to the more promi-
nent of the foreign questions with which
he had to deal. From May 81 to June 13,
| 1870, the date of President Grants special
message to congress on Cuban belliger-
ency, the entries in the diary are many
and very full in regard to the origin, prep.
aration, discussions in cabinet and final
completion of the special message.
Under date of Feb. 10, 1870, there is a
suggestion of rift in the unity of the
Republican party in defense of that pol
icy respecting foreign affairs, which pol
icy the president had announced in his
annual message of the previous December
The entry is as follows:
"Called this morning, by appointment
to see Senator John Sherman on subject
of the unit of coinage After conversing
on that question l referred to his resolu
ton introduced in the senate and speech
in favor of recognizing the belligerency of
Cuba and asked if he had recently ex-
amined the treaty with Spain of 1895. He
said he had not; was not aware of the eX-
istence of such a treaty. l referred to its
provisions, and to the probable conse-
| quences of the exercise by Spain of the
/ right of visit (or of search); thought our
people would not submit to it, and that
the consequences would soon develop in
war; said that fighting was not belligor-
ency there is fighting, but no belligerency
in Cuba; there is no government of the in
surrectionary party; no political organi-
zation, etc
"He admitted that he had not examined
the subject closely, but said there is a good
deal of excitement in the country on the
subject. l advised him in connection with
the passing of his resolution of belliger-
ency to prepare bills for the increase Of the
public debt, and to meet the increased ap-
preparation which will be necessary for
the army, navy. etc"
An evident solicitude among Republi-
cans lest the party, in the presence of the
approaching autumn election, should be
divided on the Cuban resolution is indi-
Gated on June 10 by this entry:
Judge Orth and General Butler called
in the evening to urge the sending of a
message by the president on the question
Of Cuban belligerency. Orth says the vote
will be close Banks will make the clos
ing speech, but there are some twenty or
thirty quiet members who may be decided
by his speech, but would not go against
the presidents views"
On June u there is this entry: "Stay at
home and prepare message ON the Cuban
belligerency question, to be submitted for
the presidents consideration, in case he
agreed to send one"
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 should be by direct
declaration, and not by embarrassing
Spain by a declaration of belligerency;
agrees unanimously that no condition of
facts exists TO justify belligerency. Fin
ally the president amends his sentences by
referring in general terms TO seizures on
the high seas embargoes of property and
personal outrages."
Speaker Fish said that the original draft
of the message, with its many erasures
and interlineations, is all in Mr.. Flsh's
| own hand,
Senator Cameron, in the recent minor
| ity report of the senate committee on for
eign affairs, alluded to rumor of IA bell
! ligerency proclamation having been signed
by President Grant. 1t is true that in the
summer of 1863, and while the proffer of
mediation suggested to the president by
Mr.. Paul S. Forbes as coming from Gen
eral Prim was pending at Madrid, tho
state department had, on the request of
the president, prepared draft of procla-
nation of belligerency. Some time after
the president signed it, went on journey
to the west and on the way wrote letter
TO Secretary Fish advising him to issue
the proclamation granting Cuban belliger-
ency, though leaving the matter to the
secretary's discretion.
On July 10, 1870, in a conversation in
which Mr.. Fish had expressed to the presi-
dent his desire to retire from the office,
which he had accepted on the understand
ing Lhnt he nns tn hnll il nnlV Fill the