The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-22
The Report Of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Affairs Presented Yesterday.
MONROE DOCTRINE IS INVOKED.
Numerous Citations from the History Of Europe, Asia and
America to Support the Committees Position that the
Independence Of Cuba should be Recognized.

Washington, Dec. 2l.-The report from
the Committee on Foreign Relations of
the joint resolution acknowledging the
Independence of Cuba and Offering :he
f:iend.y offices of this Government with
Spain to bring 10 close the war he
tween Spain and the Republic OF Cuba.
was presented in ahe Senate to-day
Is document q very great length anC
deals thoroughly though briefly in I
opening with modern preceden:s OF Eu
ropean intervention where independence,
WAS the Issue involved the committee
having as its report mentions examined
with Gaze all ;he instances which have
occurred during this century OF peoples
claiming Independence by right of re-
volt. The opening lines OF the report
s:ata that Congress al It's last ses ion.
after long and patient consideration
adopted wish practical unan!mity the
view expressed by the committee tha;
the time nd come for :esuming inter
Vention with Spain for the recognition
Of the Independence of Cuba. Spain
having dec ined TO listen TO any repre-
sentat!on founded on an UNDERSTANDING
between herself and the insurgen ;. and
Congress having pledged itself 10 friend
~ intervention the only question tina:
remains 70 be decided is the nature Of
the next Step 10 be taken with prope:
regard 10 the customs ana uEage.s of
nations.
i. f.oitcFfAN BRECEDENIS.
WIthou; further preamble the report
proceeds TO show the modern pyece-
dent: Of European intervention where
independence was the issue involved be-
gan. with G.eece" in The struggle which
lasted from 1921 to 1927
Incidents of the struggle in which the
Greeks fought for Independence are
conc!sely pointed out, traced until the
period when the powers Induced Turkey
to consent to allow her affairs u h. di.-
en- sed in gene'rl conference. and Rus-
S!a Insisted that the Geek Insured ion
should be included among the subjcc, 5
Of mediation. Following in regular oY-
der in its details Of circunls :ance: of
European nations claming !ndepend-
ence on the ground OF the right of revo-
luton the cases are mentioned Of Bel-
gium against the Netherlands in 1880
where the King of Holland was coe ced
into accepting the conditions opposed by
the powers upon show of armed hos Ill
t:y In November 1882 by the Govern
ments of France and England. The
coincdent rebellion in Poland. in which
the Gear notified the minister of the
new French King Louis Philippe that
he would tolerate no intervention in
Poland" IS given attention. Then fol-
lows in the series Of Europeans nations
ella inning independence. the recital of the
removal from the throne OF Hungary
OF the Hapshurg dynasty followed by
the election of Louis Kossuth provision
al president. and the intervention of
Russia on the ground that If she did so
intervene, Hungary would estdh'i3h II her
independence. This precedent" ccntin-
ues the report. "tended 10 establish the
right of every government 10 Intervene
in the affairs OF foreign states when
ever their situation should tend 10 en-
danger its own safety or the political
equilibrium on its frontiers. As far as
is known every other government in the
world ;acitly acquicsced in the establish
ment of this precedent"
MANY OTHER IRDcEDENTs.
The report further states:
Beside the four presidents Of Greece.
Belgium, Poland and Hungary, where
new na,ionalit!es were in question. q
much larger number of intervent:ons oc-
CURED in Europe in the process of dis
ruption or consolidation which has.
on one hand, disintegrated the ancient
empires OF The Sultan. of lhe purchase.
and on the other hand concentrated the
new systems OF Germany, Russia and
Italy.
Referring to the Ottoman empire. it is
mentioned that since the year 1927 in
ierVeniion In the affairs of the Ottoman
empire has been so constant as 10 create
body of Jurisprudence. and a long
series OF treaties on which the existence
of all political systems of Southeastern
Europe seems now 10 be more or less
entirely based.
Not only Greece. Montenegro. Rou-
mania. Bulgaria. Roumelia Seryia and
Egyp! have been the creations of such
intervention or the objects of Its re-
strairts. but also Samos. Crete. and
even the Lebanon owe their legal status
to the same source
The treaty of Berlin in 1878 was n
broad assertion OF the righ, OF the Eu.
ropean powers to regulate the affairs OF
the Ottoman empire. but the treaty
contains no statement OF the principle
of Jurisprudence in which the right
res.s.
From this body OF precedent II Is
clear that Europe has Invariably as
serted and pract:ced the right of inter
ference. both collectively and separate
ly. am!cably and forcibly, in every in
stance. except tina: of Poland, where
European people las resorted TO insur-
rection to obtain independence"