Evening star., 1896-12-21
His Reasons Why His Resolution
Should Be Adopted.
HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTERVENTION
Position of the United States From
President Monroe Down.
PARTICULAR CASE OF CUBA

Senate the report of the committee on for
eign relations favorable to the adoption of
the following joint resolution:
Resolved by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America, in Congress assembled, That the
independence of the republic of Cuba be
and the same is hereby acknowledged by
the United States of America.
BE 1t further resolved, That the United
States will use its friendly offices with the
government of Spain to bring to close
the war between Spain and the republic of
Cuba
The report is very voluminous. 1t says:
Congress at its last session, after long and
pa tient consideration, adopted with prac-
tical unanimity the view expressed by your
committee that the time had come for re-
suming intervention with Spain for the
recognition of the independence of Cube.
Spain having declined to listen to any rep
resentation founded on an understanding
between herself and the insurgents, and
Congress having pledged itself to friendly
intervention, the only question that remains
TO be decided Is the nature of the next
step to be taken. with proper regard to the
customs and usages of nations.
Before deciding this question your COM
mittee has preferred to examine with some
care all the instances which have occurred
during this century, of insurgent peoples
claiming independence by right of revolt
The inquiry has necessarily led somewhat
far, especially because the right of revolt
or insurrection, if insurrection can be prop
erly called right, seems in every instance,
except one, to have carried with 1t cor
responding Intervention. For convenience
we have regarded both insurrection and in
tervention as recognized rights, and have
attempted to ascertain the limits within
winch these rights have been exercised
and their force admitted by the general
consent of nations
The long duration of the French revolu-
tionary wars, which disturbed the entire
world for five and twenty years and left
II In a state Of great confusion hxed the
beginning of our modern International sys-
tems at the year 1915, in the treaties of
Vienna, Paris and of the Holy Alliance
The settlement Of local disturbances, under
the innuence Of the powers parties to these
Treaties, proceeded without serious disa-
greement until 1871, when the Greeks rose
III fnsurrection against the sultan The
modern precedents of European insurrec-
llcn ana intervention, where independence
was the issue involved, began with Greece.
Greece 1S2I-1S27.
The revolution broke out in Greece at the
end Of March. 1921. Within month the
rebels got possession of all the open eeun-
Try, and all the towns except so far as
tney were held by Turkish garrisons. The
sultan Immediately called all Mussulmans
TO arms; the Greek patriarch was hung at
the door of his own church at CONSTANT
Eopte' several hundred merchants were
massscred; several hundred Christian
were destroyed and the Russian
insulted. At Tropau. in No
yemper, 1870, the three powers of Russia.
austria and Prussia, united in signing a
protocol expressly intended to assert the
right of intervention in all cases where a
european power "snould suffer in its in
ternaf regime. an alteration brought about
ny revolt, and the results of which are
for other sta1es" The language
Of this protocol had much to do with the
course of events.
fatRIu! to the principles they have pro-
cfa'nled, and the respect due to the author
lty OF every legitimate government, as
Wen ass TO- every act which emanates from
It's freeswili, the allied powers will engage
TO refuse their recognition to changes con-
summated by Illegal methods When states
Where such changes shall have been eff
Lectnated shall cause other countries to
rear by their proximity an imminent dan
ger ana Wnen allied powers can exercise
IN regard to them an eficacious and
Dehencent action, they will employ, in order
ance, at first friendly processes: in The
second place, coercive force, If the -ex-
erclse or that force becomes Indispensable.
After reviewing the diplomatic contest
ths produced, the report proceeds:
In the whole discussion, from March
ls2l, until January, 1923, the right of in
tervention was never disputed. exeent nv
urkey On that point the whole law was
stated In conversation between the British
ambassador and the Turkish minister. The
! urk LOOK the ground that everything had
oeen done by Turkey if she had satisfied
her treaty obligations. Everything as
against Russia,' replied Strangford the
British ambassador; but not as regards
tne allies and friends of the porte Accord
ing TO turkish law, It was not allowed to
@ leave mouse in a condition that endan-
se,,a. se,eu neighnors safety. The Turkish
oid soi1dity of the wall, but he G.ord
strargfordD feared they were ,nfst.ien ;,
GOD forbid" said the Turk: but in anv
Ioa forbid" repeated Lord Stranpford.
Tor this Is our affair as well as yours
BeIligerency Recognised.
Ihis was the situation when Lord Cas-
iiefeasn died and George Canning became
prime minister OF England. He began bv
Iecosnlzlng Greek belligerency. The
1reeks issued proclamation declaring a
s'rict blockade of the ports of Patras and
Lepahto' ana thereupon the Ionian high
commissioner, on the 18th of Nover,har
1874, recognized this communication from
persons exercising the functions of govern
ment IN Greece" and ordered '.aiI shinS
ana poats, OF whatever description, bearing
the lonf1n flag to respect the Same in
the most strict and exact manner"
This seems to have been the sen b;cb
led to Canning's somewhat famous defini-
.lon .1Dl OF the nature of belligerency in ls25.
Ihe Iurkish government" we are told
complained that the British government
allowed to the Greeks a belligerent char,c-
ter. and observed that 1t appeared to for.
get that to subjects in rebellion no na.
tfonai character could properly belong
TO this remonstrance Canning replied
through the British resident at Coasfanti,
nople. that the character of beIligerency
was not so much a principle as fact.
that certain degree, of force and con-
sistency acquired by any mass of ponula-
ton engaged in war entitled that non,,ja.
tfQE to be treated as belligarant and
even If their title were QUESTIONABLE rem
dered 1t the interest. well understood of all
civilized nations so to treat them"
This proposition must have seemed soma
what broad. even to Canning: Tor in am
plying 1t to the special case Of Greece he
acded that a power or community. cali
II which you will, which was at war with
another and which covered the sea with its
cruisers must either be acknowis.iyel- az
beiligerent or dealt with as a pirate "
At that time no other power than Eneland.
and Turkey least of all, admitted the ne,
cessity OF this alternative. since the var
had then lasted four years! without ,.ro-
duclng II; but what no other power was
ready to admit In 1875 became the aceept-
ed law 81 all Europe In 1861 In q form
Continued on twelfth Pase.l