Evening star., 1896-12-21


to all other nations of the justice and prC-
dence OF the measures which might pe
adopted"
The Initiative thus asserted by Congress
and conceded by President jackson TO Con-
gress In the case of the recognition of
Texas was followed in the case Of Hungary
Dy PRESIDENT Taylor, which authorized his
agent to invite the revolutionary govern
ment Of Hungary to send to the United
States diplomatic representative. since
the president entertained no doubt that. in
such case. at the next meeting of Congress,
"her independence would be speedily recOg-
nixed by that enlightened body
Until now no further question has been
raised In regard to the powers of Congress.
So much space has been taken by this
historical summary that the case of Texas
must be passed over without further notice,
and the cases of Haiti and Santo Domingo
may be set aside as governed by peculiar
instance. except Poland. down to 1880
where any people has claimed independence
by right OF revolt, the right of intervention
has been exercised against the will OF one
or the other party to the dispute. In every
instance the only question that has dis
turbed the intervening powers has regarded
neither tn, right nor the policy SO much as
the time and mode of action. The only
difference between the European and Amer
lean prac tice was that the United states
aimed at moderating or restricting the ex-
treme license of European Intervention,
and this was tine difference which brought
the United States nearly into collision with
Europe in 1851 and 1862 Lords Palmerston
and Russell as well as Emperor Napoleon
ard his ministers. entertained no doubt OF
their right to intervene even before our
civil war had actually commenced. and &C
cordingly, recognized the insurgent states
as belligerents in May, 1861. although no
such decision. The United States govern
ment never ceased to protest with the ut
most energy against the act as premature
and unjust. and this last and most serious
in
states were concerned as an object or Eu-
ropean intervention. revealed the vital ne
cess.ty Of their American system at the
same time that 1t revealed the imminent
danger Of its destruction.
The report then gives the circumstances
under which the southern confederacy was
recognized. tracing in detail the diplomatic
correspondence.
Into this American system. thus created
by Monroe in 1929, and embracing then,
besides the United States, only Buenos
Ayres, Chile. Colombia and Mexico. various
other communities have since claimed, and
in most cases have received admission. until
it now includes all South America, except
the Gu'anas; all Central America, except
the British colony of Honduras. and the
two black republics of Spanish Santo Do
mingo and Haiti in the Antilles.
No serious question was again raised with
any European power in regard to the in
surrection or independence of their Amerl-
can possessions until in 1869 rebellion
broke out in Cuba, ard the insurgents after
organizing a government and declaring
their independence, claimed recognition
from the United States.
The government Of the United States had
always regarded Cuba as within the sphere
Of its most active and serious interests as
early as 1925. when the newly recognized
states of Colombia and Mexico were sup
posed to be preparing an expedition TO revo-
lutionize Cuba and Porto RICO, the United
t,,xa 70
offices with those governments to request
their forbearance. The actual condition OF
Spain seemed to make her retention OF
Cuba impossible, in which case the Cnlteh
States would have been obliged, fef their
own safety to prevent the island from fall
irg into tfer hands of a stronger power In
Europe That this emergency did not occur
may, have been partly due to the right
energy with which Monroe announced our
right ard Eower to prevent It, and MS de-
termination to use all the means WITHIN his
competency Ito guard against ana 1ore-
fend It," y
This right of Intervention in matters re-
lating to the external relations of Cuba, as
serted and exercised seventy years ago, has
teen asserted and exercised at every crisis
in which the island has been involved.
When the Cuban insurgents, in 1869. APP
pealed to the United States for recognition,
President Grant admitted the justice of the
claim, and directed the minister of the
United States at Madrid to interpose our
good offices with the Spanish government In
order to obtain .y a friendly arrangement
the independence of,the island. The story
Of that intervention h familiar to every
member of the Senate, and was made the
basis of it's resolution last. session, request
ing the President once more Ito interpOse
his fr endly offices with the Spanish govern
ment for the recognition OF the indepea-
dence Of Cuba" ~. .
The resolution then adopted by Congress
was perfectly understood to carry. with it
all the consequences which necessarily
friendly Offices On this point, the situation
needs no further comment. The action
taken by Congress, In the last session. was
taken ION great consideration and on just
principles" on right of intervention exer-
cised twenTy-seven years ago. and after
patient delay unexampled in history.
The interval of nine months which has
elapsed since that action of Congress has
proved the necessity of carrying it out to
completion. In the words of the iPresi-
dents annual message: D"
The stability two years duration has
given to the insurrectton, the feasibility of
its indefinite prolongation in the nature of
things, and as shown by past experiences,
the utter ard imminent ruin of the island
unless the present strife Is speedily COM
posed are, in our opinion, conclusive evil
dence that the inability of Spain to deal
successfully with the ins1rrection has be-
come manifest, and 1t is demonstrated that
her sovereignty Is extinct in Cuba for all
purpose of its rightful existence;
hopeless struggle 1Or It's e-eStabliShment
has degenerated into a strife which means
nothing more than the useless sacrifice of
human life, and the utter destruction of the
very subject-matter of the conflict
Although the President appears to have
reached a different conclusion from ours,
we believe this to be the actual situation of
Cuba, and, being unable TO see that further
delay could lead TO any other action than
that which the President anticipates, we
agree with the conclusion of the message
that, In such case, our obligation to the
sovereignty of Spain are superseded by
higher obligations which we can hardly
hesitate to recognize and discharge"
On the Basis of Independence.
Following closely the action of President
Monroe In 1915. Congress has already de-
clared In effect its opinion that there can
be no rational Interference except on the
basis of Independence. In 1922, as now,
but with more force. it Was objected, as
we have shown. that the revolted states
had 70 governments to be recognized Di-
visions, and even civil war, existed among
the insurgents themselves. Among the Cu-
bans no such difficulty is known to exist.
In September, 1895, we know by official
ocuments cpxinted on the spot the insur-
gent goverkRnent was regularly organized:
4 constitution adopted; president elected:
and in due course, the various branches of
admir- istration set in motion Since then
SO far we are informed, this government