The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-16
Hc Afferward Wrote q Message for the
President. Denying the Request OF
Cubans, and Grant Thanked Him.
PROGRAMME OF. CONGRESS-
BELIIGERENCy REsoLuTIoSs TO BE
PUSHED By SENATOR SHERMAN.
Possibility that President CIeveIand
VIII Have Something to say-span-
f. iards killed by Mistake.

Copyrighted. 1896. by the Associated Press)
ALBANY, n. Y, March l5.-During the
debate on the Cuban question in the United
States Senate many illusions were made
both BY Senator Sherman and Senator Hin
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 af-
fairs between the President and his Secre-
tary OF State. The Speaker OF the Assem-
bly,. Hamilton Fish, son of the late Secre-
tary, is in possession OF information on
this subject contained in the diaries kept
by his father. that is OF great Importance
in the controversy. On the authority OF
these diaries. ii is shown that President
Grant had, at one time, under the crcun-
stances of a pending negotiation at Ma
drid. been inclined to recognize the bellig-
erency OF Cuba, but on June ls. ls70. the
opinion of the President and the Cabinet
was unanimous that there were no facts
to justify the declaration of belligerency.
and that the satisfaction OF the President
with the Cuban policy of his administration
and its effects upon the country and the
Republican party found expression a few
weeks later in thanks 10 the Secretary OF
been due to his wisdom and Judgment
During his eight years service In tho
State Department, Mr. Fish kept, chiefly
as reference record for his own eyes. q
diary in his own handwriting containing a
minute of important transactions and OF his
conversations with the President, members
OF the Cabinet. Senators and other leading
public men, in regard 10 the more proml-
nent OF the foreign questions with which ha
had TO deal. From May 81 20 June Is. 1870.
the date OF President Grants special mes
sage to Congress on Cuban belligerency.
the entries In the diary are many and very
fun in regard 10 the origin. preparation.
discussions in Cabinet and final compile
ton of the special message. Some Of these
entries have a peculiar interest In the lghu
of recent events. and were shown today
to the correspondent OF the Associated
Press.
WHAT FISH TOLD SHERMAN
Under date OF Feb. 49, 1870. t;sere is q
suggestion OF ritt in the unity OF the
Icy, respecting foreign affairs, which policy
the President had announced = rs an
nual message o. the. previoas e amber.
The entrysis as follows: hgfS
Called this r.srning lby appointneap TO
see Senator John Sherman On the
subject ,, of he ss.,ov uni, Of, Of ss co,n-
ton / referrsd to ms resolution intro
duced in the Senate. and his speech In favor
or recognizing the belligerency OF Cuba, aad
asked II he had recently examined The treaty
with Spain OF 1875. He said he had not; Was
not aware OF the existence OF such a treaty
/ referred to its provisions and to the prob
able consequences OF the exercise by spain
| of the right OF visit tor OF search): Thought
Would Son II IN
said that fighting was not delinquency; there
is fighting, but no beIgerency In Cuba:
there is no government Of the insurrectionary
! party: no political organization. etc. He
| admitted that he had not examined the sub
| ject closely. but said there Is good deal of
| excitement I'm the country the subject
| / advised him, In connection. with the pass
| ing Of mis- resolution Of bellIgerency, 10 pre-
| pare bills for the increase OF the public debt
| and to meet the increased appropriation
| which will be necessary Tor the army, navy
! eic.''
| An evident sollcitude among Republicans
lest the party. in presence OF the approacis-
ing election. should be divided on the cu5zn
question by reason of representations TO the
country In regard to the Presidents real at
titude, is indicated on June 10 by this entry:
Judge Orth and General Butler called In
| the evening 10 urge the sending OF mes-
sage by the President on the question of
Cuban belligersncy Orth says tae vote ts,''1 VII
| speech but there are some twenty or thirty
| quiet members. who may be decided by his
| ident's views.
| On June u there Is this entry:
Stay at home and prepare a message on
the Cuban delinquency question: TO be SUB
mitted for the Presidents consideration, IN
! case ne agrees to send one. He has not yet
| returned from his fishing excursion
GRANTS CUBAN MESSAGE.
| 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 II war
| is to be resorted TO IL should be BY diYccg
| declaration, ard not by embarrassing Spain
| by a declaration OF beliiEerency. agrees
unanimously that no condition OF s..,s facts
| the President amends his sentences BY re-
| ferring in general terms. 10 seizures on the
n1ga ensa, ontraees. Robson adds the conciudine
sentences claiming that the question of
belligerency is distinct from those questions
| Identification, and, IL nor satisfied, they
| will be made the subject OF future mes
ssge And thus II Is & agreed tnAt tne mes
Speaker Fish said that the original draft
| OF the message. with its many erasures and
| interlineations. Is all IN Mr.. Fish's own
hand. The message sent 10 Congress. and
printed as .'Ex Doc. No. ss," Is verbatim
as In tnat draft. down 10 the following
paragraph near the end:
There Is no de facfo government In the
| island OF Cuba sufficient 10 execute law
and maintain just relations with other ma
tions Spain has not been able 10 suppress
| the opposition 10 spanish rule on the Island.
nor 70 award speedy justice 70 otsss & naiSss iSe,
| rights have been Invaded"
| Those two sentences were written and In
serted BY the President; the next two were
| written I'm the Cabinet. on the Presidents
| suggestion. and added by the Secretary OF
| State: the last and concluding three were
| written and added in the Cabinet by the
Secretary OF the Navy. Speaker Fish then
| showed extracts 10 demonstrate that the
policy Of the administration on this matter
OF Cuba appears to have been adopted by
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