The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-04

WASHINGTON. D. c., March S-The
President aud his cabinet undoubtedly
pre strongly opposed TO the present
,.cornItion OF the belltgerency OF the
cuban insurgents and to any declara-
tIoa concerning their Independence as
embodied in recent congressional reso-
,ations The following is not an official
statement, but X Is known from careful
inouiry that II accurately presents the
adminlstration's views OF the matter:
While the President and the members
Of The cabinet personally feel the SYM
pathy common TO all Americans With
those Cubans who are contending for
self government, the feel that IN their
official action they should not depart
from the well settled principles which
wSrS Followed BY former Presidents
and secretnries OF state during prior in-
surrcctlons In Cuba.
These were clearly set forth by Gen
eral Grant in his message OF 1875 In
which he dealt with the question OF the
recognition OF Cuban Independence and
also with the recognition OF helliger-
ency. Both Independence and belliger-
eney are facts and their recognition by
other powers, as the term implies, is
merely a formal acknowledgment OF a
state Of things which rightly or wrongly
has come about.
When a people united under some
known and defined form Of government
which administers its functions by the
usual methods. come to occupy ana
control n known territory over which
II ls competent to administer justice
and within which Il afforos protection
10 citizens and strangers, q new state
exists Refusal OF recognition would
not change the fact any more than pre-
mature Recognition" could create it.
The former would be merely n slight
10 the new government, just as the lat
ter Is merely an effront to the old one.
The question necessarily Is what gov
ernment 4s actually In control OF the
country.
Recognition OF belllgerency depends
upon the same facts and Is only modi-
fed form OF recognizing Independence,
though the latter implies more perfect
accompiiS Shment. The difference be-
tween mere instruction and war. al
though In both armed bodies nre in
conflict, is that in the former only SOW
ereIgn power Is engaged. while In the
latter there must necessarily be two.
II an armed conflict be carried on by
"A substantial political organization,
real, paipabie and manifest In the
world. having the form and capable OF
the ordinary functions Of government
towards its own people and 70 other
states, having a local habttation.
where IL may be dealt with by other
nations. then there Is war, and refusal
TO recognize the belligerency would be
willful. In the absence OF these features
there Is nothing to take the contest out
OF the category OF mere rebellion. In
surrection or occasional skirmishes and
place II on the terrible footing OF war.
The pretense OF recognizing what does
not exist ''is always. and justly. regard
ed as an unfriendly act and n gratuitous
Demonstration OF moral support to the
rebellion"
tests, the administration does not think
the present stage OF affairs In Cuba
justifes any change In the attitude Of
tho government Its function Is TO act
and not express feeling. The only ac-
tIon now proper Is to continue to hold
responsible for injuries TO American
citizens the only government which. 30
far as appears, has and maintains
authority In Cuba, until some other
government succeeds. at least tempo
rarity, in suppianttnE II"