Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-03-11
The Presidents Position.

Ito Il ICS1ucutS L USlLlUus
The Washington correspondent Of
the Baltimore San, under date Of
March 3rd says that the President and
his cabinet undoubtedly are strongly
opposed to the present recognition OF
the belligerency of the Cuban insur
gents and to any declaration concern
ing their independence as embodied in
recent congressional resolutions. The
following is not an official statement,
but it is known from careful inquiry
that it accurately represents the ad
ministration's views of the matter:
While the President and the mem
bers of the cabinet personally feel the
sympathy common to all Americans
with those Cubans who are contending
for self-government, they feel that in
their official action they should not
depart from the well-settled principles
which are followed by former Presi
dents and Secretaries of State during
prior instructions 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 that of the recognition
of belIigerency.
Both independence and belligerency
are facts, and their recognition by
other powers, as the term implies, is
merely formal acknowledgment of a
state of things which rightly or
wrongly has come about.
When people, united under some
known and defined form of govern
ment which administers it's functions
by the usual methods, come to occupy
and control a known Territory over
which it is competent to administer
justice and within which it affords
protection to citizens and strangers, a
new state exists. Refusal of recog-
milton would not change the fact any
more than premature recognition"
could create it. The former would be
merely slight to the new government,
just as the latter is merely an affront
to the old one. The question neces-
sarily is always what government is
actually in control of the country
Recognition of belligerency depends
upon the same facts and is only
modified form of recognizing indie
pendence, though the latter implies
more perfect accomplishment The
difference between mere instruction
and war, though in both armed bodies
are in conflict, is that in the former
only one sovereign power is engaged,
while in the latter there must neces-
sarily be two If an armed conflict to
be carried on by "a substantial politi-
cal organization real, palpable and
manifest to the world, having the
forms and capable of the ordinary
functions of government toward its
own people and to other States"
having local habitation" where it
may be dealt with by other nations,
then there is war, and refusal to
recognize belligerency would be willful |
In the absence of these features tn ere |
is nothing Ito take the contest out of |
the category of a mere rebellious in
or occasional skirmishes, |
md place it on the terrible footing of |
war;" The pretense of recognizing |;
what does not exist lis always and |
Justly regarded as an unfriendly act
Ind gratuitious demonstration of moral
support to the rebellion"
1t is understood that the admins.
ration does not think the present
tage of affairs in Cuba justifies any
lange in the attitude of the govern
nent. Its function is to act and not to
Express feeling. The only action now
proper is to continue to hold RESPONSE
lie for injuries to American citizens
he only government which, SO far as
ppears, has and maintains authority
n Cuba until some other government
ucceeds, at least temporarily, in sup /,
'lantingit.