Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-01-30
THE FIRST STEP
By United States Toward Rec
ognizing Cuban Insurgents.
Resolutions Reported to Senate Which
Carry an Air Of Sympathy.
Minority Report Even Stronger In Aiding In
dependence Of Cuba.

Washington, Jan, 29.-The Cuban
resolutions reported from the committee
on foreign relations to the Senate, this
morning, by Mr.. Morgan are as follows
Resolved by the Senate, the House Of
Representatives concuring, that the pres.
cnt dcplorable war on the island Of Cuba
has reached magnitude that concerns
all civilized nations to the extent that il
should be conducted, if unhappily 1t is
longer to continue, on those principles
and laws Of warfare that are acknowledged
to be obligatory upon civilized nations
when engaged in open hostiities, includ-
ing the treatment of captives who are en-
listed in either army, due respect to car
tc's for exchange Of prisoners and for
Other military purposes truces and flags of
truce, the provision Of proper hospitals and
hospital supplies and services to the sick
and wounded of either army. Be it further
Resolved, That this representation of
the views and opinions of Congress be
sent 10 the President, and if he concurs
therein that he will in friendly spirit
use the good offices of this government to
the end that Spain shall be requested to
accord TO the armies with which it is en-
gagged in war the rights of belligerents as
the same are recognized under the laws Of
nations
These resolutions Were accompanied by
"A comprehensive report.
In the minority report on the Cuban
resolutions, Senator Cameron says that
early in 1869, during the previous resolu-
ton, proclamation was actually signed
by President Grant recognizing the
Cubans as belligercnts, although the fact
Is known TO very few persons. This pro
clamation was not promulgated owing to
the opposition of Secretary Fish.
During that war, Mr.. Cameron shows,
our minister was directed to impress upon
the Spanish mind the advancing growth
Of that sentiment which claims for every
part of the American hemisphere, the
right to self government and freedom
from trans Atlantic dependence =
The good offices of the United States
were offered to the cabinet at Madrid for
the purpose of bringing to close the
civil war ravaging the island of Cuba. ''
The basis Of settlement including an ac-
acknowledgement OF the independence of
Cuba by spain, were the payment BY
Cuba TO spain of an indemnify for her
reliuquishment of all her rights in the
Islands and the abolition of slavery.
The efforts to settle the war failed
The insurgents at that time were not con
quered, but were induced by Gen. Campos
to lay down their arms on the conditions
Of peace which he undertook to carry out.
Mr. Cameron asserts that the debt cf
Justice growing out of this settlement has
not yet been paid. The highest Spanish
authorities have confessed that the rriev-
ances of the Cuhans are lust and their AS
pirations for liberty legitimate. The en-
tire population. with the exception of the
official class, ARE living under TYRANNY
unparalleled at this day on the globe.
Coming down to recent times. Mr.
Cameron says that President Cleveland
has cleared the subject of all preliminary
doubts. A state OF war exists in Cuba
With that alone we have to deal.
After the victory of Bsymo last .Jnlv
when the insurgents defeated and nearly
captured the captain general, and gained
military possession of the whole eastern
half of the island, the fact of their bel
ligerency was established, and if further
evidence was needed. 1t was given by the
victory at Caliseo, Dec. ~. when the in
surRents drove the captain general back
to Havana and gained military control of
the western provinces.
If the United States s.ill refrained from
recognizing the belligerency of the insur-
gents, the reason doubtless was that the
question had become wholly political. and
Its true solution must lie in the recopni-
tion Of their Independence
In 1875, when the situation was far
from being as serious as it is now, Presi
dent Grant proposed to the Spanish GOV
eminent a sort of Intervention which
should establish the independence of Cuba
by friendly agreement.
He assured Spain that if such media.