The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-22
MORE SECRET ARCHIVES.
Spain's Reply to This COuntry's Offer
of Mediation.

WASHINGTON, May 21.-The full CORE
spondence between the United States and
Spain relative to Secretary Olneys offer
of mediation the Cuban question is
gradually coming to light Mr.. Olney's
letter was made public during Senator For
aker's recent speech with a brief extract
from the Spanish minister's reply. To-day
the full reply of Minister Dupuy De Lone
became available. 1t contains the follow
ing language indicative of the attitude of
the last administration:
THE government of his Majesty APP
preciates to its full value the noble frank
ness with which that of the United States
has informed it of the very definite opin-
ion it has formed in regard to the legal
impossiblity of granting the recognition of
beligerency to the Cuban insurgents. In
deed, those who are now fighting in Cuba
against the integrity of the Spanish
fatherland possess no qualifications en-
titling them to the respect or even to the
consideration of other countries. They do
not, as your EXcellency expresses II, pos
SeSS any civil government, established and
organized, with a known seat and admin
istration of defined territory, and they have
not succeeded in permanently occupying
any town, much less any city, large or
small.
Your Excellency declares in the note to
which [ am now replying, with great legal
acumen and spontaneity that it is i'm
possible for the Cuban insurgents to per-
form the functions of a regular govern
ment within its own frontiers, and much
less to exercise the rights and fulfill the
obligations that are incumbent on all the
members of the family of nations More
over, their systematic campaign of de-
struction against all the industries of the
island and the means by which they are
worked would of itself be sufficient to
keep them without the pale of the uni
versally recognized rules of international
law. his Majesty government has read
with no less qualification the explicit and
spontaneous declarations to the effect that
the government of the United States seeks
no advantage in connection with the Cuban
question, its only wish being that the in
eluctable and lawful sovereignty of Spain
be maintained and even strengthened
through the submission of the rebels
which, as your EXcellency states in your
note, is a paramount necessity to the Span
ish government for the maintenance of its
authority and its honor.
There can be no greater accuracy of
Judgment than that displayed by your EX-
cellency, and as you said with great rea-
son, such a termination of the conflict
would be looked upon with the most serious
misgivings even by the most enthusiastic
advocate of popular government. because
as remarked by your EXcellency, with the
Heterogeneous combination of races that
exist there, the disappearance of Spain
would be the disappearance of the only
bond of union which can keen them in bal
ance, and unavoidable struggle among
the men of different color. contrary to the
spirit of Christian civilization. would super
vene. The accuracy Of your EXcellency's
statements is all the more striking, as
owing To the condition of population in the
island, no part of the natives can be con-
ceded superiority over the others if the
assistance OF the Spaniards from Fnrone
is not taken into account.
The government OF his Majesty most
heartily thanks that of the United States
for the kind advice it bestows on Spain
but il wishes to state and cntertains the
confidence that your EXcelency will readily
see that it has been forestalling il for q
1natter of course, that IL viii comply with
II IN practical manner as soon as cir