The Holly chieftain., 1897-12-10

y all thtse horrofs and dangers 20 our own peace
[ this government has never in any way abrogated
its sovereign prerogatiye OF preserving TO itself
the determination Of It's policy and course ac-
| cordlng to It's own high sense OF right and in
consonance with the dearest Interests and
/ convictions OF cur own people should the pro-
! lonration OF the strife so demand
OF the untried measures there remain only
/ Recognition OF the Insurgents as belligerents.
recognition OF the Independence of Cuba; neu-
tral Intervention 70 end the war by imposing a
rational compromise between the contestants.
and Intervention in favor OF one or the other
party. speak not OF forcible annexation, for
that cannot be thought Of That. by our code
of morality, would be criminal aggression
Recognition of B-Iiigerency.
Recognition OF the belligerencT OF the Cuban
insurgents has often been canTassed as q pos
sible II not inevitable step both in regard to
the previous ten years struggle and during the
present war. / am not unmindful that the two
houses Of congress in the spring OF is9j ex-
pressed the opinion py concurrent resolution
that a condition Of publIC war existed requiring
or Iustifying the recognition of state OF bellig-
erency in Cuba and during the extra session the
senate voted Joint resolution Of like import,
which. however, was not brought 10 o vote in
the house. In the presence OF these significant
expressions OF the Sentiment OF the legislative
branch II tehooves the executive to soberly
consider the conditions under which so impor-
tant measure must needs rest for iustitca-
h41I- II 10 70 o. htEIyLsAJ NDualA-
cred whether the CUBAN insurrec.ion pos
sesses beyond dispute the attributes OF
statehood which alone eau demand the recog-
milton of belligerency In IL favor. Possession.
in short, Of the essential qualifications of SOW
ereiRnty by the insurgent- and the conduct OF
the war by them accordlnR 10 the received code
OF war are no less inipor,ant factors toward tbs
determination OF the problem OF beliiEerency
than are the influences Eul consequences Of the
struggle upon the Internal policy OF the recog-
nizing state
Turning to the practical aspects OF q recogni-
tion OF belligerency and reviewing its incOn-
yeniences and positive dangers. stilI further
pertinent considerations appear In the code
OF nations there IL no such thing naked
recognition Of bellirerency unaccompanied by
the assumption OF International neutrality.
Such recognition without more will not con-
fer upon either party TO domestic conflict u
status not theretofors actually possessed or AZ
feet the relation Of either party TO other states
The act Of recognition usually takes the
form OF u solemn proclamation Of neutrality
which recites the de facto condition of belllger-
eucy as Its motives II announces n domestic
law OF neutrality In the declaring state. IL as
sutncs the International obligations OF a neu-
tral in the presence OF public state of war.
II warns NIL citizens and others within the
Jurisdiction OF the proclaimnnt that they vio-
late those rigorous obligations at their own
peril and cannot expect to be shielded from the
NAiN'AlutshCtN Inc ElFnI NI Nlsll AEu search
on the seas anu seizure OF vessels and cargoes
and contraband OF war and good prize under
admiralty law must under international
law be admitted US q legitimate con-
sequence OF proclamation Of bel
ligerency. While according the equal
belligerent rights defined by public law to
each party in our ports di,'ayorS would be i'm
posed on both which. whilc nominally equal
would weigh heavily in behalf OF Spain herself
Possessing . navy and controlling the ports
OF Cuba her maritime right, could be asserted
not only for the military Investment OF the
island. but up to the margin OF our own terri
torial waters, and q condition Of things would
exist for v hich the Cubans within their own
domain could not hope TO create parallel:
while Its creation through aid symplths
from within our domain would be even more
impossible than now. with the additional
obligations OF international neutrality we
would perforce assume
Recognition Now Deemed Unwise.
The enforcement OF this enlarged and oner-
Gus code Of neutrality would only be influential
within our own Jurisdiction by land and
and applicable by our own lnstrumentalitv. II
could inpart to the United States no jurisdic-
tion between Spain and the insurgents Il
would give the United States no right of inter
yention to enforce the conduct of the strife
within the paramount authority of Spain ac-
cording TO the International code OF war For
these reasons i regard the recognition OF the
beligerency of the Cuban Insurgents as now
unwise and therefore inatmissible Should
that step hereafter bs deemed wis as meas
ure OF right and duty the executive will take it
Intervention upon humanitarian grounds has
been frequently suggested and has not failed
10 receive my most nnxlos and earnest con-
sideration But should such step be now
taken when IL Is apparent that hopeful change
has supervened in the policy OF Spain toward
Cuba; A new government has taken ONCE In
the mother country. II ID pledged in advance
TO the declaration TINT all the effort In the
world cannot suiice to maintain peace in Cuba
By the bayonet: that varue promises OF reform
after subiugation afford no solution of the
insular problem; that With Substitution OF
commanders must come change Of the past
system OF warfare for In harmony with
new policy which shall 10 longer aim to drive
the Cubans to the horrible alternative OF
taking TO the thicket or saccumbing In misery"
that reforms must be Instituted In accordance
with the needs and circumstances of the time
and that these reforms while designed 10 give
full autonomy to tho colony and to create
virtual entity and self-controllcd administra-
ton shall yet conserve and 'afnrm the soyer-
eighty of Spain By u hust distribution OF pow
ers and burdens uponp basis OF mutual inter-
est untainted by methods Of selfish exprdiency.
Policy of Exter ninAtion Reversed.
The first acts of thes new government lie in
these honorable paths The policy OF cruel ra-
pine and erterminatitn that long shocked
the universal sentiment OF humanity has been
reversed Under the tew military commander
broad clemency is prSrered Measures have
already been set on fo4 TO relieve the horrors
OF starvation The towcr OF the Spanish
armies, 1t Is asserted is to be used not TO
spread ruin and desoli3ion. but to protect the
resumption OF peaceful agricultural pursuits
and productive industries. That past methods
are futile to force o teace by subjugation Is
freely admitted, and thai ruin without concilla-
tion must inevitably f1l to win for Spain the
fidelity of q contented dependency. DEGREES In
application of the fore$hadowed reforms have
already been promulgated.
The Near Future VIII Tell.
Not a single Americjn citizen is now under
arrest or in confinement in Cuba. OF whom this
government has any knowledge. The near
future will demonstrate whether the inds-
pensable condition Of righteous peace, just
| alike to the Cubanj and to Spain well as
equitable to all our i1tsrcsts so intimately in
volved in the welfate OF Cuba. Is likely to be
| attained. II not thel exgency of further and
other action by the United States will remain
to be taken When tiAs time comes that action
will be determined in the line OF indis-
putable right and dutt 1t will be faced with
out miglvings hesltancy In the light OF the
obligation this government owes to ITSELF to
the'people who have con dded to it the protection
of their interests and honor, and TO humanity.
Hawaiian Annexation.
BY u special message dated the 18th day Of
June last, / laid before the senate treaty
signed that day by the plenipotentiaries Of the
United States and Of the republic OF Hawaii,
having for its purpose the Incorporation OF the
Hawaiian islands as an integral part of the
United States, and under its sovereignty. The
senate having removed the injunction OF Sc
crecy. although the treaty is still pending be-
fore that body, the subject may be properly re-
ferred to in this message because the necessary
action of the congress is required to determine
by legislation many details Of the eventual