The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-04-15

forces under a new leader and menacing a
| fre.h invasion to recover its lost domain
Upon the issue of this threatened invasion
| the independence OF Texas may be considered
| fs shspended; and we're there nothing peculiar
IN the situation OF the United states and Tex
Gs. our acknowledgment of its independence al
such a crisis could scarcely be regarded as eon-
/ sistent with that prudent reserve with which
1 we have hitherto held ourselves bound TO treat
all similar questions"
President jackson Considered the Risk
Tbereupon Andrew jackson proceeded to
/ consider the risk that there might be imputed
to the United States a motive of selfish inter
I est in view Of the former claim on our part to
I the territory of Texas and of the avowed pur-
pose Of the Texans in seeking recognition OF
independence incident to the incorEOra-
tion Of Texas in the Union, concluding:
| Prudence, therefore, seems to dictate that
| we should stand aloof and maintain our pres
| Or one of the great foreign powers
! shall recognize the Independence of the new
goVernment.at lest until the lapse Of time or the
| course of events should have proved beyond cavil
! or dispute the ability of the people of that
| country TO maintain their separate sovereignty
/ and TO uphold the government constituted by
! them. Neither of the contending parties can
/ Justly complain of this course. BY pursuing il
/ policy OF our government policy which has
] secure to us respect ard influence abroad and
| Inspired confidence at home,
/ Condition Imposed by the Government
| Upon ITSELF
! These are the words of the resolute and
patriotic jackson. They are evidence that the
] CulJeI states, IN addition To the test imposed
/ by public law as the condition of the reeogni-
I ton OF independence by neutral state, tO-wit,
that the revOlted state shall constitute in fact
DOly polite having government IN sub
stance as well as in name, possessed of the ele-
thentS Of stability and forming de fRcto, If
left to itself a state among the nations. reaSon@
| ably capable of discharging the du-
ties of state, has Imposed for
| LIS own EOverance in dealing with cases
| like those the further contention that recOgui-
ton ot Indep endent statehood is not due to a
revOlted dependency until the danger of its be-
ing again SubJugated by the parent state has
entirely passed away This extreme test was,
IN fact, applied in the case of Texas The con-
greSS to whom President Jackson referred the
question as one probably leading to war, and
derStanding with that body by whom war can
alone be declared and by whom all the prOvis-
ions for sustaining its periS must be furnished
left the matter Of the recognition Of Texas to
the discretion of the executive, providing
merely for the sending of d diplomatic agent
when the president should be satisfied that the
republic Of Texas had become 'an Independent
state II was 50 recognized by President Van
Buren, who commissioned a charge 'affaireS.
March : tSS7 after Mevico had ahordCnsd mn,
attempt to reCOnquer the Texan territory, and
then Gnd there was at the time no bona fide
ince md its former sovereign.
Former Message Reverted To.
l said in my message of December last: 1T
is to be considered whether the Cuban insur-
rectiOn possesses beyond dispute the attributes
of statehood. which alone can demand the rec
ognition of belligerency in its favor.
less considered when the grayer issue of recOg-
niZing independence is in question. for no less
positive test can be applied to the greater
act than to the lesser. while, on the other hand,
influences OF and consequences of the struggle
upon the inte nal policy of the recognizing
state which form important factors when the
recognition OF belligercncy is concerned are
secondary If not rightly eliminable fac
tors, when the real question is whether
the community claiming recognition IS or
not independent beyond pcradventure.
Present Recognition Inexpedient.
Nor from the standpoint of eXpedience do 1
think it would be wise or prudent for this gov
independence of the SO-called Cuban republic
Such recognition Is not necessary in order to
pacify the island. To commit this cOun-
try nov to the recognition of
any particular government in Cuba
might subject US to embarrassing conditions
international obligation toward the Organi-
ZatlOn so recognized. In case of intervention
our conduct would be subject to the approval
or diSapprOval of such government; we would
be required to submit to its direction and to
assume to il the mere relation of a friendly
ally. When it shall appear hereafter that there
Is within the island government capable of
p rfOrmins the duties and diScharging the
functions of a separate nation and having. as a
matter OF TACT, the proper forms and attrt-
bUteS Of nationality. such government can be
promptly and readily recognized, and the rela-
tiOnS and interests of the United States with
such na-iOn adjusted.
Alternative Forms of Intervention.
There remain the alternative forms of inter
NenLlOu 10 tNU Jle var, elJner dS an impartial
neutral by imposing rational compromise be-
tween the contestants, or rs the active ally of
the one party or the other.
At u the first, 1t is not to be forgotten that
during the last few months the relation of the
United States has virtually been one of friend
" intervention in manT ways each
not Of itself conclusive, but all
tending to the exert:on OF potential
influence toward an ultimate pacific result just
and honorable to all interests concerned. The
spirit Of all our acts hitherto has been an earn
est, unSeltiSh desire for peace and prosperity in
Cuba. untarniShed by differences between US
and Spain and unStained by the blood of Ameri-
can citizens.
The forcibie Intervention of the United States
a. a neutral 10 stop the war according to the
large dictates of humanity, and following many
historical precedentS where neighbOring states
have interfercd to check the hopeless sac
beyond their borders is iuStihable on national
grounds. 1t involves. however. hostile con-
straint upon both the parties to the contest as
well to enforce a truce as to guide the eventual
settlement
Grounds of Intervention.
The grounds for such Intervention may be
briefly summarized as follows:
First. In the cause OF humanity and TO put
an end to the barbaritieS blOOdShed starvation
and horrible miSerieS now existing there. and
which the parties to the conflict are either
unable or unwilling to stop or mitigate. 1t Is
no answer TO say this is all in another country.
belonging 10 another nation. and is therefore
none Of our business. 1t is specially our duty,
for it is right at our doors.
Second. We owe ii TO our citizens in Cuba to
aUOFO LAtUl Judl protection anu immunity LOT
life and property which no government there
can, or will, AFFORD, and to that end to terminate
the conditions that deprive them Of local pro-
lection.
Third. The right to intervene may be iusti-
fed by the very serious injury to the COM
merce, trade and business interests of our
people and by the wanton destruction of prop
erty and devastation Of the island.
Fourth. And what is of the utmost i'm
rtance, the present condition of affairs in Gu
Da is a constant menace to our peace. and en-
tails upon this government an enormous ex-
penSe. With such conflict Wagcd for years in
an island so near Us, ana with which our people
have such trade and business relatiOnS-when
the lives and liberty Of our citizens are in con-
slant dread and their property destroyed and
themselves ruined-where our trading yes
sells are liable to seizure, and are
seized at our very door. by warShipS
of a foreign nation, the expeditions of tilibus-
tering that we are powerlesS to prevent alto
Eether. and the irritating questions and en-
tanglementS thus arfSing-all these and others
that need not mention, with the resulting
strained relations are a constant menace to
our peace, and cOmpelS Us to keep 4 semi
war footing with u nation with which we are at
Destruction OF the Maine.
These elements of danger and disorder already
pointed out have been strikingly illustrated
by tragic event which has deeply and
justly moved the American people.
1 have already transmitted to congress
the report of the naval court Of inquiry on the
harbor of Havana during the night of the 18th
of February. The destruction Of that noble
NGS>tl ms HlICtl lLt uetlloiidl utdFtN WIN IN
expressible horror Two hundred ana fifty
eight brave sailors and marines and two officers
of our navy. repoSing in the fancied security of
a friendly harbCr. have been hurled to death
grief and want brought to Their homes and sor-
row to the nation.
The naval court of inquiry which it is need
less to say, commands the unqualified conf
dence of the government, was unanimous in its
conclusion that the destruction OF the Maine
was caused by an exterior explosion, that of a
subIna rine mine. 1t did not assume to place
the reSpOnSibilitV. That remains to be fixed.
In any event the destruction of the Maine. by
whatever exterior cause. Is n patent and i'm
preSSive proof of a state of things in Cuba that
Is intolerable That condition is thus shown to