The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-12

no ~ &AAOto Auh ieHSA.
The reply Of the Spanish cabinet was
: received on the night Of the 51st ult. 1t
offers as the means to bring about
peace In Cuba to confide the prepara-
tion thereof to the insular parliament,
inasmuch as the concurrence Of that
body would be necessary to reach
final result. 1t being, however, under
stood that the powers reserved by the
constitution of the central government
are not lessened or diminished. AS the
Cuban parliament does not meet until
the 4th of May, the Spanish govern
ment would not object, for its part, to
accept at once suspension of HOSTILE
ties If asked for by the insurgents from
the general In chief. to whom 1t would
pertain in such case, to determine the
duration and conditions Of the armis-
tice
The propositions submitted by Gen
eral Woodford and the reply Of the
Spanish government were both in 'he
form Of brief memoranda, the texts of
which are before me, and are substan-
TALLY in the language above given. The
function of the Cuban parliament in the
matter of preparing" peace and the
manner Of its doing SO are not express
ed In the Spanish memorandum, but
from General WoodforPs explanatory
reports of preliminary discussions pre-
ceding the final conference 1t Is under
stood that the Spanish government
stands ready to give the insular con-
gress full powers to settle the terms of
peace with the Observation-Disclosures by
direct negotiation or Indirectly by
means of legislation does not appear.
With this last overture in the d.
rection of immediate peace and Its dis
appointing reception by Spain, the
executive was brought to the end of
his efforts.
In my annual message Of December
last said:
The Spanish Reply.
"Of the untried measures there re-
main only: Recognition Of the insur-
gents as belligerents: recognition of the
independence Of Cuba; neutral inter-
vention to end the war by imposing a
rational compromise between the con-
testants, and Intervention in favor of
one or the other party. I speak not
Of forclble annexation for that cannot
be thought of. That, by our code of
morality. would be criminal agrees
SION"
Thereupon I reviewed these alterna-
tives, in the light Of President Grants
words, uttered In 1875, when
after seven years of sanguinary, de-
structive and cruel hostilities in Cuba,
he reached the conclusion that the rec
ognition of the independence of Cuba
was impracticable and indefensible,
and that the recognition of belligerence
was not warranted by the facts &C.
cording to the tests of public law. I
commented especially upon the latter
aspect Of the question, pointing out the
and positive dangers of
a recognition of belligerence which,
while adding to the already onerous
burdens of neutrality within our own
could not in any way ex-
tend our influence or effective offices in
the territory Of hostilities. Nothing has
since occurred to change my view In
this regard. and recognize as fully
now as then that the issuance of
Of neutrality, by which
process the so called recognition of
belligerence is published, could of it.
self, and unattended by other action.
nothing toward the one end
Tor which we labor, the instant pacifi-
ration Of Cuba and the cessation of
misery that af11icts the island.
Turning to the question of recognize
ng at this time the independence Of the
present insurgent government in Cuba,
we find safe presidents in our history
from an early day. They are well sum-
ned up in President Jackson's message
10 congress Dec. Fl, 1885, on the SUBJ
|ect of the recognition Of the independ-
Plce of Texas. He said:
TN all the contests that have arisen
put Of the revolutions Of France, out
'f the disputes relating to the crowns
Of Portugal and Spain, out of the
separation of the American possessions
Of both from the European govern
ments, and out of the numerous and
occurring struggles for do
ninion in Spanish America, so wisely |
with our just principles has
been the action Of our government that |
we have, under the most critical cir
avoided all censure, and
no other evil than that
Produced by transient estrangement
If good will in those against whom we
nave been by force of evidence COM
)elled to decide.
1T has thus been made known to the
world that Che uniform policy and
practice Of the United States Is to avoid
Ill interference in disputes which mere
y relate to the internal government Of
1ther nations. and eventually to rec
'gnize the authority of the prevail
ng party without reference to our par
ocular interests and views or to the
merits of the original controversy.
But on this. as on every other try
ng occasion, safety is to be found in a
'igid adherence to principle.
IN tie contest between Spain and
he revolted colonies we stood aloof,
md waited not only until the ability of
he new states to protect themselves
vas fully established, but until the
LANCER of their being again subjugated
lad entirely passed away. Then, and
lot until then, were they recognized.
'uch was our course in regard to Mex
co herself.
, 1T is true that with regard to Texas,
he civil authority of Mexico has been
Expelled, its invading army defeated,
he chief of the republic himself cap
ured. and all present power to control
he newly organized government Of
'exas annihilated within its confines.
sut, on the other hand, there is, in ap-
earance at least, an immense dispar-
ty Of physical force on the side of
'exas. The Mexican republic, under
mother executive, is rallying its forces
nder a new leader, and menacing
resh invasion to recover its lost do
linion.
Quotes jackson on Recognition.
upon the issue of this threatened
INVASION the independence of Texas
lay be considered as suspended; and
ere there nothing peculiar in the rela-
We situation of the United States and
exas our acknowledgment OF it's in
ependence at such crisis could
,arcely be regarded as consistent with
nat prudent reserve with which we
ave hitherto held themselves bound to
eat all similar questions
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceed
! to consider the risk that there might
e imputed to the United States mo-
yes of selfish iterest in view of the
,rrnor ri In, on nnr no ~ J., +l,o to,,i