The Monte Vista journal., 1898-04-16

ence 10 disputes which merely relate
to the international government Of
other nations and eventually to recos-
nise the authority Of the prevailing
party without reference to our partic-
uiar lntereats and views or to the mef-
10 OF the original controversy. But IN
this. NJ In every other occasion safety
TO be found In a rigid adherence to
principle.
IN the contest between Spain and
the revolving colonies we stood aloof
and waited not only until the ability Of
the new states to protect themselves
was fully established. hut until the dan.
ger OF their being ngain subjugated
had passed away Then and not until
then were they recognized. Such was
our course In regard to Mexico hersclf
III is true that with regard to Texas
the civil authority Of Mexico had been
expelled. Its invading army defeated.
the chief OF the republic himself cnp-
tnred ana all present power to control
the newly organized government OF
Texas annihllated within it's confines.
BUT. on the other hand. there is In ap-
learance. nj least. an immense dispari-
~ OF physical force on the side of Tex
as lhe Mexican republic under mn
executive IL allying its forces under Il
new leader and menncing fresh inva-
sion to recover Its lost domain.
upon the issue OF this threatened
invasion the Independence OF Texas
may be considered as suspended, and
were there nothing peculiar In the sit
uation OF the United States and Texas.
our acknowledgements OF Its in.leIen-
dence ut such crisis could scarcely be
regarded ns consistent with that pru-
dent reserve with which we have hi'h-
er'o held ourselves bound to treat all
similar questions"
ThcreuIOn Andrew Jackson proceed
cd TO consider the risk that there might
IN imputed to the United States mo-
IiVes OF selfish interests in view Of the
former claim ON our part to the terri
Tory OF Texas and Of the avowed pur-
pose of the Texans in seeking recogpi-
tion OF Independence ns an Incident to
the incorporation OF Texas In the un-
lon. concluding thus:
prudence. therefore. seems to die
tate hat we should stand aloof and
maintain our present attitude. II not
until Mexico itself. or one OF the yrea:
foreign powers shall recognize the inde-
pendcnce OF the new government, at
least until the lapse OF time or the
course Of events shall have proved be-
yond cavii or dispute the ability OF the
people OF that country to maintain their
separate sovereignty and 10 uphold the
government constituted by them.
Neither OF the cOntending parties can
justly complain Of this course. BY pur-
suing II. we are carrying out the long
established policy OF our government,
II policy which has secured to us re.
spect Pnd influence abroad aud in
spired confidence at home.''
These are the words Of the resOlute
and patriotic Jackson. They nre evil
dence that the United States, In add.
ton to the test imposed 10y public law
ns the condition OF the recognition of
Independence by II neutral state, to-
wit: that the revcltcd state shall con
stitute In fact u body polite. having a
government In substance ns well a. In
name. possessed OF the elements Of
stability" and forming de facto, IF left
To itself. stntc among the nations,
reasonably capable OF tiIscliarging the
duties OF n stnte"-lins imposed for its
own Sovcrnance in dealing with cases
like these the further condition TINT
recognition Of Independent statehood Ii
not due TO u revOltcd dependency until
the danger Of It's being again subj,i-
gated by the parent state has entirely
passed away. This extreme test was,
In fact. applied In the ease OF Texas.
The Congress to whom President Jack
son referred the question as zone prob
ably leading TO war;" and therefore
proper subject, for = previous under.
standing with tia ipody by whom wur
alone can bc declared. and by whom all
the provisions for sustaining It's pcrils
must br furnished" left the matter OF
recognition of Texas to the discretion
Of the executive. providing merely for
the sending Of n diplomatic agent when
the President should he satisfied that
the republic OF Texas had become IAN
independent state" II WAS M rccog-
nlxed by President Van Buren,. who
commissioned n charge dnfYaircs
March :. 1897. after Mexico had nhan.
,ion'si an attempt to conquer the Tex
mn territory. and then there was Mt the
time no bona iidc contest going on be-
tween the insurgcnt province and its
former sovereign.
l said In my message Of December
last: 1t Is to be seriously considered
whether the Cuban iDsurrcction pos
scsscs beyond dispute the attributes Of
statehood. which alone can demand the
recognition Of helligerency in It's IN
vor." The same requirement must ccr-
tninly ig no less seriously considered
when the gravcr issue Of recognizing
Independence Is In question. for no
less positive test cnn liz applied to the
grentcr net than to the les.,er, while on
the other hand the Influences and con.
sequences Of ih. struggle upon the
Internal policy of the recognizing state,
which form mn Important factor when
the recognition OF beiligcrcncy IL con
crrncSi. nrc secondary. II not rightly
climinnbie factors when the rcni Iues.
tion whether the community claiming
recognition Is or " not independent, b.
yond icrndvsniurc comes up.
Nor on the siandJsoint Of cxJ9llcncc
do ! think u would be wise or pru-
dent for this government TO recognize
at this time She Independence Of the
so-cnllei republic. such recognition Is
not necessary In order TO enable the
United States 10 Intervene and pncify
III" island. To commit this country
now io the recognition Of nny particu.
lar government In Cui,n might subject
us To embarrassing conditions of inter.
national oblIgt tlon towards the Or
gnnIxnti0n 80 recognized. In ease Of
Intervention our conduct would ir sub.
jcct To the approval or disapprovni Of
such government. and We would hc re-
quircd to submit to It's direction mud 10
assume To II The more than relation Of
n friendly ally.
There remain the alternative forms
asf SsH etxss