The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-12

supporting pursuits Of peace. Public
works have been ordered 10 give them
employment and sum o. S6HcD has been
appropriated for lheir relief
ONLY SOLUTION.
Tho war liz Cuba is of such nature
+ that short OF subjusIuou or determination
a finally military victory for either sioe
seems imprlciiclble. The alternative lies
IN the physical exhaustion Of the one
. or the o.her party or perhaps OF both. a
condition which in effect ended the ten
, years war by the truce Of ZanJon. Inc
prospect Of such a prouacton and con-
clusion of the prcsan, strife IS contin-
/ gency hardly 10 be contemplated with
/ cquanimity by The civilized world and
1 least OF all by the United states. atect-
"a and injured as we are, deeply and in
/ timatcly by its very existence.
/ Realizing this. II appeared 20 be my
I duty in a spirit OF true friendliness' no
. less to Spain than 70 the Cubans who
] have so much 10 lose by the prolongation
of the struggle, 10 seek TO bring about
an immediate termination Of the war.
PROPOSALS TO SPAIN.
To this end ! submitted. on the 2'th
I ul'iuo. as a result Of much reuTesenta-
! ton md correspondence through the
/ United States propositions % the span
/ isb government looking 70 an arm'stice
. UUl'l tfCIttEI ISL III NllR AA'-NN '--'N--'
renee with the good officers OF the Pres
| ictnt
IN addition I asked the immediate revo-
/ cation Of TIE cider Of recommendation SO
! as - ner~1it the peorle TO return 10 thelr
| farr-s end the needy 70 be relieved WI
,~ovieiors and surnies from the United
I s.ates co-operatine with the Snonish au-
/ thorlties so as 10 afford fun re.leI.
SPANS REPLY.
TIE r ply OF t'e ami h Cabinet was re-
ccivcd on the night OF the 3lst vi limo. II
I offers as the means 10 bring ahout peace
Z In Cuba. to conide the preparation there
/ az 10 the 'nsuiar parliament. inasmuch
/ as the concurrence of that body Would ne
/ necessary 10 reach a final result. II be-
I ING. however. understood that the Powers
/ reserved by the constitution 10 the con
| t~al povernnen' are not lessened OF d!mlh-
| 'she5 A. the Cuban ~arliament docs noi
I meet until the 4th Of May next. the Sran-
len government could not object for IFS
,,a~t 10 accert az once a SUSPENSION Or nos
/ tuiJoe If asked for bv The tns"rFen'S
, e~or, the reneral in chief, 20 whom II
( vovl7 rertain. ~ such case 20 e'erm' MAJ
/ tte duration and conditions Of the arms
METHOD OF PREPARING PEACE.
The propositions Submitted by General
I ,voofford and the reply of the Spanish
government We're h'tlN 100 httN tr- 80
nrief memoranda. the texts of which are
| before me. and are substantially IN the
I S4ncrare above given. The function or
The Cuban Parliament In the matter OF
I preparing" peace and the manner OF It's
/ doing so are not expressed ia tho Span
ieb memoranda. but from General Wood
I lords explanatory reports Of preliminary
discussions preceding the final conference
. ~ Is understood that the Sranish govern
ment stands ready 10 give the insular con-
| gress full powers To settle the terms OF
peace with the MISUNDERSTANDING by di-
rect negotiation or indirectly by means Of
/ legislation does not appear.
With this last overture in the direc-
ton Of immediate peace and its disap-
| pointing reception by Spain. the executive
wss brought TO the end Of his effort
ONLY UNTRIED MEASURES.
IN my annual message OF December
/ last / SAID:
"Of The untrie1 measures there remain
! only: Recognition Of the Insurgents as
, belligerents; recognition of the independ-
ence OF Cuba, neutral intervention 10 end
| the war by imposing a rational compro-
mise between the contestants, and inter
vention in favor OF one or the other par
| ~ 7 speak not OF forcible annexation.
cor that cannot be thought Of. That by
! our code OF morality, would be criminal
] aggression
Thereupon reviewed these alternatives
in the light Of President Grants measur-
ed words uttered in 1876. when after
| seven years OF sanguinary. destructive
| and cruel hOstlities in Cuba, he reached
| the conclusion that the recognition OF the
Independence OF Cuba was impracticable
and indefensible and that the recognition
I - hcsffcarH~~r ~ or,-- +e.d hut q
| facts according 70 the tests Of public law.
RECOGNITION.
/ 7 commented especially upon the latter
as part Of the question. pointing out the
q inconvenience and positive dangers Of a
/ recognition OF belligercncy which by add
/ ing TO the already onerous burdens %
/ neutrality within our own jurisdiction.
, could not in any way extend our Unfit
/ ence or effective offices in the territory
| Of hostilities Nothing has since occurred
/ 70 change my view In this regard. and
/ / recognize as fully now as then that the
4 issuance Of a proclamation Of neutrality.
. by which process the so-ca' led recognition
J Of belligereuce IS published. could of it
/ self and unattended by other action, ac-
complish nothing toward the one end for
which We labor the instant pacifcation
/ OF Cuba and the cessation Of the misery
that afiiicts the island.
JACKSON'S PRECEDENT
Turning 70 the question OF recognizing
at this time the independence Of the IN
surgent government In Cuba we find safe
. preceeents in our history from any early
day. They sre well summed up in Pres-
dent JacksOns message 10 Congress De
cember n 1896 on the subject Of the rec
IGNITION OF the independence Of Texas.
1 He said.
in all the contests that have arisen
! ont OF the revolutions OF France out Of
the disputes relating to the crowns OF
Portugal and Spain. out Of the separa-
ton OF the American possessions of both
from the European governments and out
OF the numerous and constantly occur
rn~ struggles for domination in Spanish
America 20 wisely consistent with our
Just principles has been the action OF our
government that we have under the most
critical circumstances. avoided all cen
sure and encountered no other evil than
that produced By transient arrangement
OF good Will IN those against whom we
have been BY force OF evidence compel
ed 70 decide.
INTERFERENCE.
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