The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-12

ence as an incident to the incorporation of Texas
i'll the Union; concluding thus:
Prudence, therefore seems to dictate that
should still stand aloof and maintain our present
attitude, If not until Mexico ITSELF or one of the
great foreign powers shall recognize the inde-
pendence OF the new governmental least until
the lapse Of time the course of events shall
have proved beyond cavil dispute the ability
of the people of that country to mai ttain their
separate sovereignty and to uphold the government
constituted by them. Neither of the contend
ing parties can justly complain of this course. By
pursuing it we are but carrying out the long es-
tablishcd policy of government, a policy which
has secured to us respect and influence abroad
and inspired confidence at home
These are the words of the resoute and pa
trotic Jackson. They are evidence that the
United States, in addition to the test imposed
by public law as the condition OF the recognition
of independence by neutral state, to wit that
the revolted state shall constitute i'll fact body
polite, having government i'll substance as
well as i'll name, possessed of the elements OF
stability and forming de facto, If left to itself
q state among the nations. reasonably capable OF
discharging the duties OF a state, has imposed
for its own governanCe i'll dealing with cases
like these the further condition that recognition
OF independent statehood is not due to a revoltcd
dependency until the danger of its being again
subiugated by the parent state has entirely
passed away This extreme test was i'll fact
applied in the case of Texas The congress to
whom President Jackson referred the question
as one "probaby leading to war, and therefore
a proper subject for "a previous understanding
with that body by whom war can alone be de
cared and by whom all the provisions for sus-
tanning its perils must be furnished left the
matter of the recognition of Texas to the dis
cretion of the executive. providing merely for
the sending OF a diplomatic agent when the pres
ident should be satisfied that the republic OF
Texas had become IAN independent state
1t was so recognized by President Van Buren
who commissioned charge dafaircs March 7
1897 after Mexico had abandoned an attempt
to rcconquer the Texan territory, and when
there was at the time no bona fde contest 60
ing on between the nsurgent province and its
| former sovereign
! said in my message OF December last: 1T
is to be seriously considered whether the Cuban
insurrcCtion possesses beyond dispute the attri-
J buteS of statehood which alone can demand the
recognition of bclligerency in its favor The
same requirement must certainly be no less Sc
riously considered when the graver issue of rec
ognizing 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 the
| influences and consequences of the struggle
upon the internal policy OF the recognizing state
which form important factors when the reCOgni
! tion OF belligcrency is concerned, are secondary
! if not rightly eliminable factors when the rea
question is whether the community claiming
recognition is or is not independent beyond per
| adventure.