The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-04-15

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predecessor, OF testlfying friendly regard
Tor this nation by releasing American cit
liens held under one charge or another
connected with the insure ton, so that
by the end OF November not "a single pr.
son onut4ed IN any way 10 our nat .onal
protection remained N Spanish prison
Mh-le these negotiations. were IN pro-
greSs, the increasing desItuuon OF Tue
unIortuna,e recUnS enti auoS ana the
alarming mortality among Them GAINED
ealhes. attention. me success whleh
had attenUcd the limlted measure OF re-
liet eAtenUed TO the suffering American
citizens among them by the Juuiclous
cape nature through the consular agencies
OF the money appropriated expressly Tor
their sucIor by the joint resolution ap-
prov eu May "a, 1891, prompted tne humane
extension OF similar scheme or ala TO
the great body OF sufferers. A suggestion
to TINS end was acquiesced in by the
Spanish authorizes. On the 2ith or De-
ccniDer last 4 caused 10 he ISSUED an APP
peal 20 the American peop4e, inviting
contributions in money or IN kind Tor the
succOr of the starving sufferers in Cuba,
following this on the Sth of January by
q similar public announcement OF the
formation Of a Central cuban RELIEF
Committee with headquarters in New
orN city. composed or three members
representing the American National Red
Cross and the religious and business e.e
ments OF the community. The erorts OF
that committee have been unt!rlng ana
accomplished much. arrangements for
free transportation to Cuba have greatly
aided the charitable WORK. The president
of the American Red Cross and represent
attNeS OF other conlrtbutory ORGANIZATIONS
have generously visited Cuba. and CO.
operated with the consul-general AMI
the local authorities to make effective
DISTRIBUTION of the relief collected through
the efforts of the central committee.
Nearly 100000 in money and supplies has
alreauy reached the sufferers, and more
is forthcoming. The supplies are admit
ted duty free and transportation to the
interior has been arranged. so that the
al a.
Vana and the larger cities, is now eX-
tended through most, If not all, OF the
towns where suffering exists. Thousands
of lives have already been saved. The he
cessiiy for change In the condition OF
the reconcentrados is recognized by the
Spanish government. Within few days
past. the orders Of Gen. Weyler have been
revoked, the reconcentrados are. it is said,
TO. be permitted to return to their homes,
and aided to resume the se.f-support.ng
pursuits of peace; public works have been
ordered TO give them employment and a
sum OF 100000 has been appropriated for
their relief.
The war in Cuba is OF such nature that
short or subjusat!on or determination a
final military victory for either side seems
impracticable. The alternative lies in the
physical exhaustion of the one or the
other party, or perhaps of both-a condi-
ton which in effect ended the ten years
war by the truce of Zanjon. The prospect
or sucn p4 otractiOn and cJnclus on OF the
present strife is contingency hardly to
civilized world, and least Of all by the
United States, affected and injured as we
are. deeply and intimately by its very ex-
istence.
Realizing this, II appeared 10 be my
duty, in a spirit of true friendllness no
less TO Spain than TO the Cubans, who nave
80 much TO lose by the prolongation OF the
truggle, TO seek to bring about an imme-
Jiate termination of the war. To this end
1 submitted. on the 9th ultimo, as a re-
suit OF much representation and corre-
AZ hrn teFn Z aa N tod Cfs,s In
lister at Madrid, propositions To the Span
ish government looking to an armistIce
until October j for the negotiation of
peace with the good offices Of the preSi-
dent.
In addition. asked the immedl-
ate revocation OF the order of
the people TO return to their farms and
the needy to be relieved with provisions
and supplies from the United States, CO.
operating with the Spanish authorities a.
as 10 afford full relief.
The reply of the spanish cabinet was
received on the night OF the 31st ultmo.
IL offers, as the means TO bring about
peace in Cuba, 10 conhde the preparation
much as the concurrence OF that body
would be necessary to reach a final re-
suit, II being, however, Understood that
the powers deserved by the constitution TO
the central government are not leSsencJ
or diminished. As tae Cuban parliament
does not meet until tle An of May, next,
for its pare, to accept at once a sUspen-
sion of hostilitiCs, If asked for by the i'll
surgents from the gcnerai-in-chief, 10
whom Il would pertain, IN such case to
determine the duration and conditions Of
the atmlStiCe.
The propositions submitted by Gen.
Woodford and the rep4y of the Spanish
government were both in the form OF
br.cf memoranda, the texts Of which are
before me. and are subs autially 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 expressed in the Spanish
memorandum; but from Cen Wood
ford's explanatory reports Of preliminary
discussions preceding the final conference
IT. is understood that the Spanish govern
ment stands ready to give the iEsu!ar
congress fun powers TO settle the terms
Of peace with the Their by
direct negotiation or indirectly by means
of legislation does not appear.
With This last overture in the direct ION
of immediate peace, and its disappointing
reception by Spain, the executive was
brought to the end of mis- EFFORT. In my
annual message of December last / said :
'Of the untried measures there remain
only: Recognition of the insurgents as
Eellgerents, recognition Of the independ-
euce OF Cuba; natural Intervention TO end
the war by inn posing rational comprom-
Use between the contestants and interven-
ton in favor Of one or the other party.
II speak not of forcible annexation for
that cannot be thought of. That, by our
code of morally, would be criminal ag-
gression."
Thereupon ] reviewed these alterna-
tives in the light Of President Grants
measured words. uttered in 1875. when.
after seven years of sanguinary, destruc-
tive and cruel hostllities in Cuba, he
reached the conclusion that the recogni-
ton of the independence of Cuba was i'm
practicable and indefenslble: and that the
recognition OF belligerence was not war
ranted by the facts according to the tests
of public law. 1 commented especially
upon the latter aspect of the question,
pointing out the inconvenience and
positive dangers Of recognition of bel
i.gerency which, while adding to the al
ready onerous burdens of neutrality with
In our own jurisdiction, could not In any
way extend our influence or effective
Offices I'm the territory of hostilities. Moth
ing hos since occurred TO change my view
in this regard and 1 recognize as fully
now as then that the Issuance OF n proc
lamation of neutrality by which process
the so-called recognition OF beiligerence is
published. could of itself and unattended
by other action, accomplished nothing to-
ward the one end for which we labor. the
instant pacihcation Of Cuba and the cess
alton OF the misery that affiicts the
island.
Turning to the question OF recognizing
at this time the independence OF the pres
cnt insurgent government I'm Cuba, we