Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-04-16
No. 80

stood that the Spanish government
stands ready to give the insular con-
gress fun powers to settle the terms Of
peace with the nsurgents--whether 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 i said;
The spanish Reply.
s,Of the untried measures there re-
main only. Recognition OF the insur-
gents as belligerenta: recognition of the
independence of Cuba: neutral inter-
ventlon to end the war by imposing
rational compromise between the con-
testants, and Intervention In favor OF
one or the other party. / speak not
of forcible annexation. for that cannot
be thought of That. by our code of
morality. would be criminal aggres-
sion"
Thereupon / reviewed these aiterna-
tives, In the light Of President Grants
measured words, uttered In 1873. 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 belllgerence
was not warranted by the facts ac-
cording to the tests of public law.
commented especially upon the latter
aspect OF the question, pointing out the
Inconvenience and positive dangers of
a recognition of belligerence which.
while adding to the already onerous
burdens of neutrality within our own
Jurisdiction, could not in any way ex-
tend our influence or effective offices In
the territory Of hostilitieE. Nothing has
since occurred to change my view In
this regard and recognize as fully
now as then that the issuance of a
proclamation of neutrality, by which
process the so called recognition OF
belligerence Is published, could Of IT
self. and unattended by other action.
accomplish nothing toward the one end
for which we labor, the instant pacifi-
cation OF Cuba and the cessation of
misery that afiiIcts the island.
Turning to the question OF recognize
Ing at this time the independence OF the
present insurgent government In Cuba,
we find safe precedents in our history
from an early day. They are we'll sum-
med UP in President Jackson's message
to congress Dec. 21, 1886, on the sub
feet of the recognition of the independ-
ence of Texas, He said:
.Tn all the contests that have arisen
out OF the revolutions OF France, out
Of 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 8 ,.srous ana
constantly occurring st, q :. or do
minion in Spanish AmG -H'"
consistent with our ~ YA
been the action Of our SdJJEOlS that
we have. under the mo Mythical cir
cumstances, avoided ALI censure. and
encountered no other evil than that
Of good win In those against whom We
have been by force Of evidence COM
PEELED 20 decide.
1T rns thus been made known to the
world that the uniform policy ana
practice Of the United States is to avoid
all interference In disputes which mere
iy relate to the Internal government OF
other nations. and eventually to rec
ognize the authority of the prevail
ing party without reference to our par
tIcular Interests aud views or to the
merits OF the original controversy.
but on this. as on every other try
ing occasion, safety IL to be found In a
rigid adherence to principle.
A \