The times., 1898-04-12

the nations, reasonably capable of dis
charging the duties of state), has i'm
| posed for its own governance in dealing
| with cases like these the further condi-
ton that recognition of independent state
hood is not due to a revolted dependency
O., until the danger of its being again subju-
| gated by the parent state has entirely
| passed away. This extreme test was in
| fact applied in the case -ef Texas. The
| Congress to whom President Jackson re-
ferred the question as one fprobably lead
| ing to war" and therefore a proper sub
| ject for "a previous understanding with
| that body by whom war can alone be de-
| clared, and by whom all the provisions for
| sustaining it's perils must be furnished, -
| left the matter of the recognition of Tex
| as to the discretion of the Executive, pro-
| viding merely for the sending of a diplo-
| matte agent when the President should
| be satisfied that the Republic of Texas
| had become IAN indepndent state" 1t
was so recognized by President Van
| Buren, who commissioned a charge daft
| faires March Z, 1897 after Mexico had
| abandoned an attempt to reconquer the
| Texan territory, and when there was at
| the time no bona fide contest going on be-
tween the insurgent province and it's for
mer sovereign.
/ said in my message of December last
| 1T is to be seriously considered whether
| the Cuban insurrection possesses beyond
! dispute the attributes of statehood which
| alone can demand the recognition of bel
| ligerency in its favor The same re-
| quirement must certainly be no less Sc
| riously considered when the graver issue
| of recognizing independence is in ques-
| tion for no less positive test can be ap-
| piled to the greater act than to the
| lesser; while on the other hand the infiu-
enceS and consequences of the struggle
upon the internal policy of the recogniz-
ing state, which form important factors
when the recognition of belligerency is
concerned, are secondary. If not rightly
eliminable factors when the real question
is whether the community claiming re-
cognition is or is not Independent beyond
peradventure.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
do / think it would be wise or prudent
for this Government to recognize at the
present time the independence of the So
called Cuban republic. Such recognition
is not necessary in order to enable the
United States to intervene and pacify the
island. To commit this country now to
the recognition of any particular govern
ment in Cuba might subject us 10 en-
barrassing conditions of international
cot TJ ha aDiz IN
| recognized. In case of Intervention our
conduct would be subject to the approval
or disapproval Of such government; we
would be required to submit to it's direc-
ton and to assume to it}the mere relation
of d friendly ally. When it shall appear
hereafter that there is within the island
| a government capable of performing the
| duties and discharging the functions of a
separate nation and having as a matter
| of fact the yroper forms and attributes
of nationality, such government can be
promptly and readily recognized, and the
| relations and interests of the United
| States with such nation adjusted.
There remain the alternative forms Of
| Intervention to end the war, either as an
! impartial neutral by imposing a rational
| compromise between the contestants, or
as the active ally of the one party or the
other.
Intervention Already.
AS to the first, it is not to be forgotten
| that during the last few months the re-
! lation of the United States has virtually
been one of friendly Intervention in many
ways, each not of itself conclusive, but all
tending to the exertion of a potential in
fluence toward an ultimate pacific result
! Just and honorable to all interests con-
| cerned The spirit of all our acts hitherto
has been an earnest, unselfish desire for
peace and prosperity in Cuba, untarnished
by differences between US and Spain and
unstained by the blood of American citi-
zens.
The forcible intervention of the United
States as neutral, to stop the war, ac-
cording to the large dictates of humanity
| and following many historical precedents
where neighboring states have interfered
to check the hopeless sacrifices of life by
internecine conflicts beyond their borders,
is justifable on rational grounds. 1t in
| wolves, however, hostile constraint upon
both the parties to the contest, as well to
| enforce a truce as to guide the eventual
settlement.
The grounds for such Intervention may
be briefly summarized as follows:
First. In the cause OF humanity and to
put an end TO the barbarities, bloodshed
| starvation and horrible miseries now ex-
listing there, and which the parties to the
conflict are either unable or unwilling to
| stop or mitigate. It is no answer to say
this is all in another country, belonging to
| another nation, and is, therefore, none
of our business. 1t is specially our duty,
for it is right at our door.
Second We owe it to our citizens in
Cuba TO afford them that protection and
indemnity for life and property which
no government there can or will afford
and to that end to terminate the condi-
tions that deprive them of legal protec-
| ton.
Third. The right to intervene may be
justified by the very serious injury to the
commerce. trade and business of our peo-
| pie and by the wanton destruction OF
property and devastation of the island
Fourth, and which is Of the utmost i'm
portance. The present condition of af-
fairs in Cuba is constant menace to
our peace and entails upon this Govern
ment an enormous expense. With such
a conflict waged for years in an island
so near us and with which our people
| have such trade and business relations
when the lives and liberty of our citizens