Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-04-14

much to lose by the prolongation of
the struggle. to seek to bring about IN
immediate termination of the war. To
this end | submitted on the 9th ulti
mo as result OF much representation
and correspondence, through the.
United States minister at Madrid
propositions to the Spanish govern
Oct. | for the negotiation of peace
with the good offices of the president.
In addition, | asked the immediate re-
vocation of the order of reconcentra-
ton, so as to permit the people to re-
turn to their farms and the needy to
be relieved with provisions and sup
plies from the United States co-operat-
ing with the Spanish authorities so as
to afford full relief The reply of the
Spanish cabinet was received on the
night of the 31st ultimo. It offers, as
the means to bring about peace in
Cuba, to confide the preparation there
to to the insular department, inasmuc1
as the concurrence of that body would
be necessary to reach a final result, It
being, however, understood that the
powers reserved by the constitution to
the central government are not less
ened or diminished
LAS the Cuban parliament does not
meet until May 4 next, the Spanish
government would not object, for its
part, to accept at once suspension of
hostilities, IL asked for by the insur-
gents from the general-in-chief to
whom 1t would pertain in such case t.
determine the duration and condition
of the armistice. The propositions
submitted by Gen. Woodford and the
reply of the Spanish government are
both in the form of brief memoran-
dums and are substantially in the Ian
guage above given. The function Of
the Cuban parliament in the matter of
its doing so are not expressed in the
Spanish memorandum. but from Gen.
Woodford's explanatory reports OF pre-
liminary discussions preceding the
final conference, it is understood that
the Spanish government stands ready
to give the iasular congress full pow
ers to settle the terms of peace with
the insurgents, whether by direct ne
gotiation, or directly by means OF leg
islatlon, does not appear With this
last overture in the direction of i'm
mediate peace and its disappointing
reception by Spain, the executive was
brought to the end of his effort.
I'm my annual message Of December
last | said OF the untried measures
there remain: Recognition of the in
surgents as belligerents; recognition
of the independence of Cuba; neutral
Intervention to end the war by impos-
Ing a rational compromise between the
contestants and intervention in favor
ct one or the other party, | speak not
Or forcible annexation, for that cannot
be thought of. That, by our code of
morality, would be criminal aggres-
sion. Thereupon | reviewed these al
ternatives, in the light of President
Grants measured words, uttered in
1875, when, after seven years of san
culinary, destructive and cruel barbar-
tiles in Cuba, he reached the conclu-
sion that the recognition of the indie
pendence of Cuba was impracticable
and indefensible, and that the recogni-
ton of belligerency was not warrant
ed by the facts, according to the tests
upon the latter aspect of the question,
pointing out the inconvenience and
positive dangers of recognition of
belligerency which, while adding to
the already onerous burdens of yneu
trality within our own jurisdiction,
could not in any way extend our influ
ence or effective offices in the territory
OF hostilities. Nothing has since oc-
CURED to change my view in this re-
gard and recognize as
then the idea that the issuance of
proclamation of neutrality, by which
process the so-called recognition of
belligerency is published, could of it
self, and unattended by other action,
accomplish anything toward the one
cHu LOT WHICH we ldDOlt Inc luSldul
pacifcation of Cuba and the cessation
If the misery that aiiiicts the island.
Turning to the question of recognition
at this time of the independence of the
present insurgent government in Cuba,
we find safe presidents in our history
from an early day. They are well
summed up in President Jackson's
message to congress, Dec. 81, 1886, on
the subject of the recognition of the
independence of Texas. His words
are evidence that the United States
in addition to the test imposed by pub
lie law as the condition OF the recog-
milton OF independence by neutral
state (to-wit, that the revolted state
shall constitute body polite, having
government in substance as well as
In name, possessed OF the elements OF
stability, and forming de facto, If
left to itself, a state among the nations
reasonably capable OF discharging the
duties of state) has imposed for it's
own governance in dealing with cases
like these the further condition that