The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-11

as a result of much representation and
correspondence, through the United
States minister at Madrid, propositions to
the Spanish government looking to an ar
mistice until October lst for the negotia-
tion OF peace. with the good Offices of the
President
In addition ! asked the immediate revo-
cation of the order of recommendation. SO
as to permit the people to return to their
farms and the needy to be relieved with
provisions and supplies from the United
States, cooperating with the Spanish au-
thorities so as to afford full relief.
Proposed armirtice.
The reply OF the Spanish cabinet was
received on the night of the Slst uitimo.
II offers. as the means to bring about
peace in Cuba. to cOnfde the preparation
thereof TO the insular parliament. mas
much as the concurrence of that body
would be necessary to reach final re-
suit, it being. however, understood that
the powers reserved by the Constitution
to the central government are no. lessenei
or diminished AS the Cuban parliament
does not meet until the 4th of May next.
the Spanish government would not OBJ
ject. for its part to accept at once
SUSPENSION of hostilities If asked for by
the insurgents from the gentral-in-chief.
to whom ii would pertain, in such case,
to determine the duration and condition
Of the armistice.
The propositions submitted by Gen.
woodford and the reply of the Spanish
government were both in the form of
brief memoranda. the texts of which are
before me. and are substantially 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 Span
ish memorandum but from Gen. Wood
ford's explanatory remarks of prelim-
mary discussions preceding the final
conference it is understood that the
Spanish government stands ready to give
the insular congress fun powers to set
tie the terms Of peace with the insur-
gents. whether by direct negotiation or
indirectly by means of legislation does
not appear.
Reviews Former hessaGc.
With this last overture in the direction
Of immediate peace. and its disappoint-
ing reception by Spain. the Executive
was brought to tho end Of his effort
In my annual message of December
last said;
',Of the untried measures there remain
only: Recognition Of the insurgents as
recognition Of the inde-
pendeuoe of Cuba: neutral intervention
to end the war by imposing rational COM
promise between the contestants. and in
tervention ~ favor of one or the other
party. | sneak not Of forcible annexa-
ton, for that cannot be thought of.
That. by our code of morality, would be
criminal aggression
Thereupon I reviewed these alterna-
tives. in the light of President Grants
measured words. uttered in 1873. when
after seven years Of sanguinary. destruc-
tive and cruel hostilities in Cuba. he
-.s.ba,7 -, ro,,,s,.-sy,, -1-,+ H. roo,r-,;
tion Of the independence Of Cuba was i'm
practicable and indefensibie; and that
the recognition OF beIligerence was not
by the facts according TO the
tests Of public law. 1 commented espec-
ally upon the latter ASPECT Of the ques-
lion. pointing out the Inconvenience and
positive dangers of a recognition of bel
Iigerence which. while adding to the
already enormous burdens Of neutrality
within our Jurisdiction. could not in any
way extend our Influence or effective Of
fees in the territory Of hostilities. Moth
ing has since occurred to change my
view in this resard-and / recognize as
fully now as then that the issuance of
a proclamation of neutrality. by which
process the so-called recognition of bel
igerence is published, could. of itself and
unattended by other action, accomplish
nothing toward the one end for which
Ne labor. the instant paciication of Cuba
and the cessation of the misery that
lffiicts the island.
lie Cites Jackson.
Turning to the question of recognizing
AZ this time the independence of the pres
ent insurgent government in Cuba, we 4
ind safe precedents in our history from |
an early day. They are well summed up
n President Jackson's message to Con-
5ress, December 21- 1886, on the subject of |
he recognition of the independence of |
reXas. He said:
In all the contests that have arisen cut |
IF the revolutions of France, out of the
disputes relating to the crowns of Portu- i
gal and Spain. out of the separation of |
he American possessions of both from the |
European governments, and out of the I
numerous and constantly-occurring strug- |
lies for dominion in Spanish America, so |
wisely consistent with our just principles |
las been the action of our Government |
hat we have, under the most critical cir
avoided all censure, and en-
ountered no other evil than that produc-