Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-04-20

ring struggles for dominion In Spanish Amer
lcal 90 wisely consistent with ouF just pfin
ciples has been the action Of our govern
ment that we have. under the most critlca
circumstances, avoided all censure and en-
countered no other evil than that produced
by transient enlargement Of good Will Ii
those against whom we have been by forcs
or evidence compelled to decide.
sit has thus made known to the world tina
e uniform policy and practice OF the Uni
ted States Is 10 avoid all Interference In dis
putes which merely relate TO the interna
government OF other nations aud eventually
to recognize the authority of the prevailing
party without reference to our particular In
terests and views as to the merits OF th,
original controversy.
"Bnt on this, as on every other tryinl
occasion. safety Is to be found In d rigid adj
herence to principle.
"ln the contest between Spain and the re
VOTED colonies we stood aloof and waited
not only until the ability or the new State
10 protect themselves was fully established
but until the danger OF their being agaiI
subJugated had entirely passed away. Then
and not until then. were they recognized
| Such was our course In regard to Mexico her
self.
Case of Texas.
sit Is true that with regard to Texas tn,
civil authority of Mexico has been expelled
Its invading army defeated the chief of th,
| republic himself captured and all presen
| power TO control the newly organized gov
eminent annihllated within its confines
! But. on the other hand, there Is, in appear
ance at least, an immense disparity OF physl
| cal force on the side of Texas. The Mexican
| republic, under another executive, Is rally
| Ing Its forces under Il new leader and men
aeins fresh Invasion to recover Its lost do
| minlon.
Upon the issue Of this threatened invasion
| the independence of Texas may be consid
| cred as suspended; and were there nothing
peculiar In the situation Of the United States
and Texas. our acknowledgment OF Its indie
| pendehee at such crisis could scarcely bi
| regarded as consistent with that prudent re
| serve with which we have hitherto held our
| selves bound to treat all similar questions.
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded L
| consider the risk that there might be I'm
| puted TO the United States motives of selnsI
| interest in view of the former claim on oul
| part 10 the territory of Texas and of the
avowed purpose of the Texans In seeking rec
| ignition OF Independence as au Incident Il
the Incorporation Of Texas in the Union, con
| Guiding thus:
prudence. therefore. seems to dictate tina
| we should still stand aloof and maintain ou
present attitude, IL not until Mexico itself
or one OF the great foreign powers shall rec
ogniZe the Independence of the new govern
ment, at least until the lapse of time or Il,
course OF events shall have proved beyont
cavil or dispute the ability of the people Of
that country to maintain their separate soy
ereignty and to uphold the government con
stituted by them. Neither of the contendin.
parties can justly complain of this course
BY pursuing 1t we are but carrying out III,
long-estab,ished policy of our government,
policy which has secured to us respect an,
influence abroad and inspired confidence u
home"
Test of Independence.
These are the words Of the resolute ant
patriotic Jackson. They are evidence tina
the United States, in addition to the test i'm
posed by public law as the condition of tn,
| recognition Of independence by neutra
| state Ito wit that the revolted states shall
constitute in fact a body polite, having
| government in substance as well as In name
| possessed of the elements of stability" ant
| forming de facto, ''if left to itself, u stat'
among the nations, reasonably capable o.
| dlscharging the duties OF state'D has i'm
posed for Its own grievance In dealing witt
| cases like these the further condition tina
| recognition of Independent statehood Is no
| due to revoted dependency until the dan
| ger of Its being again subjugated by thu
! parent state has entirely passed away. Thi
| extreme test was i'll fact applied in the cast
| of Texas. The Congress to whom Presiden
Jackson referred the question as one prob
| ably leading to war" and therefore prope
| subject for Il previous understanding will
| that body by whom war can alone be de
| clared. and by whom all the provisions fo
sustaining its perlls must be furnished" lief
| the matter OF the recognition of Texas to III,
| discretion Of the executive, providing mere
| ~ for the sending of a diplomatic agen
| WHcu Tue tFBSlllSul De sNllSueu ina
| the republic of Texas had become ian indie
| pendent state"
| 1t was so recognized by President Var
Buren,, who commissioned charge DAT
flares Ma cch Z, 1887, after Mexico had abaR
doned m attempt to reconquer the TexaI
territory. and when there was at the time
no bona fie contest going on between thu
insurgent province and its former sovereign
Grant Favored Intervention.
! President Grant in 1875, after discussin.
! the phases of the contest as it then appeared
| and Its hopeless and apparent indefinite pro
| longation, said:
"In such event l am of opinion that othe
| nations will be compelled to assume the re
| sponSlbility which deyoyes upon them, ant
| to seriously consider the only remanin,
measures possible. mediation and interven
| ton. Owing perhaps, TO the large eXpans'
| of water separating the island frem tn,
| peninsula, the contending parties appear I,
| have within themselves no depository O.
| common confidence, TO suggest wisdom wheI
| passion and excitement have their sway
| and assume the part of peacemaker.
'ln this view, In the earlier days of thu
| contest, the good offices Of the United States
| as a mediator were rendered In good faith
| without any seldsl. purpose, In the interes
| of humanity and in sincere friendship TO
both parties, but were at the time declined
| by Spain with the declaration nevertheless
| that at a future time they would be indlspen
| sable. No intimation has been received TIA
| IN the opinion OF spain tnat time has Deef
| reached. And yet the strife continues Will
| all It's dread horrors and all its injuries I,
| the interest of the United States and o.
| other nations. Each party seems quite capa
| BILE OF working great injury and damage Il
| the other, as well as to all the relations ant
| interests dependent on the existence OF
peace In the island; but they seem incapable
Of reaching any adjustment and both have
thus far failed of achieving any success
whereby one party shall possess and contro
the island to the pKplOgiOu nj hn ntbar
Under the circumstances, the agency OF
others, either by mediation or by Interven
tion. seems to be the only alternative which
must. sooner or later, be Invoked for the
termination of the strife"
Quotes Grover Cleveland,
In the last annual message of my lmmedi
ate predecessor during the pending struggle
Ii was said;
'When the Inability of Spain to deal sue
cessfully with the instruction has become
manifest, and IL In demonstrated that heI
sovereignty Is extinct In Cuba for all pur
poses Of its rightfu existence and when
hopeless struggle for Its re-establishment ha,
degenerated into a strife which means moth
ing more than the useless sacrifice Of human
life and the utter destruction OF the very
subject matter Of the conflict, a situation
will be presented In which our obligations
to the sovereignty of Spain will be super
seeded by higher obligations, which we car
hardly hesitate to recognize and DISCHARGE ,
In my annual message TO Congress De
cember last, speaking TO this question,
said:
''rhe near future will demonstrate whether
the Indispensable condition of a righteou.
peace, just alike TO the t'ubans and to Spair
as well as equitable TO al our interests NJ
intimately involved In the welfare Of Cuba
Is likely to be attained. II not, the exig
ency Of further and other action by the
United States will remain to be taken
When that time comes that action will b,
determined in the line Of indisputabe rlght
and duty. 1t Will be faced, without mis-
giving or hesitancy in the light Of the obi
CATION this government owes to itself, to the
paople who have conded to 1t the protection
of their interests and honor, and to hu
| manlty.
offense ourselves actuated only by upright
and patriotic considerations moved neither
| by passion nor selhshness, the government
| will continue it's watchful care over The
rights and property OF American citizens
about by peaceful agencies peace whlct
shall be honorable and enduring. IL 1t shall
hereafter appear to be duty imposed by
our obligation to ourselves, to civiliZa tioT
and humanity to intervene with force, i
| shall be without fault on our part, and only
because the necessity for such action vii
| be SO clear as to command the support anc
| approval of the civilized world.
Recognition Not Necessary.
at Is to be seriously considered whether
| the Cuban lnsQFFect1on possesses De5onu us
| pute the attributes of statehood which alone
| can demand the recognition OF belligerencl
| I'm Its favor The same requirement mus
| certainly be no less seriously considered
when the grayer issue of recognizing indc
| pendence is In question, for 10 less positive
| test can be applied TO the greater act thar
| to the lesser, while on the other hand, The
| influence and consequences Of the struggle
| upon the internal policy Of the recognizln!
! state, which form important factors whel
! the recognition Of belligerency Is concerned
are secondary. IL not rightly eilmaable fac