The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-04-15

and views or 10 the merits OF the orig
inal controversy. But on this, as on every
other trying occasion. safety Is to be
found in rigid adherence to principle.
I'm the contest between Spain and the
revolted colonies We stood aloof and walt
ed not only until the ability Of the new
states to protect themselves was fully
established. but until the danger OF their
being again subjugated had entirely
passed away. Then, and not until then.
were they recognized. Such was our
course in regard to Mexico herself. 1t is
true that with regard to Texas the civil
authority of Mexico has been expelled.
its invading. army defeated. the chief
of the republic himself captured, and all
present power to control the newly-or-
ganized government of Texas annihilated
within It's confines. But. on the other
an immense disparity of physical force
on the side of Texas The Mexican re-
pubic, under another executive. Is rally
ing Its forces under a new leader, and
menacing a fresh invasion to recover It's
lost dominion.
Upon the issue of this threatened in
vasion, the independence of Texas may
be considered as suspended; and were
there nothing peculiar in the relative sit
uation of the. United States and Texas,
at such a crisis could scarcely be regarded
as consistent with that prudent reserve
with which we have hitherto held our
selves bound to treat all similar ques-
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded to
consider the risk that there might be
selfish interest in view Of the former claim
on our part to the territory Of Texas, and
OF the avowed purpose of the Texans in
seeking recognition of independence as an
| incident to the Incorporation of Texas in
the union; concluding thus:
prudence, therefore, seems to dictate
tain our present attitude, If not until
Mexico itself, or one OF the great foreign
powers shall recognize the Independence
| OF the new government, at least until the
| lapse of time or the course of events shall
| nave proved beyond cavil or dispute the
ability of the people of that country to
| maintain their separate sovereignty and
| to uphold the government constituted by
| them. Neither of the contending parties
can Justly complain of this course. BY
pursuing It. we are but carrying out the
long established policy of our government.
a policy which has secured to us respect
and influence abroad and inspired conf
| These are the words of the resolute and
patriotic Jackson. They are evidence that
| the United States in addition to the test
the recognition of Independence by neu
| tral state Ito wit, that the revolted state
| snail constitute in fact a body polite,
having III government in substance as well
| stability" and forming de facto 'if left to
| itself, state among the nations, reason
ably capable OF discharging the duties of
| state") has imposed for its own govern
ance In dealing with cases like these the
further condition that recognition Of in
dependent statehood Is not due to a re-
VOTED dependency until the danger Of its
being again subjugated by the parent
state has entirely passed away. This ex-
treme test was in fact applied in the case
dent Jackson referred the question as one
| probably leading to war" and therefore
a proper subject for "a p. svious UNDER
standing with that body by whom war
can alone be declared, and by whom all
provisions for sustaining It's perils must
be furnished" left the matter Of the rec
! ognition Of Texas to the discretion Of the
executive. providing merely for the send
| ing of a diplomatic agent when the presi-
dent should be satisfied that the republic
state" 1t was so recognized by President
Van Buren,, who commissioned a charge
d. affaires March Z, 1887. after Mexico
the Texan territory and when there was
| at the time no bona fide" contest going
on between the insurgent province and it's
| former sovereign.
| / said in my message of December last:
| ut is to be seriously considered whether
/ the Cuban instruction possesses beyond
dispute the attributes of statehood which
ligerency in its favor" The same require
| ment must certainly be no less seriously
considered when the graver issue OF rec
| ognizing independence Is in question for
no less positive test can be applied to the
greater act than the lesser; while on the
other hand the influences and conse-
quences of the struggle upon the internal
policy of the recognizing state, which
form important factors when the recogni-
ton of belligerency Is concerned, are sec
| when the real question is whether the
community claiming recognition is or is
not independent beyond peradventure.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
do 1 think 1t would be wise or prudent for
this government to recognize at the pres
ent time the Independence Of the so-called
Cuban republic. Such recognition is not
necessary to enable the United States to
intervene and pacify tho island. To COM
nit this country now to the recognition Of
any particular government =. Cuba might
subject us to embarrassing conditions Of
international obligation towards the or
ganization so recognized. In case Of m
tervention our conduct would be subject
to the approval or disapproval of such
government we would be required to SUBJ
NIT to it's direction and to assume to IL
the nero relation of a friedly ally. When
| it shall appear hereafter that there is
within the island government capable
of performing the duties and discharging
the functions of separate nation and
having as q matter Of fact the proper
forms and attributes OF nationality, such
| government can be promptly and readily
recognized, and the relations and inter-
ests of the United States with such ma
There remain the alternative forms of
Intervention to end the war, either as an
impartial nation by imposing a rational
compromise between the contestants or
as the active ally of the one party or the
other.
AS to the first, 1t is not to be forgotten
that during the last few months the rela-
ton 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
influence toward an ultimate pacific re-
suit just and honorable to all interests
concerned. The spirit of all acts hitherto
has been an earnest, unselflsh desire for
peace and prosperity In Cuba untarn-
ished by differences between us and
Spain and unstained by the blood Of
American citizenship.
The forcible intervention of the United
States as a neutral, to stop the war, acc
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
internecne conflicts beyond their borders.
Is justihable on national grounds. It in
wolves. however, hostile constraint upon
both the parties to the contest, as wen
as 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