Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-04-12
M'KtNLEY'S MESSAGE
[Continued from first pagel

lAOutluuth iiOih PhhOl
Thereupon reviewed these alterna-
tives in the light of President Grants
message in the words uttered in 1875.
when after several years of sanguin-
ary. destructive and cruel barbarities
in Cuba, he reached the
conclusion that the recogni-
tion of the independence Of Cuba was
impracticable and indefensible, and
that the recognition of belligerency
was not warranted by the facts ac-
cording to the texts Of public law. L
commented especially upon that phase
of the question, pointing out the in
conyeniences and positive dangers OF
recopnitioni.o belligerency, which,
while adding to the already onerous
burdens of neutrality without our
own Jurisdiction, could not in any
way extend our influence or effective
offices in the territory of hostilities.
Nothing has since occurred to
change my views in this regard, aud L
recognize as fully now as then that
the issuance of proclamation Of neu :
trality, by which process the so-called
recognition of belligerenry is pub
lisbed, could, of itself and unattended
by ether action, accomplish nothing
toward the one end for which we Ia
bor, the instant paci tication Uf Cuba,
and the cessation of misery that af-
fiicts the island.
Turning to the question of recog-
nizing at this time the indedepen nee
of the present insurgent government
in Cuba, we find safe precedents in
our history from an early day. They
are well summed up in President
Jackson's message to congress De-
cember q, 1886, on the subject of the
recognition of the independence of
Texas, he said:
"In all the contests that have arisen
out of the revolutions of France, out
of the disputes relating to Portugal
and Spain, out of the separation Of
the American possessions of both the
European governments, and out of
the numerous recurring struggles for
dominion in Spanish-American coun-
tries, so wisely consistent with just
principles has been the action of our
government that we have under the
most critical circumstances avoided
all censure and encountered no other
evil than that produced by transient
estrangement of good Will in those
against whom we have been, by force
of evidence, compelled to decide.
"It has thus BEEN made known to
the world that the uniform policy and
practice of the United States is to
avoid all interference in disputes
which merely relate sto the internal
government of other nations, and to
eventually recognize the authority Of
the prevailing party without refer
ence to our particular interests and
views or to the merits of the original
controversy But in this, as on every
other occasion, safety is to be found
IN rigid contest between Spain and
the revolving colonies, we stood aloof
and waited not only until the ability
of the new states TO protect them =
selves was fully established, but until
the chance of their being again sub
jugated 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
authorities of Mexico had been ex-
PEELED. its invading army defeated, the
thief of the republic himself captured
and all present power 10 control the
newly organized government of Texas
annihilated within its confines. But,
on the other hand, there is, in ap-