The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-15

ITESn INVASION to recover It's lost dOmi1-
ion Upon the ssue OF this threatened
invasion. the independence OF Texas
may be considered a suspended; and
were there nothing peculiar in the rela-
tive situation Of the Unit.d States and
Texas, our acknowledgements its inde-
pendence at such crisis could scarcely
be regarded as consistent with that
prudent reserve with which We have
hitherto held ourselves bound TO treat
all similar questions"
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceed
ed to consider the risk that there might
be imputed 10 rhe United States mo-
tives of selfish interest in view OF the
former claim on our pa<t to rhe terri
tory OF Texas, and Of the avowed pur-
pose Of the Texans in seeking recogni-
ton OF independence as an incident 10
the Incorporation Of Texas IN n union;
concluding thus:
Prudence, therefore, seems to die
ate that we should still STAN aloof
and maintain our present attitude. II
not until Mexico itself, or one Of the
great foreign powers shall recognize
the independence of the new govern
ment, at least until the lapse Of time
or the course of events shall have prov
ed beyond cavil or dispute the ability
of the people of that country to main
tain their Seperate sovereignty and TO
uphold the government constituted by
them Neither of the c~ontendlng par
ties a justly complain Of this course.
BY pursuing it, we are but carrying out
the long established policy of our gov
eminent, a policy (which has secured to
US respect and influence abroad and
inspired confidence at home"
These are the words of the reSOlute
and patriotic jackson. They are evil
dence that the United States, in addi-
ton to the test imposed by public law
as the condition of the recognition OF
independence by a neutral state, (to-
wit, that the revolted state shall con
stitute in fact a body polite, having a
government in substance as well a. 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 a state" has imposed for its
own goverance in dealing with cases
like these, the further condition that
recognition of independent statehood
is not due to a revOlted dependency UNI
til the danger of its being again sub
jugated by the parent state a en-
tirely passed away. This extreme test
was in act applied in the case of Tex
as. The to whom President
Jackson referred the question as one
probably leading to war" and, there
fore, a proper subject for "a previous
understanding with that body by whom
war can alone tbe declared, and tby
whom all the provisions for sustaining
it's perilS must be furnished" left the
matter of the recognition of Texas to
the discretion of the executive, prOvid-
ing merely for the sending of a diplo-
matte agent when the president should
be satisfied hat the republic of Texas
had become IAN independent state" It
was so recognized by President Van
Buren,. who commissioned a charge
d~'affairs, March Z, 1887, after Mexico
had abandoned an attempt to recon
quer the Texan territory and when
there was at the time no bona fide con-
test going on between the inSurgent
province and its former sovereign.
II said in my message of December
last:
1T is to be seriously considered
whether the Cuban insurrection pos
sesses beyond dispute the attributes OF
statehood which alone can demand the
recognition of belligerency in its ia
vor." The same requirement. must GER
tainly be no less seriously considered
when the graver issue of recognizing
independence is in question. for no less
positive test can be applied to the
greater act than to the lessor, while
ON the other hand influences of tbs
~recOngiZing state, which form import
ant factors when the recognition OF
belligerency is concerned, are second
airy If not rightly eliminable factors
when the real question is whether
the community, claiming recogni-
ton is or lis not Independent beyond
per adventure.
RECOGNITION OF INDEPENDENCE
OPPOSED.
. Nor from the standpoint of expadi
| ence do / think it would be wise OF
prudent for this government to recog
nize at the present time the ind6pend
enme of the so-called Cuban republic
Such recognition is not necessary il
! order to enable the United States tx
| intervene and pacify the island. T.
| cOmmit this country now to the recCg
| milton CT any particular government ii
i Cuba might subject us to embarraSSin:
| conditions of obligation
towards the organization so recognized
In case of Intervention our cOnduc
would be subject to the approval o
disapproVal of such government; wv
would be required to submit to it's di
rection and to assume ito it the mer
relation of a friendly ally. When j
shall appear hereafter that There i
within the island a government cap
able Of performing the duties and dis
charging the functions of a separat
nation, and having as a matter of fac
the proper forms and attributes Of ia
tionallty, such government can b
promptly and readily recognized, an
the relations and interests of the Unit
ed States with such nation adjusted.
There remain the alternative form
Of Intervention to end the war, eithe
as an impartial neutral by impOsin
a rational compromise between the con
teStantS, Or as the active ally OF tn
n party of the other.
AS to the first, it is not to be forgot
ten that dung the last few months, tn
relations ofsthe United States has vii
TLA- neGt