The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-04-14

looking 10 an immediate and effective auel Io,
alton OF the conditions OF the island hl,hnns
hotaceepted 70 the extent OF admitted nediS
tion In any shape, were met by ASSURANCES tha
home rule, In an advanced rhasn wonld =
forthwieh onefe6 10 Cuba, without waiting n
, the War 10 end. and that more humane method
should prevail In the conduct OF hostilIties,
WINE THESE negotiations were In progress,
'ne increasing destitution OF the unfortunat
IecohSentraoos and the alarming inortalit
among them claimed earnest attention. Tn
success which had attended the limited meas
ure OF relief extended to the suffering Amer,
can citizens among them by the judicious ex
penuitures through the consular agencies n
'ne money appropriated expressly for thei
succor oy the joint resolution approved NAV %
iS"1, prompted the humane extension az
similar scheme OF aid TO the great body OF SUI
lers' suggestion 10 this end wa
acQuiesced IN by the Spanish authorities Oh
the 2+tn OK December last I ca,ised 10 be iss,r,
an appel to The American people, invi,in,
contributions In money or In kind for the sue
cor OF the starving sufferers in Cuba. followin,
THIS on the 9Th CT January by similar public
announcement OF the formation OF n centra
Suoan reief committee with headquarters In
New York City, composed Of three member,
representing the American National Red Cros,
and the religio and business elements OF IN,
community. The efforts of that committee
nave been untiring and accomplished much.
Ihe war in Cuba is Of such nature that short
tsuojugation or determination final military
/ victory Tor either side seems impractical BILE
The alternative lies In the physical exhaustion
OF one or the other party or perhaps OF both
acondttlon which In effect ended the ten years
war by the truce OF Zanjon. The prospect OF
| such protraction and conclusion OF the pres
ent strife Is contingency hardly to be con-
templated with equanimity by the civilized
world, and least OF all by the United States.
| anected and injured as we are, deeply and init
nately by its very existence.
Realizing this, 1t appeared TO be my duty, in
spirit OF true friendliness, no less TO Spain
than to the Cubans who have so much TO lose
Dy the prolongatton OF the struggle to bring
about an immediate termination OF the war
10 this end submitted. on the 27th ultimo, as
the result OF much representation and cor o.
spondence, through the United States minister
at MADRID. propositions to the Spanish govern.
ment looking TO an armstice to October frat
for the negotiation Of peace with the good of ces
OF the president
In addition asked the immediate revocation
OF the order OF reconcentration so as TO permit
the people to return TO their farms and the
needy to os relieved with provisions and sup
plies from the United States. cooperating
with the Spanish authorities, so as to afford
full relief
The reply OF the Spanish cabinet was re-
ceiveo on the night Of the 3lst ultimo. IL Of
fers' as the means to bring about peace in
Cuba. TO cOntde the preparation thereof 70 the
tnsular parliament. IN as much as the concur
renee of that body would be necessary to
reach final result. II being, however, un-
derStood that the p wers reserved by the
constitution to the central government are
not ls,,asr
parliament does not meet until the 4th of MAY
next. the Spanish government would not OBJ
Ject for its part. TO accept at once suspen-
S on OF hostillties il asked for by the insur-
gents from the general in chief To whom it
would pertain. in such case to determine the
duration and condition Of the armistice
The propositions submitted by Gen. Wood
ford and the reply Of the Spanish government
we're both in the form of brief memoranda. the
texts OF which are before me and are substau-
TALLY on 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 Spanish memorandum;
but from Gen. WOOdfords explanatory reports |
Of preliminary discussions preceding the final |
conference ii is understood that the Spanish |
government stands ready to give the nsuar
congress full powers to settle the terms OF
peace with the nSurgentS-whether by direct
negotiation or indirectly by m ans Of legsla-
ion does not appear.
With this last overture in the direction OF
immediate peace and its disappointing recep-
ion by Spain, the executive was brought to
he end of his efforts
In my annual message OF December last |
aid:
"Of the untried measures those remain only:
Recognition OF the insurgents as belligerents;
ecognition OF the independence of Cuba;
eutral Intervention TO end the war by impos-
ng rational compromise between the con-
estants and Intervention in favor OF one or
he other party. speak not OF forcible annex
tion for that can not be thought of. That by
ur code OF morality, would be criminal agrees
ion"
Nothing has since occurred to change my
lew on this regard, and l recognize as fully
Ow as then that the issuance OF n proclama-
on OF neutrality. by which process the So
allied bellgerence Is published. could, OF
self and unattended by other action, accom- I
lish nothing toward the one end for which
e labor. the instant paciicatOn Of Cuba and I
ne cessation OF the misery that afiicts the {
land /
Turning TO the question OF recognizing at this
me the independence OF the present insurgent
in Cuba we find safe precedents in t
ir history from an early day. They arc well 7
lmmed up in President Jackson'S message to I
'ngresS, December 81, 1885. on the subject OF v
e recognition OF the independence Of Texas. I
c said: I'm all the contests that have arisen n
II OF France, out OF the disputes in relation TO c
- crowns OF Portugal and Spain, out OF the a
paration OF the American possessions OF both "
ON the European governments and ont Of the h
lmerous and constantly occurring struggles p
: dominion in Spanish America. 80 wisely "
nSistent with just principles has been the ac- Il
IN OF our government that we have, under the il
ost critical circumst tan ,eS, avoided all GEN. iC
re. and encountered no other evil than that RI
oduced by q consistent estrangement Of good u
II In those against whom we have been by a.
-ce OF evidence compelled to decide. L
L has thus made known to the world that p
e uniform policy and practice of the United iu
ates is TO avoid all interference in disputes r,
iieh merely relate TO the internal govern el
mt OF other nations. and eventually to rec ca
nize tae authority OF the prevailing party hi
thOuf }eference to our particular interest, W
views or to the merits OF the original II
ltroyerSy. d,
3ut on this. as on every other trying occa- be
n, safety is to be found in rigid adherence la
principle. ST
n the contest between Spain and the re-
ted colonies we stood aloof, and waited not pr
y until the ability of the new states to pro- vi
I themselves was fully established. but un-
the danger OF their being again subjugated fu
entirely passed away. Then, and not until fe
N. were they recognized. Such was our eii
rse In regari TO Mexico herself. ril
hereupon Andrew cksoa proceeded TO gl'
Isider the risk that there might be imputed in
he United States motives OF selfish interest tn
Vlew OF the former claim on our part 20 the ut
ritory OF Texas. and of the aVowed purpose | tn