The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-04-16

other hand, there is, in appearance
a. least, an immense disparity OF physical
force on the side Of Texas. The Mexican re-
public. under another executive, is r1llying its
forces under q new leader, and meuacing Q
FIRE h invasion to recover its lost domain.
Upon the issue OF this threatened invasion,
the independence OF Texas may be considered
as suspended; and were there nothing peculiar
in the situation Of the United States and Tex
as. our acknowledgment OF its independence at
such q crisis cou.d scarcely be regarded as con-
Sistent with that prudent reserve with which
We have hitherto held ourselves bound to treat
all similar questions
President Jackson Considered the Risk.
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded to
consider the risk that there might Be imputed
to the United states Il motive Of selfish inter-
est in view Of the former claim on our part TO
the territory of Texas and of the avOwed pur-
pose OF the Texans in seeking recognition OF
independence as an incident To the lncorpora-
tion OF Texas in the Union, concluding:
Prudence, therefore, seems 10 dictate that
We should stand aloof and maintain our pres
ent attitude, If not until Mexico itself
or one of the great foreign powers
shall recognize the Independence Of the new
government at lest unjlItne lapse OF time or the
course of events should have proved beyond cavil
or dispute the AGILITY OF the people OF that
country TO maintain their separate sovereignty
and ITO uphold the government constituted DT
them. Neither OF the cOELenling parties can
justly complain of this course. By pursuing 1t
we are but carrying out the lOnG-eStabllShed
policy of our government. a policy which has
.NN
inspired confidence 1T home"
Condition Imposed by the Government
Upon Itself.
These are the words OF the reSolute and
patriotic jackson. They are evidence that the
United States, in addition TO the test imposed
by public law as the condition of the recogni-
ton OF independence by Il n utral state, tO-wIt,
that the revOlted state shall constitute in fast
a body polite, having u government in sub
stance as well as in name, Possessed of the eIe-
mcntS of stability, and forming de facto, If
LETT TO itself. i state among the nations. reason
aOly capable Of dischargInS the du-
ties OF Il state, has iTpDSed for
is own goverance in dealing with ca e,
IKE those the further contention that recOgnI-
ton Of independent ~tatclo III Is not due TO a
revolted dependency until the danger Of its be-
ing again SubJugatcd by the parent state has
entirely passed awav." This extreme test was,
in fact, applied in the ease of Texas. The con-
grcsS To whom President Jackson referred the
question aS one probably leading to war, ami
therefore Il proper subject for "a previous I'M
derstanding with that body by whom war can
a one DE declared. AMI by whom AL the prOyiS-
ions for sustaining its parilS must be furnished"
left the matter Of the recognition Of Texas to
the discretion of the executive, providing
merely for the sending OF q diplomatic agent
when tie president should be satisfied that the
republic OF Texas had become IAN Independent
state" 1t was so r cOgnized by President Van
Buren,, who commissioned 4 charge dafaires.
March Z, 1887. after Mexico had abandoned an
attempt to rccOnquer the Texan territory, and
then and there was at the time no bona tide
contest going on between the ~inSurEent PROV
ince and its former sovereign.
Former Message Reverted To.
1 said in my mesSag, OF December last: "It
is to be considered whether the Cuban insur-
rection possesses beyond dispute the attributes
of statehood, which alone can lem md the rec
ognitiOn Of belligerency in its favor"
the same requirement must certainly be no
less considered when the graver issue of reco--
niZ NJ independence il in question, for no less
positive test can be applied to the greater
act than to the lesser while, on the other hand.
influences OF and consequences of the struggle
upOa the int nal policy of the recognizing
SLati which form i'm rOrtant factors when the
recognition OF b~eiliGcrcncy is concerned, are
secondary if not rightly elimlnable fac
tors, wnen the real question i whether
the community claiming recognition Is or
not independent beyond peraIventure.
Present Recognition Inexpedient.
Nor from the standpoint Of expedience dc l
think it would be wise or prudent for this gov
eminent to recognize at the present time the
Independence of the So-calIed Cuban republic.
sue" recognition is not necessary in order 10
enable the United States to intervene and
pacIfy the island. To commit this coun-
try now to the recognition Of
any particular government in Cuba
might subject US to emDarra sing conditions
o international obligation toward the organi-
AlJion so recognized. In case Of intervention
our conduct would be subject to the approval
or diSapprOval of such government: We would
be required to submit to its direction and TO
assume TO it the mere relation Of a friendly
any w ia ~ 'AAaAAA NPRNNA - NAAhN III
is within the island a government capable OF
p rformins the duties and diSchargIng the
functions OF a separate nation. and having. as q
matter OF fact, the proper forms and attrl-
buteS OF nationality. such government can be
promptly and readily recognized. and the rela-
tons and interests of the United States with
Sucn naIlOn adjusted.
Alternative Forms of Intervention.
There remain the alternative forms of inter-
vention to md tle war. eitner as an impartial
neutral by imposing a rational compromise be-
tween the contestants, or as the active ally OF
the one party or the other.
At II the first, It is not to be forgotten that
during the laSt few months the relation Of the
United States has virtually been one of friend
" intervention IN MANY ways. each
not of itself con '~lusive, tu: all
tending to the eXrrtiOn OF 4 potential
influence toward an ultimate pacific result Just
and honorable to all interests con .erned. The
spirit of all our aciS hitherto HIS been an earn
est. unSeIiiSh desire for peare and prosperity in
CUBA, untarniShed by dirferenc : between US
md Spain and unStalncd by the blood OF Ameri-
The forrible Intervention of the United States
as ii neutral to sop the war, according to the
large dictates of human .ty. aud following NAH,
historical presidents where nCiLhburing states
have intcrfcrcd to chect the hOpe.eSS sac
rihce or lie bv iuternacine conflicts
beyond their borders i lu>tinaDlc on National
grounds. IL involves. however. hostile con-
straInt upon both the parties to the contest a.
well to enforce u truce a. to guide the eventual
settlement
OEOuI1NlS Vi I NcHtiOEs
The grounds for such Intervention may be
briefly summarized as follows:
First. IN tue cause of humanity and to pu.
an end to tao barUaritIeS. bloc Slei. starvation
ami horrible mise les now existing there, ana
which the parties to the conflict are either
unable or unwilling to stop or mitigate II l.
no answer TO say this i all in another cOuntry.
belonging to another nation. and is therefore
none of our business. 1t is specially our duty.
for it is right at our io0rS-
Second. We owe it 10 our citizens in Cuba TO
afford them that protection anu immunity for
life and property which no government there
can. or viii. afford, an to tIat end to terminate
tEe conditions that deprive them OF local pro-
lection.
Third. The right to intervene may be juSti-
fed by the very serious injury to the COM
mere, trade and business interests of our
people. and by the wantOn destruction of prop
err and devastation Of the island.
Fourth. And what is OF the utmost i'm
poruancr. the present condition of al i-S in Gu
Ia is a constant menace to our peace, and en-
tails upon thuS government an enormous eX-
peuSe. With Sucl Il conflict wdSed for years in
IN island 50 near Us. ami with which our people
have such trade ami business rclatIOnS-when
the lives and liberty OF our citiZ,nS are in con-
slant dread ana their property destroyed and
themselves r~u.ncd-wncrc our trading yes
SeS are Liable to seizure, and are
st .Zed at our very door. by warShipS
% Il foreign ma. ion. the expeditions OF fiibuS-
IcIiGS that We are puw"rle>S to prevent alto
selhcr. and the irritating questions and ell
Engagements thus '4rI>ing-all these and others
tina [ need not mention. with the rG>uilins
stra n ii relations. are 4 constant menace to
war footing with Il nation with which we are at
an.s