The herald., 1898-04-12


states to protect themselves was fully es-
tablished. 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 re-
gard to Mexico herself.
ut is true that with regard to Texas,
the civil authority of Mexico had been ex-
PEELED, 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 hand
there is, In appearance at least, an i'm
mense disparity of physical force on the
side of Texas. The Mexican republic, un-
der an ally, is allying its forces under a
new leader and menacing a fresh invasion
to recover it's lost domain.
Upon the issue of this threatened inya-
sion, the independence of Texas NAV be
considered as suspended, and were there
nothing peculiar in the situation of the
United States and Texas, our acknowl-
edgmenfs of its independence at such a
crisis could scarcely be regarded as con-
sistent with that prudent reserve with
which we have hitherto held ourselves
bound to treat all similar questions"
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded to
consider the risk that there might be inn
puted to the United States motives of sell
fish interests in view of the former claim
on our part to the territory of Texas and
of the avowed purpose of the Texans and
in seeking recognition of independence as
an incident to the Incorporation of Texas
in the Union, concluding thus:
prudence, therefore, seems to dictate
that we should stand aloof and maintain
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 have 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 COM
plain 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 confidence at home"
What Jackson Said
These are the words of the resolute and
the patriotic Jackson. They are evidence
that in addition to the test imposed by pub
lie law as the condition of the RECOGNITION
of independence by neutral state towit:
that the revolted state shall constitute
in fact body polite, having government
in substance as well as in name possessed
of the elements of stability" and forming
de facto 'if left to itself a state among
the nations, reasonably capable of dis
charging the duties Of a state"O, our
policy has imposed the further condition
that recognition of Independent state
hood Is not due to a revolt and dependency
until the danger of its being again subju-
gated by the parent state has entirely
passed away. This extreme test was in
fact applied in the case of Texas. The
Congress to whom Jackson referred the
question as zone probably leading to war;"
and therefore proper subject for "Pre-
vious understanding with that body by
whom war can alone be declared, and by
whom all the provisions for sustaining its
perils must be furnished" left the matter
of recognition of Texas to the discretion of
the Executive, providing merely for the
sending of a diplomatic agent when the
President should be satisfied that the re-
public of Texas had become IAN inde-
pendent state" 1t was so recognized by
President Van Buren,, who commissioned
a charge d'affaires, March 7th, 1887, after
Mexico had abandoned an attempt to con-
quer the Texan territory and when there
was at the time no bona-fide contest 60
ing on between the insurgent province and
its former sovereign.
Right of Recognition
said in my message of December last,
'It is to be seriously considered whether
the Cuban iusurrection possesses beyond
dispute the attributes of statehood, which
alone can demand the recognition of bel
ligerency in its favor" The same require
ment must certainly be no less seriously
considered when the graver issue Of recog-
nizing independence is in question. for no
less positive test can be applied to the
greater act than to the lesser, while on the
other hand the influences and conse-
quences Of the struggle upon the inter-
nal policy of the recognizing state, which
form an important fact when the recog-
milton Of belligerency Is concerned, are
If not rightly eliminatable fact
ors of the real question and whether
the community claiming recognition is or
Is not independent beyond peradventure.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience do
think it would Be wise or prudent for
this government to recognize at the pres
snt time the independence of the so-calied
Cuban republic. Such recognition Is not
necessary in order to enable the United
States to intervene and pacify the island.
To commit this country now to the recog-
milton of any particular government Ia
Cuba might subject us to embarrassing
conditions of international obligation
toward the organization so recognized. In
case of Intervention, our conduct will 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 friendly ally.
When 1t shall appear thereafter that there
Is within the island a government capa.
BILE of performing the duties and discharg-
ing the functions Of separate nation, and
having, as a matter Of fact, the proper
forms and attributes Of nationality, such
government can be promptly and readily
recognized and the relations and interests
of the United States with such nation ad-
justed.
Two Forms Of Intervention
There remain the alternative forms of
to end the war, either as an
impartial neutral by imposing a rational
between the contestants, or as
the active ally of the one party or the
other.
AS to the first, it is not to be forgotten
that during the last few months the re-
lation of the United States has virtually
been one of friendly Intervention in many
ways, each not of itself conclusive, but all