The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-12
History Reversing Itself

The presentation of the collective
note of the six European powers-Great
Britain, France, Germany, Austria
Hungary, Russia and Italy-on Thurs
day in reference to the pending situa-
ton in Cuba and President McKLnley's
reply invest with new interest an al
most forgotten chapter in the history
of the dealings Of this country with
Spain more than twenty years ago.
In 1875, after the Cuban Instruction.
which began in 1868, had then lasted
for seven years without any apparent
prospect of termination, the Hon. Ham
ilton Fish, then secretary of state, by
direction of President Grant, address
ed a letter to our minister in Spain,
the Hon. Caleb Gushing, containing the
following PASSAGE:
In the absence of any prospect Of a
termination Of the war, or of any
change in the manner in which il has
been conducted on either side, the pres
ident feels that the time is ait hand
when it may be the duty of other gov
nment to intervene, solely with a.
view to bringing to an end q disastrous
and destructive conflict, and of restor-
ing peace in the island of Cuba. No
government is more deeply interested
in the order and peaceful administra-
tion Of the island han is that of the
United States, and none has suffered
do OIlt Ollueu States from The CO1QltHOn
which a obtained there during the
past six or seven years. He will, there
fore, feel it his duty at an early day
TO submit the subject in this light, and
accompanied by an expression of the
views above presented, for the consid-
GRAFTON OF congress-"
Substantially, there was nothing in
this note which had not found express
sion in previous messages of General
Grant to congress and in previous in
StructiOnS given to our ministers at
Madrid. In the general instructions
furnished to General Cushing before
his departure, Mr.. Fish had aid
THE president cannot but regard in
dependence and emancipation, (of the
{. slaves) Of course as the only certain
and even necessary solution OF the
question of Cuba"
Emancipation had been decreed be-
fore the note to Mr.. Gushing of Novem-
Der 5, 1875, n is, therefore, not referr-
ed to. Previous instructions to General
Sickles, Mr.. Cushing's predecessor, had
been in the same line. The notable
feature in the attitude taken by our
government in 1875, however, in connec-
ton with the note to Mr.. Gushing, and
which he was instructed to read to the
Spanish minister of foreign affairs was
that simultaneously copies of the same
note were sent to General Schenck, our
minister ait London, with directions to
read the same to Lord Derby; and our
representatives ait ST. Petersburg
Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Lisbon and
Rome, with Instructions to commune
cate the same Orally to the govern
ments to which they were respectively
accredited, and to ask their interview
tion with Spain in the interest of ter
minating the state of affairs existing
in Cuba.
Tho Cit11 tinn Of yT11,r-J, -. L
Blue parlor of the White house, when
the ENJOYS of the powers saw Presi-
dent Mckinley, was exactly reversed.
Twenty years ago the United States
asked the six powers sever of them i'm
fact. including Portugal, to join with
our government in restoring peace and
order in Cuba. On the Goth of Novem-
Der, 1875, the American note was pre-
sented to theiBritish government. Onthe
25th of January, 1876, the reply of Great
Britain 1as given by Lord Derby to
Gener SchencK. 1t was, in substance,
that her Majesty's government was
convinced that Spain woul not listen
to mediation n was not prepared to
bring pressure upon her case of her re-
fusal. In fine, Lord Derby thought
that if nothing were contemplated be-
yond an amicable ~interpositiOn having
peace for it's object the time was ILL
chosen and the move premature" The
answer of the other governments We're
equally unsatisfactory, and so the APP
peal of the United States over twenty
years ago to the European powers to
assist in the work of pacifying Cuba
in the interest of humanity fell to the
ground.
These and other interesting incidents
connected with these well-nigh forgot
ten negotiations are very clearly and
succinctly summarized in an article
in the March number of the North
American Review on the subject of
1.-The Intervention of the United States
in Cuba" by Mr.. John H. Latane, of
this city. For a number of years the
correspondence from which we have
quoted was buried in the files of the
state department. 1t only came to light
in response to a resolution of the SEN
ate, passed March "a, 1896, and was
transmitted to congress 10y President
Cleveland on the 18th of April. 1t is
published as senate executive document
No. 213, fifty-fOurth congress-, LIST SEES
sion. Mr.. Latane INDUCES in some
very natural speculations as to the
reasons why this correspondence was
SO long withheld from the public, Sug-
geSted by its obvious variance from th6
traditional Monroe doctrine n pol
icy of the state department.
1t would hardly lie in the mouth OF
amy American statesman today TO re
sent as officious or impertinent tht
courteous and kindly meant sugges-
, tons of the powers in the collective
note presented b. them to Mr.. McKin-
;, ley, in the face of President Grant
appeal to the same powers for the
+. same purpose il 1875. Neither, on the
:. other hand, can any of the powers com
= plain if, having turned a deaf a tt
this governments earnest appeal II
behalf of peace i'm 1875, they should b.
: answered now, altering slightly the
, language of Lord Derby, that the tim,
: is ~ill-chosen and The move too late
. TT had been better if it had come soone.
! and We're better if it were addressed
: now to Spain instead OF to the United
States. Suppose the powers had hist
ened in 1875 to the request of the Unit
. el States? Peace, in all probability
would have prevailed since and b
prevailing today in Cuba. and the drea(
1 possibilities of a war which may extern
no man knows how far, and last n