Year: 1875

within but few DAYS more than two
months from the date of the agree
ment, a copy Of which is herewith
transmitted. In pursuance Of the
terms Of the adjustment | have di-
rected the distribution of the amount
among the parties entitled thereto,
including the ships company and
such of the passengers as were Amer
lean citizens Payments are made
accordingly on application of the
parties entitled thereto.


/ SOME PLAIN TALK on THE CUBAN oUEs-


TToN.


! The past year has furnished no ey-
idence of an approaching end Of the
ruinous conflict which has been rag
ing for seven years in the neighbor-
ing island of Cuba. The same disre-
gard of the laws Of civilized warfare
aid Of the Just demands Of humanity
which have heretofore called forth
expressions of condemnation from
the nations Of Ctristendom, have
continued to blacken the sad scene.
/ Desolation, ruin, and pillage are per-
vading the rich fields of one of the
most fertile and productive regions
of the earth. and the incendiary's
torch firing plantations and valuable
4 factories and buildings is the agent
marking the alternate advance or re-
treat of the contending parties. The
protracted continuance Of the strife
seriously affects the interests of all
commercial nations, but those of the
United States more than others, by
reason Of its close proximity, its
larger trade and intercourse with
Cuba, and frequent and intimate per
sonal and social relations which have
grown up between its citizens and
those of the Island Moreover, the
property of our citizens In Cuba is
large, and is rendered insecure and
deprecated in value and in capacity
of production by the continuation Of
the strife, and the unnatural mode of
its conduct. The same is true, differ
ing only In degree. with respect to
the interests aud people Of other ns-
tions and The absence of any rea-
sonable assurance Of near termina-
tiOn OF the conflict must Of necessity
soon compel the States thus suffering
to consider what the interests of their
own people and their duty toward
themselves may demand. have
hoped that Spain would be enabled
to establish peace in her colony, to
afford security to the property and
the interests of our citizens, and al
low legitimate scope TO trade and
commerce and the natural produc-
tions Of the Island. Because of this
hope, and from an extreme reluctance
to interfere in the most remote man
ner in the affairs of another and
/ friendly nation-especially of one
whose sympathy and friendship in
the struggling infancy Of our own
existence must ever be remembered
with gratitude-I have patiently and
anxiously waited the progress of
events. Our own civil conflict is too
recent for us not to consider the diff
] fcuIties which surround a govern
ment distracted by a dynastic rebel
1 lion at home, al the same time that
it has 10 cope with separate insur-
rection in a distant colony; but
whatever causes may have produced
the situation which so grievously af-
fects our interest, it exists with all
is attendant evils, operating direct
ly upon this country and its people.
Thus far all the resorts Of Spain have
proved abortive, and time has marked
no Improvement in the situation.
The armed bands Of either side now
occupy nearly the SAM ground as in
the past. with the difference from
time TO time Of more lives sacrificed,
more property destroyed, and wider
extents of fertile and productive
fields and valuable property con-
stantly and wantonly sacrificed 20
the incendiary's torch.


no RECOGNITION OF CUBAN INDEPEND-


ENCE FOREsHADOwED.


In contests Of this nature, where 9
considerable body of people who have
attempted to free themselves of the
control of the parent Government
have reached such point in the oc-
cupation of territory, in power and
in general organization. as to consti-
tute in fact body polite, having a
government in substance as well as
in pame, possessed of the elements
of stability and equipped with the
machinery fer the administration OF
Internal policy and the execution of
its laws. and prepared and able to
administer justice at home as well as
in its dealings with other powers, it
is within the province of those other
powers 10 recognize its existence as
new and independent nation. In
such cases other nations simply deal
with an actually existing condition
of things, and recognize as one of the
powers of the earth that body polite
which, possessing the necessary ele-
menis, has in fact become a new
power. In q word, the creation Of q
new State is fact. To establish the
condition of thiags essential to the
recognition of this tact, there must
be a people occupying known terri
tory. united under some known and
defined form Of government. acknowl-
edged by those subjects thereto, in
which the functions of government
are administered by the usual meth
DDS, competent to mete out justice to
citizens and strangers, TO afford rem
edies for public and fer private
wrongs, and able to assume the rela-
tive international obligations and ca
pable of performing the correspond
ing international duties resulting
from its acquisition of the rights oi
sovereignty AND power, should exist
complete in its organization, ready
to take and able to maintain its place
among the nation. Of the earth


While conscious that the insurrection
in Caba has shown a strength and
endurance which makes it st least
doubtful whether it be in the power
of Spain to subdue it, it seems un,
questionable that no such civil or.
|. III. l.