Year: 1875

on the eve OF the November elections If the Pres-


dent had anxious 10 push matters TO extremties


his first step would to recommend Congress


to recognize the insurgents as begercnts Upon


this the only practical question az this moment the


Message speaks very decidedly. The insurgents ''un


questionably do not constitute civil organization


recognizable as an independents government capable Of


performing international obligations and entitled to be
treated Power Recognition pf the insurgent gov


ernment would accordingly be inconsstent with tho
facts, and would compel the Power granting it to
support il by force. I fail to find con-
ditions existing in this hsurrecton which
would take the contest out Of the category OF
beons and place it the footing OF war, which
a recognition Of beliigerency would elevate IT," This


is fair and sensible statement OF the facts about the


nsurrcction far they known and If this were
the only reference TO Cuba the Message contains il
might be supposed that the United States
had denitvely abandoned the aggressive and Irritating
attitude which little time back they seemed bent on
assuming. But as regards the Spanish side or the
question the Presidents language is less satisfactory
The natural inference from the passage which has been
quoted is that long the he4surrecton continues TO
bear this purely domestic character is not matter
about which foreign Powers need or ought to
concern themselves When rebellion becomes "a
civil organization recognizable independent gov
ernment capable OF performing international obhga-
tons and entitled TO be treated as a Power nations
who strangers TO the conflict compelled take
notice Of II may at any moment hnd their own in
teress affected by IL and may after time be obliged
either in defence OF those interests of
international police to give the belligorents warning
that If they cannot settle their affairs by given
time they may have to submit them settled for
them. But these consequences all flow from the
recognition OF belgerency or more accurately from the
facts which necessitae the recognition of begerency


SO long rebellion is nothing than q local
quarrel there be why foreign nations
should take notice OF II, or think it incumbent on
them to have policy about it, than there is the case
of the brigands who inest Southern Italy of the
Indians who occasionally make raids upon the Western
M m ~ hat fhA
country afflicted by it is Ill governed but II is from rst
TO last matter Of municipal not international concern
President Grant has apparently allowed himself for
get this distinction Notwithstanding that he is lust
about TO declare that be find nothing this ingur
recon TO take the contest out OF the category Of
instructions and place IL the footing OF war he
prefaccs what he has to say about Cuba with the re-
mark that "the ruinous conflict which is still raging
with general disregard OF the laws of civilized warfare
and the just demands OF humanity and with
absence of any reasonable assurance OF term
nation of the struggle, compel the States
suffering therefrom 70 consider what their interests
and their duty may demand The only State which
has ever complained Of any serious suffering arising
out Of the rebellion In Cuba is the United States and
the shape which this suffering has mostly taken per-
haps that Of harassing anxiety to show the world
how very much better Cuba would be governed If 1t
annexed TO the Union. That the conflict has been
of long duration is certainly true and that 1t has been
carried with very great disregard Of the laws of
or the demands OF humanity is highly probable. But
1t unfair Spain to calculate the chances OF the tn
surrection being put down with exclusive reference
the condition of Cuba itself


1t is especially unfortunate that the United States
government should use this language toward Spain,
because the characteristic temper Of Spanish people
makes them peculiarly likely take offence at it. The
Spaniards as nation are very proud, very ignorant,
and, a natural consequence, very reckless. They
will bitterly resent any approach to interference the
part Of the United States they have profound faith
In their ability to fight any Power that is likely
attack them and notwithstanding tnat the civil
yet over, they would probably receive the news
that the United States Ambassador had asked for his
passports without the least dsquletude They are
lust SO far tired of civil war that they
vvap ua fha nj n nvar
temper is made all the more dangerous by the
circumstance that SPAN has very considerable feet
and in specializing on the chances OF the the
Spanards would be likely to lay disproporonae stress
the fact that the first act OF the struggle might be
the triumphant bQmbardment Of half dozen American
cities and the sinking Of a few American ironclads
They would not in the least remember or be able 70 ap
precate If they did remember the difference between
tho strength which lies behind the United States Navy
and the strength which hes behind the Spanish Navy
That difference is above all things difference OF
chequers For every ship the Spaniards destroyed the
Americans would build ten and then have the monry TO
build twenty more This is not the kind OF strength
which profoundly ignorant people can form any csti-
mate Of They think of the navy they have now,
and their rulers have no means at least no
effective means OF bringing before their imaginations


the navy which exists potentially in every American
budget OF course If President Grant wishes to pro-
woke between Spain and America, and at the
time to escape the responsibility of having de-
clared it. this Is the right way go work These
constant references to the Cuban nsurrection and 10


the painful but necessary part which the United States
may have to play in regard to IL are all circulated in





corded to them in countries which are able to weigh
the Presidents threats dspassionatey President
Grants Message bears but too much likeness to ap
peal from the comparative camness of the Spanish
government to the exctabe passions Of the Spanish
people AS such il reflects but little credit the d.
plomacy which condescends 10 employ it,


THE PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE ''MEAGRE AND UN-


NrEREsT1NG"-cUBA, THE CURRENCY AND THE


CHURCHES.


From the London Standard, Dec. o.


The Message OF President Grant TO the Congress
so meagre and uninteresting, and contains little
that could require reconsideration readjustment at
the last moment that it might apparently have well
been delivered on Monday, the Lower House
had organized itself by the election OF Speaker which
seems to have been accomplished with very unusual
the candidate Of the conservative
receiving the of the entire party The President
has nothing say that is Of direct interest to England
and even on OF strong interest 10 his
try he had for caution reticence Since the
withdrawal Of the Southern Senators and Representa-
tives 1861 lett the republicans absolute masters OF
manned Assembly that yet pretended TO legisate for
the whole Union, until the dissolution of the last
Congress on the 4th OF March, 1875, that party has
had an uninterrupted and irresistible ascendancy in
both branches; and except during the latter part OF
Mr. Johnsons term the President has had 10 address
his Message to a body OF partisans agreeing with his
views and those Of his Cabinet but violent and
unscrupulous, a rule, because less responsible.
. y He Is clear and outspoken only on three
antt-sectaran education and currency
We doubt, as we have said before whether
the idea OF picking quarrel with Spain in order TO
nnd pretext for annexing Cuba Will find much favor
in America at the present day. In the old times the


South wanted Cuba in order to create slave States
for her safety depended on the maintenance Of her
equality in the Senate and she shut out from all
territory the mainland wherein new slave states
might have been created II might be supposed that
the republican desire for negro States, as kind Of
rotten burroughs always at their disposal would
ceed TO this discarded motive But the wiser radicals
see that the negro IS the disgrace and danger Of
their party and that the attempt to keep white men
under negro rule sooner later be abandoned;
and no wise Of either party desires 10 see new
elements added to the perplexing problem already pre-
sented by the social and political condition Of the
South. Tho irony which renders this plea for not
ognizng the Cubans justification for recognition
OF Southern beigcrency Is the irony OF circumstances
not OF intention. The language used in regard to
American grievances is no doubt selected with
to future contingencies. Stil ought TO know how
lawless and nsoent Spain be In her treatment OF
foreign powers when their ability 20 crush and
rum her, II their patience should be exhausted,
Is perfectly obvious and easily understand
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