FBI I'Ki.-n.i.M's Mi.u;r.1 



affirmed nor denied. The United Stairs has i 



x* A cham : r to n. a nation, which 



plainly dictates that right atil not might should be 

 the rule of iU conduct. Further, though the United 



it ix in truth the most pact!; . f potnod desires 



nothing o mu '" nil the 



world. Its own ample and diversified domains sat- 

 isfy all possible !< all 

 dreamt of conquest, and prevent any caatii 

 covetous eye* upon neighboring regions, bowaftjf 

 attractive. That our conduct tow and 

 her dominions has constituted no exception to this 

 national disposition is made manifest by th<- < 



.eminent, not only thus far during the 



prwwnt insurrection, but during the t,-n years that 



i in 1808. No other great 



|ower. it may safely be Mil. under dreomstanoei 

 of similar perplexity, would have manifested t IK- 

 MOM restraint and the same patient enduran. -.-. h 

 may also be said that this persistent attitude of the 

 d States toward Spain in connection with 

 Cuba unquestionably evinces no -li_rlit respect and 

 rsgard for Spain on 'the part of the Am 



. in truth do j her connection 



with the discovery of tin- We-tcrn Hemisphere, nor 



do they under lie great qualities of the 



~\\ |H-..ple. H, ,r fail to fully rec,,gni/e their 



splendid patriot is in and their chivalrous devotion 



national honor. 



They view with wonder and admiration the 

 cheerful resolution with which vast bodies of men 

 are sent across thousands of miles of ocean and an 

 debt accumulated, that tin- costly nos- 

 of the Gem of the Antilles may still hold its 

 place in the Spanish crown. An I yet neither the 

 Government nor the people of the t'nited States 

 have shut their eyes to the course of events in 

 Cuba, or have failed to realize the existence of con- 

 ceded - which have led to the present re- 

 volt from the authority of Spain grievances i 

 nized by thc(^ueen Regent, and liyti. 

 by the 'most patriotic and enlightened of Spanish 

 statesmen, without regard to party, and demon- 

 strated by reforms proposed by the executive and 

 approved by the legislative branches of the Spanish 

 rnraent. It i- in the assumed temper and dis- 

 position of the Spanish QoTernmentto remedy th. - 

 grievances, fortified by indications of influential 

 public opinion in Spain, that this Government ha- 

 hoped to discover the most promising and effective 

 means of composing the present strife, with honor 

 and advantage to Spain, and with the achievement 

 of all the reasonable objects of the insurrection. 



It would seem that if Spain should offer to Cuba, 

 genuine autonomy a mea-M <>f home rule which. 

 while pntervins; the sovereignty of Spain, would 

 wtisfyall rational re.juirements of the Spani-h sub- 

 ject* there should be no just reason why the paci- 

 fication of the island might not be effected on that 

 basis. Such a result would appear to be in t he t rue 

 int.-n-t of all concerned. Il would at once stop t he 

 conflict which is now consuming the resources of 

 the island and making it worthless for whi 

 party may ultimately prevail. It would keep intact 

 the possessions of Spain without touching l.-r 

 honor, which will he consulted rather than im- 

 pugned by the adequate redress of admitted 

 ances. It would put the i.rosperitv of the i-land 



-{iiiir- ..f if .uts within their 



I. without severing the natural and an -i.-nt 

 iiieh bind th-m to the iiiother country, and 

 would yet enable them to te-t their capacity for 

 self-government under the most favorable cnndi- 

 It has been >n the one side that 



ild not promise autonomy until her in- 

 surgent subjects lay down their arms; on the other 



that pr-:: noiny. however lil>e- 



in^unicieii 1 \\iihoiit assurance of the prom* 



Hut tin- rea-oiialileness of a ro- 

 i|iiiremeiit l>\ Spain, of unconditional sunvn.. 

 the part .f'the in-ur^. nt Culians lu-fmv their uii- 

 toiii- ! alto-ethei- apparent. It 



res important features of the situation ! 

 Miration ha- iim-n to the insur- 

 rection: the feasibility of its indefinite prolong, 

 t ion in the nature of things, and as -!.< >u n by pgY 



:ienee; the utter and imminent ruin of tJB 



inland, unless the present strife is spt-edily coin- 



..! HP lanU al'ii-es \\hieh all'partil 



in Spain, all branches <,f her (Jo\ernnient. and all 



her lead in:: public men concede to e\i-l and profe-s 



:re to rein iig sudi <-ircuii. 



withhold the p roller of needed reforms until the 



s demanding 'hem put themselves at me rev 

 by throw in-; down their arms, has the appearance 



Reeling ft .ml in\iting SUH- 



piei.ui as to tlie sincerity of any profc ed willm-. 

 ness to grant reform-. 



The objection on In-half of the ii 

 promised reforms can not be relied upon in 

 course be eon-idei-ed. though \\e have i 

 aume. and no reason for a-sutniiii:. that an\ 

 Spain undertakes to do fur tin- relief of Cut) 



not be done at rding to both the spirit a: 



letter of the undertakinir. 



. erlhele*s. reali/in^ that -uspi<-ion- and lire- 

 <-autioiis on tin- part of the weaker of two combat- 

 ants an- always natural and not al way- unjust iftsjH 

 being sincerely desirous in the in: 

 well as on its own account, that the Cuban problesl 

 should be Mil\ed with the least pos-ible del 

 was intimated by this Government to t 

 incut of Spain some months ago that, if a sat: 

 tory measure of home rule were tendered t he i 

 insiirgeiits. and would be accepted by them H 

 guarantee of its execution, the I'nited St; 

 endeavor to find a way not objectionable to k 

 of furnishing such guarantee. While no <j. 

 response to tliis- intimation has yel be. 

 from the Spanish Government, it' is believed 

 not altogether unwelcome, and. as already sug- 

 gested, no reason is perceived why it should i. 

 approved by the insurgents. Neither party can fail 

 to see the importance of early adion: and 

 must reali/.c that to prolong ihe pr.--.: 

 things for even a short period 'will add enor: 

 ly to the time and labor and expenditure i 

 sary to bring about the industrial recupe.- 

 of the island. It is therefore fervently hop, ,| 

 earii'-st clTorts for healing t he breach betv. 

 and the insurgent Cubans upon the lines abo' 

 dicated. may be at once inaugurated and pu-' 

 an immediate and successful issue. Tin fi 

 otliee of the I'nited States cither in the m 

 abovi- outlined or in any other way c..n-i-teiit wifl 

 our Constitution and laws, will always be n 

 di-'posal of either party. 



Whatever circumstances m 

 and <ur int-re>ts would constrain u- to obj 

 the acqui-ition of the island or an inl 

 with it- control by any other power. Ii 

 added that it cannot be reasonably a-- 

 the hitherto expectant attitude of the 1 



s will be indefinitely maintained. Wh 

 are anxioi d all due thesover- 



f of Spain, we can not view the pending 

 fliet in all it- features, and properly apprehend our 

 inevitable close relations to it. and its j 



. without considering that by the coin 

 event- we may be drawn into such" an iinu-ual and 

 unprecedented condition as will fix a limit f 

 patient waiting for Spain to end the coril 

 alone and in her own way or with our frien-. 



