tendered in good faith, without any selfish purpose, in the interest of humanity and in sincere friendship for both parties, but were at the time declined by Spain, with the declaration, nevertheless, that at a future time they would be indispensable. No intimation has been received that in the opinion of Spain that time has been reached. And yet the strife continues, with all its dread horrors and all its injuries to the interests of the United States and of other nations. Each party seems quite capable of working great injury and damage to the other, as well as to all the relations and interests dependent on the existence of peace in the island; but they seem incapable of reaching any adjustment, and both have thus far failed of achieving any success whereby one party shall possess and control the island to the exclusion of the other. Under these circumstances, the agency of others, either by mediation or by intervention, seems to be the only alternative which must, sooner or later, be invoked for the termination of the strife. At the same time, while thus impressed, I do not at this time recommend the adoption of any measure of intervention. I shall be ready at all times, and as the equal friend of both parties, to respond to a suggestion that the good offices of the United States will be acceptable to aid in bringing about a peace honorable to both. It is due to Spain, so far as this government is concerned, that the agency of a third power, to which I have adverted, shall be adopted only as a last expedient. Had it been the desire of the United States to interfere in the affairs of Cuba, repeated opportunities for so doing have been presented within the last few years; but we have remained passive, and have performed our whole duty and all international obligations to Spain with friendship, fairness, and fidelity, and with a spirit of patience and forbearance which negatives every possible suggestion of desire to interfere or to add to the difficulties with which she has been surrounded. "The government of Spain has recently submitted to our minister at Madrid certain proposals which, it is hoped, may be found to be the basis, if not the actual submission, of terms to meet the requirements of the particular griefs of which this government has felt itself entitled to complain. These proposals have not yet reached me in their full text. On their arrival they will be taken into careful examination, and may, I hope, lead to a satisfactory adjustment of the questions to which they refer, and remove the possibility of future occurrences, such as have given rise to our just complaints. "It is understood also that renewed efforts are being made to introduce reforms in the internal administration of the island. Persuaded, however, that a proper regard for the interests of the United States and of its citizens entitle it to relief from the strain to which it has been subjected by the difficulties of the questions and the wrongs and losses which arise from the contest in Cuba, and that the inter ests of humanity itself demand the cessation of the strife before the whole island shall be laid waste and larger sacrifices of life be made, I shall feel it my duty, should my hopes of a satisfactory adjustment and of the early restoration of peace and the removal of future causes of complaint be, unhappily, disappointed, to make a further communication to Congress at some period not far remote, and during the present session, recommending what may then seem to me to be necessary." President Grant, annual message, Dec. 7, 1875, For. Rel. 1875, vi. On December 6, 1875, Mr. Washburne was instructed to proceed as directed in the circular of November 15, 1875, and was informed that the President's message, which had just been sent in, would discountenance recognition of belligerency or independence, but would refer to the continuance of the struggle in Cuba and intimate that mediation or intervention by other powers would be an ultimate necessity unless an adjustment was reached. December 13, 1875, Mr. Orth, at Vienna, and Mr. Boker, at St. Petersburg, were directed to proceed in accordance with the circular in question. Mr. Fish, Sec. of State, to Mr. Washburne, min. to France, tel., Dec. 6, December 19, 1875, Mr. Cushing cabled that the Spanish government had just heard from Austria of a circular addressed to European governments suggesting intervention in Cuba, and that instruction No. 266 was evidently intended. Mr. Cushing wished to know what he should say if he should be interrogated on the subject. Mr. Fish replied that the instruction had been communicated to Russia, Italy, and Austria; that Prince Gortschakoff had promised, if the Emperor should consent, to make representations to Spain towards the preservation of good relations, but doubted Russian influence; that Italy would instruct her minister to urge upon Spain the expediency of fulfilling her duties towards the United States and pacifying Cuba, without specifying measures; and that Austria promised an answer during the week, which answer would probably be unsatisfactory. "Intervention of foreign powers," added Mr. Fish," was neither asked nor suggested at present, but expression of their views desired to impress on Spain necessity of terminating contest, and to avoid necessity of intervention. This course adopted in the direction of friendship and of peace and to exhaust every effort, H. Doc. 551-vol 6—————7 and avoid all possible suspicion of selfish, unfriendly, or ulterior purposes. You may so reply if interrogated." Mr. Fish, Sec. of State, to Mr. Cushing, min. to Spain, tel., Dec. 20, 1875, "Referring to my No. 805 of the 5th of November, to my telegrams of November 19th and 27th, and December 6th, and to your telegram received November 30th, and to that of December 2d, I now enclose, confidentially, and for your information, a copy of Mr. Cushing's despatches No. 692, dated November 30; 698, dated December 3; 703, dated December 5th, and 705, dated December 6th, all in reference to the same question, and also of a despatch, No. 1263, from Mr. Hitt, chargé d'affaires at Paris, dated December 10th, reporting his proceedings on reading No. 266, addressed to Mr. Cushing, to the Duke Decazes. "With his 692, Mr. Cushing reports the delivery of a copy of No. 266 to the minister of state, and the reading of a memorandum by way of explanation. "As appears by 698, Mr. Layard called upon Mr. Cushing on December 2 (or as is supposed, on December 1st), and expressed his readiness to back him in the matter of Cuba, so soon as a line of action should be agreed on by the two governments. "Mr. Cushing in his 703 reports in full an interview with the minister of state on December 4th, relating, however, entirely to the particular causes of grievance of the United States, as distinguished from the general question of the condition of Cuba; and in his 705 refers to a telegram received from yourself, and states that Mr. Layard is prepared to cooperate with him now, if there should be any occasion toward keeping the peace, but that his interview with the minister of state of the 4th, as reported in his 703, was deemed so satisfactory that there seemed to be no present occasion for the friendly interposition of Mr. Layard, who concurred in the opinion of the inexpediency of further steps until the arrival of more definite instructions from Lord Derby. "As considerable misapprehension seems to exist, I refer to the matter in some detail. Mr. Cushing seems to have presented No. 266 to the minister of state, and to have been of the opinion that the Spanish note, as to our particular griefs, under date of November 15th, might, when received, modify the views which it was intended to insert in the President's message, and in some manner affect the general question of the condition of Cuba, treated of in instruction 266. "Your telegram of December 2d stated that Lord Derby had received a telegram from Mr. Layard, stating that Mr. Cushing had delivered to the Spanish government the note of the 5th, but had requested no definite action upon it until he might communicate with me, and that some expectation existed that the note of the 15th November, from the Spanish government, might afford reason for modification of the views of the President as expressed in his message. “As you will remember, I replied to your telegram, under date of December 6th, as soon as the text of the Spanish note was received, stating that, while this communication afforded hope of an adjustment of our particular grievances, it did not suggest an alteration in the message upon the general question. "It was hoped that information being thus given, to the effect that the President saw no reason to modify the views which had been communicated to the English government, a conclusion would be reached by Lord Derby and instructions sent to Mr. Layard. It is not impossible that such is the case, but the Department has not been advised of any further communication between yourself and Lord Derby since the receipt of your 839, of December 9, received December 22, acknowledging the receipt of my telegram of December 6, nor has the Department ever been informed by you, other than by your telegrams, of what passed between yourself and Lord Derby. "I had hoped before this to have been fully informed upon the question as to what occurred at the interview, the manner in which the statement and representation made by you were received, with your comments on the whole question, and to have been advised of any subsequent steps by the British government. "It is proper to state, in this connection, that instruction 266 was brought to the attention of the governments of France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and Austria, although not precisely in the same terms in which it was communicated to the government of Great Britain, and the suggestion was made that should these governments, in view of the statements in instruction 266, which had been communicated to the Spanish government, see fit to urge upon Spain the necessity of abandoning or terminating the contest in Cuba, such course would be satisfactory to this government, and conducive to the interests of all commercial nations. "Information has been received by telegraph that Germany, Russia, and Italy have instructed their representatives at Madrid, to urge upon the Spanish government the wisdom of restoring peace to Cuba. "You will also perceive, from Mr. Hitt's despatch, that the Duke Decazes contemplated consulting the government of Great Britain, before deciding on the course which France should adopt. The Department is not advised whether any such conference has been had, nor as to the conclusion which the Duke Decazes may have reached. An instruction has, however, been addressed to Mr. Hitt, on that subject. "It is proper also to say, that the note of the 15th of November from the minister of foreign affairs of Spain, in reference to the particular reclamations of the United States, while it holds out hopes of an adjustment of our particular griefs, at the same time makes it necessary to obtain information on several points, and renders considerable delay in reaching any conclusion necessary. "Under these circumstances, and as certain of the European governments have issued instructions to their representatives on the question, it is hoped that no misapprehension exists on the part of the British government to delay instructions which it may be willing to give, as suggested in my No. 805 to you, supporting the views of this government as to the necessity of ending the contest in Cuba." Mr. Fish, Sec. of State, to Gen. Schenck, min. to England, No. 833 (confid.), Jan. 11, 1876, MS. Inst. Great Britain, XXIV. 162. With reference to the foregoing instruction, further developments of the negotiations founded on Mr. Fish's No. 266 to Mr. Cushing may be noted, as follows: Mr. Orth, the American minister at Vienna, brought the subject to the attention of the Austrian foreign office, and was subsequently advised that Count Andrassy desired a copy of instruction No. 266, to which Mr. Orth had referred. Mr. Fish finally cabled to Mr. Orth that he might give a copy of the instruction to Count Andrassy if it was desired. Mr. Orth communicated a copy to the Count with a formal note of January 24, 1876. Mr. Fish, when he heard of what nad been done, instructed Mr. Orth by cable that the permission previously given "did not contemplate a written communication" of the instruction, but merely an informal handing of it to Count Andrassy; and Mr. Orth was directed not to press for a formal answer. Count Andrassy was duly acquainted with the wishes of the United States on this subject, and no answer was given. While negotiations were pending, the substance of Mr. Orth's interviews with the foreign office from time to time appeared in the Vienna press. In France the Duke Decazes summed up the views of his Government by saying, first, that they were sincerely desirous of assisting the United States and Spain in the matter; and, second, that the situation in Cuba affected French interests, and that France would be willing to cooperate with the United States in bringing it to an end if they thought the opportunity was favorable, but that it would be necessary to wait, especially in view of the embarrassed situation of Spain at home. |