There can be little doubt to what result such supervision would before
long draw this nation. It would be unworthy of the United States to
inaugurate the possibilities of such result by measures of questionable
right or expediency or by any indirection. Apart from any question
of theoretical right, I am satisfied that while the accordance of
belligerent rights to the insurgents in Cuba might give them a hope and
an inducement to protract the struggle, it would be but a delusive hope,
and would not remove the evils which this Government and its people are
experiencing, but would draw the United States into complications which
it has waited long and already suffered much to avoid. The recognition
of independence or of belligerency being thus, in my judgment, equally
inadmissible, it remains to consider what course shall be adopted should
the conflict not soon be brought to an end by acts of the parties
themselves, and should the evils which result therefrom, affecting all
nations, and particularly the United States, continue. In such event
I am of opinion that other nations will be compelled to assume the
responsibility which devolves upon them, and to seriously consider the
only remaining measures possible--mediation and intervention.
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