RECOGNITION OF CUBAN BELLIGERENCY. 415 must abide by the decision of our local authorities, in the same manner as foreigners whose governments have no representatives in our empire." The other nations of Western Europe also took action in the matter. The action of Spain, while " less objectionable than some other documents which have seen the light in Europe," ^ was not liked in the United States. It recognized a *' contest begun be- tween the Federal States of the Union and the States confeder- ated at the South." Portugal, while declining to accept certain suggestions of the American Minister, issued a proclamation on the whole acceptable. Our Minister " notified M. d'Avila that a proclamation or declaration which, in doubtful phrases or by impli- cation, recognized the existence of any pretended organization in the United States independent of the government which accredited me, and which alone has power to make treaties and conduct diplo- matic intercourse, would be regarded as a most unfriendly act by the President; " and the proclamation did not, in fact, recognize such government.^ The northern nations were more friendly. The Prussian proc- lamation was issued by the Minister of Commerce at the desire, if not in accordance with the request, of our Minister, who wrote, after its issue, that while not what he had expected, as it was not in the King's name, it would doubtless have the desired effect.^ It recited " the conflict that has broken out among the North American States." * Holland, in a similar proclamation, recited
- ' the existing disturbances in the United States of America,"
" the contest which seems to be in existence in the United States of North America."^ Belgium was asked by our Minister to issue a proclamation against enlistment and privateering. Her Minister said that the matter had been considered, but the proclamations of England and France had not seemed to satisfy us. Our Minister replied, —
- ' That he was correct in his views of our sentiments as to the course
which England and France had seen fit to pursue. We could not look upon the recognition of belligerent rights to those who, under our laws, were rebels, and before we had attempted to employ forcible means of coercion, as evincing the friendly spirit we had a right to expect; that these people would be treated none the less as rebels on the land, as 1 51 Br. & For. St. Pap. 97. * lb. 70. 2 51 Br. & For. St. Pap. 123. « 51 Br. & For. St. Pap. 117. 8 51 Br. & For. St. Pap. 66, 67.
