with the dynastic traditions of Europe appeared to be a proper subject
for the felicitations of Americans. Should the present struggle
result in attaching the hearts of the French to our simpler forms
of representative government, it will be a subject of still further
satisfaction to our people. While we make no effort to impose our
institutions upon the inhabitants of other countries, and while we
adhere to our traditional neutrality in civil contests elsewhere, we can
not be indifferent to the spread of American political ideas in a great
and highly civilized country like France.

We were asked by the new Government to use our good offices, jointly
with those of European powers, in the interests of peace. Answer was
made that the established policy and the true interests of the United
States forbade them to interfere in European questions jointly with
European powers. I ascertained, informally and unofficially, that the
Government of North Germany was not then disposed to listen to such
representations from any power, and though earnestly wishing to see the
blessings of peace restored to the belligerents, with all of whom the
United States are on terms of friendship, I declined on the part of this
Government to take a step which could only result in injury to our true
interests, without advancing the object for which our intervention was
invoked. Should the time come when the action of the United States
can hasten the return of peace by a single hour, that action will be
heartily taken. I deemed it prudent, in view of the number of persons
of German and French birth living in the United States, to issue, soon
after official notice of a state of war had been received from both
belligerents, a proclamation[29] defining the duties of the United
States as a neutral and the obligations of persons residing within
their territory to observe their laws and the laws of nations. This
proclamation was followed by others,[30] as circumstances seemed to call
for them. The people, thus acquainted in advance of their duties and
obligations, have assisted in preventing violations of the neutrality
of the United States.

It is not understood that the condition of the insurrection in Cuba has
materially changed since the close of the last session of Congress. In
an early stage of the contest the authorities of Spain inaugurated a
system of arbitrary arrests, of close confinement, and of military trial
and execution of persons suspecte