Grover Cleveland: Fourth Annual Message to Congress

Cleveland discounts the possibility of offering recognition to the rebels, since they did not have a formal governmental structure. He indicates a willingness to purchase Cuba “if there were any evidence of a desire or willingness on the part of Spain to entertain such a proposal.” The president firmly rejects the idea of military intervention to end the conflict. Cleveland’s message contains some of the president’s strongest anti-imperialist language. He declares that the country did not need to acquire additional territory: “Its own ample and diversified domains satisfy all possible longings for territory, preclude all dreams of conquest, and prevent any casting of covetous eyes upon neighboring regions, however attractive.” Cleveland also states his belief that the United States was a nation that traditionally did not use force to expand. Instead, he writes, the United States was “the most pacific of powers and desires nothing so much as to live in amity with all the world.” While such a sentiment was not entirely correct, given the willingness of past administrations to use force against Native Americans or during the Mexican War, it reflects Cleveland’s view of the way the nation should conduct its foreign policy.

Cleveland does explain that although he did not think it proper for the United States to intervene at the time, circumstances could change and compel the nation to take more forceful action. The president notes that “we may be drawn into such an unusual and unprecedented condition as will fix a limit to our patient waiting for Spain to end the contest, either alone and in her own way or with our friendly cooperation.” This statement was perceived as a warning to Spain that the country needed to take measures to resolve the conflict quickly and that the longer fighting continued, the more likely it was that a future administration would be pulled into the conflict. Cleveland also states plainly that if it became clear that Spain no longer had effective control of the island, then the United States would consider recognizing a new government in Cuba. Following the address, Cleveland continued to seek a negotiated settlement between Spain and the Cuban rebels. In one of his last acts, he had a U.S. envoy suggest that Spain offer Cuba some form of limited autonomy, a proposal that the Spanish government initially rejected but put into place a year later.