The Secretary of the Treasury has also made a report on filibustering, which is much more interesting.
Spain has accused us of not taking proper steps to prevent these unlawful expeditions.
If she can prove the truth of these accusations, she can demand that we pay her a large sum of money as damages for every expedition that has reached Cuba.
She would be quite justified in making these demands if the United States willingly and wilfully helped Cuba to defy Spain, for every shipload of supplies landed enables the Cubans to hold out so much longer against Spain.
Under these circumstances, it is interesting to learn from the official statement of the Secretary of the Treasury that we have done our duty to the best of our ability.
Mr. Gage's report, like the Cuban remarks in the Message, has an added interest from the fact that it is absolutely true.
Many of the reports we get through the newspapers have to be changed or contradicted, no matter how careful the news-gatherers may have been in selecting their information. This is because the reporters do not have access to the official documents, and are obliged to base their reports upon rumors or uncertain information.
When, however, a report comes direct from the Government, there is no hearsay in the matter. Each department of the Government has the documents relating to its business, and the reports it issues are made from the actual letters that have passed between countries—despatches and diplomatic documents which no outsider can ever hope to see.
Here, then, is Mr. Gage's report on filibustering.
He says that during two years and a half only six American vessels are said to have successfully landed filibustering expeditions from the United States in Cuba. Three foreign vessels are said to have been successful in the same effort.