Adam Badeau, Grant in peace: from Appomattox to Mount McGregor, a personal memoir

[388] have precedence. Nevertheless, a negotiation was begun under Sickles at Madrid that promised to accomplish the peaceful purchase of Cuba while Prim was Prime Minister of Spain. A document was forwarded by Sickles to the State Department—not as a part of the public archives, but for the confidential knowledge of the Government, in which Prim declared himself ready to treat for the sale of the Island to the Cubans, the United States to become security for the purchase bonds, and to take a mortgage on the Island in return. This, it was supposed by all concerned, would result in the transfer of Cuba to this country. Prim especially stipulated with Sickles that his part in the agreement should not be made known during his lifetime; the proposition must seem to proceed from other sources; for he declared that not only his political position and influence, but his very life, would be endangered if the jealous Spaniards discovered prematurely that he was arranging for the cession of Cuba under any circumstances. He saw, however, that Cuba was a drag upon Spain, that both the Island and the Mother Country would be benefited by the arrangement, and that it was only the stupid pride of Andalusia and Castile that stood in the way. But his assassination put an end to all these schemes. Rawlins also died in the first year of Grant's Administration, and the loss of his influence and advocacy was fatal to the policy he had so much at heart. There was no one in the Cabinet to uphold his views with equal energy, and Grant conformed to those of the Secretary of State. Cuba was not acquired; and when Sickles perceived that the object proposed for his mission was not to be attained, he resigned. But General Grant told me during the last months of his life that if Rawlins had lived, he believed Cuba would have been acquired by the United States during his Administration.

While Grant was in Europe circumstances again brought Sickles into peculiar relations with his former chief in war and politics. The ex-Minister was living in Paris after his departure from Spain, and had become interested in French