Grant averted a war with Spain over the sovereignty of Cuba, a slave state where political oppression was tolerated and atrocities were committed. When Madrid attempted to crush a rebellion there, many Americans clamored for intervention. Instead, Grant issued a neutrality proclamation and offered to serve as a mediator. He personally favored Cuban independence, but he would not support the outbreak. As he reminded his cabinet, America was then demanding reparations from Britain to compensate U.S. taxpayers for aid given to the Confederacy that had prolonged the Civil War. How could he come to the support of rebels in Cuba and at the same time condemn Britain for having followed the same course?