Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-06-23
ARBITRATION OFFERED.
Secretary Gresham Proposed that Means
OF Settling Difficulties with Spain.

Secretary Gresham Proposed that Means
of Settling Difficulties with Spain.
Washington, d. c., June 22.-The I'M
derstanding that Spain would regard
with favor an international commission
to adjust pending claims, brings out
the fact that on February II, 1894, Sec
rotary Gresham submitted to Spain the
draft of a treaty providing for such
commission. This offer of a treaty was
never withdrawn, and it is now before
the Spanish authorities, so that If they
regard such plan with favor there APP
pears to be nothing in the way OF an
agreement.
Article / of the draft submitted by
Mr. Gresham is as follows:
There shall be appointed a commits
sion of three members, one Of whom
shalL be named by the President of the
Unified States, one by Her Majesty, the
Queen Regent of Spain, and the third
by the President of the United States
and Her Majesty, the Queen Regent
conformity, and in case the third COM
missioner shall not have been named
within a period of three months from
the date of exchange of notifications OF
this convention, then the third commits
sioner shall be named.
+
"To said commission shall be referred
all the claims yet remaining unsettled
which, prior to the date of exchange
notifications of this convention, SIAN
have been automatically presentea by
either government on behalf of Us cor
pOrations, companies, or indivialal CIT
liens or subjects, TO the othef govern
ment, arising out of right denied or
wrongs committed since me l1th day
of February, 1884, to The persons or
property of citizens or subjects OF the
government presentins the claim not Ill
the service of the enemies OF the other
government or voluntarily giving them
aid and comfort
Provided ttat no claim shall be
within the competence Of the commits
sion which is based upon the refusal
of the ITpited States to pay interest
(either to name or by way of damages
for loss of use of property or delay in
pavment on claims known as East
FLORIDA claims belonging or derived
from persons who were never Spanish
subjects, or who, subsequently to the oc-
eurrences out of which the East Florida
claims arose, ceased to be Spanish sub
jects.
And provided further, that the claim
against the United States based upon
the emancipation or loss of slaves since
the 18th day of April, 1861, shall be
within the competence of the commits
sion.
THE claim of Antonio Maxima Mora
against Spain having been already set
tied, shall not be within the compe-
tence of the commission"
The subsequent articles provide that
the commission shall meet In Washing
ton, complete its work within six
months, etc. A clause is added that
Spain shall pay s92S,392, which was
agreed on IN writing at Madf1d IN 1881.
In Offering this treaty M Gresham
wrote
Il herewith enclose q draft of a con-
vention which the President is wiling
to have executed on his behalf for sub
mission to the Senate, whose consent,
as the Spanish government or course,
understands is necessary. 1t contem-
mates a commission to which shall be
referred all unsettled claims on the part
of citizens of either country against
the government of the other which have
arisen aad have been automatically
presented since the date of the last gen
eral claims convention between the two
countries, to-wit: that of February II,
1894. This covers the case Of claims
based upon the failure or refusal OF
this government to pay interest to
Spanish subjects on account OF the EasU
Florida awards. Spain, of course, is
not concerned in the failure or refusal
of this government to pay interest to
its own citizens on such awards. 1t
also covers the claims of Spanish sub
iects against the government growing
out of the civil war. 1t likewise in
cludes all claims, except that Of Mora,
growing out of the embargo of the es-
tates of American citizens in Cuba,
which were not disposed of by the ar
bitrator and umpire appointed under
the agreement concluded at Madrid,
February Hip, 1871, between the Span
ish Minister of State, Senior Cristino
Martos, and the Minister plenipotenti-
airy of the United States, General Daniel
E. Sickles. As to the excepted Mora
claim, Mr.. Gresham said: While it
must be distinctly understood as SO
often heretofore declared, that payment
of Morals claim can in no way be maGz
dependent on the conclusion of the pro-
posed convention, yet it is sincerely
hoped that all embarrassment with the
Cortes in regard to said payment may
now be removed"
Senior MOret, the Spanish Minister of
Foreign Affairs, in acknowledging the
draft of the treaty., said it would re-
ceive due consideration. He also point
ed out that Mr.. Gresham provided in
his treaty that it should be ratified by
the United States Senate, although he
denied to the Spanish Cortes the right