The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-05
MR. Mr.. Williams RESIGNS
Repoff that the United States Consul esas
eral.a Havana Has Tired df Office
IN ACTIVE SERVICE FOR IS YEARs.
Asionfshn,ent Expressed nj HI.
Cot'tse nf This Critical nam~ais
With srain-'Fhe Secret CarssnIfSS
Guarded AT the stoee DepartmoatSs Y;
Various Refno,is Assigned. gssss

washington, D. c., March 3-The Ta&$
port tnat Ramon o. williams had teasA
derod his resignation as United Stafeass
Consul Genera at Havana cannot H.
confirmed officially. but 1t is sunderstoods
OH excellent authority that It Ia trIfGS
and that the letterSof resignation VIA
delivered at the State Department witif-i
In the past three days. The desire tSfs
MIR. Williams to withdraw from thss
consular service at this critical asuehtS
ofSthe relations OF Spain and the United
states fs somewhat surprising, partfcijsi
larry as he returned to Cuba not many
months ago with the understanding, ass
II was supposed here. that he would re-.
main until the insurrectioh reached
some definite settlement. 1t was underS.E
stood Mt that time that he had become
persona non grata to the Spanish aus
thorities in Cuba. 1t was sal that
while this was put forward tnohlcfalfys
as n reason for Mr.. Williams desired re-.
tireinent. another potent factor In hist
unponularity was his insistence upon
the rights of American citizens to fair
trial and treatment In Cuta. ON this
latter question as to the rights of .thse
United States Consul General to act
In n quasi diplomatic capacity and pre-
sent remonstrances to the Captain Gem
eral Of Cuba when the liberties of Amer
lean citizens were involved. Some very
pointed correspondence took place be-ss
v Wv INV htll lICa u
Minister at Washington.
In n letter dated September 20, 1885,
and laid before Congress by the PresiA.
dem February nth. Secretary Olney dis
tinctly asserted The right OF the Consul
General to make representations where
the rights of his countrymen were In
rolved simply rs the local depository
and delegate OF the sovereign power Tor
the purposes and to the extent Of the
usaEes affected by treaty" and he said
to the Spanish Minister: IL address thiDs
not to you in the expectation that the
direct relations known to exist between
Yourself and the superior authority In
Cuba will enable you TO set the Governor
General right upon this lmportants
point"
The Governor-General was set';flghtt
and Consul-Genernl williams, .tsWhos
awaited ii decision on this matter ut hissss
home In Brooklyn, y. Y. returned to hiss
post of duty with q distinct recognltioh8
of his powers of rcnionstranc nee In the
name OF the United States. "
Mr.. Williams came on to Washiiigton5
In response to Il request and at the ,so1fssl
citation. us 1t Is understood. of the Prestls
dent and the Secretary of State, decided
to return 10 his post. 3aHAGH#
Mr.. Williams has been In continuous2
service In a consular capacity at Ha-5
vana since 1874. He. Of course, sbeSksG
Spanish and has discharged the sdntidsa
or his position with marked ability.
though alternately charged with fayorss
ing first one side and then the otherdinH
tine insurrecticnary trouble Oh the islaNdis
The precise reason for his resignatfonH
at this time is a secret carefully. guardsdH
at the state Department.