Evening star., 1897-02-24
Story About His Resignation Still
Denied Here.
MOTIVES OF TEE CONSUL GENERAL
A Desire to Put the Blame Where
1t Belongs.
TIL SANGUILLY CASE

| friction between Consul General Lee and
| the administration has aroused the friends
| of Cuba, and those who, without reference
| to the fate of Cuba, are in favor of vigor-
| ously maintaining the rights of American
| citizens abroad, and the hope is freely ex-
| pressed that Gen. Lee will maintain a firm
| attitude and insist upon resigning IL he is
! not sustained by his home government
THIS action on his part will force the issue
| and the sympathy of Congress is strongly
with Mr.. Lee. His friends say they have
| known all along that his position was at
variance with that of the administra ton,
| ana that ne was kept under restraint. 1t
has been almost intolerable to him, it is
| said, to contemplate without resistance
outrages upon American citizens 1t is
| urged that he cannot afford 20 have the
case closed, as far as the present admins
! tration is concerned, without making plain
| the attitude he has occupied. 1t is declared
! mat when the new administration comes
IN a state of facts regards Cuba not at
| all credtable to the present administration
| will be disclosed.
Gen. Lees Course.
1t is believed that General Lee desires,
| as is his right, to clear himself from all
responsibility for the policy which has
| been followed. 1t is claimed that his cor
respondence will show that he has been
active in the defense of American citizens
and has accurately represented the state
of affairs in Cuba. but that he has no,
| teen backed up except in a perfunctory
manner which has been utterly Intellectual
The slow forms of inquiry and diplomatic
representations" have been resorted to
where demands of a peremptory charac-
ter would alone have been effectual Under
this policy American citizens have been
enduring imprisonment in violation of
treaty rights, while the negotiations have
dragged their weary length along.
lhe case or Jules Sanguilly, which was
acted on by the Senate committee today,
furnishes an example of this sort of
diplomacy. 1t is said that this is not a par
ticularly strong case and for that very rea-
son the Spanish government was more
ready to treat upon 1t. with the purpose of
releasing the prisoner after he had been
punished to their satisfaction by imprison-
ment, pending the adjudication of the
case.
The SanEuilly Case.
1t is understood that the resolution re-
ported by the Senate committee today
directing a demand for the immediate re-
lease of Sanguilly was entirely unneces-
sary, as he was about to be set free as a
friendly act on the part of Spain. Nego-
tiations for the release of Sanguilly have
been completed, and he was to be set at
liberty in few days.
Persons unfriendly to the present ad-
miristrations policy to Cuba attribute
to Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Olney pur-
pose to make a dramatic close to the ad-
ministraticn by display of this case as
an example of what has been done by di-
plomacy, ard as an evidence of the friend
ly disposition of Spain, to justify the course
that has been pursued by this government
The action of the Senate committee 1t is
fH.r r<aI J.,yf
the effect of this diplomatic triumph" It
is said that If the Senate should adopt the
resolution 1t might cause the revocation by
Spain Of what she has yielded in the
Sanguilly case and might lead to serious
trouble.
1t is intimatcd that it is mistake to
base action by this country on this case
The Ruiz case and the Scott case are re-
garded as more aggravated and demanding
vigorous action.
1t is understood that General Lee sug-
gested that there should be an American
war vessel i'll Cuban waters, and that there
has been an increasing irritation between
the Secretary and General Lee. 1t is said
that the correspondence between Olney
and Lee has been more vigorous thar has
been the American policy in Cuba.
Resignation Story Denied.
Notwithstanding repeated statements
from outside sources to the contrary, the
officials of the White House and State
Department are firm in the denial of the
reported resignation of United States Con-
sui General Lee, and the impression is
given out today that any trouble that
threatened between the department and
the consul general has been composed AMI
that there is no longer danger of a rup-
ture.
1t is conceded that there has been some
friction growing out of the cases of Amer
leans arrested in Cuba, but the officials re-
fuse to discuss the matter. From a reliable
source, however, the facts appear to be
as fellows: The consul general while in
Washington last autumn did not conceal
his belief that much credit might be gained
for the administration about to conclude
its term by making bold stroke for Cuban
freedom. at least going to the length of
recognizing the belligerency of the insur-
gents.
He did not take issle openly with the
administration in its policy, but it was
realized here that his sympathies lay
strongly with the Cu5ans. Possibly feel
ing that he was under suspicion Of lack
of sympathy with the departments policy,
Gen. Lee, upon his return to his post was
particular to stick closely to instructions
and TO insist in every case concerning an
American captive upon explicit orders
from the department. This finally led to
friction with the department., almost seri-
Gus in the Ruiz case
The Ruiz Incident
The consul general knew of Ruiz's cap
ture and reported it to the department.,
but 1t Is intimated, stopped at that and
waited for further Instructions
The department felt that the general in
structfons in the consular regulations i'm
posing upon consular officer the duty of
moving promptly for the relief of an Amer
lean citizen in such cases should have been
sufficient to guide General Lee to proper
course. However, without losing time. the
department, upon being informed of the
facts promptly referred the case to the at
tention of the authorities at Madrid, Ac-
cerding to the State Departments view II
can scarcely be regarded as a case justify
ing an ultimatunlr at this. point at least.
for there Is a reasonable doubt whether or
not Ruiz lost his American citizenship by
voluntarily staying in Cuba for sixteen
years In the pursuit. Of his business, and
without keeping up his registration regu-
larly. OF course, the department. has not
yet conceded this point. but its statement
is sufficient to show that it Is a case re-
Quiring deliberate treatment.
Gen. Lee Aroused.
1t is conjectured that the death of Ruiz
in jail aroused General Lee to a recon-