The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-21
NO ULTIMATUM TO SPAIN.
DENIAL OF 4 SENSATIONAL STORY
IN THE PARIS TEMPS.

Our Government Has Not Authorised Gen.
Must Ise Ended No,t NOMENCLATURE or the
Instructions He In Doubtless Carrying Out.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 20.-A cable message
from Gen. Stewart l.. Woodford. the United
States Minister TO Spain. was received at the
State Department yesterday. 1t said merely:
81 have seen the Duke" referring to the Duke
Of Tetuan, the Spanish Minister OF Foreign
Affairs.
Gen. Woodford did not say anything to tho
Duke about the necessity OF bringing the Cuban
war to an end in October. unless he did SO on his
own responsibility, and wilfully violated the in.
structions given him by Secretary Sherman.
THE T. has the best of authority for
saying that the report OF the interview
purporting to have been telegraphed to tho
Paris Temps from San Sebastian is a tissue Of
prevarications. State Department officials will
not talk for publication. but it can be positively
declared that no ultimatum was given to tho
Duke Of Tetnan by Gen. Woodford.
At the time Gen. Woodford's instructions
were given him a Washington despatch to THE
Sun said that the instructions were OF n peace
able character and could not be interpreted by
the Spanish Government as q threat OF hostility.
1t was learned tonight that there has been no
change In the character OF the note which was
addressed to the American Minister for his
guidance In conducting the exceedingly delicate
negotiations with Spain toward bringing the
bloody struggle to a conclusion.
On the same excellent authority mentioned
it is said that Gen. Woodford was directed to
feel the Spanish pulse, as 1t were. to ascertain
how the Madrid Government would view a
suggestion from the United States that the war
should be terminated as speedily az possible. In
effect, his authority extended only to a tender
OF the good offices of the United States in bring.
ing the unhappy state Of affairs prevailing in
the island TO n close.
THE U reporter was given TO understand
that the future policy OF the Washington Ad.
Ininistration concerning Cuba would depend al.
most entirely upon the manner in which the sug.
eestion was accepted by the Spanish authorities.
II they were willing to meet this Government
half way. well and good, ana the negotiations for
settling the Cuban question could proceed along
friendly lines satisfactory alike to the United
States, Spain, and the Cuban patriots. II. on
the contrary. the Spanish authorities declined
absolutely to acknowledge the right Of this
country to intervene in any way between Spain
and her rebellious subjects. Gen. Woodford wa,
to SO inform the President through the Secre
tary Of State before proceeding further in the
matter.
Whether he received additional instruction:
outlining the course to be pursued in the event
OF q rebuff from the Spanish Ministry, cannot
be definitely Rscertained, but the inference
drawn from the statements OF THE Sun
reliable informant. who was ~reticent OF
this point, was that Gen. Woodford woulC
wait for further directions before agar
approaching the Spanish Government. 1t /.
pretty clearly understood in official circles her,
that a refusal by Spain to accept the assistanc,
OF this Government in bringing about IN endinl
10 the war will be followed by positive action or
the part OF the President that will have the tru,
American ring and will result in the absolut,
independence OF the Cuban people.
Minister Woodford was told to leave a cop,
OF his instructions with the Duke OF Tetuau
and the state Department constructs his mes
sage OF yesterday to mean that he did SO. Thes,
instructions were couched in conciliatory Ian
guage and contained nothing to justify tn,
statement in the Temps.
The despatch printed in the Paris Temps sale
that Gen. Woodford conrteously but firmly
urged the necessity OF finishing the war. addinl
that II IL was not terminated before the end o
October the United States would consider itscl
justified in taking measures TO assure the in
dependence Of tho island"