The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-26
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WEEKLY 2-TIME8-A.WIiEK s1A YEAR
LEE NOT ASKED TO LEAVE.
STORY THAT SPAIN HAD GIVEN HIM
his PASSPORTS UNTRUE.


al Days AgO-Secretary of state
OIney and other officials mt WASH
inStOn Also Deny the StOry--Yarn
Caused FIutter in the Senate.
Havana, Feb. 25.-Dispatches received
here from New York say rumor Is pre-
vaent there that United States Consul
Gen. Lee has received his passports. This
Is not true. Gen. Lee has neither recely-
ed his passports nor has he resigned his
post. The fact is that a day or two ago
he intimated his disposition to resign IL
the United states government failed to
sustain the attitude he had assumed IN the.
cases of Or. Ruiz and Mr. Scott. He has
gone no further than this.
La Lucha, commenting on the reporH
from New York. announcing Consul Gem
eral Lees alleged resignation, pretenas to
explain the cause of his reported retire.
ment from office. 1t says that Gen. Lees
position would be untenable with the adj
vent of the Mckinley administration,
and he wished to anticipate a possible
intmation he might receive from Mr.. Me-
kinley that his resignation would be ac-
cepted
discussing the action of the correspondent
of El Liberal of Madrid, in going to see the
rebel commander-in-chief, Maximo Co
mez, in his camp.
The La Lucha praises It as a journalls-
tic feat, but strongly crticizes the step,
as it says II places the government In a
grave position in view of the fact THAI
Sylvester Scovel, an American correspond
ent is now imprisoned for Committing the
same crime"
Consul General Lee has obtained the
consent of Marquis de Ahumada, who Is
now acting in the place of Capt Gen.
Weyler, to the return to her former home
In the United States of Mrs. Rodriguez,
who was recently arrested In Puerto Prin-
cipe because her husband was a rebel.
The Venezuelan general, Fernando AL
varez, and three other men who were ar
rested in a boat from flibustering expe-
dition year ago, have been tried by court
martial at Santiago de Cuba and sentence
ed TO life Imprisonment
The lawyer, who has been acting for
Julio Sanguilly, the American citizen, who
Is now under sentence OF life imprison-
ment has withdrawn from the appeal that
was sent to Madrid
NiSc Rohaul 1cifial OpIilbeE dITlNeu
here to-day.
Washington, Feb. 25.-From two dis
tinct sources statements were received
here early this morning that Consul Gem
eral Lee had received his passports
This rumor, naturally caused excitement
and general desire to know definitely
whether Gen. Lees contemplated with
drawal from Havana was his own act,
resulting from acceptance of his resigna-
tion. said to have been cabled last Sun
day. or whether 1t had been brought
about by the action of the Spanish au-
thorities I'm Cuba, in which latter case
its significance would be much more
marked. Inquiries In official quarters elic-
tied strong denials Of the rumor. The
well known fact was pointed out that
passports were not given to consuls, but
only to ministers and ambassadors, that
in the case of an offending or retiring
consul, the document sent him on his de-
parture was his "exequatur," or official
document recognizing his right to exer-
else the functions of his office, and II was
said that not even the semi-diplomatic
position accorded to our consul general
at Havana by consent OF the Spanish gov
ernment would render his a case where
passport would be required. The re-
turn of his "exequatur" to the consul
general would, of course, be equivalent
10 the sending of passport to a minis
ter. But at the Spanish legation, as well
as at the state department, It was em-
phatlcally denied that this course had
been taken. The denials were quite as
emphatic as those previously put out in
regard 70 Gen. Lees request for warships
and the conditional tender of his resigna-
tion II this request would not be granted.
1t was stated on direct authority of
member OF the cabinet that Secretary
Olney stated to his associates at the cabi-
net meeting on Tuesday last that It was
not true that Gen. Lee had resigned, or
that he had asked for warships Sec
retary Olney, on this occasion, added that
the exciting statements put out were sim
ply an attempt to run the state depart
ment through the newspapers" II was
again said this morning as coming
from Secretary Olney that there
was no change in the Cuban situation.
Thus the affair rests.
The report that Gen. Lee had been given
his passports, caused a hutter at the SEN
ate end OF the capitol where the action OF
the Senate committee on the Sanguilly
case has revived interest in Cuban affairs.
Senator'S are guarded In their utterances,
preferring to await some confirmation OF
the report before committing themselves
to the statements that were on the tip ends
OF their tongues. IL is not beyond truth
to say that a very considerable portion OF
the Senate hoped the report was accurate,
for they say that nothing short OF an
over tact on the part OF SPAN, SufncienE
to compel this government TO assert itself,
win bring the trouble In that island to
an end, or bring about protection of Amer
lean citizens.
The statement was made upon the floor
Of the House to-day upon authority OF a
prominent southern congressman. that
Consul General Lee had resigned his Of
Fee. The congressman stated that he had
seen the dispatch from the consul general
az the state department, and that Secre-
tary Olney had requested that official not
TO press the resignation until after the
expiration OF the present administration.
The dispatch In question was received at
The state department, either Tuesday night
Or Wednesday morning
Government officers however continue
to deny the truth Of the statements that
Gen. Lees resignation has been received
az the department OF state. II Is not de-
MED that there has been friction between
Gen. Lee and the department. but conf
dence Is expressed that Gen. Lee win be
found at his post up TO and including
March 4. II Is said that in cabling the
department last week In regard to the