The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-09
PLAIN TALK FROM S|CKLES
Tie Former Minister to Spain
Replies TO Senior CASTELAR,.
UPH0LDS HANNIS TAYLOR
Believes with Him That the Exist.
ing Problem i'm Cuba Can BE Solved
Only by the Intervention OF the
Amer loan Government-Tells Of
His Work in Madrid.

New York, Nov. 9.-The Herald tins
morning publishes an interesting inter
view with Gen. Daniel Z. Sickles, AmeIi
can minister To Spain from 1869 to 1874,
as 10 the controversy over the Cuban CUES
ton, witch Mr.. Hannis Taylor ass done
10 mTCE to enliven. In unfolding that
gentleman position. both a. regards the
propriety Thereof and the ouI'ausions SIT
form, Gen. Sickles disclaimS enp6atically
any lingo spirit. He contents himself
with correcting some of the minisi e-'s
statements and expressing surprise at the
necessity. With Mr.. Ia ylor, ne sees solu
b ton of the CUBAN problem only in inter
vention by this country, and hints that the
State Department in Wa sllington aproved,
~ IL die not inspire, the articles which have
created violent excitement in Madrid.
The interview continues:
"senor Castelar, is quite misinformed
about my negotiations in Madrid, or else
his memory is seriously at fault. The pub
lisnea correspondence, which appears in
our red books, viii show that he mas fallen
into grave mistakes. He seems to assume
that the Spanish cabinet with " HON had
official relations never for a moment toll
Grated the suggestion of interference on our
part with the condition of aft airs in Cuba.
The record shows this record is as ac-
cessibe TO Senior Castelar, in Eadrid as to
anyone here-that not a week passed dur
ing my five years residence ia Madrid in
which | did not have occasion TO discuss
with the Spanish minister of state Ques-
lions growing out OF the previous Cuban in
surrection. These questions embraced the
abolition OF slavery, notifications in the ad-
ninistration OF the island, revocation of the
decree of Ferdinand VII, giving the cap
tain general power TO govern the island
under martial law; the cruel conduct OF the
war, the shooting OF prisoners. the slaugh-
ter OF non -combatantS, the killing OF the
SICK and wounded in hospitals, the arbi-
trary confiscation OF property, etc.
In other words, no Spanish cabinet
aud there We're many in office during that
time objected TO communicating with me
most fairly upon the internal condition
of Cuba, and the best means to terminate
the war and promote tranquility in the
island. No Spanish minister ever refused
TO hear me on these subjects, or to receive
written communications from me relating
TO Them. The files of the State DEPART
ment contain hundreds of these letters.
pro and con enough to fill volumes.
"Senor CaStelar's government Of the re-
public ndthe cabinets holding office under
him and his republican predecessors, Sal
marrow, ri y Margall and Figueras, are no
exception to what am saying. l discussed
the situation in Cuba with each of these
presidents, Including Senior CASTELAR,, freely
and fully, both Orall 3 and in writing, as the
record shows, and yet Senior CastelarigDores
all this and would have IL believed here
and In Spain that no s parish minister has
ever tolerated the slightest int difference ON
the part of a minister OF the United States
IN Madrid with the admin Isl ration of
Cuban affairs. His statement is incom-
prehensibie TO me- ] cannot reconcile it
with Iny respect for his high character, in
teligence and ample sources OF fnforma-
ton. Indeed, If had not read IL ia re-