Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-24

gathered the impression that he will
not Immediately make any important
recommendations to Congress, but
that he wants more time in which to
conduct negotiations with Spain with
the hope of securing peace by diplo.
matte means. He suggested to them
that the recognition of neither belliger-
ency nor independence would be sufi-
Gent to bring relief to the starving
Cubans and that either act would
fail at least in its immediate effect.
He urged upon them the especial i'm
portance of doing all they could to sup
press excitement and prevent action by
Congress in connection with the receipt
OF the report on the Maine disaster.
The visitors think the Presidents es-
pecial desire at this time is to eliminate
the Maine incident entirely from the
discussion Of the situation.
Senator Mason of Illinois was at
the Navy Department during the
morning and was one of the
first to learn that the Spanish
torpedo fotilla has left the Canaries.
When asked what he thought of this,
he said: "It means that they are COM
ing to this side either to fight the in
surgents or to fight US. The insurgents
are in the mountains and the torpedo
boats will hardly be used to fight them,
unless they succeed in putting wings on
them. That seems to narrow down the
purpose of their coming. / do not
know what the naval authorities intend
to do about this move, but if l had my
way that torpedo fotilla would turn
back, if it took every shipin the United
States navy to stop them" Secretary
Longs attention was called to the
Madrid dispatch stating that General
Banco had reported from Havana that
he had declined to permit Captain Sigs'
bee to use dynamite in blowing up the
| Maine wreck. Mr.. Long said there
had been no proposition to use dyna-
mite on the Maine, as there was still q
part of one of the magazines in the
wreck of the ship.
1t is understood at the Treasury Depart
ment that Mr.. George Rowland will be the
deputy collector of customs at Alexandria, as
K the political services of Mp. james Johnston
the other applicant for the place, have not
| been conspicuous enough to entitle him to the
| Office
The contested election case of Wise vs.
/ Young, from the Norfolk, Virginia; district,
| cannot possibly come up in the House before
| Wednesday next, as ton days were allowed
from last Monday for the minority to make
! their report. But it is doubtful if it will
come up then, or that either it or the Brown
| Swanson case will be decided at this session
AL the members OF the executive com.
mittee of the republican party of Virgins
and Referee Bowden are here to-day, and
| soma of them accompanied Judge Waddiil in
his call upon some of tho cabinet ministers
Who will fill Judge Waddl'Ps place as mem
| Der OF the committee referred to is not YET
| known.
| Mr.. Thorp, who was seated in the House
yesterday, is a brother-in.law of Mr.. 5. G
| Brent of Alexandria. Ee can now draw his
salary as Congressman for more than Il year
| for clerk and for mileage and stationery fol
two sessions, the whole amounting to nearly
seven thousand dollars.
Senator Martin and Representative Young
were among those who went TO Newport's
News last night TO witness the launch there
| to day.
| Mr.. Epes, who was unseated in tho House
yesterday, will 60 to Petersburg to night OIL
tomorrow and commence at once a campaign
for denomination in which, people from that
district, say he will succeed, and that if the
next House be democratic, he will be allowed
to retain his seat
The President said to the Senators to-day
that he would like to see the Cubars obtai,
their independence by purchase, and he IT,
| timated that he would be even willing thai
they shuld agree to pay stated annuity tC
Spain, recognizing to this slight degree the
suzerainty of the mother country, but hi
said at the same time that he recognized the
difficulties in the way of this procedure be-
cause of tho Discrimination OF the parish all
| thorities to consider IT,