The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-12-09
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
Spain's Overtures for q Cessation OF
HOstilities.

The humiliation of Admiral Cervera's
fleet, followed by the capitulation of San
t1agO, having brought to the Spanish gov
eminent realizing sense of the hopeless
ness of continuing a struggle now becom-
ing wholly unequal 1t made overtures of
peace through the French ambassador,
who, with the assent Of his government
had acted as the friendly Representative
of SPANS interests during the war. On
the 18th of July, M. Cambon presented a
communication, signed by the Duke of
Almodovar, the Spanish minister of state,
inviting the United States to state the
terms upon which it would be willing to
make peace. July 80, by a communication
addressed to the Duke of Almodovar and
handed by M. Cambon, the terms of this
government were announced substantially
in the protocol, afterwards signed On
August 10, the Spanish reply dated August
was handed by M. Cambon to the Sec
rotary of state. 1t accepted uncondi-
tionally the terms imposed as to Cuba,
Porto Rico, and an island of the Ladrone
group but appeared to seek to introduce
inadmissible reservations in regard to our
demand as to the Philippines.
Conceiving that discussion on this point
could neither be practicable nor profitable,
1 directed that, in order to avoid mis-
understanding, the matter should be
forthwith closed by proposing the en-
bodiment in a formal protocol of the
terms in which the negotiations for peace
were undertaken. The vague and mex
plicit suggestions of the Spanish note
could not be accepted, the only reply be-
ing to present as a virtual ultimatum
draft of the protocol, embodying the pre-
else terms rendered to Spain in our note
of July 80, which added StipulationS of
details as to the appointment of COM
missioners to arrange for the evacuation
of the Spanish Antilles. On August IL, {.
M. Cambon announced his receipt of full
powers to sign the protocol as submitted.
Terms of the Protocol.
Accordingly, on the afternoon Of August
r. M. Cambon as the plenipotentiary Of
Spain and the secretary of state, as the
plenipotentiary of the United States,
signed the protocol providing:
Article 1. Spain will relnquish all
claim of sovereignty over and title to
Cuba.
article 2. Spain will cede to the United
States the island of Porto Rico and other
islands now under Spanish. sovereignty in
the West Indies, and also an island in
the Ladrones to be selected by the United
States.
..Article 8. The United States will occu-
ply and hold the city, bay and harbor OF
Manila, pending the conclusion of treaty
of peace. which shall determine the con-
troll, disposition and government of the
Philippines.
The fourth article provided for the APP
pointment of Joint commissions on the
part of the United States and Spain to
meet in Havana and San Juan, respective
ly, for the purpose of arranging and car
rying out the details of the stipulated
evacuation of Cuba Porto Rico and other
Spanish islands in the West Indies.
The fifth article provided for the APP
pointment of not more than five commits
sioners on each side to meet at Paris not
later than October 1, and to proceed to
the negotiation and conclusion of
treaty of peace, subject to ratification ac-
cording to the respective constitutional
forms of the two countries
The sixth and last article provides that
upon the signing of the protocol, hostile
ties between the two countries shall be
suspended, and that notice to that effect
sbonld be given as soon as possible by
each government to the commanders OF
its naval forces.
Immediately upon the conclusion OF the
rrotocol / issued the proclamation of ALI
gust IL, suspending hostilitles on the part
Of the United States. The necessary or
ders to that end were at once given by tel
egraph. The blockade of the ports of Cu-
Ia and of San Juan de Porto Rico was in
like manner raised. On August Is, the
mrster-out of 100000 volunteers, or as near
that number as was found to be practical
BILE, was ordered. On December l, l0l, TOO OF
ficers and men had been mustered out and
discharged from the service; 1902 more will
be mustered out by the 10th of the month;
also a corresponding number of generals
and general staff officers have been hon
orably discharged from the service
The military commissions to superintend
the evacuation of Cuba, Porto Rico and
the adjacent islands were forthwith APP
pointed:
For Cuba-Major- General James f..
Wade. Rear-Admiral William T. Sampson.