The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-02-16
DsLome to Depart.
His Criticism of Mckinley
the Grounds.

cs1ion IN the morning papers OF wha
purporfed TO be an autograph lettel
written 81 Senior Dupuy DeLome
sls Spanish minister, to his frlend
Canaleias, criticising the presiden
with the utmost freedom, caused {
sensation IN Official Washington, ani
soon will be followed by Ministe
Del L,ome's departure from the United
States. At the outset there was ,
s uuession as 10 the authenticity of thu
ieiaer, but as bit By BIT Of circumstar
I'LL evidence accumulated until It wa
finally announced officially that ths
minister declined 10 deny the author
shspsof che letter. all doubt was dis
sitsted and the only question thai
remained was as to the line ot actor
to be pursued by our government
toward the attending minister The
us1iiting Of this letter is unquestion
abay an ofense against the amenities
of diplomatic relations. and such Of
lenses almost invariably have beer
regarded IN the United States as il
other capitals, sufficient ground fol
the termination Of the official duties
ef the letter writer.
As soon as the letter appeared il
ts press, the state department off
Gals began an effort 20 settle its an
4nanticity and when il had learned
all that could be developed on thie
s. poiint and had been told that the
minister himself refused TO deny
writing Il. The consid Grafton of the
naxt step began. Assistant Secretary
Day MAS ID consultation with The
presdent. on the subject at least four
times during the oficial day, and then
,arssns much sime 10 framing his mes
sas.esfo United States Minister Wood
{ fofd ii Madrid The official state
ment Of the sending of this message
assaccompanied 81 8 deciination to
iisGieate; It's contents at this time.
The department merely giving
to The prees the foliowiing statement:
mister DeLome does not deny
ritiing the letter This department
has communicated with Gen. Wood
Sfom on the subject Until that COM
s srs snrsunication reaches the Spanish gov.
.ernment, it would be improper to in
fpmanser to state the contents of the
message fo Gen " Woodf ford z
u hIle tbe department refused to
add anything to this meagre an
nonncemept, Il can be stated without
question that MI Woodford was d.
xecfed 70 lay tue faets developed be-
aafe tie Spanish government, to-.
gother with the statement that in view
of tie ministers refusal to deny the
zanf fborslsip Of The letter the Spanish
ssseovernnent Is looked to with conf
sdeuce Is deal with the case properly
This amounts to an invitation to re-
.call the minister, presumiDg that be
shimself has NOT already taken steps to
vacate his position No doubt is en-
1eFtaiBed Of . compliance with the
import of the suggestion. but in case
4here should Be undue delay in act
sine. The state department would feel
called upon TO move directly in the
matter and give the minister his pass
ports, as was done when Sir Julian
Pauncefote's predecessor wrote the
celebrated Mnrchison letter
1nasmuch as the line Of action IN
ahat cast. may form the basis for &C
ton IN this, always presuming that
she Spanist, minister does not him
sself cut the knot and relieve the gov
ernment fron the necessity of per
formirg disagreeabie duty, it may
be stated that with Lord Sackville.
the department Of state itself institut-
ed the action.
The DeLome incident was almost
the sole topic Of conversation among
the members, of the house. It's con-
tents were considered such manifest
bresch Of diplomacy that many re-
fused 10 credit them Chairman Hit,
of ihe. foreign affairs committee.
CHAPMAN Dingley Of the ways and
means committee. and other leading
republicans. declined TO express any
opinion at this time On the assump
stion that the letter was authentic,
howcyeg, the opinion was almost
unsnimous that no self respecting
government could tolerate such crit
cism Of it's chief executive, and that
Minister DeLome's words bad put an
end to bis usefnlnees at this capital
Some fear was also expressed that
the recall of Minister DeIome while
affairs were in the present delicate
scondition, might precipitate crisis.
The deuocrsts were much more free
IN the expression of opinion than the
republicans