The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-07
BASIS OF THE COMPLAINTS
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST
THE CONSUL GENERAL.
Spain's Right to Dismiss Him Not De-
nied-ViOIentIy Attacked by the
Newspapers of Madrid,

The President will not consider the
recall of General Lee. He has borne
himself throughout this crisis with
Judgment, fidelity and courage, to
the Presidents entire satisfaction.
Official statement Of the Administrations
position.
WASHINGTON, March 6.-The Spanish
day, when it became known that the Span
ish government had formally requested the
recall of Consul General Lee from his post
at Havana, with which request the United
to comply; also that the Spanish govern
ment has suggested the improperly OF
sending relief supplies to the Cuban recon-
centrados on the cruiser Montgomery and
gunboat Nashville, to which suggestion the
United States had given like answer in
the negative. The first intimation of these
steps came in a brief and explicit cable
dispatch from Madrid. This dispatch
(Which was printed in late edition of the
Journal this morning) reads:
"Senor Gullon. Spanish minister Of for
States Minister Woodford that the Spanish
government desired the recall from Havana
of Consul General Lee and that the Ameri-
ican war ships which have been designated
to convey supplies to Cuba for the relief
of the sufferers there should be replaced
by merchant vessels in order to deprive the
assistance sent to the reconcentrados of an
official character. Minister Woodford
cabled the requests to the Washington gov
ernment. which replied, refusing to recall
General Lee In the present circumstances or
to countermand the orders for the dispatch
of the war vessels, making the representa-
ton that the relief vessels are not fighting
ships"
Prior to the receipt of the Madrid dis
been fully conversant with the facts, al
though intimation had been allowed to
get to the public either subject. The
disclosure from Madrid left no further
ground for reticence in Washington and
after a conference at the White House be-
tween the President. Assistant Secretary
Day, of the State Department, and Secre-
tary Long, of the Navy Department, the
following authorized statement was handed
to the Associated Press by Judge Day, as
comprising everything that was to be said
bxrf fha aIr mi -tra
1.-THE President will not consider the re-
call of General Lee. He has borne him
self throughout this crisis with judgment,
fidelity and courage, to the Presidents en-
tire satisfaction,
"As to the supplies for the relief of the
Cuban people all arrangements have been
made to carry a consignment this week
from Key West by one of the naval YES
sells. whichever may be best adapted and
most available for the purpose, to Matanzas
and Sagua la Grande
CAME THROUGH WOODFORD.
Beyond the foregoing, those who had par
ticipated in the conference at the White
House would not discuss the subject, and 1t
was stated positively that the authorized
statement comprised everything that would
be given to any one. The adyices from Mad
rid, together with the authoritative state
ment here, left no room for doubt as to
what had occurred. The request for Gen
Lees recall is understood to have come
within the last few days, and doubtless
since the last Cabinet meeting on Friday
as no reference was made to it at that time
1t came through Minister Woodford, a
somewhat unusual procedure, as the COM
mon mode Of requesting the withdrawal of
a minister or consul is through the rep
| resentative Of the government making the
request, which, in this case, is Senior Du
Bose, the Spanish charge daffaires Mr.
Du Bose had received no instructions on
the subject, and was in complete ignorance
of the demands made through Minister
Woodford The other suggestion Of the
Spanish government-that relief supplies
should not be sent in war vessels-did not
come through Minister Woodford, as the
Madrid dispatch states, but was presented
by Senor Du Bose TO the State Department
last Friday.
The responses in both cases went direct
to Minister Woodford. There was no loss
of time, however, in assembling a special
session of the Cabinet or even in any gen
eral conference between the President and
his Cabinet advisers individually. In the
protest against the Montgomery and Nash
vile, Judge Day conferred with Secretary
Long, who in turn called in Captain Crown
inshield, chief Of the Bureau of Navigation
There appears to be no reason why
change should be made in the plan for send
Ing these ships on the relief mission, and
without attaching grave significance to the
request Of the Spanish government, the an
swer was made that the plans for the trip