Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-07
SPAIN ASKS LEES RECALL.

/ demand Not only mas Lne opanlsu
government been informed that Gener-
| al Lee will not be recalled at its re-
quest, but the President has endorsed
every action OF Gen. Lee, and has stu
diously dwelt upon 1.-The entire conf.
dence which is reposed by this govern
ment in the judgment, the fidelity and
the courage of the consul general"
To Spain's further protest against the
dispatch of the two warships, the Nash
Vile and Montgomery, to carry sup
allies to the starving Cubans at Matan-
zas and Sagua la Grande, and its re-
quest that the orders to these
ships be recalled and the supplies be
sent in merchantmen, the government
announces officially that warship,
which is best adapted for the purpose
and most available, will leave Key
West for Cuban port next week.
Secretary of the Navy Long and AS
sistant Secretary of State Day were
| at the White House yesterday after
noon with President Mckinley. After
conference, lasting nearly two hours,
both gentlemen gave the above sum-
mary Of the situation, and MIR. Day
added that, although Mr.. WoOdford
had been instructed on Saturday to lay
the reply of this administration before
the Spanish government, there had
! been no further communication, and
that neither the demand for the recall
of Gen. Lee nor the protest against the
use of the war vessels had been reit-
Grated by the Spanish government.
1t is, of course, in the hands OF the
Spanish government to seek its own re-
dress. Consul General Lees exequatur
may be withdrawn and his official con-
nection with the Spanish government
will thus be summarily ended. Presi-
dent Mckinley has informed the Span
ish government that General Lees
course meets "his entire satisfaction"
and the withdrawal of his exequatur
will, therefore, end all diplomatic rela-
| tons between the two countries. II
! General Lees exequatur is Withdrawn
there will be no course for him to pur-
sue but to leave Cuba by the next boat,
first placing all Americans on the island
under the care OF the consul from some
friendly nation.
The request for General Lees recall
is understood to have come within the
last few days, and, doubtless, since the
last Cabinet meeting, On Friday, IS no
reference was made to it at that time.
It came through Minister Woodford.
The grounds on which General Lees
recall was asked are not officially dis
closed. 1t is known, however, that the
Spanish government has chaffed for
some time over General Lees presence
10 Havans, although this had never
taken the form OF definite protest
prior to the present time. 1t began to
assume moro serious aspect shortly
after the arrival of the Maine at Ha-
vana.
At that time General Lee escorted
Captain Sigsbee on his round Of
official calls. These were made
with due formality: but the Span
ish officials took otfense when
the calls were restricted to General
Blanco, Admiral Mantarola and the
representatives of the military arm Of
SPANS service, and did not include
Premier Galvez and his associates Of
the autonomist Cabinet, who represent
the new civil regime which Spain is
seeking TO enforce. The matter came
to the attention of Senior Dupuy de
LONE, then Spanish minister at Wash
ngton, and, although there were no
protests, the situation doubtless reach
ed the State Department, as suitable
amends were made by Captain Sigs
bee calling on DR.. Congosto, the civil
secretary general, and Premier Galvez
and his associates. There was like ir
ritation over dinner given by Consul
Maine. The lists of guests on that &C
casion is said to have omitted some of
the Spanish naval officers, and to have
included quite conspicuously the
names OF number of American news
paper correspondents, who were re-
garded by the Spanish officials at Ha.
vana as antsgonistc to them. This
also came to the attention Of the Off
Gals here, but was not made the basis
for any action, but rather OF unofficial
Spanish criticism of General Lees mode
of procedure.
Within recent days it has been I'M
derstood by officials here that the feel
ing against General Lee had been
smoothed over, and the request for his
recall was for that reason in the nature
OF complete surprise.
There are circumstances, however
which clearly disclose the grounds for
the recall, although it is not known
that Spain has made any exact specif-
cations of complaint. Since the Maine
disaster q report has been circulated
that General Lee held the personal
opinion that the explosion was due to
external cause. No official report OF
this character was ever sent to Wash
ington, so far as is known. But the
mere circulation of the report at Mad
rid, attributiDg such views to General
Lee, has been the source of much feel
ing in Spanish official circles. The
press dispatches from Madrid also dis
close that Gen. Lee is held accountable
at the Spanish capital for the project of
the purchase of Cuba by the United
States from Spain, as we'll as for gen.
eral sentiment of sympathy toward
the insurgents.
The action regarding the cruiser
Montgomery and gunboat Nashville is
looked upon by officials in Washington
as much less grave than that affecting
Gen. Lee. Secretary Long said last
night that he did not regard the ques-
ton as to what ship should carry the
relief supplies as serious in any way, or
as likely to present any perplexing