Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-10
DE LONE DONE FOR.
2. Has Apparently Made Himself Per-
soma Non Grata.
ngSgT DISAVOW THAT LETTER.
% VIII Probably Have 10 Be Given
His Making Papers
,.r s.ckvILLE WEST PRECEDENT
o.. ulu Probably Guide the Govern
.,,nt In Dealing With the Present
easc-Congressmen Regard the Sit
,ation as serious.

..a.n in the morning newspapers Of
.,., rarported 90 be an autograph let
..- ortten by Senior Dupuy De LONE,
.,. spanish Minister. TO his friend
r....as. criicising the President with
.t. utmost freedom caused sensation
.- official Washington, and will soon be
allowed by Minister De Lome's depar-
.,-. from the United States.
a. the outset there was a disposition
., ,osesuon the authenticity Of the letter.
,-, ass bit by bit she circumstantial
.,f.rce accumulated. until II was finolly
.-r,arccd officially that the Minister de-
.s,ea 90 deny the authorship OF the let
,.- 30 doubt was dissipated. and the
.-re question that remained was as to
.r. line of action TO be pursued by our
s,,.rnment toward the offending Minis
-. The writing Of this letter is un-
,..srcnably an offence against the
amenities Of diplomatic relations, and
.,cr offences almost invariably have been
r.esrdea in the United States. as in other
,rHais. MS sufficient ground for the ter
~.rlaon Of the official status Of the let
t.r-rHter.
As soon as the letter appeared in the
rr.ss The state Department officials be-
rn an effort to settle its authenticity,
and when they had learned all that could
o. developed on this point. and had been
t.d that the Minister himself refused to
6erv writing it. the consideration of the
ssx, step began.
MESSAGE TO WOODFORD.
misunderstanding Day was in consul
isnon with the President on the subject
stlaast four times during the official day.
and then spent much time in framing
Dis message TO United States Minister
Woodford. al Madrid. The official state
msrt of the sending OF this message was
ac,cmpanied by a decination to COM
mnncate its contents at this time, giving
g. the press the following statement:
Minister De LONE does not deny
writing the letter This department has
communicated with General Woodford
on The subject. Until that communica-
ton reaches the Spanish Government it
would be improper to in any manner
state the contents of the message to
General WOodford."
While the department refused TO ada
arything 10 this meagre announcement,
r can be stated. without question that
Air. Woodford was directed to lay the
facts developed before the Spanish Gov
eminent. together with the statement
rfst in view Of the Minister'S refusal to
deny the authorship Of the letter, the
Sranish Government is looked to with
confidence 10 deal with the case properly.
This amounts 10 an invitation TO recall
The Minister. presuming that he himself
has not already taken steps to vacate
his position. No doubt is entertained of a
compliance with the implied suggestion,
i1t In case there should be undue delay
lr acting. the State Department would
fol called upon to move directly in the
natter. and give the Minister his pass
,5r.s. as was done when Sir Julian
Pauncefote's predecessor wrote the ceie-
brated Murchison letter.
LETTER PROBABLY STOLEN.
The circumstances under which letter
Of this character could escape from the
privacy Of the two persons between whom
r rassed excites much comment. Ihe
general belief is that it was never
delivered to Senor Canalejas, but was
stolen while en- route. CanaleJas was III
Washington some months ago, and theh
went 10 Cuba for the purpose OF oD-
serving the condition of affairs there. AS
q former Minister in Liberal Cabinets
having been Minister OF Justlce-ahu az
The editor Of FL Heraldo, at MADRID ne
was accorded a warm reception Dy Miiii9-
f- Di,nuv De LONE. who gave a banquet
90 his honor. which was attended py
number of prominent public men. lie
ther left for cuba. and his mission ne
cessarilv brought him into continued cor
resnoudence with Minister De LONE.
AS the letter bears no date, the tlme
thai it was forwarded can only be nNed
bv the context. That ii was after the
pra-ident's message is evident. The men
lion Of the approaching Autonomous
Cshire+ establishes that il was before
the inauguration Of the Cabinet, January
Isl This places the letter according
20 the prevailing impression, as having
been written about the middle OF De
eenber Al that time Senor CanaleJds
le understood 10 have been al Hapaha'
prosecuting his mission. The hanuhhs
q the mail is done by the Spanish au-
thorlties. so that in this case 1t Is pc
lava5 the loss of "A letter of this cha-
rsrfer could occur only in one or TWO
vavs-either through treachery on the
rsrt of am official in the postal service
or bv being taken after il had redcheu
the hotel where Senor CanaleJas was
stopping.
THE SACKV1LLE CASE
,rh. -rie as laid down IN the Sackviie
,sso he generally regarded as the prece-
sa,+ f,r our guidance in such matters
toygh there are not lacking other prece-
sents The plea that the letter was pure
lv personal. that II was not even 'u
dressed 10 an official or 70 a ci'lzvh y.
.ne limited States. will not suitce' Loru
gscl,dlle set up such an eAcuse' pu'
PRESIDENT cleveland declared that II M"S
lnst fjcient and the Minister was 0o'"
PEELED 10 leave Washington ,,a,
Inasnuch as the line Of acton III .'. .li"'
ease may form the basis OF actloh III 'iliS, ,
provided the Spanish Minister uoe9
himself cut the knot and relieve tnc .
srnment from performing oisasi 800 ,,,.',
duty. IL may be stated tnae WIZ ..-,r
Sacllylle the Department OF S'"'e ''''
Initiated the action. ,o,ter ~
LORD Sackyille had written a 60
one Murchis0n. in Pomona, Cai.' III - -
iember. 1855 IN reply 70 Murciison ~,
quest for guidance, as ha'ui '..'1,s &C
American Of British birth in casting a,,1 a,@
vote for President The reply wa ',ar
rom Beverly, Mass, where the Mli''s'or ,'or
was stopDing. anc would not now NJ, ~,
probably at any lime except IN the ns"'
Of ono Of the great four-yearly elec''Vns, ~
be- regarded as particularly offensive; ,,ad, t,as
I9fdshir Simply said that any poiitieal
Fi "-F'' e.l.ot the mother