The age-herald., 1898-10-19
WILL NOT ASSUME
 THE CUBAN DEBT Attitude of the United States Now Apparent to Spain. CESSION OF SOVEREIGNTY To America of Island of Cuba Will Not Be Accepted-O the Pacifi-
 cation is Desired by
 This Country.
CESSION OF SOVEREIGNTY

Paris, October 1S.-Spain can no longer have any doubt regarding the ultimate attitude of the United States toward the so-caled Cuban debt. The American commissioners have declined to assume it. or any part of it, by express treaty or by contract.
 They also declined to accept a cession of sovereignty to the Unitetd States for in that case Spain would claim such cession by it's own force would impose the obliga- ton for that debt.
 It is confidently believed that in refus- ing to accept a cession of sovere gnty, the American commissioners are acting upon their announcement to the world in the interventions, disclaming any intention to exercise sovereignty or authority over Cuba except for pacification and then to leave the island to the control of it's peo- pile and it's people to the assumption of it's obligations.
 This position of the commissioners cou- ples itself with the declaration in the reso- lution that the people of Cuba are by right and ought to be free and independent and good faith requires the performance of this declaration, it being plain that if Cuba were annexed to the United States, while she might be free she would not be inde pendent.
 General Horace Porter, the United States ambassador gave banquet this evening at the American embassy to the United Statets and Spanish peace commissioners. The banqueting room was elaborately hung with tapestries and armor; flowers were in profusion, and the effects through the stained glass were very beautiful. On Gen. eral Porter's right and in the order named sat Judge w. K. Day. Senator c. K. Davis, Senator w. P. Frye, Whitelaw Reid and Senator George Gray-the United States peace commissioners-John B. Moore, sec- retary of the American commission; Senor Leon Castillo, the Spanish ambassador to France; Senor Abarazuzu, Senor Arganica and General Cerero of the Spanish peace commission; Marquis de Novallas, secretary of the Spanish embassy; Jules Cambon. French ambassador to the United States; Henry vignaud. secretary of the United States embassy in Paris; Ferdinand W. Peck, United States commissioner to the Paris exposition of 1900; John W. Gowdy, United States consul general in Paris; Com- mander R. B. Bradford, chief of the United States bureau Of naval equipment; Pro- lessor B. D. Woodward, assistant commis- sioner to the Paris exposition; M Brisson, the French premier, and M Decasse, the French minister of foreign affairs.
 On General Porter's left were the follow ing: Mesdames Day. Davis. Frye, Gray, Reid, Senor Leon Castillo, Mesdames Me- Clernand, Warrington, Camdon, Peck. Gowdy Facande and LeRoy and Misses Gray, Porter and Whiton.
 Senor Villaurrieuti, the Spanish minister for foreign affairs, and a member of the Spanish peace commission, was prevented by ndisposition from being present
 The meeting of the two commissions at the samo table is notable event here and borrows special interst from the semi-pre- diction of the Paris correspondent of the London Times that the Spanish commjs- sioners would not meet their opponents at dinner under the roof of the American embassy.