Evening journal., 1898-03-07
ASK LEES RECALL
Spain'SD0mand Is Promptly
Refused by President
Mckinley.
CABINET NOT SUMMONED
Also Do Not Want Warships to Carry
Supplies to Cuba.
THEY WILL Be SENT JUST THE SAME
It Is Beloved That General Lees SYM
pathy For Cuba Is Cause OF sudden
Domand-spain Could Have Dis
missed Him without Asking.

missed Him without Asking.
WASHINGTON, March 7.--The Span
ish situation developed two new phases
yesterday, when It became known that
the Spanish government had formally
requested the recall OF Consul General
Lee at his post at Havana, TO which
request the United States had courte
ousy but firmly refused to comply; also
that the Spanish government has sug-
gested the improperly Of sending relief
supplies to the Cuban reconoentrados
on the cruiser Montgomery and gun
boat Nashville, 10 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 dis
patch from Madrid Prior TO its receipt,
however. the authorities here had been
fully conversant with the facts, al
though no intmation had been allowed
20 get TO the public on either subject.
The disclosures from Madrid left no
further ground for reticence In WASH
ington, and after n conference at the
White House between the president.
Assistant Secretary Day OF the state
department and Secretary Long OF the
navy department the following author
lied statement was given out by Judge
Day as comprising everything that was
TO be said by the administration on the
subject:
"The president win not consider the
recall of General Lee. He has borne
himself throughout this crisis with
judgment fidelity and courage. to the
presidents entire 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
vessels, whichever may be best adapted
and most available for the purpose, TO
Matanzas and Sagua"
Although the officials here are non
committal on the subject IL is believed
that the request for General Lees re-
call was made at least a day or two
ago and that the Spanish government
after receiving the reply OF the state
department has not insisted either up
on Lees recall or upon its contention
that the relief supplies should not be
sent TO Cuba in naval vessels.
Beyond the, fQrsgoins, those who had
participated In the conference at the
white House fw6uid not discuss the sub
ject and it was stated positively that
the authorized statement comprised ey
erything that would be given to any
one.
The advices from Madrid, together
with the authoritative statement here,
left no room for doubt as TO what had
occurred The request for General Lees
recall is understood to have come with
In the last few days and doubtless since
the last cabinet meeting on Friday as
no reference was made to IL at that
time II came through Minister Wood
ford. a somewhat unusual procedure, as
the common mode Of requesting the
withdrawal Of a minister or consul Is
through the representative Of the gov
ernment making the request, which in
this case Is Senior du Bose, the Spanish
charge d'affaires. Senor du Bose had
received mo Instructions on the subject
and was I'm complete ignorance Of the
demand made through Minister Wood
ford. The other suggestion Of the
Spanish government-that relief sup
plies should not be sent in war vessels
did not come through Minister Wood
ford, as the Madrid dispatches state
but was presented by Senior du Bose e
the state department last Friday. p
The responses in both cases went dl-
rectly 10 Minister Woodford. There was
no loss of time however, in assem-
bling a special session OF the cabinet, OF
even IN any general conference between
the president and his cabinet advisers
individually. In the protest agains
the Montgomery and the Nashville
Judge Day conferred with Secretar!
Long. who in turn called In Captain
Crowninshield. chief of the bureau o
navigation. There appeared 10 be NJ
reason why a change should be mad
in the plan for sending these ships OF
faF NILE nd xtfffhotff attach
Ing grave significance TO the request O
the Spanish government the answe
was made that the plans for the tri
were completed and that the stay O
the ships would he brief and Of the mos
pacific character
In responding 20 the request for Gen
eral Lees recall the president does nc
appear to have deemed the subject ope
TO such discussion as would require III
views OF his cabinet associates. an
after a brief exchange between tf
White House and the state departmei
the negative answer was dispatched
Minister Woodford. One phase Of II
incident that tends to show the fir
stand taken by the administration
the expedition with which the actic
was accomplished. Such a matter ord
narily Is laid before the cabinet. n
views OF all its members personal
given and the fullest opportunity affor
ed for discussion; but in this case q
press bulletin furnished to some mer
bers of the cabinet the first informati'
that General Lees service was open
question. Before The cabinet no hi
or complaint OF any kind relating
Lee had been made.
The grounds on which General Lei
recall was asked FOR are not official
disclosed. It is known, however, tn
the Spanish government has chafed I
some time over General Lee'spresenoe
Havana although this had never TAX
the form Of definite protest prior
the present time, It began to assui
a more serious aspect shortly after I
arrival Of the Maine at Havana