The times., 1898-04-08
THE NOTE OF THE POWERS
Continued from First Page.)

out any suggestion OF the maine Incl
dent" and thus in effect giving the i'm
preston that the American people do not
consider the Maine murder any cause for
resentment
The comment on this is that while the
powers very evidently did not desire even
to assume that the Maine incident is
closed, the President has again very ef-
fectually put another difficulty in the way
of Congress if it is finally decided to
make the Maine the paramount cause of
war.
A Declaration of Neutrality.
A diplomat here. who was not present
at the reading of the collective note of
the powers was shown an official copy
Of the brief given out at the White House
of the proceedings. After reading it care
fully he said:
THAT is not Intervention. 1t is a de-
claration of neutrality"
His attention. was called to the fact
that members of the Administration were
busy stating that the appearances of the
ambassadors and ministers was nothing
more than an Easter call. He replied:
rs 1t possible that the Americans can
think that the representatives of Catholic
Austria would make any call except of
the utmost and most immediate import
ance upon Holy Thursday? The note
is formal notification of neutrality. 1t
was called forth by the necessities of the
situation. 1t is the most ominous yet
made. The powers of Europe now regard
war as inevitable, and have proclaimed
their position
The identity of this diplomat cannot be
revealed further than to say that he was
not entitled to representation in the con-
cert of Europe but his interests made
it vital that he should have early knewl-
edge of the contents of the note and the
Presidents reply.
Mgr. Martinelli. when shown copy oi
1 the brief issued from the White House
concerning the event, refused to be inter
viewed, but stated that he would at once
cable the contents to the Vatican.
This note of the powers was to have
/ been handed to the President according
| to the first program on Wednesday,
! This was decided on fully and the Presi-
dent was so informed. In this fact there
is one of several very positive proofs tina,
/ the chief reason for Withholding the mes
| sage on Wednesday was not the danger
/ of the Americans in Havana.
Gen. Lee Duped.
| The President expected to receive the
note before II o'clock and he expected to
use it as a reason for delay. 1t did moi
] come, and it was waited for while the
! statement was made that a few verbal
/ changes We're being made in the message.
! When all hope had been given up from
! that source. although one message had
! been received from Gen. Lee that there
/ was no disturbance in Havana, cable
/ was sent TO him asking how long it would
/ take to get all the Americans out of the
! city The answer was in these words.
! according to one of the congressman who
| saw it:
"The Americans cannot all be gotten
away before Saturday"
This congressman as member of the
1 Foreign Affairs Committee makes the
positive statement that the message was
/ not shown to his delegation although the
/ President had it in his hand. The Presi-
dent read it as has been quoted.
He then made the remark:
Gentlemen, l would rather lose my
right hand than have General Lee lose
his life through any act of mine
The delegation went away at the time
entirely satisfied, but later the gentlemen
began to doubt the entire candor of the
| President.