The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-20
MISS scnLEY CLAIMS GLORY.
Her Visit TO Spain Caused the Dons
20 Sue For Peace.

Schley, who went to Spain as a delegate
of the Women's International League for
Peace, in an effort to bring the war to a
close, issued a statement to the American
press to-day in which she takes the credit
of influencing Spain to sue for peace. The
letter follows:
ITO the American Press: Until now l
have not given proof to substantiate my
claim that we women, especially we
American women, made the peace between
Spain and our country. l promised TO do
so after the treaty of peace was signed,
but have concluded to give il out now.
THE facts are these: 1 reached Madrid
as a delegate of the Women's International
League for Peace bearing the list OF
names and resolutions for her majesty, the
Queen of Spain, on July 2. at once be-
gan visiting and comforting with promi-
nent officials On the 23rd his excellency,
the minister of state, the Duke de Almo-
dovar del Rio, requested me to put In
writing the matter desired to convey to
him. l did so, and sent it to him on the
25th. On that day, or the following, l
judged from the newspaper report the
Queens cabinet, (of which the Duke Is a
member) discussed this communication at
their meeting and that day (the 26th)
Spain sued for peace.
1.-THE next day. the 9th was hurried
out of Madrid, fearing riot against me,
when It should become known Spain had
made overtures for peace. IL was feared
the Carlsts and Spanish 1ingoes might
make trouble then, and they had already
began to look for me. The afternoon of
the day left. received a courteous let
ter from the Duke de Almodovar del Rio
minister of state for foreign affairs, In
which he says: Your letter OF yesterday
has received my fullest attention with
preference to my other pressing business
"He praises the high motive inspiring
my journey to Spain; he says again: The
generosity and energy which prompted you
to make this long excursion to a strange
land for the sake of peace united to your
intense patriotism and your love Of
Spain etc. Continuing, he says his
Most arden personal desire Is to see the
speedy termination of this conflict and
that he desires for Cuba "A system OF gov
ernment in harmony with the interests OF
humanity and civilization
"of course, peace would come; Spain was
beaten; but she was not ready to sur
render then. She stlll wanted to fight
for Havana and the Philippines. but
maintain the documents I submitted to the
minister of state decided her to sue for
peace just then. and 1 believe you will
find the Spanish authorities bear me ont.
It was only a straw but still the straw
that broke the camers back Spain
trusted me- she knew liked her noble
and defenseless country; was Of her re-
ligion, and detested the war, considering
~ a disgrace to our country. Therefore,
when ] told her 1t was foolhardy to
fight us longer that we would
surely beat her. that we
had more resources Of all sorts, as well
as men; when 1 claimed to know our peo-
pie (as 1 thought I did. for I had been
much among them), and said many dis
liked the war as much as !, that many
EObI IiOltblduiS Hhu DEtn lnHueHGE0 10
consent to assist the war by the repre-
seutations made of Spanish cruelty and
the continued fighting in Cuba, which
also thought should cease), that IL she
(Spain) continued fighting, she would lose
the sympathy Of Americans and Euro
peans as well, but If she sued for peace
now, she would find how noble and gen.
erous a people we are, and not the merce-
nary country we appeared, and we would
aat..I L.
would not get later.
i advised her to give us a coaling sta
ton or two, though strictly speaking we
should NOT take even that as we had be-
gun the war in the name Of humanity ,
but our government might need them and
we had been put to much expense. In
short. wrote such a strong appeal for
peace I feared might overdo IL by nv
blunt statements, using the word fool
hardy etc. was certain my country
would act honorably, so you may imagine
my modification and chagrin to find we
are trying to grab all we can
Following this letter / shall have a
storm of abuse / know from the tingoes
and the A. p. A. s who have already writ
ten to me so many insulting letters bur
/ defy one Of them to show any one who
has made greater sacrifices TO maintain
the honor of our grand country.
Ii is necessary for US to rouse ourselves, or
IL will be too late TO show the world what
we really are, and to defeat the schemes OF
the miserable jingoes, who are traitors to
our grand republic, and seek to draw us
into further difficulties. This is no time for
party strife or bitter religious feeling II
we would save our country. Democrats and
Republicans must act together. Possibly
IL was fortunate the Republicans won in
the last elections, for among them are
many honorable men who viii maintain
our national honor, and the party which
began the war, in the name OF humanity, :
viii be able to finish It an the name Of hu-
manlty, and not disgrace US by making
terms too difficult for our conquered foe.
"Jesse A. Schley."