The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-04-14

| by the end OF November, not a single
| person entitled in any way to our ma
tiOnal protection remained in a Span
| ish prison.
While these negotiations were in
progress the increasing destitution OF
the unfortunate recOncentradOs and
the alarming mortality among them
claimed earnest attention. The sue
cess which had attended the limited
measure of relief extended to the suf-
fering American citizens among them
by the iudicious expenditure through
the consular agencies of the money
appropriated expressly for their sue
cor by the joint resolution approved
May "a, 1897, prompted to humane ex-
tension of a similar scheme of aid to
the great body of sufferers. A sug-
gestion to this end was acquiesced
in by the Spanish authorities. On
The 9th of Deces2heF last, ] caused to
be issued an appeal to the American
people, inviting contributions in
money or in kind for the succor of
the starving sufferers in Cuba, follow
ing this on the Sth of January by a
similar public announcement of the
formation of Central Cuban Relief
Committee, with headquarters in
New York city, composed of three
members representing the American
National Red Cross and the religious
and business elements of the com
munity.
The efforts of that committee have
been untiring and have accomplished
much. Arrangements for free trans
pOrtatiOn to Cuba have greatly aided
1,n .l III l., .
of the American Red Cross and repre-
sentatives of our cOntributOry Orga-
nizations have generously visited
Cuba and cO-operated with the Con
sul-General and the local authorities
to make effective distribution of the
relief collected through the efforts of
the Central Committee.
Nearly 100000 in money and sup
plies has already reached the suffer
ers, and more is forthcoming. The
supplies are admitted duty free, and
transportation to the interior has
been arranged so that the relief, at
first necessarily confined to Havana
and the larger cities, is now extended
through most, if not all, of the towns
where suffering exists. Thousands of
lives have already been saved.
The necessity for a change in the
condition of the reconcentrados has
been recognized by the Spanish Gov
ernment. Within a few days past the
orders of General Weyler have been
revoked; the recOncentrados are, it is
said, to be permitted to return to
their homes and aided to resume the
self-suppOrting pursuits of peace;
Ilin Ity1r1-C ho, haOv -
give them employment and a sum of
5000, 900 has been appointed for their
relief.
The war in Cuba is of such a nature
that, short of subjugation or exter-
7nnif4Atien, finilf fnilitary--s2C 2Ctor y orr
either side seems impracticable. The
alternative lies in the physical ex-
haustion of the one or the other par
ty, or perhaps of both-a condition
which in effect ended the Ten Years
War by the tryce of Ianjon.
The prospect of such a protraction
and confusion of the present strife is
a contingency hardly to be contem-
plated with equanmity by the civil
lied world, and least of all, by the
United States, affected and injured as
we are, deeply and intimately by its
very existence. Realizing this, it ap-
peared to be my duty, in a spirit of
true friendliness, no less to Spain
than to the Cubans, who have so
much to lose by the prolongation of
the struggle, to seek to bring about
an immediate termination of the war
To this end | submitted, on the 27th
ultimo, as a result of much represen-
tation and correspondence through
the United States Minister at Madrid
propositions to the Spanish Govern
ment looking to an armistice until
October 1st for the negotiation of
peace with the good offices of the
President. In addition | ask the i'm
mediate revocation of order of recon-
centration so as to permit the people
to return to their farms and the needy
to be relieved with provisions and
supplies from the United States, CO.
operating with the Spanish authori-
ties, so as to afford full relief.
The reply of the Spanish Cabinet
was received on the night of the 31st.
ultimO. Ii offers as the means TO
bring about peace in Cuba, to confide
the preparations thereof to the in
sular parliament, inasmuch as the
concurrence of that body would be
necessary to reach a final result, it
being, however, understood that the
powers reserved by the constitution
to the central government are not
lessened or diminished.
AS the Cuban Parliament does not
meet until the 4th of May next, the
Spanish Government would not OBJ
ject for its part to accept at once a
suspension of hOstilities if asked fol
/ by the insurgents from the general
in-chief, to whom it would pertain in
such case, to determine the duration
and conditions of the armistice.
The propositions submitted by Gen
eral WoodfOrd and the reply OF
the Spanish Government were
both in the form of brief mem
orandas, the tests of which are before
! me-and are substantially in the Ian
guage given above.
The function of the Cuban Parlia
ment in the matter of preparing
! peace and the manner of its doing Sc
are not expressed in the Spanish
( memorandums, but from Genera
Woodford's explanatory reports o
preliminary discussions preceding
the final conference, it is understood
that the Spanish Government stands
ready to give the insular Congress full
powers to settlethe terms of peace will
the urgents-whether by direc
negotiation or indirectly by means o