The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-10-21
SPANIARDS DOWNCAST.
They Expect No Quarter From the
American Commissioners.
PRACTICALLY A PLEA FOR MERCY

"A Great Spanish Parsonage Pre-
sumably a Member Of tho CommIs-
sion, Airs His Views For the Benefit
of the London Times.
London, Oct. 21.-The London cor
respondent Of The Times says: II had
visit yesterday from great Spanish
parsonage, who seems to have been
commissioned to ascertain the trend of
public opinion on the negotiations here.
He appeared much depressed. He has
found great and general sympathy
with Spain, but has been unable to
discover any possibility of obtaining
moral support against the American
delegates, who are infexible in their
demands and with much polteness of
form have hitherto categoricaly re-
fused to make the slightest concession
on any Of the instructions received by
them, never asking their government
for the slightest notifications.
Il have already explained the mode
Of negotiation. Memoirs are handed in,
which are translated and replied to in
the same fashion. The Spaniards
from time to time endeavor to enter
into verbal exchange of views in
order to obtain some deviation from
the line marked out by the American
government for its representatives.
"Senor Abarzuza, who is a master of
the English language, Is the Spanish
commissioner who makes the attempts
to lead to conversation, and as he is
described as very prepossessing and
eloquent, he always makes pro-
found impression. The Americans,
however, listen attentvely, but rig
idly maintain the procedure of writ
ten replies.
THE intended sitting on Wednesday
could not be held, because the Span
iards, In view of the written replies
made to them, renounced their at
tempts al conversation and asked 4S
hours grace to consult their govern
ment and prepare written rejonder.
The friend who called told me he had
found his countrymen much discouraged
being convinced that the United States
are bent on rigorous exercise Of the
rights q the victor. I have heard
you say. he remarked, that Prince
Bsmarck once said TO you: When
you have your knee on the throat of
vanauished nation you can take from
1t all you like. but you must always
beware Of abusing your victory and
eyaGgerating your conquests. Other
wise you load yourself for many gem
eratiOns with crushing burden, which
ends by having the most mischevous |
results for the VictOr-almost more |
than for the vanqushed.'
My caller remarked: The Amerl-
cans are not adopting this wise and
humane view. They seem bent on push
ing the results Of the war to their ex-
treme consequences. They refuse to
entertain any concession on the fnan-
cial question, and, while declining to
undertake sovereignty in Cuba, they
maintain that the Cuban debt is
Spanish debt and that Spain abused
her sovereignty by saddling the island
with the interest of a debt by which
she alone proi!ted.
'Vainy have we urged that they
themselves accepted financial obliga-
tions toward England after the war
of Independence, that they accepted
the burdens of Texas after the con-
quest, that there is no more general
law than the law of the obligations of
4 country changing its rulers. and that
It would he an arbitrary course and a
veXatiOus precedent to throw the Gu
ban debt upon us. All Is useless, and
they stand peremptoriy on their de-
''What our delegates should say to
hem if they persist as it is to be fear
I'd they will. is this: We are in your
lands. You are the victors. We for
,nce committed the folly of going to
Var with you because you left us no
line to avoid it. because you treated
Is in such a way that even at the risk
If suicide, we were bound to plunge
nto war. although the result of it was
vident to US. But we will not commit
he fresh folly of recommending war in
my form. We are, therefore, at your
mercy. We shall submit to your die
ates and shall leave the world to Judge
f those dictates. but no human force
vill compel us to subscribe to them,
nd we shall not subscribe.
"'This is what our delegates ought to s
ay On this Cuban question. As for r
he other points. they will wait to hear
hat they ara'"