The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-21
An English correspondents Talk with
"Hfgh Parsonage, Who May
BE Spanish Commissioner.
BEWARE OF ABUSING VICTORY
THE WARNING GIVEN BY THE UN-
NAMED STATESMAN FROM MADRID.
Another Exchange of Notes Expected
at the Joint Meeting To-Day-An
English Legislators Views.

LONDON, Oct 21.--The Paris corre-
spondent of the Times says: Il had a visit
to-day Thursday from a great Spanish
parsonage, who seemed to have been COM
missioned to ascertain the trend of public
opinion Oh the negotiations here. He APP
peared 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 Ameri-
can delegates, who are infexibe in their
demand o and with much politeness of form
have hitherto categorically refused to make
the slightest concessions on any of the in
structions received by them, never having
asked their government for the slightest
notifications.
II have already explained the mode of ne
gotiations; memoirs are handed in which
are translated and replied to in the same
fashion. The Spaniards from time to time
endeavor to enter into conversation and
turn the discussion into a verbal exchange
of views in order to obtain some deviation
from the infiexibIe line marked out by the
American government for its representa-
tives. Senor Abarzuza who is a master of
English language, Is the Spanish commits
sioner who makes the attempts to lead to a
conversation, and as he is described as very
prepossessing and eloquent he always makes
a profound impression. The Americans.
however listen attentively but rigidly
maintain the procedure of written replies
II he intended sitting yesterday could not
be held because the Spaniards in view of
the written replies made to them. re-
nounced their attempts at conversation and
asked forty-eight hours grace to consult
their government and prepare a written re-
joinder. The friend who called told me he
had found his countrymen much dis
couraged, being convinced that the United
States are bent on a rigorous exercise of the
rights of victor. L have heard you say.
he remarked. that Prince Bismarck once
said to you: When you have your knee
on the throat of a vanquished nation you
can take from it all you like, but you must
always beware of abusing your victory and
exaggerating your conquests. Otherwise
you load yourself for many generations
with crushing burden wlich may produce
mischievous results for the victor"'
My caller remarked: The Americans are
not adopting this wise and humane view
They seem bent on pushing the results OF
the war to their extreme consequences
They refuse to entertain any concession or
financial questions, and, while declining tc
undertake sovereignty in Cuba, they main.
tain that the Cuban debt is the Spanish
debt and that Spain abused her sovereignty
by sadding the island with the interest OF
debt by which she alone proffted Vainly
have we urged that they themselves ac-
cepted financial obligations toward England
after the war of independence; that they
accepted the burdens of Texas after the
conquest; that there is no more general law
try changing with its rulers, and that i.
would be an arbitrary course and prece-
dent to throw the Cuban debt upon us. II
is useless; and they stand peremptorily on
their demands. What our delegates should
say to them If they persist, as it is to be
feared they will, is this: I'VE are ia your
hands. You are the victors. We, for once
committed the folly of going to war with
you because you left us no time to avoid
it, because you treated us in such a way
that even at the risk of suicide we were
bound to plunge into war, although the re-
suit of it was evident to us. But we will
not commit the fresh folly of recommenc-
ing war in any form. We are therefore at
your mercy. We shall submit to your die
tates and shall leave the world to judge of
those dictates; but no human force will
compel us TO subscribe to them, and we
shall not subscribe This is what our del
egates ought TO say on this Cuban ques-
tion AS to the other points, they will wait
to hear what they are I"