The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
Accused of Unnecessary Haste
in Leaving His Post.
BLAMED FOR MAINE DISASTER
amazing Deductions Of the Spanish
Newspaper. La Lucha-Our Consul
Destruction of the Vessel Because
He Asked for Ship.

havana, April LA LuCna publSneS
an editorial under the head of MIR. Lees
Escape" The paper expresses surprise
al General Lee and says:
What he did is not in keeping with the
bellicose spirit Of his Government. With
out diplomatic relations being broken
General Lee leaves in n hurry with his
clerks. after alarming many American
citizens both legitimate and false ones
His departure has the nature of an es-
CAPE, since he did not only not run any
risk. but I'm case relations had been
broken off the authorities would have
been the first to answer for the life Of
the consul aud citizens, VINO would have
embarked without danger. II is shown
that il was an escape. by General Blanco
giving the exequatur 10 the British consul
so that the latter may represent the
United States. which means that the
United States has not recalled her rep
resentatives either from Spain or Cuba.
AT the last moment terror took pos
session of General Lee. which does not be-
come n military man. When the situation
Is cleared il will be seen that General
Lee is guilty Of alarming his Government
and is responsible for the Maine affair
because he asked for the ship under the
pretext that American citizens were in
danger here which was absolutely false.
In conclusion the paper says that Cen
eral Lee did not act in the interest OF the
people of his country, but demorallzed the
nolicv of his Government to such an eX-
tent that IL is threatening to occupy the
territory of a neighborinS people.
Ia Lucia. with regard to the edict sus-
nending hostili les. also says: diploma
CIV has absolutely triumphed, though IL
IS impossible to appreciate up TO now
which side is the victor. Many Ameri-
cans and Spaniards think that the VIC
tory has been won by Mckinley. In
Madrid the triumph is given to Spain,
because she yields not to the demands
of Mckinley, but to the petitions of the
great powers and the Pope. If the reo-
els do not accept the armistice. and re-
gard 1t as an imposition by Americans,
Mckinley will be the defeated one, since
he arrogated TO himself the role OF a
protector, but has been shown In MS true
light as a master with selfish motives.
at is unknown whether the rebels will
accent the armistice. 1t is evident that
Spain. for her part, has fulfilled all that
has been sought by the Uni,ed States.
Under the circumstances il Will be an
immense advantage if the rebels refuse
an armistice, for the Mckinley Govern
ment will be defeated, because 1t desired
peace and not war.
Lieut.. Lucian Prieto, Granada Battal-
III.
titus, and has joined the rebels. He had
charge of furnishing goods to the hospi-
tai and barracks of Arroyo Blanco.
Nirgilio Lopez. under secretary of the
general government, returned yesterday
TO Manzanillo He accompanied by Ra-
mirez. made proposals for the surrender
of Parditas. in the east. They will go
back to repeat their proposals.
Secretary of the Government GOWN,
Secretary of Communication DOLE, Civil
ian Governor Bruzon, and the secretary
of the general government were assem-
bled up TO l o'clock Monday morning at
the palace preparing the decree for the
suspension of hostilties.
The decree reads: ''Edict of Don Ramon
Blanco Erenas, Marquis of Pena Plata,
Governor General, Captain General, and
Commander in Chief of the Army of the
Island. The government of Her Majesty,
complying with the wishes expressed by
the Holy Father, and recommended by
the ambassadors of the six great powers,
has resolved for the purpose of facilitat-
ing peace in this island to decree sus-
pension Of hostilities, which is hereby
published:
article l. 1t is decreed that the sus
pension of hostilties in all the territory
of the island of Cuba shall begin from
the day following that on which the
present edict is received IN eacn locanty-
article 2 The details for the execution
of what Is ordered in the previous article,
as well as the determination of the lapse
of time during which hostilities will be
suspended. will be the aim of particular
instructions, which will be communicate
ed to the different commanders in chief
Of corps of the army for its easier and
quicker fulfillment, according to the situa-
ton and circumstances OF each one.
'RAMON BLANCO.
Havana, April 10, 1885,
Gen. Blanco was indisPosed on Satur-
day morning with a slight fever. The
doctors advised him to keep to his bed.
and warned the adiutant not to disturb
him. At o'clock in the evening he learn
ed that Consul General Lee had been to
visit him.