The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-11
wooDFoRp's INsTRUcrIoNs.
Our Minister Was Asked to Demand
De Lome's Recall.


representative who on Tuesday night ca
bled his resignation to Madrid, had been
relieved of his post. in accordance with his
wish. Before this news reached the State
Department, Assistant Secretary Day gave
out for publication the substance of the
cablegram sent yesterday to General Wood
ford, our minister at Madrid, in reference
to the De LONE letter. The statement fol-
lows:
'"There has appeared in the public prints
a letter addressed by the Spanish minister
to Mr.. Canalejas. This letter, the minister
admits was written by him. 1t contains
expressions concerning the President of the
United States of such a character as to end
the minister's usefulness as a representative
of his government in this country. General
Woodford, therefore, was instructed at once
to say to the minister of state that the inn
mediate recall of AIR. Dupuy De LONE is
expected by the President"
In view of the news from Madrid of the
acceptance of the resignation of the Span
ish minister, it may be stated that our gov
ernment is not disposed to split hairs over
the method of the offending minister's
tirement In other words it is not con-
cerned as to whether he resigns or is re-
called so long as he leaves the capital. 1t
is true that the exact language of the mes
sage sent by the State Department to Mr..
Woodford indicated the Presidents desire
that the minister be recalled, but the Ian
guage was used as the most proper for such
an occasion and must not be taken to mean
that the President is disposed to go further
than is necessary in the pursuit of Mr.. Du-
puy De LONE, now no longer official of
the Spanish government representing it at
Washington, but simply a Spanish citizen
lingering at the capital only long enough to
pack up and remove his effects. q
The Madrid cablegram was communicated
to the Spanish minister. and was his first
knowledge that action had been taken by
the Cabinet and Queen. The Official noti-
flcation had not reached him. The accept
ance of the resignation was fully expected,
and occasioned no surprise or change of
plans. The effect Of the acceptance is to
close Senior Dupuy De Lomes services as
Spanish minister at Washington. The
future status of Senor De LONE is a mat
ter Of doubt One OF two courses is open
to his government A recall to Spain or
transfer to another diplomatic post re-
call without designation to another post
would leave him in the ranks of the diplo-
matte service on waiting orders. This is
the position of Senor Muruaga, who pre-
ceded De Lone here. In case of a desire to
transfer him to aEother post there are
number of important Spanish embassies and
legations available.f In some quarters it is
thought that the Sentiment of the Spanish
people would approve a transfer of this
character but it is believed to be more
probable that the Spanish government will
wait until the strain of the incident is over
before deciding the future of it's erring
minister. This Is the more likely since
Senior De LONE is not Liberal, but belongs
to the. Conservative party, which is now out
of power. The action Of the Cabinet in
designating the Grit secretary as charge
dafairas leavasSa question as to whether
Senior Pablo SoIer or Senior Dubose will be
in temporary charge, both having rank as
first secretaries. 1t had been understood
that Pablo Soler would be named, but at
the legation it was said nothing definite
could be stated until the official notification
from Spain was received.
NO REPLY FROM WOODFORD.
Up the close of Office hours the State
Department had not heard from Mr. Wood
ford it was said. However, there was no
disposition to- question the correctness of the
report of the Spanish Cabinets action on
| Senior De Lome's resignation, and the opin-
| ion is entertained that the matter is now
practically settled. 1t is believed that when
| Mr.. Woodford is heard from 1t will be in
| the shape of q message saying that the
Spanish government expresses regret at the
| incident; that the resignation of Senior
Dupuy De LONE makes it unnecessary to
| go further in the direction of the request
of the President for his recall and announce
that the first secretary of the legation will
conduct its business in Washington until
another minister is named.
Under the peculiar circumstances exist
| ing the ceremony attending the departure
| of the Spanish minister are attended with
much doubt. 1t is usual when a foreign
representative leaves the country for him
to be received in formal audience at the
| White House, when an exchange of well
wishes takes place between him and the
President 1t is hardly expected that this
| formality will be observed in the present
case, owing to the personal aspects of the
| incident. In cases that approach this in
most respects the minister has usually all
| lowed his letters of recall to be presented
| by his successor. Senor Muruaga, who was
| Senior Dupuy De Lome's predecessor, left
! Washington suddenly on leave of absence
! shortly after the appearance in a newspa-
| per of an interview in which he criticised
| our government He did not return to
| Washington, but Senior Dupuy De LONE ap-
| peared with the letters OF recall Of his pre-
decessor and letters accraditing himself as
| his successor. So that there is precedent
| for a failure on the part of the retiring
| minister to take formal leave of our Off
cials 1t is said at the State Department
that there is no time limit within which
Mr.. De LONE must leave Washington and
being now only private Spanish citizen,
/ he may take a reasonable time to arrange
his affairs here without calling for criti-
cism.
The De LONE letter has already attracted
the attention of foreign governments and
| appears to be regarded by them as an i'm
| portant factor in the general Cuban ques-
tion. Some of the foreign ministers at
! Washington have advised their governments
! fully on the occurrence. These were mis-
leading at the outset, for members Of the
| diplomatic corps assumed that the letter
| was q forgery and some advices conveyed
| this view of the case. Now that its genuine
ness has been established the facts have
been sent to most of the foreign capitals.
| No incident in recent days has caused such
a sensation in the ranks Of the diplomatic
/ corps There is universal regret among the
ambassadors and ministers who have been
brought into close social relations with
Senor De LONE. 1t has also aroused a keen
discussion as to the right of criticism which
| a minister can indulge in under the seal