The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-03-10

when it became known that the Span.
ish government had formally requested
the recall of Consul General Lee at his
post at Havana to which request the
United States had courteously but
firmly refused to comply; also that the
Spanish government has suggested the
impropriety of sending relief supplies
to the Cuban reconcentrados on the
cruiser Montgomery and gunboat Nash.
vile, to which suggestion the United
States had given a like answer in the
negative.
The first intimation of these steps
came in a brief and explicit cable dis.
patch from Madrid:
"MADRID, March 7.-Senor Gullon,
Spanish minister of foreign affairs, re-.
Gently intimated to United States Min.
lister Woodford that the Spanish gov.
ernment desired the recall from Ha-
vana of Consul General Lee and that
the American warships which have
been designated to convey supplies to
Cuba for the relief of the sufferers
there should be replaced by merchant
vessels in order to deprive the assistance
sent to the reconcentrados of an official
character.
H. ".Mr. Woodford cabled the requests
TO the Washington government, which
replied refusing to recall General Lee
in the present circumstances or to Coun-
termand the orders for the dispatch of
the war vessels, making the representa-
ton that the relief vessels are not fight.
ing ships"
Prior to its receipt however, the
authorities here had been fully con.
versant with the facts, although no in
timation had been allowed to get to the
public on either subject. The disclos-
ures from Madrid left no further ground
for reticence in Washington and after a
conference at the White House between
the president, Assistant Secretary Day
of the state department and Secretary
Long of the navy department, the fol.
lowing authorized statement was given
out by Judge Day, as comprising every
thing that was to be said by the admin
istration on the subject.
"The president will not consider the
recall of General Lee. He has borne
himself throughout this crisis with
Judgment, fidelity and courage, to the
presidents entire satisfaction.
Gas to the supplies for the relief of the
Cuban people all arrangements have
been made to carry consignment this
week from Key West by one of the
naval vessels, whichever may be best
adapted and most available for the Dur.
pose, to Matanzas and Sagua.
although the officials here are non-
committal on the subject it is believed
that the request for General Lees re.
call was made at least day or two ago,
and that the Spanish government, after
receiving the reply of the state depart
ment, has not insisted either upon Lees
recall or upon its contention that the re-
lief supplies should not be sent to Cuba
in naval vessels"
The request for General Lees recall
is understood to have come within the
last few days, and doubtless since the
last cabinet meeting ON Friday, as no
reference was made to it at that time.
The other suggestion of the Spanish
government-that relief supplies should
not be sent in war vessels-was pre-
scented by Senor Du Bose to the state
department last Friday, The responses
in both cases went direct to Minister
Woodford. There was no loss of time,
however, in assembling a special session
of the cabinet, or even in any general
conference between the president and
his cabinet advisors individually. In
tie protest against the Montgomery
and Nashville, Judge Day conferred
with Secretary Long, who in turn
called In Captain Crowninshield, chief
of the bureau of navigation. There ap-
pears to be no reason why change
should be made in the plan for sending
these ships on the relief mission, and,
without attaching grave significance to
the request of the Spanish government,
the answer was made that the plans for
the trip were completed and that the
stay of the ships would be brief and of
the most pacific character.
In responding to the request for Cen
,ral Lees recall the president does not
appear to have deemed the subject open
% such discussion as would require the
Tiews of his cabinet associates, and
after brief exchange between the
White House and the state department
5he negative answer was dispatched to
Woodford. One phase of the
incident that tends to show the firm
The expedition with which the action
was accomplished. Such matter
is laid before the cabinet, the
views of all its members personally
given and the fullest opportunity af.
forded for discussion. But in this case
the press bulletin furnished to some
members of the cabinet the first in
they had that General Lees
service was open 20 question. Before
the cabinet meeting no hint or COM
piaint of any kind relating to General
Lee had been made.
The ground on which General Lees
recall was asked are not officially stated.
1t is known, however, that the Spanish
government has chaffed for some time
over General Lees presence in Havana,
although this had ever taken the form
OF definite protest prior to the present
time.
IL began TO assume a more serious
aspect shortly after the arrival of the
Maine at Havana, At that time Gen
eral Lee escort d Captain Sigsbee ON his
round Of official calls. These were made
with due tormality, but the Spanish
ofilcials took cifense when the calls were
restricted to General Blanco, Admiral
Manterola and the representatives of
ehe arm OF Spain's service and did not
include Premier Galvez and his assQ-
oiates OF the autonomous cabinet, who
represent the new civil regime which
spain Is seeking to enforce. The matter
came 70 the attention of Senior Dupuy
De LONE, then Spanish minister at
Washington, and although there were
no protests, the situation doubtless !
seAched tae state department.. as suit
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