Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-30
FROM WASHING ron.
Of the Alexandria Gazette.

Correspondence OF the Ale1andris GaSette.]
WASHINGTON, March 80.
The President received this morning
q cablegram from Minister Woodford
at Madrid in which he confirms the
published report that he had an ex-
tended conference with Premier Sa-
gasta Yesterday. No definite conclu-
sion was reached as the minister de-
sires to place the matter under consld
Grafton before the Queen Regent and
the other members of the ministry.
The conference was adjourned until
Thursday. Mr.. Woodford is very hope
full and gives the President hope that q
final settlement may be determined at
to.morrow's conference. The main
question discussed at the meeting yes
terday between Mr.. Woodford and
Premier Sagasta is known to have been
the prompt cessation of hostilities in
Cuba, the release of the reconcentra-
does, with permission for them to re-
turn to their homes and resume their
occupations without further molesta-
ton. The concensus of opinion, how
ever, in administration circles Is that
it involves settlement upon an 10
demnity basis of something less than
100000 900.
The Navy Department has received
dispatch saying that several Spanish
warships have left Carthagena, Spain.
Their destination has not been learned
as yet. The news excited great inter
est at the Navy Department. The
ships are the Infanta Maria Theresa
and Christobal Colon, and the torpedo
boat destroyer Destructor.
The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations failed to reach an agreement at
its meeting to-day on any of its Cuban
resolutions before it, but referred the
whole matter TO subcommittee and
then adjourned. The members of the
committee who saw the President to-
day assured the other members that the
Cuban situation will come to head in
very few days and that Congress
would be informed. The utmost limit
placed upon the time when the matter
will be settled one way or another was
stated as one week, while others thought
that it might be within as hours. The
committee considered that it would be
unwise in view of negotiations now on
to precipitate matters at this time. 1t
was said that Congress need not take
action to hurry the administration IN
view of what had been learned by
members. The Senate passed resolu.
ton on motion of Chairman Davis, OF
the foreign relations committee, allow
ing them to sit during the session of the
Senate. The committee will re.
sumo its session this afternoon.
The only distinctive feature OF the
meeting was the general disposition
manifested to wait for o reasonable
time upon the President, and the seuli-
ment in this direction was quite unani.
nous upon the part OF the members.
The general understanding appeared to
be that the situation was such that the
report and the testimony in the Maine
case will have to be fully considered in
arriving at conclusion.
While the present disposition of the
com mittee is to oblige the President, it
was made evident that large maj or
ity of the committee would favor Wig
orous action as soon as it ia made evil
dent that diplomatic resources have
been exhausted.
General Grosvenor, of Ohio, has ex-
pressed his willingness to call caucus
of the republican members to decide
upon action with relation to the Cuban
situation if one is desired. But some
of the most radical republicans do not
believe caucus should be held yet as
they are of opinion it would necessari-
ly lead to open division between reput-
licans in Congress and President.
The President told Senator to day
that Sagasta yesterday had asked this
government through diplomatic chan.
nels whether the independence of Cuba
was necessary to the preservation of
peace and had been informed that it was.
A telegram from Fort Monroe says
Commodore Schley has almost fully Or
gained his working force, finding it
not difficult matter ss many of the Of.
ticers of the fleet are old shipmates and
have worked with him before.
President Mckinley told the Michi-
gan congressional delegation to-day
that he did not want Congress to act
pIcOlpitotOiJi ouu lnoe uO was OK p6CtlDR
hourly important adyices from Minister
Woodford upon which much would de-
pend.
The bill for the allowance of certain
claims for stores and supplies reported
by the court of claims, commonly
known as the Bowman act, which was
under consideration in the House yes
terday, passed that body to day, the
only item stricken out being the one to
pay the heirs of Mrs. Robert E. Lee
SIT ,236 left them by Mrs. Fitzhugh.
That item was probably the fairest one
in the whole bill. Its passage was ad-
vocsted on the floor by Messrs. Rixey,
Swanson, Jones and Yost, and was
only beaten in committee OF the
whole by twelve votes. But some
of the democratic friends of the
bill, in order to secure its passage, con-
sented to the republican demand to
have that item stricken out. Among
the claims in the bill are the following
William Bushby, SLIPS; ]. A. Dixon,
executor of Geo. o. Dixon, $72S, of AL
exandria; Susan Brown 1864, and heirs
of Walker Vaughn $50, OF Cnlpeper
county; John E. Febrey. 81 ,636; admin