The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-29

try at San Juan, July 1st."
Inspector General Breckenridge. who
had been a member of General Shat
ters staff, called at the White house
this afternoon and personally descrfb-
ed TO the president the conditions ex-
listing there when he left July Goth. He
spoke particularly of the remarkable
enthusiasm displayed by the United
states troop and of their cool. brave
Undue under fire. He also minimized
the yellow fever conditions and said
that the troops had fully prepared in
for its appearance.
DIPLOMATS INTERESTED IN
PEACE QUESTION.
In diplomatic quarters SPANS peace
proposal, made through the French
ambassador. is the absorbing topic, and
the answer OF the president is awaited
with Keen interest. The diplomats
showed their interest early today by
calling at the state department and al
the French embassy to learn with more
exactness the details OF SPANS pro-
posal. This developed several features
of the proposition which had not been
entirely clear.
III the first place. no foreign gov
m outside of France has been
consulted by Spain in this overture for
peace, and the present movement is
not shared. directly or indirectly, by
Germany, Austria, Italy. Russia or
Great Britain. 1t can now be stated,
however, that the formal proposition
submitted yesterday has been under
consideration at Madrid for five days
previous TO yesterday, during which
time the British, as well as the French
authorities, were cOgniZant of the act
that Spain was about to sue for peace.
This being settled, it appears that a
| good natured but keen. rivalry sprung
up between Sir Drummond-Wolf. the
British ambassador at Madrid. and NJ.
P~atenOtre, the French ambassador
there, as to which government should
have the honor Of initiating the move
ment designed to restore the peace of
the world. Spain appears to have pre-
ferred the French government.
EXACT PROPOSITION MADE BY
SPAIN.
Another essential point is the exact
proposition made by Spain. There has
been some misrepresentation over this,
owing TO the publication of an alleg-
ed text Of the proposition. and other
reports asserting that Spain asked
President Mckinley to state terms of
peace. AS a matter of fact, the Span
ish proposition does not mention the
word terms" and there is no request
or suggestion in it that the president
shall state terms Of peace. The dis
tinct inquiry made by Spain is as to
whether the United States will open
negotiations toward the settlement of
the war and the arrangement of peace.
1t is based on the theory that
if the president nswer in he
affirmative, then the negotiations
for terms will be opened between COM
m~issioners or parties clothed with the
responsibility of bringing about a set
Element.
FORMALITY OF THE PROPOSAL.
The Spanish proposition is clothed
with all the sOlemnity and fOrmality
of a government act, despite the able
report from Madrid that the peace pro-
posal is of a private nature" The in
structiOnS to M. CambOn bear the Of
fetal signature of Duke AlmadOvar de
Rio, minister Of foreign affairs, and,
beside expressing the desire of the cab
met and the government that peace
negotiations be opened. they are given
the added solemnity of approval and
earnest personal request by Queen-Re-
gent Maria Cristina- The instructions
bear the date-Madrid, July 25th.
These formalities dismiss all questions
in the minds of officials as to the reg
ularity of the Spanish proposition as
expressive of the wishes of the gov
eminent Of Spain. Aside from this, NJ.
CambOn is too much a veteran in di-
plomacy to have embarked any pri-
Vate Overtures toward peace.
AS to the manner of conducting the
peace negotiations, several plans are
said to be open, beside that of having
General Porter and Senior Castillo, the
United States and Spanish ambassa-
doris at Paris respectively, conduct
them. One plan is to have Spain name
peace plenipotentiaries who will come
directly to Washington and conduct
negotiations. This, however, is said to
to be somewhat inexpedient, as it would
take nine days for the Spanish plenipo-
tentiaries to reach Washington and
there is every desire to avoid delay.
Another tentative plan is to have Spain
name M. Cambon as the Spanish pleni.
~potentiary at Washington, thus con-
fering on him authority to treat di-
rectly with the president and carry
the negotiations forward to a conclu-
sion. 1t is probable that this plan will
be more acceptable to the United
States, as it would keep the negotia-
tions at Washington and also give
them an agreeable personal character
as the authorities have the highest
regard for the ability and sincerity OF
the French representative here. These
plans, however, will not besettled I'M
til after the president gives his answer
to the first inquiry made by Spain.
NJ nm