The San Francisco call., 1898-04-07

He knows @ riot there and the injury of one American means war. He knows that if hair of Lees head is touched it means the kind of war that Sherman said was "hell."
 1 am able to state authoritatively that the messages from Consul General Lee and Lieutenant Commander Cowles are in substance:
 On account of lack of steamer ac- commodations Consul General Lee has been unable to remove the Amer jeans from Havana at the time (be- fore noon to-day) specified by the President. There are now two thou sand Americans, native-born and naturalized, who are being fed by the Consul General and more are arriving in Havana hourly. The situation has | taken critical phase by reason of the action of the volunteers, who, ex- cited by recent events and anticipat- ing warlike message from Presi- dent Mckinley, are parading the streets, and there is danger of riots with the massacre of Americans as a result. This condition will be greatly aggravated when information re- garding the contents of the message reaches Havana.
 General Lee, therefore, urges that the President delay transmitting his mes sage to Congress, and states that if it IS made public, he will not be re- sponslble for the safety of Americans. He believes he will be able to get all Americans away from Cuba next Sun day. The steamer Mascotte left this af- ternoon for Key West with ninety-six passengers, all returning Americans. The Olivette will leave Key West to- morrow, together with the Bache and Mangrove.
 The supply ship Fern will remain at Havana and will be the refuge of Gen eral Lee and the other consular officers and such Americans as the other ships may be unable to bring to the United 1 States.
 ! Immediately after the receipt of Lees telegram, the decision was reached to postpone the transmission of the mes sage, and dispatch was sent to General Lee, informing him oi the acquiescence of the President in his request, and urg- ing him to go to any expense he 1 thought necessary to get Americans away from Cuba He was directed to inform the President the moment the last American had departed, in order that the message might at once be laid before Congress-
 In addition to the advices from Gen eral Lee and Lieutenant Commander Cowles, 1t was reported to-day appar- ently on good authority, that represen- tative of the Plant Line called on the 1 President and informed him that his firm feared an outbreak in Havana. and that unless he agreed not to send his message to Congress, his company would not fel justified in sending its yes sels to that port. This report was de nied at the White House in the even 1 ing.
 Secretary Long advised Captain Sampson of the serious condition of af- fairs existing in Havana. and directed him to keep in constant communication with General Lee, and, if that officer thought 1t necessary that warships come to his aid, to send them with all possible dispatch Captain Sampson will also watch the cable, and should 1t be found that it is cut, he will order his vessels to go to Cubas capital
 It was rumored tonight that another man-of-war had been ordered to Havana. but this rumor could not be verified. It was reported tonight that General Lee had left Havana, but denied by | high officials, who pointed out that Gen e-al Lee would hardly leave his post when Americans are in grave danger.
 Congress was greatly disappointed at not receiving the message to-day. It has been difficult for some time past to | both houses Some men were inclined l to jump at conclusions this afternoon, and when they were first informed that the message would not be sent in. said the President was simply playing for delay and was using Consul General Lees cablegram as a pretext. When 1t was learned, however, that the Senators and Representative who have been called to the White House had them selves advised holding the message back until every American was out of Cuba. there was general acquiescence.
 There are men in both houses who sincerely hope that in the meantime the President may be able to effect some peaceful settlement of the general Cuban question.
 On the other hand the majority in both Houses as sincerely regard the destruction of the Maine as casus belli.
 They believe the United States should sweep the western hemisphere to avenge the loss of that vessel and of her officers and men. and they do not want the case of United States versus Spain | b,, tho adit,ctr1epf nf auV