The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-12-15

could not be accepted the only reply be-
ing to present as virtual ultimatum a
draft of the protocol, embodying the pre-
else terms rendered to Spain in our note
Of July 30. which added stipulations of
details as to the appointment of COM
missioners to arrange for the evacuation
OF the Spanish Antilles. On August IL,
M. Cambon announced his receipt of full
powers to sign the protocol as submitted.
Terms Of the Protocol.
Accordingly. on the afternoon of August
II, M. Cambon as the plenipotentiary OF
Spain and the secretary of state, as the
plenipotentiary of the United States.
signed the protocol providing:
Article L Spain will relinquish all
claim OF sovereignty over and title to
Cuba.
Article 2. Spain will cede to the United
States the island of Porto Rico and other
islands now under Spanish sovereignty In
the West Indies, and also an island in
the Ladrones to be selected by the United
States
article g. The United States will occu-
py and hold the city, bay and harbor OF
Manila, pending the conclusion of a treaty
of peace, which shall determine the con-
troll, disposition and government of the
Philippines"
The fourth article provided for the APP
part Of the United States and Spain to
meet in Havana and San JUAN respective
ly, for the purpose of arranging and car
rying out the details of the stipulated
evacuation of Cuba, Porto Rico and other
Spanish islands in the West Indies.
The fifth article provided for the ap-
pointment Of not more than five commits
sioners on each side to meet at Paris not
later than October 1, and to proceed to
the negotiation and conclusion OF
treaty of peace, subject to ratification ac-
cording to the respective constitutional
forms of the two countries
The sixth and last article provides that
upon the signing of the protocol, HOSTILE
ties between the two countries snail De
suspended, and that notice to that eHec.
should be given as soon as possible by
each government to the commanders OF
it's naval forces.
Immediately upon the conclusion OF the
protocol, I issued the proclamation OF Au-
gust r. suspending hostilities on the part
of the United States. The necessary or
ders to that end were at once given by tel
egraph. The blockade Of the ports OF Gu
ba and of San Juan de Porto Rico was In
like manner raised On August IL, the
muster-out of 100, 900 volunteers, or as near
that number as was found to be practical
BILE, was ordered. On December l, 10l, bob OF
fcers and men had been mustered out ana
discharged from the service; 9OO2 more Will
be mustered out by the 10th of the month;
also a corresponding number OF generals
and general staff officers have been hon.
orably discharged from the service.
The military commissions to superintend
the evacuation of Cuba, Porto Rico and
the adjacent islands were forthwith ap-
pointed
For Major-General James. F.
Wade, Rear-Admiral William T. Samp6on,
D,r%l4
For Porto Rico-Major-General John c.
Brooke, Rear-Admiral Winfield Scott
Schley, Brigadier-General w. Gordon.
They soon afterwards met the Spanish
commissioners at Havana and San Juan,
respectively. The Porto Rico joint commits
sion speedily accomplished its task, and
by October Is the evacuation OF the island
was completed. The United States flag
was raised over the island at noon that
day. The administration of its affairs has
been Professionally intrusted to military
governor until congress shall otherwise
provide. The Cuban Joint high commits
sion has not yet terminated its labors Ow-
ing to the difficulties in the way of remov-
ing the large number Of Spanish troops
still in Cuba, the evacuation cannot be
completed before the LIST of January next.
The Peace Commission.
Pursuant to the fifth article of the pro-
tocol, 1 appointed William r. Day, lately
secretary of state; Cushman K. Davis,
William P. Frye and George Gray, sena tors
of the United States and Whitelaw Reid,
to be peace commissioners on.sthe part Of
the United States. Proceeding In due
season to Paris, they there met, on the
LIST of October, five commissioners sim
ilarly appointed on the part Of Spain. The
negotiations have made hopeful progress,
so that / trust soon to be able to lay a
definite treaty of peace before the senate,
with a review of the steps leading to its
signature.
L. do not discuss at this time the govern
ment or the future of the new possessions
which will come to us as the result of the
war with Spain. Such discussion will
be appropriate after the treaty of peace
shall be ratified. In the meantime, and
until congress has legislated otherwise, 1t
will be my duty to continue the military
government which has existed since our
occupation and give their people security
in life and property and encouragement
under a just and beneficent rule.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.