The record-union., 1898-11-13
The Joint Session Likely to Be
Postponed Until Tuesday.
Spanish Members Ask for and viii Be
GTanted Additional Time
In Which to Prepare Documents
They Will Submit to the Ameri-
cans in Reply to the PROPOSE
tions of the United States Re1a-
tive to the Philippine Islands.

tive to the Philippine Islands.
PARIS, Nov PIT is now believed
that the next meeting of the Peace
Commissions may be postponed until
Tuesday next, but no definite decision
has been arrived at The Spanish
Commissioners are still busy in the
preparation of the documents which
they will submit at the next session Of
The commissions, and it is understood
that the presentation will cover mat
ters which render their careful prepara-
tion unusually important.
Some Of the original papers and tram
scripts necessary for the next presenta-
ton of Spain's case will probably not
arrive here until too late, on Monday to
permit of a meeting that day, which,
of course, would necessitate the post
ponment of the next meeting of the
commissions until Tuesday
Spain has held and may still insist
that she effectually reserved her Phil
ippine sovereignty from discussion or
disturbance by the United States in a
note from Duke AImodovar de Rio, the
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, to
Judge Day. the then United States Sec
retary of State, dated Madrid on Au-
gust 7th. It is by this message that
Spain presumably accepted the terms
of peace, which, at Spain's request, had
been set forth by President Mckinley
through Secretary Day under date Of
July Both. And it is by this message
Of Duke Almodovar de Rio and by the
response of Secretary Day that Spain
seeks to prove to the United States
Peace Commission and to the tribunal
of nations that Spainss sovereignty over
the Philippines was reserved from any
discussion here, and without protest
from the United States.
IN the letter in question Duke AL
modovar de Rio says Spain did not de-
clare war, and only engaged in it to
defend her rights. He acknowledged
the necessity of Spain's quitting the isl
and of Cuba, and says she will do so.
Continuing, he says: "The United
States require as an indemnity for or
equivalent to the sacrifices they have
borne during this short war, the ces-
sion of Porto Rico and other islands
now under the sovereignty of Spain in
the West Indies, and also the cession of
islands in the Ladrones, to be selected
by the Federal Government
This demand strips US of the very
last memory of the glorious task, and
eXpels us at once from the prosperous
island of Porto Rico and from the
Western Hemisphere, which became
peopled and civilized through the proud
deeds of our ancestors. 1t might, per-
haps, have been possible to compen-
safe by some other cession for the in
juries sustained by the United States.
However, the infieXibility of the demand
obliges us to cede, and we shall cede
the island Of Porto Rico and other ISL
ands belonging to the crown of Spain
in the West Indies, together with other
islands of the archipelago of the La
drones, to be selected by the American
Government.
''The terms relating to the Philippines
seem, to our understanding, quite in
definite. On the other hand, the
ground on which the United States be-
lieve themselves entitled to occupy the
bay, harbor and city of Manila, pending
the conclusion of the treaty of peace,
cannot be that of conquest, since, in
spite of the blockade maintained on the
bay by the American fleet, and in spite
Of the siege established on land by q
native army supported and provided for
by an American Admiral, Manila still
holds its own, and the Spanish stan
dard still waves over the city. On
the other hand. the whole archipelago
of the Philippines is in the power and
under the sovereignty of Spain.
Therefore, the Government of Spain
thinks the temporary occupation of
Manila should constitute a guaranty.
It is asserted that the treaty of peace
a
and government of the Philippines. but
as the intentions of the Federal Gov
ernment by repression remain yelled,
the Spanish Government must there
fore declare that, while accepting the
third condition, they do not, priori,
renounce the sovereignty of Spain over
the archipelago. leaving it to the ne
gotiators to agree as to such reforms
to the conditions OF these possessions
as their natives may require.
THE Government of her majesty ac-
cepts the third condition. with the
aforementioned declarations. They
accept the proffered terms, subject to
the approval of the kingdom. as re
quired by their constitutional duty"
Secretary Days response, through
NJ Cambon, under date of August 10th
which Spain declares embodied ac-
quiescence of her reservation of Philip
pine sovereignty from discussion OF
the Peace Commission, says:
Although it is our understanding
that the note of the Duke Almodovar
de Rio, which you left with the Presi-
dent on yesterday AFTERNOON. is in
tended to convey an acceptance by the
Spanish Government of the terms set
forth in my note of the 30th. as a
basis upon which the President may
appoint Commissioners to negotiate
and conclude with Commissioners upon
the part of Spain, a treaty of peace. ]
understand that we concur in the opin-
ION that the Dukes note, doubtless oW-
ing to the various transformations
which it has undergone in the course
of its circuitous transmission by tele-
graph and in cipher, is not. in the form
in which it reached the President, en-
tirely explicit.
'-Under the circumstances it is con-
sidered that the most certain way OF
avoiding misunderstanding is to EN-
body a protocol to be signed by US as
the representatives of the United
states and Spain, the terms on which
the negotiations for peace are to be
undertaken. / therefore inclose here
with the draft Of such a protocol. in