The age-herald., 1898-08-03
HAS ACC[D[D
 ID OUR TERMS President UnofIcia|y Informed Proposals Were Accepted. THE END IS VERY NEAR But This Government is Taking NOth-
 ing For Granted. PREPARATIONS ARE CONTINUED For Pressing the War 10 Successful and Speedy Termination. CAMBON HASN'T COMMUNICABLE Spain's Reply to the President So Far as Could Be Ascertained Up to
 an Early Hour This
 Morning.
For Pressing the War 10 Successful
 and Speedy Termination.
CAMBoN HASN'T COMMUNICATED

Washington, Aug 2.-Shortly before mid night Secretary Alger, as he left the white house after conference with the presi- dent, said the administration had received no official information that the Madrid government had accepted the terms of peace proposed by the United States. Unofficially the president had been in- formed that the Spanish ministry had acceded to the terms of this country for a cession of the war. The unofficial ad- vices have reached the president in the form not only of press dispatches, but of private dispatches from confidential agents of the United States government.
 While this government has strong req sons for believing that its terms of peace have been agreed to by the Madrid gov ernment, the president is taking nothing for granted. Arrangements for pressing the war to a successful conclusion are going forward precisely as if no negotia- tions for peace were in progress.
 At a conference participated in by the president, Secretary Alger and Adjutant- General Corbin at the executive mansion tonight final decision was reached as to the constitution of the provisional corps for Porto Rico to be commanded by Gen. eral Wade The regiments which are to comprise, the corps were decided upon and will be designated in a general order to be issued, probably tomorrow. Secretary AL ger said that the corps might be en route to Porto Rico within a week.
 Hostilitics Concluded.
 Notwithstanding these warlike prcpara- tions the belief in official circles tonight amounts almost to a conviction that ac- tive hostilities practically have been con- cluded. A prominent official of the admin istration said tonight:
 .'The end is near, in my opinion. The in- formation thus far received is unofficial and meagre, but that it is accurate in the main we have no reasdh to doubt In fact, we have reason to believe it is correct"
 It is understood that the reason refer red to is contained in the private advices received by the president and from private dispatches received by representatives of foreign governments at this capital.
 Ambassador Cambon, who is conducting the negotiations for the Spanish govern ment, has not communicated so far as could be ascertained with the president to- night, and 1t is not probable that the off, cial response to the terms proposed by the United States has reached the French am- bassador Upon its receipt 1t will be trans mitted to the president without delay.
 In the event of Spain's acceptance of the terms proposed by this country, the first step probably will be towards an agree ment to close active hostilities, pending the drafting of treaty of peace along the lines of the accepted terms According to the precedents ordinarily regarded an ar msticc would be proclaimed and in the circumstances this would mean the prac- tical close of the war. It is pointed out, however, that several precedents have been set aside by this government in the conduct of the war and in the treatment of events which led up to it.
 Precedent Swept Away
 One notable instance in which recognized diplomatic precedents were swept away was the personal demand made by Secre- tary Day upon Minister DeLome to know whether the Spanish minister was the au- thor of the letter reflecting upon the presi- dent. Another precedent was relegated to the past when the government decided to return to Spain the prlsonersl of war taken with the surrender of Santiago.
 Precedents have been disregarded in other instances by this government. In view of this fact, therefore precedent may not govern absolutely in the conduct of the peace negotiations
 After the proclamation of an armistice, Automatically the next step would be the