The Dickinson press., 1898-07-30
SPAIN SEEKS PEACE
a DIRECT APPEAL TO PRESIDENT
:M'kiNLEY.

French Ambassador Cambon-Proposal
General in Terms and Connnsd to .
Plsa for NsEetiations Looking to .
sstslsmsnt--Ne Reference hads to
* Cubs, Psrto. Rico or the philipplnss.
WAsH1HoToa. July a7.-Ths Spanish
goxernmentshas sued for peace, not in.
directly through the great powers Of
Europe, but by direct appeal to Pres.
ident Mckinley. The proposition was
formally submitted to the president at
8 o'clock by the French ambassador,
NJ. Jules Cambon, who had received
instructions from the foreign office st
Paris to deliver to the government the
tender Of peace formulated byt the
Spanish ministry. Az the connlsaion
Of the conference between the presi.
dent and the French ambassador, the
following official statement was issued
from the White House:
..The French ambassador on behalf
OF the government Of Spain and BY
direction Of the Spanish minister Of
foreign affairs presented to the presi.
dent during the afternoon at the White
House message from the Spanish
government looking to the termination
6f the war and the settlement Of terms
Of peace"
All Con lecture Put at Rest.
This was the only official statement
made public. but it sufaced to put at
rest all conjecture and to mako clear
and definite that at last Spain had
taken the initiative toward peace. Al.
though peace rumors have been current
almost daily heretofore since the war
began not one Of them had the shadow
OF foundation, and until the French
ambassador received instructions from
Paris no. overtures Of any kind had
been received. Shortly before mid.
night dispatch to the French EN-.
bassy made It known to the embassy
that tho ambassador would be charged
with tho important mission Of opening
peace negotiations in behalf Of Spain.
Thereupon N. Thiebeaut first secre.
tary of tho embassy, called at the state
department and asked that an hour be
appointed for call by Ambassador
Cambon on the president The
lurposs OF the Call Was Not stated.
It was arranged at the White House
that the call should be made at 3
O'Clock. The call lasted abont half an
hour. and after the first formalities had
been executed by M. Cambon the talk
became general and quite informal,
the president, the ambassador and the
secretary Of state discussing the out.
look for conclusion of hostilities.
The proposition submitted by the am.
bassador acting for the Spanish gov.
ernment was quite general in terms
and was confined to the one essential
point of an earnest plea that negotia-
tions be opened for the purpose Of ter.
minating the war and arriving at
terms of peace. The communication
of the Spanish government did not
suggest any specific terms Of peace,
nor was any
Refersnos Made 70 Cubs,
the Philippines, Porto Rico or other
Spanish possessions The evident pur.
pose Of the Madrid authorities was to
first learn whether the United States
would treat on the subject of peace,
and after that to take up such terms as
the two parties might suggest. Neither
was there any suggestion from the
Spanish government that an armistice
be established pending the peace nego.
tiations. It seemed natural, however,
!. from the proposition that formal peace
negotiations be entered upon that