The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-15
THE FULL TEXT OF SPAlN'S kOTE.
It Was Delivered to the Secretary of State
Last Sunday.

washington, April M-The full text of
the Spanish minister's note delivered to the
secretary of state last Sunday night, which
stands as the last step taken in the diplo-
matte negotiations became available today
as follows:
Memorandum: The minister plenipoen-
tiary of Spain has the honor to inform the
honorable secretary of state of the United
States of America that her majesty, the
queen regent, yielding to the reiterated re-
quests of his holiness and inspired by SEN
timnts of peace and concord which animate
her, has given proper instructions to the
general in chief of the army of Cuba, in
order that he should concede immediate
suspension of hostilities for such time as
he shall deem prudent for preparing and
facilitating peace in that island.
General Blanco has published today the
explanation and reserves TO himself to fix
the term and other details of it's execution
with the sole object of making sure that
a measure of such transcendant Importance
may lead in the shortest possible time to
the pacification of the great Antilles. In
the fixing of this term the general in chief
inspired by the most elevated sentiments,
far from raising any difficulties or OBJ
stacles, is disposed to concede all possible
facilities.
The goverpment of her majesty by this
important action has crowded its ext a.
ordinary efforts to obtain the pacification
of Cuba by means of reason and right.
No Pretext for More Ample Concessions
The automonic constitution which goes
to the inhabitants of the island of Cuba
a. political regime at least as liberal as
that which rules in the Dominion of Can
ada, will shortly enter upon its complete
development when the elections having
taken place, the insuar parliament shall
meet in Havana on the 4th of May next,
and usch are the franchises and liberties
granted to the Cubans that no pretext is
orln
Furthermore, as the island of Cuba Is
represented in the cortes of the kingdom,
a privilege which is not enjoyed by any
other foreign autonomic policy, the Cuban
deputies and senators there explain
their aspirations. if they have any.
No one who knows the liberal spirit of
the majority of the Spanish cortes recent
ly elected and the patriotic attitude of the
principal parties of the opposition can doubt
that the Cubans will obtain such modfica-
tions as they may desire in justice within
the limits of reason and of the national
sovereignty, according to the solemn offer
of the preamble of the royal decree OF the
9th of November, 1897; while at the same
time the government of her majesty de-
cared it would not withdraw nor contest
that there should be withdrawn anything
from the colonial liberties, franchises and
privileges accorded.
The repeal of the decree of reconcencYa-
tion the aid of all kinds which the gov
ernment of her majesty has granted and
has permitted to be given to the reconcen-
trados have put an end to lamentaple
state of affairs which was the inevitable
consequence of the bloody conflict pro-
voked by a small minority of the sons of
Cuba directed and supported principally
by foreign influences
Holds Herself IsIameless
No impartial mind which has full kuowl-
edge of the facts, so distorted as they
have been, and are actually, in everything
referring to the Cuban question, can give
Justice. charge Spain with being remiss in
seeking the means for pacifyng the island
or grudging in the concession OF priVi-
leges. liberty and franchise for the well
fare and happiness of its inhabitants.
The government of her majesty does not
doubt that the government of the United
States must recognize this and 1t VIII rec
ognize the manifest injustice with which
part of public opinion in this country pre-
sumes to find responsibilities for Spain in
the horrible catastrophe which occurred in
the port of Havana on the unhappy night
of the fifteenth of February last Her NAL
esty the queen regent, her responsible gov
ernment the governor-general of Cuba, the
iusl1ar government and all the principal
authorities of Havana manifested from the
first moment the profound sentiments OF
horror which that immense misfortune
caused them and their sympathy on that
The proofs Of this were the visits of the
charge daffairs of her majesty to the Illus
trious president of the United States those
of the highest Spanish functionaries OF
state to Mr. Woodford, the unstinted aid
given to victims, well as the funeral ar
rangements provided by the municipality of
Havana and the notes addressed to the de-
partment of state by this legation on the
sixteenth and seventeenth of February and
the second of this month, numbers IL. 13,
Il and SO respectively.
1t is strange that these notorious facts
and these solemn manifesto tions appear to
be forgotten by public opinion. which gives
credit on the other hand to the most absurd
and offensive hypothesis.
The government of her majesty would be
deeply grateful to the justice and courtesy
of that of the United States II 1t should
re-establish officially the truth of facts
which appear to be ignored or not appre-
ciated and ignorance of which contributes
SO powerfully to maintain the extraordin-
ary excitement which endangers without
any reason or motive the friendly relations
between the two nations.
Hopes For Peace
With reference to the fact which results
from the diversity of opinion In the reports
of the Spanish and American boards, her
majesty's government, which as yet does
not know the official text Of these opinions,
has hastened to declare itself ready to sub
NIT the question to the decision of impair
tial and disinterested experts, accepting
in advance the decision Of the arbitratofs
named by both parties-an evident proof of
the loyalty and good aith with which
Spain proceeds on this as well as on all
occasions.
The minister of Spain trusts that these
manifestations, inspired by the loyal desire
for peace and concord which animate the
government of her majesty will be appre-
ciated at their Just value by the president
and government Of the United States.
washington. April 10, 1888.