The record-union., 1898-10-05
AMERICAN PEACE
COMMISSIONERS.
They Confer With Major General
Merritt.
He Gives Them the Views Of Himself and
Admiral Dewey.
VIII Give His Personal Views OF
the Philippines To-Day-Presi-
dent Faure Received the Span
ish Commissioners Yesterday
and Afterward the Americans,
and Received McKin1ey's Mes
sage.

sage.
PARIS, Oct. 4.-Tne morning was
cold and disagreeable, favoring indoor
work, of which each Peace Commission
er has plenty on hand. The American
Commissioners determined to devote
to-day's session to a conference with
Major General Merritt, the session be-
ginning at 10 o'clock and lasting until
o'clock in the afternoon. General
Merritt detailed to the Commissioners
his personal views and those of Rear
Admiral Dewey regarding the physical
geographical, moral and political con-
ditions prevailing in the Philippines.
General Merritt's exposition of his
personal views and judgment of the
Philippines was not finished to-day and
he will meet the commission again to-
morrow, when he will continue to dis
charge his errand here.
President Montero Rios of the Span
lsh Commission and his colleagues were
busy to-day with telegraphic and other
correspondence.
Senor Rios denied himself to all call
erS
A newspaper, LIE Petit Bleu." this
morning declared it has authority for
the statement that it has been decided
that AN adjustment relative to Cuba
will be first discussed at the next meet
ing, owing to incidents which have re-
Gently taken place in the Philippines. -
Inc same newspaper remarks that
Senor Rios yesterday bought three
copies of work on international law
by one of our most eminent iurists.
The Petit Bleu" does not accept the
view that the work of the commission
VIII be concluded before December. but
expresses the belief that it will require
a longer time
The United States Embassador, Cen
eral Horace Porter, will give a dinner
in honor of the Americans tomorrow
afternoon and next week General Por-
ter will give dinner in honor of both
commissions at the United States EN-
bassy
The Spanish Commissioners were re-
ceived this afternoon by President
Faure at the Elysee Palace. The
members of the Spanish Commission
We're introduced by Embassador Leon
Castillo, and Senor Rios expressed
meeting the President of France.
At 4:45 p. M, Immediately follow
ing the reception of the Spaniards. the
members of the American Commission
were received by President Faure at
the Elysee Palace. General Porter
met the Commissioners on the steps
of the Court of Honor and they pro-
ceeded to the grand salon
President Faure. surrounded by a
few members of his official household
received General Porter, who present.
ed Judge Day and the other members
of the commission in turn, after which
Judge Day presented to President
Faure a cable message from President
Mckinley. 1t was dated September
Goth and was addressed to His Ex-
cellency, NJ. Faure, President of the
Republic" and was signed William
Mckinley, President of the United
States" It read as follows:
"On this OCCASION when the COM
missions of the United States and Spain
are about to assemble at the capital Of
France to negotiate peace, and when
the representatives of this Government
are receiving the hospitality and the
good will of the republic, / tender to
you my most friendly personal greet
ing and the assurances of my grateful
appreciation of your kind courtesies to
the American Commissioners"
President Faure. in replying, courte-
ously expressed his appreciation of the
cordial sentiments uttered and heartily
reciprocated them
President Faure said that everything
possible would be done for the comfort
of the Commissioners and concluded
with saying:
"As the name of Lafayette is held
dear in the United States, so is the
name of Washington revered in
France"
The President then added that he
would Immediately transmit directly
to President Mckinley his reply to the
latter's cordial message.
The following is the text of Presi-
dent Faure's cable message to Presi-
dent Mckinley:
II have had great pleasure in re-
ceiving the American plenipotentiaries
to the Hispano-American Peace Com
mission During the course of an audi
ence, Mr.. Day read the telegram which
you so graciously sent to me. I am
very much touched by the sentiments
which your excellency has been kind
enough to express and I heartily thank
you for them. | hope the American
Commissioners will have kind recollec-
tions of their sojourn in Paris, which
/ shall try to render agreeable to them,
and I sincerely hope for happy ter
mination of the pacific work of the
chm mi icSion -