Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-28

ter the little federal patronage in Virginia
that has not vet been disposed of. An old
and distinguished member of the party from
their State told them the negro candidates for
Congress there would receive more votes than
theirs, bul they laughed at him
The State Department denies that in the
Spanish peace proposals there was any refer
ence 10 an armistice or to the cessation of hos
liiities during the consideration thereof.
A republican fIom the Norfolk, Virginia,
district here to-day, says the majority OF the
republican voters there are opposed to the re-
nomination of DR.. WISE the present Congress
man from that district, and that If he shall
receive the nomination, it will be against the
wishes of the Influential. men of his party,
and that he would be defeated by larger
majority than he was two years ago.
SPAIN AND THE UNITED STATES
No answer to SPANS overtures for
peace is expected to be given in Wash
ington before Friday. and perhaps none
will be given before Saturday or Mon
day. The opinion in Washington yes
terday was that there will be some
weeks more of fighting, as no armistice
will likely be granted until Spain is
willing to make definite concessions as
basis for a treaty of peace. It Is
stated in Washington that the longer
Spain delays in coming to terms The
harder will be the conditions eXacted.
President Mckinley, it is stated, is
6rmer than ever before in his inten-
ton to send Commodore Watson's
squadron to Europe. He desires by
this means, according to reports, to
convince Europe that he will permit no
outside interference in settling the
terms of peace.
The government of France has mott
fed all the French embassies OF the
fact that Spain has made proposals,
through Nj. Cambon, French ambassa-
dor at Washington, for peace with the
United States.
The Madrid correspondent of the
London Daily Mail says Spain will
probably protest against an attack
upon Porto Rico after the Washington
cabinet had officially received Spanish
overtures for peace. Should circular
note on this subject be sent to the pow
ers it will contain the exact dates OF the
Spanish communications, making 1t
clear that the United States deferred its
answer in order to be able to date this
after the American forces had gained a
footing in Porto Rico. Senior Sagasta
said yesterday: ave resolved on peace
many days ago and made known our
resolutions to the United States govern
ment. regard as null and void and
rs destitute of good faith everything
the Americans have done since and
am ready to protest against it for
mally."
A dispatch from Washington says:
at is virtually admitted by leading
members OF the administration that
upon only one point in peace negotia-
tions is there likely to be serious fric-
ton. and that relates TO the future OF
the Philippines. AS to Cuba and Por-
to Rico our government feels that there
is q reasonable certainty of encounter
ing little opposition to our demands.
The Spanish government might insist
upon the proposition thrown out by
the Vatican yesterday; namely, that
the United States shall annex Cuba,
the ostensible purpose being to secure
full protection for the Spanish element
left in the island, but while this would
be a vexatious point it would yield to
adjustment. AS to the Philippines
there is q full expectation OF greater
difficulties to be surmounted. There
is reason to believe that these diff
culties, like the Cuban settle
ment, will be rather internal than in
ternational in their character, at least
from the outset. The President is firm.
ly of the opinion that the United States
has no use for the islands as q perma-
nent possession. The gravest problem
of government would result were the at
tempt to be made to annex them, ow-
ing to the heterogeneous and i'll favored
character Of the large population of the
islands, while any effort to unite with
other powers in joint administration
might be fairly expected to result as
unsatisfactory as the tripartite ar
rangement between the United States,
Great Britain and Germany for the
government of the Samoan group.
However, there are evidences that
large element in the United States is
of the opinion that the islands should
be acquired by the United States, and
it is hoped by the President that before
it comes to the formulation officially OF
the United States demand, public sem
timent in this country, through news
paper discussion and otherwise, will
have so far crystalized as to enable the
government to perceive the popular de-
mand clearly. 1t may be stated that it
is confidently expected that when the
two governments arrive at the point OF
actually fixing terms they will be found
much closer together than is generally
supposed"
Captain Higginson, commander of
the naval convoy with General Miles.
cabled to the Navy Department that
the tranporta had been unloaded at
Porto Rico without opposition. The
Spanish troops in Porto Rico are being
withdrawn from the outlying towns,
and are concentrating upon San Juan.
The defenses of the capital are being
strengthened.
There were five deaths from yellow
fever among the American troops at
Santiago, on Tuesday, and five from
malarial and typhoid fever. General
Shafter reports $50 new cases of fever.
The total number of men in his COM
mand who are sick is $40, Of whom
1924 have fever in some form.
General Shafter has permitted the
Cubans under General Castillo to &C.