The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-09
SPANISH .
MESSAGE
Its Text Being Deciphered at
French Embassy
ITS NATURE NOT YET KNOWN
: But Believed to Conoede All Vital
p. Points. :
PERSONNEL OF THE COMMISSION.

No Ono Not in Accord With Presidents
Views as to the Disposition of the Phil.
ippines Will Be Appointed Gov
eminent Will Stand by the Terms In
dicated in the Answer to the Spanish
Government
Washington, Aug. 9.-The reply of
the Spanish government to the peace
conditions laid down by the United
States was received by the French
ambassador. M. Cambon, yesterday af-
ternoon. The reply came in sections,
the dispatch first received giving only
the opening passages of the Spanish
reply. A few minutes later another
dispatch brought second section, and
these kept esming uninterruptedly by
: q procession of messengers until seven
sections Of the Spanish raPly had been
received 1T o'clock, when theslaA
part was stilI.to arrive. In. the meanA
time the cipher experts were at work
and by 4:30 o'clock they were abreast
Of all that portion Of the reply received
W. W lhal tiIlcb dNlu w do d luH
of some time. pending the arrival Of the
concluding portions.
Pending the receipt Of the complete
reply no steps were taken to fix time
Tor conference with the president as
the time for that depends largely upon
some of the features of the reply, and
also upon the explicit instructions con-
cerning the delivery of the answer
which usually accompanies a docu-
ment of this solemn character. Neither
II the White House nor at the state de-
phrtment was there any official know
ledge that the reply had reached Wash
lngton, and the usual office hours closed
with no appointment made for con-
ference.
Pending the official delivery of the
answer speculation was rife as to its
contents. There was little or no further
doubt that the length of the reply
meant that Spain had not given a
simple and direct affirmative to the
American conditions. 1t was evident
that If the reply was an acceptance it
was accompanied by extended discus
sion and probably by conditions. This
caused considerable apprehension in Of
flcial circles here, for while it was felt
last week that Spain would surely
yield In every particular, 1t began to
be felt that possibly there might be
another period of discussion and pos
sibly an indirect attempt to open up a
diplomatic exchange on the nature of
the terms.
All vital points were believed to be
eonceded--the abandonment of Cuba
Porto Rico and the Ladrones and the
establishment of a commission to pass
upon questions relating to the Philip
pines. In the carrying out of this pro-
gram 1t was believed thatSpain would
seek to secure an understanding on
many incidental points involved, some
sf them of considerable Importance.
Late In the afternoon the president
resolved an indirect intimaton that the
Spanish reply had come to the French
embassy. A cabinet officer who was
with him at this time said on leaving:
'-The information that has come from
Madrid about the action of the Spanish
cabinet indicates the Spanish have ac-
cepted our terms in a general way but
leaves several questions open that we
did not include In the terms submitted.
The communication offering those
terms was explicit specifically stating
such points as would be left open to
forther negotiation. We will stand on
those terms"
The administration has not yet given
serious consideration to the personnel
OF the peace commission, but it can be
stated no one not in accord with the
presidents present views as to the dis
position Of the Philippines will be ap-
pointed. and Mr.. Mckinley favors
keeping at least Manila harbor and
bay and sufficient territory around it !
Tor its support and protection, If not
The whole of Luzon Island As to mem
bers of the cabinet as members of the
commission, there are preCedents for |
their appointment, notably the treaty
Df Ghent.
The concluding portion of the Span
lEh reply was received during the
evening, but it was not until a late
hour that 1t was deciphered as a whole
and gone over by the ambassador. No
Effort was made to communicate II to
the United States government last
night beyond note to Secretary Day
advising him that the document had
been received, but not disclosing its
contents. 1t is probable that the reply
VIII be delivered to the president be-
ore the cabinet meeting today, al
hough no hour has been fixed.
There Is complete reticence In all
luarters as to the text of the reply,
'ut there Is reason to believe it is not
m unqualified acceptance of the Amer
can terms, but Is framed on the theory
Z accepting the essentials and trusting
hoped for conciliatory spirit on the
'srt of this government to moderat,
some extent features which the
panish government seems to regard as
nessential.