The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-08-04
Spain Said to Have
Accepted the Princi=
pie of the Terms.
A FEW RESERVATIONS.
These, it is Stated, Relate
to Details Which Can
Be Arranged.
REPLY REPORTED TO BE MADE.

WASHINGTON, Aug. "A short
time before midnight Secretary Alger'
as he left the White House after a
conference with the President, said
the administration had received no
official information that the Madrid
government had accepted the terms
States. But, unofficially, the Presi-
dent had been informed that the
Spanish ministry had acceded to the
terms of this country for cession of
the war
The unofficial advices have reached
the President III the form not only
of press dispatches, but of private
dispatches from confidential agents
OF the United States government.
While this government has strong
reasons for believing that its terms of
peace have been agreed to by Madrid,
the President is taking nothing for
granted. Arrangements for pressing
the war to a successful conclusion are
going forward precisely as if no nego-
tiations for peace were in progress.
AT conference taken part in by
the President, Secretary Alger and
Adjutant General Corbin at the exec
utiye mansion tonight final decision
was reached as to the constitution of
the provisional corps for Porto Rico
TO be commanded by General Wade.
The regiments which are to comprise
the corps will be designated in gen
eral order to be issued probably to-
morrow. Secretary Alger said that
the corps might be on the way to
Porto Rico within a week.
Notwithstanding these warlike
preparations, the belief in official cir
cles tonight amounts almost to a
conviction that active hostilities
have practically been concluded. A
prominent official of the administra-
ton said:
The end, in my opinion, is near.
The information thus far received is
unofficial and meagre, but that it is
accurate, in the main, we have no
reason to doubt. In fact, we have
reason to believe it is correct
1t is understood that the reason re-
ferred to is contained in the private
advices received by the President and
private dispatches received by rep
resentatives of foreign governments
at this capital.
Ii llIC SNSlIC VI SlJ ttCC6l JIdIlCS
of the terms proposed by this country.
the first step probably will be toward
an agreement to close active hostili~
! ties, pending the drafting Of a treaty
OF peace along the lines OF the accept
| ed terms. According to precedents
ordinarily regarded, an armistice
would be proclaimed, and, in the cir
cumstances, this would mean the
| practical close of the war.
1t is pointed out that several prece-
dents have been set aside by this
/ government in the conduct of the
war and in the treatment of events
/ which led up to it. One notable i'll
stance in which recognized diplomatic
! precedents were swept away was the
personal demand made by Secretary
! Day upon Minister De Lone to know
whether or not the Spanish minister
was the author Of the letter rejecting
upon the President. Another prece-
| dent was the relegation TO the past
when the government decided to re-
| turn to Spain the prisoners of war
taken with the surrender of Santiago.
After the proclamation of an arm
| lstlce, the next step would be the des-
/ ignation by the President Of the com
missioners to represent the United
States il the conduct of the final ne
gotiations for peace. According to
the best accepted precedents this com
mission would meet upon nuetral
ground. 1t has been suggested that
the commission may assemble in
Paris, but as yet that is conjecture.
Pending the conclusion OF the work
of the commission the probabilities
are that the armies OF both Spain
and the United States will be Kept
in the field, their relative positions
remaining unchanged during the
diplomatic negotiations. Here again
precedent may be put aside by the
United States, but it is regarded as
likely that this country will not with
draw any of the troops from the field
until determination is reached of
| all Questions at issue,