The San Francisco call., 1898-03-07
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over and the request for his recall was for that reason in the nature of com plete surprise. There are circumstances which clearly disclose the grounds for the recall, although it is not known that Spain has made any exact speci- fication of complaint. Since the Maine disaster a report has been circulated that General Lee held the personal opin- ion that the explosion was due to ex- ternal causes. No official report of this character was ever sent to Washington so far as is known, but the mere cfrcu- lation of the report at Madrid attribu- ting such views to General Lee has been the source of much feeling in Spanish official circles. The press dispatches from Madrid also disclose that General Lee is held accountable at the Spanish capital for the project of the purchase of Cuba by the United States from Spain as well as for a general senti- ment of sympathy toward the insur- gents. The suggestion of the Impar- cial, a leading Government organ, that the next sitting of the Cortes will con- slider the case of General Lee, shows the strong influences which induced the Sagasta Cabinet to ask for his recall.
 In this connection the fact is noted that Senor Dupuy de Lome is due in Spain at this time. His enforced re- tirement on a demand of the United States is felt to have awakened counter sentiment at Madrid which finds expression against Consul General Lee. There is little doubt also that such advice as Senor de Lome would give to the Government or to the. press in public in Madrid would not be condu- cive toward the retention Of General Lee. There Is little doubt, however, that the main cause of Spatn's acton is the sympathy General Lee has shown for the Cuban sufferers. It is known that his active and open sympathy with the people who have suffered so great ly during the present insurrect1on, American citizens as well as native Cubans has not been accepted by the Spanish officials in Cuba as an exhi- bition of disinterested officialism, such as is expected of Consular officers. There were complaints of his conduct during General Weyler's administra- ton, but never in full official form.
 AS a matter of fact Spain required no formal excuse for the dismissal of ALO
 tional law. These officers are not en- dowed usually with diplomatic privil- eges and they exist entirely by the suf- ferance of the nations to which they are sent. It Is not necessary nor usual 1 to request their home Government to recall them. They live officially only 1 through an exequateur granted by the i Government to which they are accred- | tied, and this may be withdrawn at any moment. So ConsulGeneral Lee may be dismissed from his post at the pleas ure of the Spanish Government, and this would not violate any section of international law. But he Is in one re- spect unique, in that he Is endowed with semi diplomatic powers, by the wish of our Government and by the consent of the Spanish Government. d The request of the Spanish Government for his recall may, therefore, be re- garded as tantamount to a demand for the recall of objectionable Ministers such, for instance, as was Senor Dupuy de Lome There must be some substan- tial or satisfactory reason for such a demand in such cases, and as those pre- sented against General Lee probably were confined to the acts he has so far
 performed with the full sanction and
 approval O. President Mckinley, the
 demand was not entertained, as is
 clearly shown in the statement given
 out by Assistant Secretary Day, Un-
 der such circumstances the incident
 would close unless Spain took the de-
 cisive step of insisting on General Lee s
 recall, and, this failing, giving him his
 exequateur.
 This radical course is not expected,
 however, and all the indications reach
 ing officials here are that Spain will not
 proceed further with the incident
 The action regarding the cruiser
 Montgomery and the gunboat Nash