The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-26
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ASHES OF COLUMBUS.
Spantards Assert That the Ashes are
Personal prOuerty

| New York, September 25.-FredSric II
Coudert was asked tonight for his opinion
DIS to the soundness of the contention Of
the Spanish commission at Havana that
| Spain Is at this time the absolute sover-
| eign In Cuba and that the powers of tn,
| American and Spanish commissioners are
| limited solely to the question of evacuation
! of the island.
Mr.. Coudert was also asked If he be-
| lieved Spain was legally entitled to the
| possession OF the ashes of Christopher CO.
lumbus. The Spaniards are asserting that
| the ashes come under the classification OF
Personal Property" which. under the
, trms of the protocol is exempt from sei2-
ure by the United States. 1t is declared in
certain quarters that the United States are
entitled to the possession of the discov-
erers relics and that Spain can not legally
remove them from Cuba. but must sur
render them with other property which be-
longs to the government by right OF con-
quest. Mr.. Coudert said:
IT Is illogical TO claim that Spain has
absolute power and control ovsr Cuba. TO
make such claim as this is to disregard or
forget the fight at Santiago, the destruu-
tion of SPANS heet, the surrender of GEN
eral Toral and all those events which ac-
company the surrender of part of Cuba.
Spain is bound to surrender the other part
of Cuba, of which Havana is the citadel
at some time not yet fixed. Her rights,
such as they are depend on the terms OF
the protocol and on reasonable construc-
lions TO be placed under the rules 81 in
ternational law upon her undertaking to
withdraw at date still to be fixed.
Upon the construction of this protocol
and of these rules depend other questions,
namely, the right to the remains of Chris
TOPPER Columbus. know of nothing which
will prevent the Sraniards from exercising
a pious duty to the mort ilustrious Span
lard Spain ever produced There is not
legal contemplation, at least, any none
tary value to be attached to the greatly
distinguished remains, although as curios-
tiles and relics they would probably pro-
duce q high price at auction. but even then,
il the vague rules of international law adj
mitted as valid a feature of the case that
such valuation could be placed on these
relics. 1t could not affect the claim of Spain.
for sha might then claim that the ashes Of
the distinguished dscoverer We're personal
property and that she had a right to re-
move them to her own soil.
THE desire OF Spain to keep these Ven
cradle bones within her control and to give
them due reverence in the future as in the
past is Just and natural. She Is not bound
to deliver them over to the possession OF
another nation that will not treat them
with all the reverencs which in the eyes OF
Spain, at least. they deserve.
"As to the possibility or probability that
Spain will endeavor to utilize her time
honored custom to procrastinate and put off
the time for evacuation that is, of course,
possible. clash of opinion, too might
then arise, which, II prolonged might lead
to embarrassment and complications We
should then be driven TO insist on SPANS
departure from the island. II she refused
10 comply with our reasonable demand,
then the last resort of kings might have to
be again resorted to--certainly very I'M
fortunate oonscmmation."