The Florence tribune., 1898-12-03
Terms of Peace.

Terms of Peace.
 PARIS, Nov 29.-Spain has accepted | the United States offer of $2O,000, GOO l and at joint session of the peace com missions this afternoon consented with out conditions to relinquish Cuba and to cede Porto Rico, Guam and the Phil ippines.
 The document presenting this accep- tance contained only 800 words. It op- ened with reference to the final terms of the United States and said that the Spanish commissioners, after having ta ken cognizance of the terms proposed by the Americans, replied that their government had tried to give as equit- able an answer as possible, but that they were not prepared to commit their government to acceptance of the princi- pies embodied in the argument. Spain rejects these principles, the note con t:nued, us she always has rejected them, passing her attitude upon the justice of her cause. The note then says she still adheres to these principles which she has heretofore invariably formulated. However, the note adds, in her desire fer peace she has gone so far as to pro pose certain compromises, which the Americans have always rejected. She also attempted, it is further asserted to submit to arbitration some of the material particulars upon which the twogoy ernments differed. These propo- sals for arbitration, it is added, the Americans had equally rejected. These allegations reply as to the attempted arbitration refer to her proposal to ar. bitrate the construction of the third article of the protocol and also to sub init the Spanish colonial debt ot Cuba and the Philippines to arbitration The last proposition has been made ir written communication. Since it's pre- sentation and in return for such arbi tration Spain offered to cede the terri tory in dispute The Americans refused both propositions for arbitration Spain's reply in substance continued by declaring that the United States ha offered as kind of compensation t. Spain something very inadequate to tn
 sacrifices the latter country makes a this moment, and she feels that tn
 United States proposals cannot be con sidered just and equitable. Spain has
 diplomacy in an attempt to justify he
 attitude. Seeing that an acceptance c
 the proposal made to Spain is neces
 sary condition to continuance of ne
 gotiations, and seeing that the resoul ces of Spain are not such as to enabl ' her to re-enter upon the war, she ] prepared in her desire to avoid blood
 shed and from considerations of humar : ity and patriotism, to submit to th
 conditions of the conquering nation
 however harsh they may be. She
 therefore ready to accept the proposal U of the American commission as pre- U scented at the last sitting. The readin and translation of the document occr : pied less than five minutes. At the COT t clusion of the translation the commiE e sioners empowered Senor ojeda, secre r. tary of the Spanish commission, an a Secretary Moore of the American com
 mission to draw up articles, which ar
 to embody the relinquishment of Cub
 by Spain and the cession of Porto Ric
 and the Philippines. These articles
 which may be considered as constituting
 the conditions of peace, will be read. for submission on Wednesday.
 - This is based upon the belief that in e stead of undertaking to arrange sev :. eral matters yet to be settled in tn [ treaty of fpeace general clause will b. F placed in the treaty binding each o f the parties to begin operations in tn f near future upon those subjects.