The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-05
VERY DRAMATIC INCIDENT
Barniua the Deed that Sold Cuba to
France.
A STARTLING DIPLOMATIC EVENT.
The AMER of spanish Envoy
spotic. Ncnt-i.nid Intrigue
for the sale of Cubn.
.R1LlNG DIPLOMATIC EVENT,

Ing a revival OF the ofer OF S1uo,op,oou Tor
Cuba made by Secretary Buchanan IN
President Folks Administrations
lei us see, When the cuban war broke
out in 1865 Cubas debt to spain was s25..
100000. When the present VAR broke out
In February, 1895. Cuba owed Spain $780,
Spain little less than s5co,ooo,ooo. Clearly
then repetition OF President Buchanan j
oifer BY President Mckinley would be un-
acceptable at Madrid. and even II the
amount were doubled, Spain BY thus ced-
ing her sovereignty over Cuba would still
lose $500. 900, 900 and her best source OF rev.
enue forever, Besides, the American peo-
pie, after the Maine affair, might never
consent to pay SPUN any such amour, as
in Buchanan's time, nor would they guar
antce Cuban bonds even II the Cubans
themselves were prepared TO buy the free
dom for which they struggled from 1865
TO 1873 and from 1895 to 1898, says COR
respondent. WITH the assistance OF The
Cubans the uAitcd States can drive Span
out OF Cuba with less than total expense
OF 500 600 nU0, besides awaiting herself oil an
opportunity TO fuse together the various
homogeneous nationality that has not oc-
Cured for over a century, \ foreign war
Is the only thing needed To do this, and IL
Is likely therefore, that tue United States
VIII not buy Cuba upon any terms.
Hut would Spain sell CUBA in case Uncle
Sam were Wiling TO buy2 The chances are
that taking advantlgo OF the pacific char
acter of the American people this is just
what the Spanish cabinet means, and the
president IN asking congress for an appru-
priation has really called tho blum of the
Spanish minister Spain has already offered
To sell Cuba; and the circumstances under
which she was disposed 10 do so. though
little known in This country, are worth re-
calling M the present time.
About sixty years ago when Louis
Philippe was seeking To strengthen his
hold upon the French throne Queen
Christina OF Spain being soreiy press d
for cash, sent a confidential courier to
Paris TO see Prince Taleyr3nd The
name OF the Spanish envoy was CAM
pu2ano and he brought an intiodurticu
TO Senior Aquado, then prominent Span
ish banker at the French capital Lord
Ialmerston was then the ter or OF all lie
chancellerles Of Europe, and secrecy wa5
important for the success of the missoi.
The Spanish envoy was authorized py
Queen Christina to sell Cuba and Porto
Rico to France for a sum OF Sj2 600 uuD
said were thrown in as make-wdght.
Tor SlO,5o0, 900. When the Spanish banker
Aqundo received the envoy from Mad ia
he sent rather Dorvous and mysterious
note to Talleyrand Inning at mite cf
treat mutual profit and the astute French
statesman made an appointment WITH
Aquado and the envoy OF Queen Christina.
not at his chambers but at the prllat
mouse OF his private secretary, Very so IN
Afterwards Talleyrand saw the ciiIy n
klhE aud made a. appointment at the
Iuilleries for Aquado and camp zano.
all sitting around tab @ AZ
the head of which was the king. the sal.
OF cubh ana Porto Rico was accepted M
me queens offer of thirty million taels,
me equivalent of which in rounI mum |
oers IS thirty two millions Of dolisrs
bou'H ihllirpe WAS accused of meanness
n everything and was huckster by mn
urc' 20 afiff The contract IN respect of
tno Was signed tho king thought he
would cut the price OF the Phiitpping 4
Stands down from ten to seven millions al I
tat!s. C5mpuzano, however while carry
ny on, the orders of his sovereign was /
secretly opposed 10 selling the pean
If the Antilles to France or to any /
other natio1. and when Louis Philippe OF.
cctod IN the case OF the second purchase. |
intarpQses ar objection to the |
sale. The king feeling that CampuZano I
Was merely tn messenger OF Qlcon /
Christina and that his objections could not (
sjor purchase already more han nptf |
renewed his objection, which |
WIS again more emphatlcally than before
opposed by The Spanish envoy. Al this |
renewal of his former attitude by CAM |
tsuzano .lInS Philippe exclaimed Ia a |
loud ard imperative tone "The redur- |
ion in price must be accepted. The terms |
ne too onerous Seven millions OF tacls is |
ny offer or clsc the whole contract must |
% tiiown into the fire"
Prince Talleyrnnd Nae about 10 srraR.
lit rose rom the table ard stretched FORM !
his hand for tho signed cnntric, and %
scotho thr King or compromise The Situa
on with hat diplomacy for which he WAS
lamous. when the spinish envoy rose, too,
md pushed his chair back With 50 mueh /
force that 1t fell on the fender nral which
he was sltiing. Rudcly ptrc,chinR hts
short bods across the table he cintchod The
signed contract slowly folding It up, ana
/, okine The king Indignantly IN the eye |
re markod. Your majesty is in the right:
The contract Is worthless and III only 10
he thrown IN The ire. have the pleasure,
therefore, Ia executing your maJc5iy's com
ruands" Suiting the action TO the worn |
The Spanish envoy strobe across the ro2m |
and flung the already aligned CUBAN co.,
tract between the burning logs beating IL
down with the tongs until 1t was conf
Aetsly consumed.
The King was utterly taken aback by tho |
audden action OF the spaisah envoy, but
taking out the snuff box 10 which his |
majesty always had recourse upon UNI
occasions or when In any |
dilemma he absorbed copiouh draft thls
time, also conctaling his injured emotions
with his handkerchief aud without bowiag |
TO Talleyrand. Louis Philippe al once left |
the room. Aquado, the banker, who only |
gaw his chance OF making commission OF
a million iaeis vanish IN smoke. rushed TO |
drag the burning papers from the tire |
while campuzano. trembling With passion
and excitement pushed the banker away, |
and al the same moment testify refused |
request Tor IN apology 70 tho |
king. |
Prince Talleyrand afterwards stated
that In all MS experience lie hal never
,vftuegs.d st,eh n SpontgnenllS shuilition