The Virginia enterprise., 1898-08-12
SPANS REPL READY. !.
Decides on General Acceptance O
Peace Terms.
NOT YET TRANSMITTED
The Document viii Have to be Rati
fed by the Queen Regent
and the Ministry. +

Madrid, Aug. 6.-The Spanish reply to
the United States, which it has been
learned on high authority accepts the
American peace conditions, has been COM
pleted and will be submitted to the Queen
Regent this morning previous to this af-
ternoon's cabinet meeting. r.
+. 2 p. m,-The Queen Regent this morn
ing conferred with Silrela, the lConserya-
tive leader; with the Duke of Tetuan,
the former minister for foreign affairs,
and with Marshal Martinez de Campos,
the former captain-general of Cuba.
This afternoon her majesty will receive
Senior Romero y Robledo, whose views
!, are said to be shared by Gen. Weyler.
The series of conferences between the
of the various parties concludes this even
ing with interviews with Gen: Canaleias
and others. -
Senor Barrios, the Carlist leader, has
not replied to Senior Sagasta's invita-
ton to come to Madrid in order to dis
cuss matters.
No Word at Washington.
Washington, D: c., Aug. 6.-It can be
stated definitely and positively that no
word of Spain's final action on America s
peace terms had been received up to noon
at the state department or the French
embassy. -
Secretary Thiebaut of the French en-
bassy called at the state department at
about 2:3O this afternoon. 1t was thought
as first he had called to make an appoint
ment for the delivery of Spain's answer,
but 1t developed that the call was in con-
nection with the seizure Of French ships.
y Washington, D. c., Aug. 6.-The an
swer, of Spain to the American terms on
which peace may be restored was expect
ed almost any moment in official circles
today, and the brief press dispatches from
Madrid stating that the answer was an
acceptance increased the tension over
what was looked upon as the elimination
of the negotiations.
During the early hours of the day, the
state department had not received any
direct information rs to. Spain's answer
nor was there any intimation when it will
come. The same as to the French eln-
bassy is true. The ambassador had made
no arrangement for a call at the white
house Or the state department., and none
of the officers of the embassy had con-
ferred with the officials here since the dis
cussion of last Wednesday night. Every
thing was in condition of waiting and
expectancy.
The report from Madrid that cabi-
net council would go over the reply this
afternoon indicated that it might not be
despatched to Washington until late in
the day. Secretary Day had expected to
go to Atlantic City this evening to join
Mrs. Day, and he may even yet carry out
this plan unless some official assurance
that the. reply will be forthcoming to-
night; A report was current during the
day that the embassy received a commu-
nlcatlon at an early hour this morning,
the inference being that it was Spain's
reply, but this it can be stated positively
IS not correct, for up to midday Spain
had given no official intimation of her
answer to any quarter in Washington,
The fact that the Spanish cabinet will
80 over the reply this afternoon raises a
possibility of cabinet discussion and a
prolongation of the time before the un-
swer is submitted. All the Madrid re-
ports show that Premier Sagasta is en-
deavoring to reconcile leaders as far as
possible and there is disposition among
officials here to give him time for this
difficult and delicate moulding of public
and political sentiment up to the point of
an acceptance of the American demands.
This view is strengthened among Off
clals here by the fact that all our war
preparations are going steadily forward,
the campaign in Porto Rico is progressing
with uninterrupted success, the hands Of
Admiral Dewey and Gen. Merritt are be-
ing strengthened at Manila and the con-
dltlons at Santiago, SO serious when the
American generals united in their state
ment. is being promptly and energetical-
ly overcome. For this reason it is felt
that delay is the loss Of Spain and that
Sagasta in the interest of his country will
make the answer as speedily as interna-
tional conditions will permit. -
If the Madrid dispatches are fully re-
allied by acceptance of the American
terms then the authorities feel that roth
ing remains but the routine of concluding
the formal lities of peace. In some quar-
tiers apprehension is expected as TO the
word "acceptance. 1t is pointed out
that if the acceptance is simply an af-
frmative on all the American peace terms
every Schance for delay or negotiations is
at an end. But if the acceptance is quail
fed in any way by a condition that GER
tain privileges be granted or rights con-
ceded then there is still the possibility of
further discussion. = The Madrid adVjces
are so unqualified in stating that the
American terms are accepted that there
seems to be little chance Spain will attach
any conditions to her acceptance, and yet
only the answer itself, final, unconditional
and conclusive, can make it clear that
the last chance. Of controversy is re-
moved $S =
There will be little surprise here if the
elimination of the peace arrangement
brings about a change in the Spanish cab
met, not so much by a crisis as by con
certed movement among the leaders to
institute "A cabinet representing all ele-
ments, including the army, capable of
taking the responsibility before the coun-
try of the acceptance of the American
terms. ~.