The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-16
IEE SAID TO HAVE DECLINED.
,,,11. NOT SERVE ON THE CUBAN
MILITARY COMMISSION.

so,,otbing Mysterious About the
cose. and Gen. Lees Only ENplana-
.,oo Is "I Am Prepared to obey
o.1crs Whatever They May Be"
Gathering of Virginia Republic
o,s May Have Had Something
.o no with the Unexplained Pro-
aoodinrs-ThOught That Gen. Lee
,,-;I Re Shifted to the Porto Ri
commissiOu-AppOin OF
commissioners Expected at Once.
washington, Aug 15.-It is said that
en- Ftzhugh Lee was rendered a place
on the cuban military commission, but
declined to accept it.
There is something mysterious about the
Lee case, which cannot be discovered at
mis- writing. He came here last night,
rad a long conference with Secretary Al
oor this morning and afterward went to
tba White House with Secretary Alger
and spent more than an hour with the
president. Gen. Lee declines to discuss
the subject, and simply says: Il am un-
asr. orders to come to Washington, and l
am prepared to obey orders, whatever
,sev may be-" He may be selected as
member of the military commission to so
n Porto Rico, or may be designated as
commanding officer of the military divis-
inn of Porto Rico This change in the
programme is said to have been lecidcd
mon to-day. after Gen. Lee conferred
with Secretary Alger and the President
on the subject
The reason for the shifting Of Gen. Lee
from Cuba TO Porto Rico are not given,
and Gen Lee simply says: Il am ready
to 20 wherever 1 am ordered" His
readiness 10 act in accordance with the
desires of the President and Secretary AL
ger makes it easy for the President to
complete the arrangement of the two West
Indian commissions, and announce the Sc
lectons without further delay.
On the highest authority I am informed
that it was the original intention OF the
President to appoint the following OIL
GERS members of the two commissions:
Cuba-Gen. Lee. Cen Wade and Rear
Admiral Schley.
Porto Rico-Gen Brooke, Gen. Henry
and Capt Folger of the navy. Il is prob
abe that Gen. Lee will be placed at the
head of the Porto Rican commission,
vice Gen Brooke, transferred to the Gu
ban commission.
The whole subject was discussed at the
White House to-day during the visit of
Gen. Lee.
1t is important that these two commits
sions should be selected during the present
week, and with Gen. Lees willingness to
serve at either place there need be no fur
ther delay on the part of the President in
making the appointments.
Gen. Lee has been associated with Cuba
in the public mind ever since he left EIa-
vana, when war was declared. On that
occasion ne notified the Spaniards as he
sailed out of the harbor that he
would be back again, but under different
circumstances, or words to that effect.
1t was supposed that he was selected to
head the invasion of Havana whenever
the administration deemed it advisable to
make the attack. Popular sentiment has
selected Gen. Lee as the logical American
ruler in Cuba, when Spain shall have been
driven from that island.
some explanation viii be demanded for
the change in assignment of Gen Lee, and
reasons other than purely political ones
VIII be expected by those who are friendly
10 Gen. Lee
There may have been no significance in
the incident, but at the very moment
PRESIDENT this morning a swarm of white
hePuoHcans from Virginia were In the
anle-room waiting for an audience with
.ie PRESIDENT In the parlor was Collec-
'or OF internal Revenue Brady and sew
[lI members of this particular faction:
lr Wise and some of his personal fol-
IWefs, and former Representative Bow
I,u' VINO represents a third faction in the
"gpubIcan ranks in Virginia
Ill idct, every faction in the Ronut1i
taH organization in Virginia was in at
"Huahce and it is well known they are
opposed to the administration giving CON
--'. so much prominence in connection
VIII WIN the Cuban question. They fear it
Sni sweep him into the United States
e.u"le or back into the Governors man
soh al the next election. For that rca-
% oH uey would like to see him side
iT1g",d IL S1 ana sent to some obscure place
~ IKE must he taken care of by a Ranublf-
can administration. They would nrohahiv
rsIIgn gC manila ami as a desirable place for the