The times., 1898-10-16
SUNDAY. OCTOBER 1s. 1898.
An Insult to France

An Insult to France
All the more because Spanish diplo-
macy has had the reputation of intelli-
gence and cunning amounting to gen.
ius. and of success out of all proportion
to it's resources and available means,
the courts and chancelleries of the
world will stare in astonishment at the
insanely desperate attitude which Sa-
gasta is last reported TO have assumed
with regard to the protocol After
starting in at Paris with the proposition
that the terms of that document were
TO be strictly construed as representing
the maximum of American demands, he
is now believed to have abandoned that
position and to hold that the protocol
is not binding upon Spain in any sense,
on the ground that it is contract made
under duress. and hence voidable at
the pleasure of the intimidated party.
The wild character of such a conten-
ton, as applied to the case in point,
and the amazing effrOntery involved in
resorting to il under the circumstances,
becomes at once apparent on consider
alton OF the history of the Edmunds-
Ireland protocol. It must be remember
ed that on repeated occasions during
the war. various foreign powers repre-
scented in Washington. in the most deli
cate and friendly way inquired whether
their good offices might not be made
available to secure an accommodation
of the differences between the belliger-
ents. In every instance they were told
that the United States could not
tolerate the interposition of a third
party. either in the way of amity or 9TH
erwise; that the quarrel was between the
United States and Spain, and that.
whenever the latter might see fit to sue
for peace, there were direct and unoh-
structed facilities open to the world
which could be utilized for such pur-
pose.
That question of American policy be-
ing determined, the Spanish government
took what at the time, appeared to
be a sensible view of the situation and,
ostensibly at least. accepted it with
sincerity On the declaration of war
and the immediate and necessary de-
parture of the Spanish legation. the
task of protecting Spanish subjects and
country was undertaken by the ambas-
sador of France at this capital. NJ. Jules
Cambon, under a customary arrange
ment between the governments at Ma
drid and Paris.
When, therefore. the time came to ask
for peace, NJ. Cambon was asked to rep
resent Spain in the negotiations to that
end His government was solicited to
permit hirl to act in that capacity. and
acceded to the request. According
ly. NJ Cambon received credentials
authorizing him, in his personal charac-
ter as a distinguished diplomatic officer,
persona grata to the Government to be
approached, to ask the President of the
United States for a statement of the
terms upon which it would consent to
stop hostilities and negotiate for an en-
during peace. These credentials were
submitted to our State Department and
found to confer ample authority The
protocol was formulated under domes-
tic conditions and in certain interests
which do not concern the present argu-
ment. The draft of it was agreed Ia
by III. Cambon representing Spain. 1t
was passed through the French Foreign
Office and on to the Foreign Office at
Madrid. 1t was fully considered there
by the Spanish queen. prime minister.
and cabinet. 1t was accepted, after
what the public has been assured was
a mere verbal change to insure clear
ness of construction. Sagasta empow-
cred n. Cambon TO sign it as the direct
special plenipotentiary of the King of
Spain for the purposes of the transac-
tion, and he fulfilled his mission grace
fully and 10 the satisfaction of all con-
cerned.
Now comes Sagasta with the proposi-
ton that the terms of the protocol are
not binding upon his government, be-
cause they were accepted of necessity
and in fear He ignores the fact that
they were extended to Spain on his owr
motion, and that he could have rejected
them if they were intolerable. Far from
anything like rejection, he took the
greatest pains to show that they were
satisfactory and that the French am
bassador at Washington had complete
power to bind Spain to acceptance and
performance. The nature of the busi-
ness and the relations of the parties tC
it, of necessity, compelled NJ. Cambon tc
pledge his ambassadoriSl honor-that
is the honor of the French republic
that the terms and conditions of the
protocol would be carried out in goot