Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-11
SPANISH AFFAIRS.
AN ARMIsT1CE DECLARED IN CUBA.


day evening that the Spanish govern
ment had telegraphed to the Pope that,
in view of his urgent request, fortified
that day by visit from the represen-
tatives in Madrid of the six great pow
ers, they (the Spanish government) had
telegraphed to General Blanco in Cuba,
instructing him to issue an armistice to
be as he decides.
Saturday afternoon General Wood
ford paid visit to Senior Gullon. The
general opinion in Madrid was that
Saturdays events settle satisfactory the
| first stage of the Spanish diff
! ficulty and insure peace.
| A dispatch from Madrid says: Cen
! eral Blanco has been ordered 10 make
| the necessary overtures to the insur-
gents. The action on the part of the
! Sagasta Cabinet was taken under pres
sure by the concert of powers, which
guaranteed that the present dynasty
should not be overthrown if the people
of Spain started an uprising on account
OF the concession. General Correo,
Minister of War, after the council said
1--WE yielded to the prayer Of the great
| powers, granting what we had refused
| to the United States" He also said
| that he acceeded to cessation Of hos
tilities, because to refuse the pow
ers wishes, would be to divorce
/ Spain from the world. Pope Leo NIL,
aided by the European powers, is un-
derstood to have been instrumental in
bringing about this action on the part
of the Queen and her Cabinet.
A revolutionary movement is threat
ened in Spain as the result of the decs.
ion by the Spanish cabinet to grant an
armistice to the Cuban insurgents. The
popular belief in Madrid is that this
constitutes national backdown. Ex-
ira precautions have been taken to pre-
serve order.
The Spanish minister in Washington
delivered 10 the State Department
last night an important official
document from his government.
1t was stated in this docu-
ment that the armistice which the
| Queen Regent Of Spain had command
ed General Blanco to proclaim Was
without conditions; that her Msjesty's
government had granted liberal insti
tutions 10 Cuba, which the Cuban Par
lament will put into operation and
develop The coincidence and SYM
patty expressed by the Queen Regent
and her government at the loss of the
Maine and the horror the disaster had
caused 10 Spain are referred to, and an
appeal is made to the United States
government to enlighten public opinion
in this country upon the attitude OF
Spain. The note repeats the offer OF
the Spanish government to submit the
Maine question to experts designated
by the maritime powers of the world
and to accept their findings.
During Senior Polo's call at the State
Department be notified the authorities
that word had come from Havana that
General Blanco had been prompt in
executing the orders of the Queen Re-
gent, and that the proclamation Of
armistice had been duly promulgated
on that day.
Although the Spanish note was sur
rounded with the usual secrecy of Off
cial negotiations The following sum-
mary Of its contents was secured:
1.-THE Spanish minister in Washing
ton, deeply impressed by the numerous
errors which seem to have obtained
credit in public opinion in America in
regard to the Cuban question, consid.
ers it his duty 20 call again the atten-
ton of the Secretary of State of the
United States to the following points
'First-Her majesty, the Queen Re
gent of Spain, DESTROYS of ending the
troubles which are desolating Cuba,
has commanded a suspension of hostili-
ties. General Blanco has beer order
ed to proclaim to-day an armistice
without conditions. He will determine
later the duration and details of this
armistice, so as to carry out the gener-
Gus intentions of her majesty and tie
wishes of the friends of peace.
':Second-Her majesty's government
has granted to the island of Cuba in
stitutions as liberal as those enjoyed by
Canada under the British flag. The
Cuban chambers will meet on May 4
next. 1t will be their duty and privi-
lege to put into practice and develop
| these institutions. In addition to this,
Cuba is represented in the Parliament
at Madrid.
"Third-Pubic opinion in this coun-
try appears to ignore the fact that the
loss OF the Maine was Immediately
followed by official and reiterated ex-
pressions OF coincidence from her
majesty, the Queen, from her govern
ment, from her charge d'affaires in
| Washington and from the authorities
in Havana, all of which tend to affirm
the horror which this disaster has
cansed to arise in Spanish hearts, as also
the sympathy felt for the United States
government and navy and for the
American nation,
"The Spanish minister feels confident
that be can count upon the courtesy
and sense OF justice of the United States
government TO eDlighten public opinion
upon this subject.
"Fourth-As to the cause of this la
inevitable disaster, it resolved itself into
question of facts which can only be
settled by material proofs. The Spanish
minister reterates the assurance that
his government is ready to submit the
question to experts designated by the
maritime powers whose conclusions are
in advance accepted"
Senior Polo delivered the document
in person to the State Department and,
aside from the interest in the commu-
nication itself, the call had added in-
to~osf Ia on ouidonao of q ranano1 Of