Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-06-09
POSITION OF THE PEACE UNION.


been introduced, or will be introduc.
ed, in Councils, and the action
which has been already taken Ivy
Messrs. Ritter and Eisenhower, to com
pei our remUyal frum the rooms which
We have occupied at Fifth and Chest
nut streets, and to correct many Of the
misrepresentation which have been
published in the public press, concern
ing the letter addressed by the Univer-
sal Peace Union to the Queen Regent
OF Spain and Premier SRgastn, and the
maintaining by us OF the Spanish flag
in our rooms. we beg to state:
That the Universal Peace Union was
organized in 1866; that il ia cosmo.
poitRn body that it has branches in
many OF the States OF the Union, and
societies and representatives in nearly
every civilized country Of tho world,
including England, France. Belgium,
Germany, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland,
Sweden and Spain. The society be.
lieves that war is relic of barbarisni,
and that it is it's duty to prevent strife
and promote peace, not only in this
country, hut 10 every country in the
world. 1t is not and Eevar has been
disloyRl or unpatriotic; this is true Of
the Individual members of the society,
as we'll as Of the society itself; it has
exerted no little influence in tho past
in public affairs which have brought
peace aud honor to this country, and
prosperity and happiness to it's citi-
zens; but we will not burden you with
even brief recital OF its muny sue
cessful efforts in this direction during
the past 32 years OF its existence,
whereby international relations have
been strengthened, commerce extended.
Justice and human rights secured ana
peace promoted.
1t was in pursuance Of this policy
and in the effort to promote an hUnor-
able peace that the letter of April 2lst,
1898, was written. In the public press
much Of that letter has been misGon-
strued, misapplied or suppressed. We
do not admit for moment tina il con
tains anything that is disloyal or un-
patriotic and in order that you may
have II placed properly before you we
herewith append a cnrreut copy.
The letter suggested to the Queen
Regent Of Spain and to Premier Sa-
gasta the advisability OF adjusting the
difficulty with our country without war
and made three suggestions as to how
this should be done.
|
sent to Spain. having in view
Second. The purchase of Cuba and
the adjustment OF tho Maine" matter.
Third. International arbitration.
In that letter We distinctly stated
that there was 10 this country deep
and earnest desire for the freedom of
Cuha and urged Spain for tina sake of
peace, humanity and friendship to
listen TO terms which involved the 10.
dependence OF Cuba. 1t was natural
that we should, in writing letter of
that character, tsuggesting course
Of action which would involve 30 much
sacrifice to the Kingdom OF Spain and
such personal danger TO the Queen and
her son, should sho advocate it, couch
the letter in terms that would be per.
auasiye aud kindly. We simply OK
pressed our sympathy for the Queen
Regent 10 her embarrassing position,
we'll knowing that should she accent
our suggestion, she would expose herself
and her son to rebellion among her
subjects and TO possible assassination.
We expressed no sympathy for Spain
and no possible disloyalty to our own
country On the contrary to avoid any
| possible miaconceptinn or misconstruc.
tion Of our letter we expressly stated
therein that We did not wish to be
thought unmiudful or unpatriotic TO
| our country.
This lsttor WINS not sent to the Queen
Of Spain lin a round about way" nor
was il returned to us because "the
government refused to permit it to be
transmitted through the mail on the
ground that no American citizen should
be permitted to use the Unitsd States
mails for the transmission OF such sen.
timents to the enemy of tho country
with whom we are DOW at war; as
charged in the papers, but on the cou +.
trary it was mailed in due course to
the Queen Regent of Spain and
Premier Sagasta on tho 2ist day of
April, by way of New York and was
returned TO US unopened by the Post
office Department of the City of New
York with the following endorsement
stamped upon it, Return to sender /:
Dispatch to Spain and Coiunies, pro
hibited on account of War, N. Y. 70"
The letter was thereupon forwarded
TO the Hon. John W. Hoyt, ex- Governor
of Wyoming, ut Washington, with the
request thar no would lay tho contents
before the Department of State and ask
whether thore were any objections to
sending letter OF that character at
this time. ExGov. lIoyt did submit
this letter to one of the officers Of the
State Department, who replied that
this government, having begun war
could not consistently do anything look
ing to cessation until Spain should
herself make some move in that direc-
ton, and that the State Department
could not become an intermediary even
to the simple extent OF furthuring the
transmission Of communication OF
any sort.
Accompanying the reply of OK Gov.
Hoyt, came an intimation that the let
ter could properly be sent to the Inter
national Peare Bureau Rt Berne,
Switzerland 10 he forwarded 10 Spaip.
The letter was thereupon transmitted
to the International Peace Bureau at
Berne, Switzerland, with a note from
the Universal Peace Union in this CITY,
requesting If it II ct with the val
of the Bureau, il should he forwarded
10 Premier Sagusta
Our sociaty does not know to this day
whether the letter has been forwarded,
or whether it mot with the approval or
the disnpproyal OF the international
Peace Bureau at Bernie.
As TO the Spanish flag which was re
tanned in the rooms Of the Society al
the corner OF Fifth and Chestnut
streets, We desire TO say, that tho flag
in question wac an exceedingly small
one, about l2 inches in length by or
10 inches in Width. At the time OF the
CAicago Exposition, tue UNIVERSAL
Peace Union made an exhibit, consist
ing among other things OF the flags Of
all nations of the above size, grouped
mn thu abiall of tha TInifo5 sta,o, . .