The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-12

nature undone as far as possible.
| When it was announced that Spain
would send her two fleets to the Philip
pines, it was suspected by some public
ISIS here that her purpose was TO lay
| foundation for protest by some of the
| Powers against our claim to those is
| lands by what is known as 1.-The title of
| complete conquest" OF course we will
! insist an the treaty that cities, territories,
/ Islands or any other Spanish possessions
! held by us and occupied by our forces at
the time the document is signed shall fall
| to us to be disposed of as we see TT.
/ Spanish ships captured but not yet con-
! demned by a prize court, will be held by
| us without further ceremony, Just as will
| seizures on land. But if we do not wish
to hold any possession thus legitimately
| falling to us-as Cuba, for instance-its
| future disposal may be settled in the
| treaty. If the treaty however, does net
provide for the disposal of any of these
islands, 1T will remain in possession Of
! the Power whose army or navy holds it
| at the time of ratification.
| Some publicists to whom the writer is
| indebted are of the opinion that if much
| time will be needed to itemize all of the
| necessary agreements, preliminary treaty
| establishing an end to the war should
| first be made with the understanding that
| separate articles may afterWard be added
until every point is settled. Cuba though
! aiding us against Spain, will not be a party
| to the treaty, not being recognized as
a government by Spain. However TO
avoid complications, we may insist upon
a clause in favor of Cuba, the effect of
which will be that the peace shall surely
extend over that island.
The first practical step toward treaty
! of peace will be the appointment by both
! governments of plenipotentiaTies author
| lied to meet and draw up such docu-
ment. Our plenipotentiaries must be con-
] n Nv f,n TIor1 iG No
tablished rule as to how many of these
shall be selected by either side. Three
were appointed In 1888 to draw up for
| this government the treaty of peace with
| Great Britain, while that government was
! represented by but one. The treaty of
peace ending the war of 1872 was drawn
| by three British and five American pleni-
| potenharies, that ending the Mexican war
| by three Dons and one American. The
President, perhaps, has in mind whom
he will appoint for this important duty,
although of course, it would be prema-
ture for their names TO be mentioned. The
| treaty of Paris was drawn by John Adams,
| then minister to the Netherlands; BenJa-
min Franklin, minister to the court OF
| Versailles, and John Jay, minister 10 Mad
rid, acting for us, and by David Hartley
M. p acting for Great Britain. The
treaty of peace ending the war of 1872 was
signed at Client in 1914 by John Quincy
Adams minister to Russia; J. A. Bayard
! eX-United States senator; Henry Gay
Speaker of the House of Representatives
| Albert Gallatin ex-Secretary of the Treas
ury. and Jonathan Russell Our sole
plenipotentiary who signed the treaty OF
Guadalupe Hidalgo, with Mexico, in 1916
was Nicolas Trist, eX-assistant secretary
of state. President Mckinley Will, there
fore, be permitted by precedent TO ap-
point as plenipotentaries to form a treaty
of peace with Spain almost any man in
60 bO ma he Dl9 to q ii
parties coucerned-Benjamin Harrison
for instance, or John Sherman might be
among them.
Were the treaty signed in Washington
the Secretary of State might be appoint
ed, but it is contrary 70 custom TO sign
a treaty of peace in either of the two
countries at war The theory is that al
pressure on either side would be avoided
in a neutral country. The sigr ing of the
treaty at Guadalupe Eidalgo. in Mexico
however, was an exception to the rule
In fact the treaty of Paris, signed in 1873,
between Great Britain on one side and
France Spain and the United States on
the other. was also an exception, Paris
being within the territory of one of the
governments involved.
The treaty having been drawn by the
Spanish and American plenipoteniiaries
instructed by the ministry of foreign at
fairs at Madrid and the state department
at Washington it must next be submitted
TO the respective governments for ratih-
cation II will therefore be printed upon
parchment in two editions, one English
and the other Spanish. The ratification
on our part must be done by the Senate
The treaty having at last been ratified by
both governments, peace will be formally
announced in both-in America by pres
idential proclamation.
Judging from precedsnts, the Spanish
American treaty of peace VIII be an in
teresting document from a purely liter
all kinds are fond of inserting as many
hourishes as possible. The preambles OF
treaties of peace are especially riAh with
high-fiown phrases The treaty of Paris
begins thus:
IN the Name of the Most Holy and I'm
divided Trinity
1T having pleased the Divine Provi-
dence TO dispose the hearts of the most
serene and most potent Prince George the
third. by the grace of God King of Great
Britain. France and Ireland, Defender oil
the Faith Duke of Brunswick and Lune-
burg, Arch Treasurer and Prince Elector
of the Holy Roman Empire &ca., and OF
the United States of America, to forget
all past misunderstanding, etc.
The treaty of Client 1914, is less preten-
tious in composition:
His Britannia Majesty and the United
States of America, DESTROYS of. terminating
the war which has unhappily subsisted be-
tween the two countries, and of restoring
upon principles of perfect reciprocity
peace, friendship and good understanding
between them, etc
The treaty of Guadalupe Hdalgo. 1915
begins:
"In the name of Almighty God:
The United States of America and the