The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-15
ANT|PEACE Sentiments
Now Popular Among the
Spanish People
VERY SUDDEN CHANGE
Among Officials and Populaee-Blan
cos Earnest Protest Against Peace
observation-disclosures OF Intention TO
Sound Our Government as TO Peace
Terms-No Talk of Saga~ta Resign.
ing-GermanI Interference In the Phil.
ippines.

Ierms-NO Talk of Sagasta Resign.
i~ns-German Interference In the PhiI-
ippine..
Madrid. July 13.-Senor Sagasta, the
premier. declares that the peace prop
ositions attributed TO President Nc
kinley are inadmissible.
The latest news received by the
Spanish government from Santiago de
Cuba is that it is making a heroic de-
fence.
London, July ia special dispatch
from Madrid, published this afternoon,
says Captain General BIanco has re-
piled 70 the Spanish governments re-
iterated representations in regard 70
peace by energetically protesting
against the idea of peace. The cap
tain general says the report that the
government has resolved to negotiate
with the United States has had a de-
plorable effect, specially among the
troops. He adds that a deputation Of
officers chosen by the army had beg
ged him to convey to the government
their protest against any propositions
of peace, claiming that nothing can
justify a cessation of hostilities at
present.
Continuing, General Blanco says:
The army has only just come into &C
ton and thus far cannot be said to
have suffered a reverse, although OPP
posed numerically to a far stronger
force. The deputatiOn declares that so
long as it is not cOnclusively proved
that the troops are incapable Of sue
cessfully defending Cuba, Spain can
not treat for peace without dishOnOr-
ing her army in the eyes of the world.
The Cuban volunteers are wen more
violent opponents of peace. They de-
clare they will not recognize any
agreement concluded under the pres
ent conditions. and that even deserted
by Spain they will continue the war
themselves.
The Hong Kong correspondent OF
The Daily Mail says:
GERMAN INTERFERENCE.
General Aguinaldo declares that
both the Spaniards and the Germans
nave made OVertureS to him, though
he declines to diVulge their import.
United States Consul Wildman asserts
that Admiral Dewey could compel the
surrender Of Manila tomorrow if he
liked. He says his dispatches show
that the Germans continue to inter-
= IlICII CClIoI CAUSING I1luCl dIlh-
iety, as it is said they are assisting
the Spaniards by landing flour and
other supplies and, moreover, that the
German officers have been seen in the
Spanish trenches.
THE Germans have not been careful
to observe the naval cOurtesies re-
Quired by the situation. They have
given Admiral Dewey much annoy
ance by going against his regulations
n by insisting or sending their boats
around the bay after lark. At the same
time the German admiral (Ypn Died
erichs( informed Admiral Dewey that
he has no intention of giving offense
to America n that his movements
are not to be construed as any demon
stration of ill-will. Admiral Dewey is
said to have replied: Perhaps it would
be better if matters were managed d
little differently
The German ships have done and
are still doing rash and impertinent
things, like the Irene incident. The
Americans hope the Spaniards will
continue their waste of ammunition
in fighting the rebels and then surren-
der Manila without blOodshed.
Admiral Dewey, on the report that
the German fleet was landing large
quantities of rice and lour for the
Spaniards, decided to be more strict
and has put a p%innace at the end of
the jetty to overhaul all launches
going or coming"
CHANGE IN PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
The Madrid correspondent of The
Times says:
There is a mysterious change in the
political atmosphere. The fresh breeze
which set in two or three days ago in
the direction of peace has for a mo-
ment subsidized. The weather prophets
tell us that this is a momentary lull,
but they don't explain on what their
prediction is founded. In official cir
cles there is corresponding change Of
tone.
This change is probably a reaction.
Such oscillations must be expected,
because practical considerations all
make for eace whereas sentimental
considerations which have a powerful
influence on the Spanish mind, tend in
a precisely opposite direction.
Though some members of the cabi-
net may be giving, in private CONVEX
sation, undue prominence to the anti
| peace sentiment with a view of sooth-
ing patriotic susepitibilities it cannot
be supposed that an experienced poll
| tician like Senior Sagasta or an able
diplomat like Duke Almodevar de Dio,
the foreign minister, who has display
ed a remarkable grasp of the situa-
\ NioIA oS " "IlolV. HouIo oIoH kLc sun
stance for the shadow. 1t is impossi-
bic to speak confidently as to their
views or intentions, boil men being
| naturally reticent. All that can be
| stated with tolerable certainty is that
: Senior SagaSta's great moral influence
I has e-eStablished tranquility in the
cabinet; he is again firmly seated on the
box and has the team once more so
we'll in hand that the very existence
| of a ministerial crisis is denied.
"Personages in close relations with
| the minister believe that as soon as
| certain confidential communications
now passing between Madrid and Ha-
vana lave terminated the United
States government will be sounded as
to what general condition might be
taken as a basis for peace negotia-
ions. 1 annot profess to guarantee
the accuracy Of this statement, but
the information reaches me from SC
many mutually Independent sources
that il is probably correct"