The Portland daily press., 1898-09-16

Washington, September lo.-Ine Capl-
net met in special session at three O'Clock
this afternoon and adjourned at four. All
of the members were present except Secre-
tary Alger, who is not in the city. All
united in the statement made after the
meeting, that they had agreed to say
nothing more of the result Of the deliber-
ations than that the peace commissioners
he'd been fully instructed. OF the nature
of these instructions they conveyed not q
word.
Each one pointed out that to do SO
would be extremely impolitio and would
amount to arming the Spanish commits
sioners in advance againsJ themselves.
The peace commissioners who were ap.
preached on the subject made similar
response, thus closing all official avenues
of information.
1t was said that the commissioners
were ''fully instructed" and 1t appeared
that the Cabinet had patiently gone over
in the discussion with the commissioners,
every subject that In their opinion could
be brought into the proceedings before
the JOINT commission. On each of these
the American commissioners were made
acquainted with the views and wishes of
the administration. 1t is not to be under
stood from this that the commissioners go
under iron-clad and Interchangeable in
structions at all points. for there is a GER
tain amount OF fiexiDility in the instruc-
tions, else, as one of the Cabinet mem
bers put it, the President might just as
we'll have reduced his wishes to paper in
the form Of an ultlnatum and have sent
that to Paris by messenger. The peace
commissioners are in no sense mere
mouthpieces, but having chosen with the
greatest care and consideration i've men
in whom he puts the most implicit CONT
dence, the President feels that they ara to
be trusted with the interests of the
United States. 1t is not expected that
they will have free rein in the larger
questions of policy, but with ample op--
portunitiss for consultations by cable and
otherwise, there Is no reason why the
commissioners should not be able to carry
out the desires of the administration ana
at the same time have the opportunity to
somewhat shape these desires by convey
ing information that they may acquire.
For instance. it is expected that at Paris
the commissioners will meet General
Merritt, fresh from Manila and In
addition they will then have the benefit
of special report from Admiral Dewey.
These will be of the greatest value, 1or
the commissioners are not acquainted
with the Philippine question in detali'
and even the information that is to be ac'
quired from the Spanish peace commits
sioners is, not to be despised when 1t taxes
such an official form that it can be relied
| upon as to accuracy.
All the arrangements nave Deen COM
pleted for the departure Oh 1he coInimiSsioh
and it's staff. Most of the party will leave
| Washington at four o'clock tomorrow
afternoon for New York, but it is said
some OF the commissioners may se de-
tanned until the midnight train.
! The Campania sails at .. M, Saturday
and explicit instructions have been given
ali the members of the party as to being
on or, Ibs hand at that time. Special baggage
| tags have been printed for the belongings
of the members and small paper poster
showing red and blue bars crossed on a
white back ground gives q handy way OF
making a "Red, White and Blue"
| Identification of the personal and general
luggage of the party. A number of stout
cedar chests have been made to carry the
books, pamphlets, typewriter papers,
etc., forming q part of the American case.
The chests nrs like shallow steamer
trunk, so that they may be showed under
the berths and thus be available on the
passage over instead of going with the
baggage in the hold of the steamer. This
will permit considerable work on the trip
and it is expected that the commissioners
will hold meetings on ship board. The
| party will go direct from Liverpool to
London and there stop for a days rest.
then proceeding to Paris by the way OF
| Dover or Calais.