Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-02-09
SOME SECRETS OF STATE.
Demands on Spain Made In 1807--De.
lay to Give us Time 70 Arnle

| lay 10 Give us Time 10 Arnle -.
Gen. Stewart l.. Woodford talked
10 members Of the Array and Navy
club and their guests last night about
some OF the happenings at Washing
ton and Madrid, while he was the
United States minister to Spain.
The occasion was one of the open
meetings, o series of which the club
holds every winter. The parlors of
the house, at 16 West Thirty fret
street, were crowded and standing
room was at premium in the halls.
Among other things, General Wood.
ford said: -
"Without introduction l will try
to tell you something of the happen
ings at Madrid while he who ad-
dresses you was your minister to
Spain as the prophecies of the ocoa-
sion and the usages of tho State de-
partment will permit. Your mini
ster carried with him to Madrid in
struotions from the President to do
three things. One was tc secure JUS
tioe for Cuba; another was to see
that our commercial interests in that
island was no longer embarrassed,
and the third was to demand the
withdrawal from Cuba of General
Weyler on or before October 81,
1897, or to demand the passports
of the American minister. I deliv-
cred my. instructions to the Duke of
Tetuan, the Spanish minister of for
eign affairs, and he promptly told
me that under no circumstances
would General Weyler be withdrawn
from Cuba until the end of the two
years for which he had been sent
there.
"What the Duke of Tetuan refused
to do and what American diplomacy
failed to secure was accomplished by
providential means. The conserva,
tive government resigned, the
Sagasta ministry came into power
and on October 20, / think it was
two days before the set time fol
General Weyler's recall by the Pre-.
sident, Weyler was recalled.
"rhe weeks drift"d by and Febru-
ary Is, 1893, cam., when our battle.
ship was blown up in the harbor Of
Havana. Through departments
other than the State department
your minister received tolegraphit
information on February 18, thar
thore was not on American ships O,
in the ordinance depots in the Uni
ted States two rounds of powder pei
gun at that time, and I was told tt
exhaust the arts of peace until Apri
Is, the earliest date at which W,
could be anywhere near ready fol
war; and that at any event, smoke
less powder for both the navy ant
the army would be another impossi
bility.
"Your minister did the best h,
could; but let me tell you that
had it not been for the unfaltering
uncnanging and loyal friendship 0
England and the attitude of he
minister at Madrid, he might hav'
failed to do the little he did do, be
cause the representatives at Madrit
of Continental Europe were ready a
any time to interfere with the plan
of the United States, If the Britisl
minister will only join them. In tn
meantime the work of preparatio,
went on at home, and to show 20,
how accurately the time was gauged
| may tell you of the run of o sealet
express train across the continent
the contents of which train no mai
outside of Washington and only tw,
men there knew. 1t had tho righ
of way over all other trains. Whel
it reached San Francisco its oarg,
was transferred 20 a waiting steamer
which raced TO Honolulu. Ther
the cruiser Baltimore was waiting
no one knew for what. Tho carg'
was shifted to the Baltimore, whicl
carried it to Hong Kong, and OF
April 23d the cargo was distribute,
among tho American warships there
and Dewey had the ammunition h
wanted. On April 24th ho got hi
orders to sail for Manila. That am
munition on May Day awokee choeI
in Manila bay that were heard roun,
tho world and took from Spain al
|