The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-20
RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.
Correspondence Prior to the Out
break of tho War in 1895


The much delayed volume OF papers
relating to the foreign relations Of the
United States in 1853 have been ISSUED by
the State Department. Half of the near
" l,2u0 pages is taken up with CORES
poudence concerning the relations with
Spain prior to and after the war. Most
of the correspondence has already been
published, but there is much new mater
ial, chiefly. however Of historical and
not Of current interest. IT is shown by
the collected papers that Just before the
war began kilograms and letters were ex-
changed direct between President McKin-
ley and General Woodford. the then Unit
ed States Minister at Madrid. These con
+. tIdcntiaI exchanges are exceedingly inter-
( estnE and valuable historically.
General Woodford wrote long personal
(. letters to the President. telling OF mis- eff
forts to prevent war and referred to these
advices as The Presidential Series. 80
These letters show that the Spanish Gov
eminent was concerned over the visit Of
Rear Admiral Crowuiushield, Chief of the
Bureau Of Navigation described in the
Spanish communications as Captain
Brownstield'D to Santo Domingo in the ar
mored cruiser Brooklyn
Senior MoTet Spanish Minister of For
elgn Affairs, told Minister Woodford thai
Information had come to him that a So
of CaIiNto Garcia was on the Brooklyn
with Captain BrownsfieId~ and that a fIf-
clustering expedition was also on board.
This story was denied by the United
States Government and Spain expressed
satisfaction with the explanation that Ad-
.sI-:4 FrowninshieId, accompanied by his
son, had gone to Sauto Domingo on bust
ness, entirely disassociated with Cuban
affairs.
It is shown also that the Spanish Gov
eminent sounded General Woodford as to
recalling Gen Fitzhugh Lee, Consul Gen
eral at Havana, alleging that he was in
correspondence with the insurgents on
March 2, 1898, Judge Dav. Assistant Sec
rotary Of State. telegraphed Minister
WoodfOrd as follows:
he President VIII not consider any
proposal to withdraw General Lee. Even
suggestion of his recall at this time
would be most unfortunate from every
point Of view. Our information and be
lief IS that throughout this crisis General
Lee has borne himself with great ability,
prudence, and fairness
Nearly all the mailed reports Of General
WOodfOTd just before war began were ad-
dressed presumably to the President. be
ginning in every case Dear Mr.. Presi-
dent These were numbered like official
reports Detailed accounts of long inter
views with Senior MOret and other Span
ish officials, and even an interesting dis
cussion of the relations between Spain
and the United States at q small dinner
party at which leaders We're present were
set forth for Mr.. McKinley's benefit
It is made clear by the correspondence
that Judge Day was the actual head Of
the State Department IL the nominal ad-
ministration Of John Sherman. His name
was signed to nearly every communica-
ton that went out Of the department to
General Woodford and many of General
WOodford's communications were ad-
dressed to him, kilograms included. On
March q, 1S9S, Judge Day telegraphed to
General Woodford TO endeavor to get the
Spanish Government to agree to an ar
mistice until October I, negotiations for
peace between Spain and the Cubans to
be conducted through President Mckinley
in the meantime and to the Immediate
revocation Of the reconcentrado order, the
needy to be supported by the United
states, and, il possible. to let the Presi-
dent Of the United States act as final
arbitrator between Spain and the insur-
gents If peace had not been arranged by
October /
On the following day General YVoodford
read q memorandum to Premier SagaSta
ana Minister MOTet in which it was stated
that: The President instruets ne to say
that we do not want Cuba The papers
have been carefully edited. There is moth
ing IN the volume 10 prove the allegations
tG3t Great Britain rendered moral sup
port and assisted the United States ma
tcTlally II the war with Spain