Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-02-13
LIBERALS TO FIGHT
GENERAL HERRERk'S FORCES
READY FOR ACTION.
Declares the Colombian Government Unlawful
Promises to Give Foreigners Ample
Time to Seek Refuge Before tic Bonn.
bards the Two Cities Officials Believe
Herrera Wants TO Gain Time

Panama. Feb. l0.-Colonel Julien
Del Castillo, an envoy from General
Herrera, the insurgent commander, ar
rived here last night, escorted by po-
lice. and left Panama at 10 o'clock
Governor Arjon received important
papers from Colonel Del Castillo, for
himself and for the foreign consuls A
conference of the consnls was held.
The note from General Herrera was
addressed to the American, British,
French and German consuls. In it
General Herrera declared, among other
things, that the vrrnmcnt of Senior
Marroquin, the president of Colombia,
was not lawful, and that, therefore, the
rebels, although deploring the bloody
results of war, would fight to the end
for the ultimate success of liberal prin-
ciples. General Herrera proposed that
the consuls addressed ask their respec-
tive governments to declare the line of
the Panama-C Colon railway to be neutral
ground, on which the government
should not build entertainments or the
Liberals attack, and only police force
be left to guard the line. General Her.
rera said he proposed, if possible, to
compel the government to attack the
Liberal forces, and that the Liberals
had Il strong fleet and army, provided
with cannon, etc. General Herrera
also declared in his note that the Lib
erals considered the capture of Panama
and Colon to be absolutely necessary for
the development of their military
plans, that they would act to obtain
such results, and that, in due time,
they would notify the consuls of such
proposed action, allowing "a hours for
foreigners to take refuge at Il place OF
safety to be agreed upon with the con-
suls. and that the point so selected
should not be fired upon. This is the
same phrase' logy which General Porras
used when the late General Alban de-
Tended Panama in July, 1900. Gener-
al Herrera said that should the consuls
so desire, he would meet them, as well
as representative of the Colombian
government, on board the United States
cruiser Philadelphia at the Island OF
Taboga, the present headquarters of the
revolutionary staff.
In government circles here it is be-
lieved that General Herrera wants t.
gain time, for the government cannot
accept the terms he offered. When the
expected reinforcements arrive on the
isthmus from Puerto Colombia, the
government will begin an energetic and
active campaign against the rebels.
Panama and Colon are now garrisOned
by >, 900 men. Governor General Cas-
tro has ! 800 veterans under his com
mand, giving total of $500. The
most sanguine Liberals do not claim
that General Herrera has over 800
| men.
Governor Arizona said at the confer
ence of the consuls, which he attended
that he would not recognize, even in
directly, the right of the rebels to make
the proposals they did, that the consuls
could not correspond with the Liberals,
as, even were they belligerents, the
consuls would be required to have the
permission of the Colombian govern
ment to communicate with them.
Governor Arizona then demanded that
the consuls send their replies to Gen
eral Herrera, promising to forward
them to the Liberal general by messen-
ger To this the consuls agreed.