Newspaper Page Text
Abbeville Chronicle.
VOL. II.
Answer to Peace Terms Approved
After a Week’s Discussion.
and leeis Her Concurrence.
TIIE FOUR BASES OF OUR PROPOSITION LAID
DOWN WERE NOT TOUCHED UPON.
The President Did Not Modify the Original Peace Terms In the
Least, and the Acceptance By Spain Was Necessarily
On That Basis—Official Notification Awaited.
A Madrid special of Sunday says:
The cabinet council terminated after
having completely approved the reply
to the United States, which, it is said,
accepts the American conditions.
The reply will be telegraphed to
Senor Leon y Castillo, the Spanish
ambassador to France, so that M.
Carubon, the French ambassador at
Washington will receive it immedi
ately.
The government is fully convinced
that the note will be satisfactory to
the Washington government, and that
a suspension of hostilities will be its
immediate consequences.
The queen regent has approved the
reply accepting the conditions laid
down by the United States.
From a well-informed source it is
learned that while the answer to the
United States’ terms does not dis
cuss the four bases which the United
States makes an essential preliminary
to peace, and which Spain accepts
without reservation, it points out
that in order to avoid the definitive
negotiations being in any way compli
cated by incidents of the war, it is ex
pedient to agree beforehand to a sus
pension of hostilities.
It is reported that Duke Almodovar
de Rio, the minister of foreign affairs,
and Monsignor Merry del Yal, Span
ish ambassador to the vactican, will be
selected to represent Spain in the
negotiations.
The newspapers make no comments
on the situation owing to the strictness
of the censorship.
Senor Sagasta has submitted the an
swer to the queen regent and her ma
jesty approves the general lines, which
the premier fully explained to her.
The government believes that the
United States will accept Spain’s an
swer, and as a consequence hostilities
will immediately afterwards be sus
pended. the American terms
As the reply to
was only submitted to the queen regent
Saturday, all the reports of her pre
vious approval of the American de
mands were necessarily without found
ation.
Contents of the Note.
According to the most reliable
sources of information the Spanish
note is couched in dignified language.
It asserts that Spain bows to the force
of circumstances, having done nothing
to provoke the war, into which she
lias been unwillingly led in the de
fense of her rights and territory.
It expresses a willingness to appoint
delegates to meet the American com
missioners to discuss a regime for the
Philippines. understood both Senor
It is that
Sagasta and Duke Almodovar de Rio,
the foreign minister, the queen regent
that they felt deeply the painful duty
circumstances imposed upon them.
News From "Washington.
A Washington special of Sunday
says: Although ns yet without official
confirmation of the roport from Paris
that the Spanish government has de
cided to accept the terms laid down
by the United States as essential to
the negotiations of a treaty of peace,
CUBANS FILE CLAIMS.
They Want United State, to Pay Damage.
1 nlllctoil By Spaniard..
The announcement that the United
States government will assume liability
for the claims of the insurgents against
the Spanish government on account of
injuries and damages sustained in tho
Cuban insurrection has caused the
filing of a large nnmber of claims with
the state department. not based
Very many of these are
upon events occurring during the last
rebellion, but date back for many
years and relate to excessive custom
collections, damages sustained through
municipal maladministration, alleged
illegal confinement and such things,
ABBEVILLE, GA.. THURSDAY. AUGUST 11. 18118.
the officials at the capital are proceed
ing under the conviction that the end
has come and are giving attention to
the steps to be taken next. In view
of the delay in coming to this conclu
sion the idea was beginning to prevail
that the Spanish government was
about to enter a plea in abatement,
and that the answer would again be
inconclusive.
The president did not modify the
original peace terms in the least, and
the acceptance by Spain must bo on
the following basis, the synopsis stated by of
the terms being officially
President McKinley:
“The president does not now put
forward any claim for pecuniary in
demnity, but requires the relinquish
ment of all claims of sovereignty over
or title to the island of Cuba, as well
the immediate evacuation by Spain of
the island; the cession to the United
States and immediate evacuation of
Porto Rico and other islands under
Spanish sovereignty in the West In
dies; and the like cession of an island
i
II
f I
-
s* 4.
W ifcv
51. JULIES CAMEOS.
(Tho Fronoh Minister who is acting foi
Spain in the peace negotiations.)
in the Ladrones. The United States
will occupy and hold tho city, bay and
harbor of Manila, pending the conclu
sion of a treaty of peace which shall
determine the control, disposition and
government of the Phillipines. ”
Some reference has been made in
the dispatches of British newspapers
to a desire on the part of the Spanish
government to include in the prelim
inary agreement a clauso exempting it
from liability from tho Cuban debt.
The formal statement of the points
of the United States note given out
from the, white house made no refer
once to this subject and it cannot be
known as yet whether or not the full
text shows anything more. But pre
suming that no reference whatever is
made to the Cuban debt it is possible
the subject may be regarded as one
that should be treated by tho peace
commissioners who are to meet later
to frame, the treaty, which, of course,
will embody many details that are left
untouched in the main proposition,
though cabinet officers have authorized
the statement that no part of the
Cuban or Porto Rican debts would be
assumed by the Uuited States.
THEY ARE IMMUNE.
Canudian-Aincrican Legion A.kg Permlfl
Hion to Go to Cuba.
Yellow fever has no terrors to the
Canadian-Americau legion, of Chicago,
and its officers and men are eager to
fill the places of those driven from tho
front by the plague. Many of tho
men are fever immunes, having served
in the British army in Egypt, India,
South America and the West Indies.
At a meeting of the officers Saturday
the following telegram was sent to
Governor Tanner:
“The Canadian American legion vol
unteers to relieve troops at Santiago.
Large proportion of our officers and
men immunes.”
OUR INVASION OF PORTO RICO A
VERITABLE WALK OVER.
TROOPS MARCHING ON SAN JUAfl.
Eastern End of tho Island Hus Boon
Taken Possession of Without Any,
Serious Resistance.
Advices received Friday from Ponce,
Porto Rico, stato that Genoral Miles
is proceeding without regard to peace
negotiations. Krag-Jorgensens are
being issued. The Second and Third
Wisconsin wero moving np to the Six
teenth Pennsylvania. Colonol Hidings
has captured 500 pounds of rice. Thus
far the enemy has not molested him.
General Brooke’s landing at Arroyo
was successful. The troops from the
Roumanian, four batteries from the
Twenty-eight Indiana, tho First Mis
souri, the First Pennsylvania and the
Third Illinois disembarked nt that
point. The Morgan troops of tho
Fifth cavalry and the Mississippi com
missaries also arrived.
General Roy Stone is repairing the
road to Arecibo, but a movement on
that place is improbable.
The Americans have taken peaceful
possession of the eastern portion of the
island. Small parties of marines have
been landed, who have ligh.ed lamps
in the lighthouse at Cape San Juan and
other lighthouses aloug the coast.
They met with no resistance. Indeed,
at Cape San Juan deputations of citi
zens went out to meet them.
The warships now in tho vicinity are
tho Montgomery, the Annapolis, the
Puritan and the Ampliitrite. The
two former are looking for the trans
ports with troops, which left the
United States and have scattered all
about the island. The Annapolis
rounded up the Whitney, the Florida
and the Raleigh Thursday, and they
are now at Cape San Juan.
There seems to have been a serious
mistake ns to the rendezvous, for no
two ships go to the same place, and it
will take them several days to locate
them and get them to Ponce, where
General Miles is waiting.
Off San Juan the cruiser New Or
leans alone maintains the blockade.
The city is grim and silent, but back
of her yellow walls there will be found
plenty of determination and fight when
the Americans open fire. Captain Gen
eral Macias has issued a proclamation,
in the course of which he says:
“Spain has not sued for peace, and
I can drive off the American boats now
as I did on Sampson's attempt be
fore. ”
The daughter of the captain general
is helping to drill the gunners in the
forts. Altogether' there are 9,500
Spanish regulars in the city. The
troops of the enemy, who are retreat
ing from Ponce and the other towns
on the south coast occupied by the
Americans, have not yet arrived.
The German steamer Polynesia,
with a cargo of rum, canned meats
and tobacco, tried to run the blockade
Friday morning, but was stopped by
tho New Orleans,
At Desoalnbrode river, six miles be
yond Juana Diaz, on the road to San
Juan, the Sixteenth Pennsylvania, of
Ernst’s brigade, seized and now holds
the bridge.
The seizure of the bridge insures
control of the road to Coamo. Pickets
are being pushed out and they may
collide with the Spanish outposts.
TWELVE SEAMEN LOST.
Dredge. Two Scows and a Tug Wrecked
by Storm.
A dispatch from Apalachicola, Fla.,
says: The Nimrod, towing the dredge
Thomas H. Herndon and two scows,
were totally wrecked off Cape St. Bias
in Tuesday night’s storm. The Nim
rod, with her entire crew, consisting
of twelve men, went down forty miles
at sea and nothing has since been
heard of them. The dredge, with her
two scows, is ashore on Cape St. Bias,
the dredge being a total loss.
The Nimrod, dredge and soows be
long to Bittenhouee Moore, of Mobile,
and are valued as follows: Nimrod
$40,000, dredge $75,000, scows $32,000.
George Randolph, purser of tho
Nimrod, and two shipmates arrived at
Apalaclieola Friday afternoon, report
ing the loss.
TWO CAPTAINS RESIGN.
Their Regiment Waft On Eve of Departure
For Santiago.
Two captains of Colonel Ray’s im
mune regiment resigned Friday and
their resignations caused a great sen
sation in Macon. The resignations
coming on the eve of departure for
Santiago at a time when there is said
co be much anxiety on the part of offi
cers and privates, from the fact that
the regiment is ordered to the Cuban
city which is in the midst of a yellow
fever plague, has increased the sensa
tion and excitement caused by the de
termination on the part of the officers
to return home.
!t
TO BRING THE ARMY AT SANTI
AGO HOME.
ACTION WAS TAKEN.
The Regult of Protest of Officers Under
General Shafter—Points Selected
For Convalescents.
A Washington special of Friday
says: The war department has order
ed tho largo fleet of transports at
Ponce to proceed to Santiago, there to
join with the transports already at
Santiago in bringing General Shafter’s
army back to this country. There are
ten large transports in the fleet at
Pouce, some of them, like the Mobile,
having a capacity of 1,000 men. In
all they have a capacity 0,540 men.
This with the capacity of ships al
ready at Santiago will give a carrying
strength of over 12,100 men in a trip.
In addition to tho transports an
nounced by the war department as
being now at Santiago, it now appears
that the Orizaba, enpaoity 050 men,
is also available. The Yale will also
be brought into service in the course
of a week or ten days. At present she
is to be utilized in taking General
Fred Grant’s brigade to Porto Rico,
after which she will return by way of
Santiago and take on a load of Shaf
ter’s men.
The press dispatches from Santiago
saying that the troops wero greatly
elated over the prospects of beginning
the homeward move are accepted with
satisfaction by the war officials. They
say that tho embarkation has already
begun, and that the Louisiana, which
left last Wednesday with cavalry on
board, is now well on her way home.
With the arrival of Shafter’s army
in this country, every facility will be
given to the troops to recuimrnte. This
will apply not only to tho sick, but to
the well, ns it is appreciated that the
hardships through which the men have
gone must have taxed the vitality even
of the strongest.
Thero will be no yellow fever cases
brought to this country, as'such cases
can be best handled without removal.
The less serious eases of sickness not
involving contagion ^vill be brought
here if the patients are convalescing
to a point where removal will be ad
vantageous. Surgeon General Stern
berg has in view several points for pa
tients and convalescents.
The actual hospital will probably be
located at Montauk Point, where a
field hospital for 500 patients is being
propared, in addition to the hospital
equipments which General Shafter’s
forces will bring along with them.
But in addition to this, General Stern
berg has in view two fine locations,
where the bracing mountains and lake
air will help convalescents to recov
ery. Ethan Allen,
These points are Fort
Vermont, and Tadmy post, at Platts
burg, N. Y. Genoral Sternberg has
no purpose of making these points
hospital camps in the ordinary sense
of the word, where severe cases will
be handled, but only to mnke them
available for the convalescents already
well on tho way to recovery, who need
good air and surroundings to bring
them completely back to health. Each
post will accommodate some 500 to
800 men.
The order designating them for this
purpose has not yet been made, but
General Sternberg doubtless will
make the recommendation for their
use. The impression that there is a dif
ference of opinion between tho medical
officers at Santiago and those nt Wash
ington on the question of removing
the troops of Shafter’s army is said
to ho without fonndation, as it is point
ed out that Surgeon General Sternberg
has maintained from the first that the
army should be removed as fast as the
military situation would permit.
It is said, however, that the milita
ry situation iu the common customs of
field operations dominates the medical
situation, and the latter must shape
itself to the military requirements.
General Sttrnborg felt that it would
be disastrous for tho troops to remain
at Santiago through the late summer
and early fall months, ns thoso are
most likely to breod serious eases of
yellow fever.
MANZANILLO EASY MARK.
Small Force of American. Could Cause
City’s Capitulation.
A delayed dispatch from Santiago,
under date of Aug. 4, says:
Commander Todd, of the Wilming
ton, reports that the conditions at
Manzanillo, as learned from General
Rios, are as follows: There are about
2,000 regulars, 1,000 volunteers and
500 bombarderos there. They appear
to be well supplied with cattle and
provisions, but are said to be short of
ammunition. Recent events in that
vicinity have disheartened thorn and
it is believed the appearance of an
American force, oven of only 1,000
men, would result in capitulation.
STRONG PETITION FROM ARMY
OFFICERS IN CUBA.
"MUST BE MOVED OR PERISH.”
Fever Threateaa tho Annihilation of Shaf
ter'g Army—Tho Situation a
Frightful One.
An Associated dispatch says: Hum
moned by Major General Shatter, a
meeting was held at Santiago Thurs
day morning at headquarters and in
tho presence of every commanding
and medical officer of the Fifth army
corps, General Shatter read a cable
message from Secretary Alger, order
ing him nt tho recommendation of
Surgeon Genorul Sternberg, to move
the army into the interior, to San Luis,
whore it is healthier.
As a result of the conference, Gen
eral Shatter will insist upon the im
mediate withdrawal of tho army uorth
within two weeks.
As an explanation of tho situation,
the following letter from Col. Theo
dore Roosevelt, commanding the
First volunteer cavalry, to General
Shafter, was handed by tho latter to
the correspondent of the Associated
Press for publication:
“Major General Shafter—Sir: In a
njeeting of the general and medical
officers called by you at tho palace this
morning, wo were all, ns you know,
unanimous in view of what should be
done ■viitli the army. To keep ns bore,
in tho opinion of every officer com
manding n division or brigade, will
simply involve the destruction of thou
sands.
“There is no possible reason for not
shipping practically the entire com
mand north at once. Yellow fever
cases are few in the cavalry division
where I command one of the two
brigades, and not one true case of yel
low fever has occurred in this division,
except among the men sent to the hos
pital at Sibouey, where they have, I
believe, contracted it. But in this di
vision there have boen 1,500 eases of
malarial fever. Not a man has died
from it, but tho whole command is so
weakened nnd shattered as to ho ripe
for dying like rotten sheep when a real
yellow fever epidemic, instead of a
fako epidemic, like the present,strikes
us, ns it is bound to do if we stay here
at the height of the sickness season,
August and tho beginning of Septem
ber.
“Quarantine against malarial fever
is much like quarantining against the
toothache. All of us are certain, as
soon as tho authorities at Washington
fully appreciate tho conditions of the
army, to be sent home. If we are
kept here it will in all human proba
bility mean an appalling disaster, for
the surgeons here estimate that over
half the army, if kept hero during the
sickly season, will die. This is not
only terrible from the standpoint of
tho individual lives, but it means rnin
from tho standpoint of the military
efficiency of the flower of tho Ameri
can army, for the great bulk of the
regulars are hero with you.
“The sick, large though it is, ex
ceeding 4,000, affords but a faint idea
of tho debilitation of tho army. Not
ten per cent, are fit for rctive work.
Six weeks on tho north Maine const,
for instance, or elsewhere, where the
yellow fever germ cannot possibly
propagate, would mako us all as
fit as fighting cocks, able as we are
eager, to take a leading part in the
gr eat campaign against Havana in the
fall, even if we are not allowed to try
Porto Rico.
“We can be moved north, if moved
at once, with absolute safety to the
country, although, of course, it would
have been infinitely bettor if we had
been moved north or to Porto Rico
two weeks ago. If there were any
object in keeping us here, we could
face yellow fever with ns much indif
ference as we faced bullets, but there
is no object in it. The four immune
regiments ordered here are sufficient
fo garrison the city and surrounding
towns, and there is absolutely nothing
for us to do here and there has not
bean since the eiiy surrendered. It is
impossible to move into the interior.
Every shifting of camp doubles the
sick rate in our present weakened con
dition, and anyhow tho interior is
rather worse than the coast, ns I have
found by actual roconuoissauce. Our
present camps are as healthy as any
camps at this end of the island can be.
“I write because I cannot see our
men who havo fou,fht so bravely and
who have endured extreme hardships
and danger so uncomplainingly, go to
destruction without striving, so far ns
lies in me, to avert a doom as fearful
as it is unnecessary and undeserved.
Theodore Roosevelt,
Colonel Commanding First Brigade.
After Colonel Roosevelt had taken
the initiative, all tho American general
officers united in a round robin ad
dressed to General Shafter.
NO. 21).
PEACE NOT TO BE ATTAINED 80
EARLY AS EXPECTED.
DOUBTFUL POINTS CAUSE DELAY.
Head of Spanish Government Anxious
to Have Things Accomplished
In Orderly Manner.
A cohlo dispatch of Thursday from
Madrid says: Though peace is regard
ed as assured, it may not be attained
so quickly as is generally expected.
Senor Sagasta objects to being hustled
and insists upon everything being
done in a quiet, orderly and dignified
manner. lie considers it necessary to
have full and satisfactory explanations
as to all doubtful points in order to
enable him lxrstto protect the national
interests against the aggressive ten
dencies of the Washington cabinet.
Ho has nlso to examine very minutoly
the exigencies of the internal situation
and home politics, so ns to avoid
popular dissatisfaction and political
unrest.
Tho Spanish people, though sin
cerely desirous of poaeo, are disposed
to admire this hesitancy and tenacious
holding out until the last, although
aware that it implies greater sacrifices.
As an illustration of this feeling,
while General Tornl is blamed for
capitulating at Santiago, Captain Gen
eral August), continuing a hopeless
resistance at Manila, bids fair to be a
popular hero. It would ho premature
to suppose that the political consulta
tions now proceeding foreshadow the
resignation of the liberal cabinet when
peace is concluded. Tho conserva
tives have so constantly nnd loyally
supported Sagasta throughout tho war
that no factions opposition may be
feared from them.
Tho consultation between tho pre
mier, tho presidents of the chambers
and other prominent persons are de
scribed ns being really of a national
character, with a view of ascertaining
the opinions of nil parties. The gov
ernment hns not yet entered upon any
engagement regarding terms for con
cluding the war with tho United
States. The cabinet will follow the
advice of the party leaders and will
leave to the crown the liberty of
choosing new advisors.
All the leaders consulted thus far
have observed the strictest reserve
with the exception of Senor Romero y
Robledo, tho loader of the Weylorito
party, who declares himself in favor of
continuing war.
Tho queen regent hns summoned
several generals for consultation.
The censorship of the papers is now
conducted with tho utmost severity.
The military censor has excised all
the leading papers, including the mil
itary journals. Everything having the
remotest reference to peace nogotia
sions is suppressed nnd the censorship
is especially severe upon criticisms of
the American government's preten
tions. Those excised articles are re
placed by pooms, tales and literury
matter.
OFFICERS RESIGNED.
(lave U|» TliPir Commissions In the Fare
of the Enemy.
A special cablegram to tho Boston
Journal from Ponce, Porto Rico, says:
A tremendous sensation has oc
curred iu tho Sixth Massachusetts
regiment, which is u part of General
Garretson’s brigade. The friction be
tween the line officers of the regiment
and the officers of tho brigade, which
lias boen growing ever since tho
brigade left Cuba, reached its climax
last Monday when Colonel Woodward,
Lieutenant Colonel Chaffin, Major Tay
lor, Chaplain Donsseault and Captain
Godell, of company K, resigned their
commissions.
Tho exact reason which prompted
them to take this notion is not at pres
ent known. The cause must have been
serious indeed.
Tho resignations leave Mujor Chas.
K. Darling in command of the regi
ment. The matter lias been fully re
ported to General Miles and a rigid in
vestigation has been ordered.
By military law, to resign in face of
the enemy, menus a courtmartial.
MANY SPANISH PRISONERS SICK.
Hundreds of Tornl’. Men Down nnd Deaths
Avernc« Twelve Dally.
General Toral, the commander of the
Spanish troops, has sent a letter to
General Shafter advising the latter
that the camp of the surrendered Span
ish troops is in an unhealthy condi
tion. The Spanish officer also report
ed that there were several hundred
sick in tho hospitals, and that there
was nn average of twelve deaths daily.
The transports expected at Santiago
to carry the Spanish troops back to
Spain have not yet been heard from.
General Shafter will take action at
once in order to improve the sanitary
condition of the Spanish soldiers.