Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1898 — RECALL OF GEN. LEE. [ARTICLE]

RECALL OF GEN. LEE.

Our Representative Is Instructed to ■ - Leave Havana. i ■ OTHER CONSULS ARE ORDERED HOME. Fleet of Ve*«el* Sent to Carry American. to Points of Safety—Apprehensions Regarding Their Personal Safety the Cause. Washington, April 6. —How close Spain and the United States have now come to war inaj be judged from the fact that Consul-General Lee has been recalled from Havana as a percautionary measure for his personal safety. The other consular representatives in Cuba will also be directed to return to Ulis country, and it is expected that Minister Woodford and the American diplomatic and consular representatives in Spain will be ordered home within the next 24 hours. The administration confesses anxiety es to the situation in Havana and constant communication is kept up with Gen. Lee in fear of a possible outbreak. It is thought over 1,000 Americans will be eager to leave Havana to-day. To care for this crowd there are the Fern, the Bache and the Mangrove, all government vessels, and the passenger steamers Olivette and Mascotte. Whether any armed vessel from the Key West squadron will be at hand when the J exodus begins could not be learned, but: it was said at the white house thatj’all! Americans would be well cared for.” The government has sent Consul-Gen-eral Lee instructions to see to the safety of American consuls and Americans in Cuba, and has given him full authority to go to whatever expense is necessary, | including the hire of vessels, to secure, this end. .«!■ Sent to Haves*. T'. trnment has dispatched a fleet of six vessels to Havana to transport Consul-General Lee and all the United States consular officers, together with all Americans now in Havana and vicinity who desire to leave the island of Cuba. The names of the vessels are the Bache, the Fern and the Mangrove, all government tenders; the Oljvette and the Mascotte, of the Plant system, and the steamship City of Key West, which have also been chartered and form a part of this fleet. In addition to these vessels Consul-General Lee is authorized to charter as many other merchant vessels now lying in Havana harbor as he may deem necessary for the safe transport of American citizens. Meaaoge Will Not Be Delayed. Secretary Long was asked late Tuesday afternoon if he had received any advice from Havana indicating a ueces aity for postponing the president’s mes sage, to which be replied: “No, th* message will go to congress Wednes way.” The message is ready, makes about 7,000 words and has been approved bj the cabinet. It recommends armed in lervention (but so' far as known with out stating that this should be ini mediate) by the United States to pre vent hostilities and succor for the starving people. It makes an argument against recognition of independence a 1 this time and leaves it clear that in tht opinion of the administration it is tht duty of this government to supervise the affairs of the island until, in the light of fuller and later knowledge, a stable government can establish. The attitude of congress on this policy can not be foretold in advance of its official promulgation in the president’s message. Can’t Agree on Mediation. The day was prolific of reports oi mediation on the part of the European powers, but a summary of all the newt on this point is that the powers of Europe cannot agree, and that their interference would be unacceptable to the government of the United States. Time for Armistice Pant. Accompanying the diplomatic com ment was an undercurrent of suggestion that developments in Cuba were not unlooked for, and that the pressure of the powers and the pope on Spain might yet bring about an armistice in which both Spanish troops and insurgents would participate. Viewed from the official standpoint here, the time for that has gone by, and there is little likelihood that the insurgents could be induced to lay down their arms even foi a time.

I'onirreaa and the President. At the eapitol tremendous effort was made to have congress support the outlined policy of the president. A general belief was expressed when the house adjourned that a majority of the house committee on foreign affairs was ready to support Mr. McKinley’s plan and the impression prevailed that a resolution in line with the recommendations of the president would be reported from the committee. There is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the senate committee. An important conference of conservative senators was held during the day, when it was determined that in case the foreign relations committee did not report in. accordance with the president’s recommendations there would be a long debate upon the resolution reported and unanimous aetion by the senate could not be expected. Blown Up by Treachery. Capt. Sigsbee, in the course of his examination before the house committee on foreign affairs, stated it to be his opinion that his vessel, the Maine, was blown up by a submarine mine located by the Spanish authorities. As to whether it was tired by the Spanish authorities or not, he declined to express an opinion. He told the committee what he had testified to before the board of inquiry about the buoy to which the Maine was anchored being the most unfrequented buoy In the harbor. The position in which the ship was

placed, he said, was-snch that he could have fired upon both forts at the same time. An Election Day Tragedy. Houston, Tex., April 6.—A special from Brownsville, Tex., on the Rio Grande border, says two men were killed and one lynched in an election riot Tuesday. Carlos Juillen shot Jailor Sam Cobb, who attempted his arrest, wounding him fatally, then killed Felipe Cobb. A young brother of Juillen blew out Sam Cobb’s brains. Carlos was fatally wounded, but this did not prevent a mob getting bold of him and killing him. The boy escaped. Cruiser* Reach Porto Rico. New York, April 6.—A dispatch to the World from San Juan de Porto Rico, announces the arrival there of the Spanish cruisers Vizcaya and' Almirante Oquendo, which left Havana last Friday. Spanlah Troop* Embark. Madrid, April 6.-—Two companies of artillery and two battalions of chas- ( seurs sailed for the Canaries Tuesday. 1 The crew of the French training ship Iphigene cheered the departing troops, who, with the crowds on the quays, warmly reciprocated, making a Fran-co-Spanish demonstration.