Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1898 — TERMS ACCEPTED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TERMS ACCEPTED.

Spanish Cabinet and Queen Regent Agree to the Peace Conditions. Acceptance Thought to Ba Onconditional—Official Notice Not Yat Received. The Spanish <joveram?nt Convinced That the Note Will Prove Sat” isfactory to the President. In This Event Cessation of Hostilities Will Undoubtedly Immediately Follow. Further Steps Are Necessary to the Completion of the Treaty > of Peace. Madrid, Aug. 8. —The cabinet council terminated after having completely confirmed the reply of the United States, which, it is said, accepts the American conditions. The reply will be telegraphed to Senor Leon y (i'astillo, the Spanish ambassador to France, so that M. Cambon, the French ambassador at Washington, will receive it today. 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. Senor Sagasta, the premier, has concluded his conference with the queen regent. Iler majesty approves the general lines of the replj - of Spain to America’s peace terms which Gen. Sagasta explained to her. The government believes that the United States will accept Spain’s answer, which will certainly reach the white house by Tuesday. As a conaequece of the United States accepting the, reply, hostilities will immediately afterwards be suspended. As the reply to the American terms was only submitted to the queen regent Sunday, all the reports of her approval Saturday of the American demands are necessarily without foundation. From a well-informed source it is learned that while the answer does not discuss the four bases which the United States makes an esssential preliminary to leacex, and which Spain accents without reservation, it points out that in order to avoid the definitive negotiations being in any way complicated by incidents of the war, it is expected to agree beforehand to a suspension of hostilities. It is reported that Duke Almodovar de Rio, the minister of foreign affairs, and Monsignor Morry del Vai, Spanish ambassador to the Vatican, will be selected to represent Spain in the negotiations. The newspapers make no comments on the situation owing to the strictness of the censorship. Broasht Little Consolation. London, Aug. B.—The Madrid correspondent of the Times telegraphing Sunday says: All the best authorities agree that the government has decided to accept the American conditions. The American reply to Spain’s request

(Fretnlsr of Spain, who acoepti th* terms.) for explanations reached Madrid Friday evening. The text has not been divulged, but it is known that it brought little consolation. President McKinley turned a deaf ear to the suggestion that Puerto Itico might be left to Spain and compensation sought elsewhere. Regarding the Philippines, the reply was not altogether satisfactory, but it was of such a nature that there was no longer any necessity for postponing a decision on the main question. As .to the context of Spain's reply the oracles differ. Some say It contains no contentious matter, accepts simply in principle the four demands of President McKinley’s first communication and suggests an Immediate suspension of hostilities, on the other hand, others affirm that (t Is prefaced by an account of the origin of the war, tending to prove that, as Spain was in no sense the aggressor, she ought not to be expected to pay a war Indemnity either in money pr territory. A Dignified Acqslesceurr, 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 has been unwillingly led in the defense of . her rights and territory. It expresses a willingness to appoint delegates to meet the American commissioners to discuss a regime for the Philippines. Outline of the Answer. London, Aug. B.—The Madrid correspondent of the Daily Mail telegraphing Sunday says: The answer of the Spanish government declares that Spain cannot discuss the American proposals but only accepts thejn because they are imposed on her by force. Only a few unessential changes in the American demands were asked for and it is not expected that President McKinley will refuse them. A commission composed of Spaniards and Americans will decide the question of the Cuban debt, the dates and manner of evacuating Cuba and Puerto Rico and the protection of Spaniards and Spanish interests in these places. The commissioners will also decide whether Spain is to be allowed tg wjthdrjwjier artillery and the remainder of her arms and ammunition from the colonies, while the question of the future of the Philippines will be settled by the same body. Treaty will be signed subject to approval by the cortes, which will be convoked immediately. The cabinet council will appoint Spanish commissioners to meet the Americans to arrange as to the future of the Philippines and other details. Convinced That War In Ended. Washington, Aug. 8. —Although as yet without ofticialconfirmationof the report that the Spanish government has decided to accept the terms laid down by the United States as essential to the negotiation of a treaty of peace, the officials here are proceeding under the conviction that the end has come and are giving attention to the steps to be taken next. Future Steps. Should the Spanish answer be an unconditional acceptance of our terms some negotiation may be necessary to agree upon the steps to be taken to give effect to the agreement. So far as can be learned it has not yet been determined how this shall be done. There are two ways open. The first is a military capitulation by the captain generals of Cuba and Puerto Rico, which will immediately place the American military or naval commanders in technical occupation of the islands, and enable them to carry out in their own way and in their own time the embarkation of the Spanish armies in the islands. The question as to whether they shall be permitted to carry off their arms is not now as material as it was in the case of the surrender of Gen. Toral’s forces at Santiago, where occurring in the midst of the campaign there was a necessity for securing the moral effect

of compelling the Spanish soldiers to I lay down their arms. Spain having succumbed it might be urged that the United States might grant a concession on this point to Spanish pride without fear of having the action attributed to fear of the consequences of a refusal. This would not apply, however, to the volunteers who might elect to remain in Cuba, as it w’ould not be prudent to allow so large a body of men to carry arms without restraint in the days of reconstruction, when delicate and difficult matters of internal policy are to be settled and new methods applied to the government of the islands. The second method by which the preliminary peace agreement might be formally effected would be by a protocol to be signed by a representative of the president, probably Secretary Day in this case, and by M. Cambon in behalf of the Spanish government. It was by just such an agreement as this, known as the Cushing protocol, that war was averted as a result of the Virginius affair. This course having the weight of precedent, may be adopted in this ease. It is probable that in the Philippines the greatest difficulty will l>e met in putting the agreement into effect on account of the attitude of the insurgents, but Gen. Merritt is nowgaining in strength daily, and probably will be in position to meet any emergency.

SENQR BAGASTA.