682. FOREIGN RELATIONS. In reply I have the honor to state that the President has been pleased to designate Saturday, the 3d instant, at 11 o'clock a. m., as the day and hour when he will receive you for the purpose. If you will call at this Department on the quarter before that hour I shall be pleased to accompany you to the Executive Mansion and to present you to the President. Accept, etc., JOHN HAY. Reply of the President to Spanish minister's address. MR. MINISTER: I receive with the greatest gratification the letter by which Her Majesty the Queen Regent of Spain, in the name of her august son, King Alfonso XIII, has accredited you near this Government as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary. You will find, Mr. Minister, a cordial welcome in this country, not only from those whose friendship you acquired during your former residence, but from all our people, who rejoice, as I do, at the renewal of the ancient bonds of amity which, with a brief interruption, have united our nations for more than a hundred years. That these friendly relations may be confirmed and strengthened to the advantage of both peoples is my earnest wish, and I can assure you that every member of this Government will heartily cooperate with you in that desirable end. RETURN TO SPAIN OF SPANISH PRISONERS OF FILIPINOS. Mr. Hay to the Duke de Arcos. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEAR MR. MINISTER: In pursuance of our conversation last Thursday, I requested the Secretary of War to instruct General Otis to cooperate with whatever agents your Government may appoint in the Philippines for the purpose of effecting the release of Spanish prisoners in those islands. I have a note from the Secretary of War informing me that he has done so. Yours, faithfully, Mr. Storer to Mr. Hay. JOHN HAY. No. 17.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to report that yesterday, the 26th of June, I had my first private audience and personal conversation with the Queen Regent. The interview was, on her part, one of entire graciousness and courtesy, fitted and probably meant to show the strong desire on the part of the Queen Regent that the representative of our Government should meet with all the regard shown those of all other countries. The Queen Regent with evidence of deep feeling and interest inquired whether her minister of state had yet arranged an interview with me to discuss the question of the fate of the Spaniards now prisoners to the natives of the Philippine Islands. She added that the petitions she was receiving every day, and the audiences begged for, with herself, by the families and relatives of these prisoners showed the intense natural interest of her people in the sufferings of these unfortunates and filled her with unspeakable pity. She entreated that I should urge on the President in the name of universal humanity that something be speedily arranged to rescue these prisoners and restore them to Spain. No criticism of our Government, either for action or nonaction, was suggested in any of the remarks of the Queen Regent; and no feeling was apparent, save the sympathy of a good woman for the suffering, and the wearing responsibility of a good Sovereign to whom her people were looking for aid. * * * I am practically ignorant of the facts, outside the general historic trend of the march of events, as the discrepancies and contradictions of the American press, when read at this distance, and ten days behind, are so glaring as to afford no guidance, even as to what has been decided or what has been done. It would be an idle farce to try to glean any clear idea or accurate knowledge from the European press of what is doing or not being done in the Philippines. Evidently I shall soon be asked by the Spanish Government some pressing and searching questions regarding the President's intentions and his policy concerning article 6 of the treaty of Paris, as interpellations and debates are frequent occurrences in the Cortes on this subject, and the opposition is trying to force the ministry to the defensive on the matter. Unless it be thought by the Department more advisable that I should be left in the attitude of knowing nothing and having no response except that of general good will to make when these questions come, I respectfully ask that I be instructed as to the President's policy, how our Government in general is proceeding to carry it out, and the explanations and grounds of justification of the delay experienced. * * * I have, etc., BELLAMY STORER. Mr. Storer to Mr. Hay. No. 25.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to confirm my cipher dispatch of this day, the true reading of which is as follows: I earnestly recommend the greatest attention should be given to my dispatch No. 17, dated the 27th June. The public and parliamentary interest increases daily. Since writing that dispatch No. 17 serious outbreaks against public order in Barcelona, Valencia, Zarogoza, and other places have occurred, and, while the riotous demonstrations have mainly been directed in appearance against the imposition of new taxes, it is perfectly understood they have been fomented by interests antagonistic to the present Government of Spain. The apparent unexplained delay in returning to Spain those who are prisoners in the Philippines is used to excite public opinion, both inside and outside the Cortes, for political ends. At the same time the real public opinion, kept alive by sympathy with the sufferings of the prisoners, which rightly or wrongly are believed 684 FOREIGN RELATIONS. to be very great, is liable to be moved against any government which is thought lax or supine in this direction. The statement officially made on the 8th by the minister of state that he had received a cablegram from General Jaramillo, dated Manila, announcing the release and safe arrival of the garrison of Baler and other prisoners, both civil and military, has added to the interest. The Government here is pressed with inquiries and interpellations, and up to this moment declares it has not been able to obtain the names of those released by Aguinaldo, although it has sent successive telegrams to General Jaramillo. This legation, it was rumored, had official information on the subject, and a deputation of the executive committee of the women of Spain called on me to obtain some assurance. Any details, or even any generalities, that this legation might be able to offer would have an effect not to be measured by the mere facts which can be given. The impression of the friendly interest and keen appreciation of the importance of this matter on the part of our Government would have a salutary and pacifying result. If the President could have a telegram sent which could be made public, showing his own deep interest and sympathy in any successful efforts to obtain from Aguinaldo the release of these prisoners, I am confident it would have a gratifying effect. Articles translated from newspapers in the United States, showing renewed respect for Spain and sympathy in their troubles and the suffering of those prisoners, which I have been able to send to the Spanish press, have met with wide and favorable comment. The feeling of injury and veiled hostility to the United States in Spain, to judge from what I have thus far observed, is almost entirely among the upper and most highly educated classes. The mass of the people are careless and indifferent as to the results of last year, except so far as taxation has increased and threatens to continue so to do. It is toward the sentiment of this upper and educated class that approaches made in a sincere, yet dignified way, by the friendly spirit of the United States must be directed if public opinion is gradually to be made favorable to our country. The interest and intense sympathy of all this class in the question of the prisoners in the Philippines make it, in my judgment, an opportunity for showing our own feelings of humanity, which it would be wise to not pass over. I have, etc., BELLAMY STORER. Mr. Hay to Mr. Storer. No. 30.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your dispatch No. 17, referred to in your telegram of the 10th instant, has received the attention which its importance demands. The deep interest of Her Majesty, the Queen Regent of Spain, in the liberation of the Spanish prisoners now in the hands of the Philippine insurrectionists is shared by the President, who has done and is doing all in his power to execute the provisions of article 6 of the treaty of peace, by which it is agreed that the United States "will undertake to obtain the release of all Spanish prisoners in the hands of the insurgents in Cuba and the Philippines. Notwithstanding the fact that the troops of the United States have carried on a most successful campaign to the north of Manila in the island of Luzon, the insurrection, although believed to be in a great degree broken, has not, at the present date, largely owing to the intervention of the rainy season when an active campaign is impossible, been sufficiently reduced to procure the enforced liberation of the Spanish prisoners held by the insurgent leaders. Our military authorities have been strictly charged, however, pending the suppression of the insurrection, to leave nothing undone which might effect the release of the Spanish prisoners in the Philippines. As soon as it was suggested by the Spanish Government that they contemplated taking measures for that purpose by direct communication with the insurgents, General Otis was instructed to facilitate these efforts in every possible way. * * * The steady policy of the President has been to pacify the Philippine Islands as a preliminary to the establishment of permanent order and security to life and property. The military operations have been of a vigorous and brilliant character, and will be sustained until the end is accomplished. It is the intention of the President to execute the provisions of article 6 of the treaty of peace in so far as it is in his power to do so, and the suppression of the insurrection, in which not only Spain, but the whole of Europe must be interested, would enable him to fulfill completely his desire in this respect. You will note that the clause of article 6 of the treaty of peace relating to the release of prisoners not in the possession of this Government, is not an absolute engagement to obtain the release of Spanish prisoners in the hands of the insurgents, but a pledge that this Government will exercise its best endeavors in this direction. In reply to any question regarding the intentions of this Government upon the subject under article 6 of the treaty of peace, you are authorized to say that this Government will fulfill its engagement, and is preparing the way to do so by suppressing the insurrection in the Philippines. I have, etc., The Duke de Arcos to Mr. Hay. JOHN HAY. LEGACIÓN DE ESPAÑA, DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I am writing you in an informal way, as our former conversations upon the matter I am about to speak of have not been official. I refer to the subject of the Spanish prisoners detained by Aguinaldo. The Spanish Government has, in Manila, as you know, an agent, who, from the time that the United States Government permitted him to do so, has been in communication with the Filipino chief, and has treated with him about the release of those unfortunate prisoners. This negotiation necessitates constant consultations with the Government at Madrid and frequent communication with Aguinaldo, which implies a considerable expenditure of time. This could be avoided if our agent could communicate freely by wire with Aguinaldo. But it appears that General Otis is opposed to cipher telegrams being sent to Aguinaldo, and this obstacle the Government which I have the honor of representing is anxiously desirous of having removed. The American Government will understand that if this obstacle subsists, the negotiations will be interminable and the sufferings of the unfortunate prisoners and of their families will have no end. Besides, General Otis knows what the telegrams are about, so it seems that the measure he has adopted is an exaggerated precaution. The Spanish Government therefore trusts that the President of the Republic, who has already shown his sincere good will to cooperate in obtaining the liberty of these prisoners, will be good enough to give the necessary orders to General Otis to allow telegrams between our agent and Aguinaldo to pass freely, thus completing the understanding we have come to, which otherwise would be valueless. The Spanish Government will feel deeply grateful for anything the American Government may do upon this matter, and I, Mr. Secretary, also thank you in advance and avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you the expression of my highest consideration. Mr. Hay to the Duke de Arcos. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ARCOS. Washington, July 25, 1899. DEAR MR. MINISTER: I have received your letter of the 22d of July, in which you tell me that the communications between your agent and the Filipino chief are embarrassed, and may be rendered interminable on account of the indisposition of General Otis to permit cipher telegrams to be sent to Aguinaldo. You state that as General Otis knows what the telegrams are about the measure he has adopted seems to you an exaggerated protection. The President, as you know, is most anxious that every possible facility be afforded your agent for the accomplishment of the purpose we all have so much at heart-the liberation of the Spanish prisoners in the Philippines. I have therefore requested the Secretary of War to give directions to General Otis to permit the Spanish agent in the Philippines to communicate in cipher or otherwise to the insurgent chief all dispatches, the contents of which may have been made known to General Otis. I am, etc., Mr. Hay to the Duke de Arcos. JOHN HAY. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, MY DEAR MR. MINISTER: A dispatch just received from General Otis informs us that the Spanish agents in Manila have been given full liberty to negotiate with the insurgents for the exchange of prisoners. I am, etc., Mr. Storer to Mr. Hay. [Confidential.] JOHN HAY. No. 42.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to report the substance of a conversation had this morning with the minister of state at the ministry, where he had requested me to come. |