Mr. Woodford to Mr. Day.
Madrid, April 5, 1898.
Sir: I have the honor to report that on Sunday afternoon, April 3, I sent to the President a telegram, in cipher, which I now translate, as follows:
Madrid, April 3, 1898.
President McKinley, Washington:
The minister of foreign affairs has just called and tells me confidentially that, according to news received by him, the Pope, at the suggestion of the President of [Page 736] the United States, proposes to offer to Spain his mediation, in order that the Spanish Government grant an immediate armistice to Cuba which will facilitate and prepare an early and honorable peace.
According to Señor Gullon’s opinion, the Spanish Government will accede to the desires of the Holy Father, which are not political, but humane. But he understands that the Spanish Government, going as far as it goes, asks that the United States will show their friendship for Spain by withdrawing our war ships from the vicinity of Cuba and from Key West as soon as the armistice has been proclaimed. That the Spanish Government will continue this armistice so long as there are any reasonable hopes that permanent peace can be secured in Cuba. He asks your immediate answer as to withdrawal of war ships at once after the proclamation of armistice.
I still believe that when armistice is once proclaimed hostilities will never be resumed and that permanent peace will be secured. If, under existing conditions at Washington, you can still do this, I hope that you will.
The Spanish minister for foreign affairs assures me that Spain will go as far and as fast as she can. The Austrian ambassador has heard me read this dispatch to this point, and says that he will guarantee that Spain will do this.
If conditions at Washington still enable you to give me the necessary time, I am sure that before next October I will get peace in Cuba with justice to Cuba and protection to our great American interests. I know that the Queen and her present ministry sincerely desire peace, and that the Spanish people desire peace, and if you can still give me time and reasonable liberty of action I will get for you the peace you desire so much and for which you have labored so hard. I think there may be mistake in the telegram from Rome to the Queen, and that the words “at the suggestion of the President” may mean with the knowledge or approval of the President.
Woodford.
I also acknowledge the receipt on Monday, April 4, at 1 o’clock in the afternoon, of your cipher telegram, which I translate as follows:
Washington, April 4, 1898.
Woodford, Minister, Madrid:
The President has made no suggestions to Spain except through you. He has made no suggestions other than those which you were instructed to make for an armistice to be offered by Spain to negotiate a permanent peace between Spain and insurgents, and which Spain has already rejected.
An armistice involves an agreement between Spain and insurgents, which must be voluntary on the part of each, and if accepted by them would make for peace.
Disposition of our fleet must be left to us. An armistice, to be effective, must be immediately proffered and accepted by insurgents.
Would the peace you are so confident of securing mean the independence of Cuba?
The President can not hold his message longer than Tuesday.
2 o’clock Monday morning.
Day.
I called at once upon the minister for the colonies, who has been the English interpreter during my recent conferences with President Sagasta and Minister Gullon. I gave him for his Government an exact copy of your dispatch as translated above.
Last evening he informed me officially that the Spanish Government admit that the President of the United States has never asked or suggested the mediation of the Pope, and that they regret this misunderstanding. I at once accepted this official explanation as full and sufficient.
I then telegraphed you in cipher as follows:
Madrid, April 5, 1898.
Assistant Secretary Day, Washington:
The Spanish Government admit that the President of the United States has never asked or suggested the mediation of the Pope and they regret this misunderstanding.
The minister for the colonies informs me officially that the Cuban government has issued proclamation to the Cuban people looking to immediate peace. You will get full text from the Spanish minister at Washington.
In answer to your inquiry as to whether the peace I am so confident of securing means the independence of Cuba, I reply that I believe that if armistice, without [Page 737] any conditions, had been decreed by Spanish Government lasting until next October, the negotiations between now and then would have resulted in either an autonomy which the insurgents would have accepted, or in the recognition by Spain of the independence of Cuba, or in the cession of the island to the United States. I believe that immediate armistice would have been followed by permanent peace, but without immediate and unconditional armistice lasting until next October I have no hope of successful adjustment.
Tuesday, 1 a.m.
Woodford.
I also acknowledge the receipt this Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock of your cipher dispatch, whice I translate as follows:
Washington, April 4, 1898.
Woodford, Minister, Madrid:
We have received to-day from the Spanish minister a copy of the manifesto of the autonomy government. It is not armistice. It proves to be an appeal by the autonomy government of Cuba, urging the insurgents to lay down their arms and to join with the autonomy party in building up the new scheme of home rule. It is simply an invitation to the insurgents to submit, in which event the autonomy government, likewise suspending hostilities, is prepared to consider instantaneously what expansion of the decreed home rule scheme, if any, is needed or practicable. It need scarcely be pointed out that this is a very different thing from an offered armistice. The President’s message will go in Wednesday afternoon.
Monday night, 11 o’clock.
Day.
Should any further negotiations be had at Madrid I will report promptly.
Very respectfully, yours,