•* ,' 
 
 CO' 
 
 ''A V 
 
 c5 '^z 
 
 
 
 \0 o„ 
 
 
 \V -/>, 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 f.. .•^' 
 
 \>^^:::''','^''''^"V., >-/ 
 
 ^^^. .^x 
 
 o^:• 
 
 
 ■\ 
 
 
 O ' 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 -/^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \^ 
 
 '■^ 
 
 u " * « 
 
 1 1 '■ 
 
 ^^^^' 
 
 
 ' 
 
 C' 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 .^^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^\X> '-.f... 
 
 f 
 
 ■i 
 
 
 
 .^~^ 
 
 
 
 
 .^^' -.. 
 
 to 
 
 -^^ v-i' 
 
 
 
 ,>^ •''^. 
 
 N>^ o 
 
 
 -^.,^' 
 
 .X^'-K 
 
 
 .^■^ . 
 
 s-^^ 
 
 <5v.V 
 
 
 ^0 O. 
 
 
 .■0- 
 
 
 
 -' * J -/- 
 
 
 
 O 0' 
 
 '.. .^ 
 
 OO' 
 
 
 OO 
 
SECRET PROCEEDINGS OF THE 
 PEACE COMMISSION 
 
 Official Verbatim Report 
 
 IN SPANISH AND ENCJLISH 
 
 OF EVERY SESSION 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Protocols and Treaty in Full 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 THE UNITED STATES AND SPAIN 
 
 AS ORIGINALLY PROCURED AND 
 
 EXCLUSIVELY PUBLISHED 
 
 BY THE 
 
 NEW YORK JOURNAL 
 
 AND ADVERTISER 
 
 Issued in Pamphlet form for the information 
 
 of United States Senators and Representa. 
 
 tives, Governors of States and Mem. 
 
 bers of State Legislators — with 
 
 the Compliments of the 
 
 New York Journal 
 
y 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^<y^- 
 
 Aes. 
 
 X 
 
 Op 
 
 (^...'-•■"i^****""* j 
 
^ 
 
 I ^ ^ 
 
 Protocol No. 1. 
 
 PROTOCOLO NO. 1. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 Of October 1. 1898. 
 
 Present- 
 On the piu't of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 rUYK. 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 I! KID. 
 On tile pait of Spain: 
 Messrs. MOXTKKO RIOS. 
 
 ArtAUZTZA. 
 
 (JARNII'A. 
 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 
 CERERO. 
 Tiiere was present, as Seeretary i>f the 
 United States Cnmmlssion. Mr. Mrn're. 
 ami as Interpreter of the saini> Coinniission, 
 Mr. Fergnsson. 
 
 Mr. Ojeda, Seeretar.v of the Spanisli 
 ComnusFion. not having arrivi^il in rar;s. 
 his dntles were, on motion of Mr. .Monte- 
 ro Rios. tile Anieriean Commissioners as- 
 senting, discharged by Mr. Villa-rmitia. 
 
 Tin- t [Kiliiissious and full power of lit. 
 Aiiier.'eai. Commissioners were exhibited to 
 the Spar.isli Commissioners, and copies giv- 
 ej I' them 
 
 The cciiimisr on of the Anieriean Seere- 
 tary was ;"h.o exhibited, and a eopy 'iir- 
 nished to the Spanish Commissioners. 
 
 The commissions, which were also full 
 powers of the Spanish Coinmissioncrs were 
 exh'bited. and copies given to the Ameri- 
 can ( ominissioners. 
 
 It was resolveil that the protocols of the 
 conferences shonld be kept in Knglish and 
 In Spanish by the resi>eetive Secretaries, 
 and that in the event of a disagreement 
 between them it should be settled by the 
 Gomnii.ssioners. to whom the protocols 
 gho'.ild always be submitted for approval. 
 
 It was also resolved that the protocols 
 should contain the propositions presented 
 by the Comm'ssloners and the action there- 
 on, suppressing any record of the debates. 
 In order that the discussions should be as 
 full, frank and friendly as was desired 
 by all the Ci>mniissioiiers. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners moved that 
 the Commissioners on cither side should 
 have the right to file memoranda on points 
 deemed by them to be of sufficient Import- 
 ance to warrant such action. On this mo- 
 tion no decision was reached. 
 
 Upon the suggestlou of Mr. Montero 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 1 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 Presenlos— 
 'or pni'te tie ios Kstaiios 
 ira : 
 
 Tiiidos do Amer- 
 
 i>AV. 
 r>AVIS. 
 FUi'E, 
 (IKAY. 
 UKID. 
 Por jmi'to (U> K^fpana: 
 los Scnoies MONTKKO Kins. 
 AKARZTZA. 
 OAKXICA. 
 VILLA-rUHlTIA. 
 I'KUERO. 
 
 rio de la 
 eiicargado 
 
 Asisllan cii (.-aiidad de Scri-cl 
 CiM'iision de los EsTados T'nidns. 
 df l:i n-daccioii iiiErlesa del pioiocolo. Mr. 
 MiMire. y eoiiKt Imi-rpretf de diolia Coinis- 
 i'lii, Mr. EergusHoii. 
 
 No liahiendo aun Ih'^ado a Paris el Seere- 
 larii) lie la Comisinii espanola. Sr. Ojeda. se 
 presto a haoer sns vecies. por indicaeiou del 
 Senor Montero Kios y eon el asentimiento 
 de los Coini sarins anieriranos. el S^nor 
 \'ilhi-T'trutia. 
 
 L"s nonibraiiiicutus y itlfnipotciieias de 
 los Co.iiisarios anierioanos fiieroii preseii- 
 tados a los C'omisarios espan()Ies a quienes 
 se entreiraron eo]»ias de los niisnios. 
 
 TamluiMi file prcseiitado el nombranilento 
 del Secri'tario de la Comision arnerif-aiia y 
 hei-ha entrejra <le una eopia de el. 
 
 Asiinisiiio fueron presuntados piir Jos 
 roniisarins cspanoles sus plenipott'ncias. de 
 qui* s*' dit'i-on ropjas a la Comision ainerl- 
 '■aca. 
 
 Se loin ino I'll que las aotas de la ooii- 
 feri-neia se redaetasen en espan<d e ingles 
 por los respeetivos Secretanos. y que cu- 
 ando no huhiese entre ellos aenerdo, re- 
 solviese la eonfereneia. a cuya ai)rol)aclon 
 hal)ian de ser sienipre sonietidas. 
 
 S).- at-^irdo lanilden quf endiehas aetas 
 ronstasen las proposieiones que preseu- 
 taran los Comisarios y los aeuer dos que 
 recayeran sohre las mismas. suprimlendo en 
 eanibiu euanlo se refiriese a su discusIoD 
 p:irT |)erniitir que esta fuera tan nmpHa, 
 t;in franca y tan amistosa oonio nuos y 
 otros Conilsarios deseaban. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles propusierou que 
 los Comisarios de una u otra de las partes 
 tnveran el derecho de presentar memor- 
 anda sobre aquell os puntos que por su Im- 
 portancia eutendleran que asi lo requerlan. 
 No se decldlo nada sobre este punto. 
 
 Tmlioada por el Senor Montero Rlos la 
 
Rios tUat au order of business be estab- 
 lished by the Commission, Mr. Gray 
 moved that a committee be appointed, to 
 consist of a Commissioner on eacb side, 
 to agree upon, frame, and submit to the 
 conference rules of procedure for the 
 guidance thereof. The motion being agreed 
 to, Mr. Gray • and .Mr. ViUa-Urrutia 
 were designated as the committee, and re- 
 quested to report to the conference at the 
 next session, which it was resolved should 
 be held (.>u October ?>. at - o'clock p. m. 
 
 Till' President ut the Spanish Commis- 
 sion stated that he was charged by his 
 Government to Ia.v before the American 
 Couimissioners a proposition, in limine 
 and of a pressing nature, which he pre- 
 sented in writing, and of whici a copy 
 and translation are hereto annexed. Mr. 
 Day requested that it be read, which was 
 done, the Interpreter translating it into 
 English. Upon the conclusion of the read- 
 ing Mr. Day said that the American Com- 
 missioners would examine the proposition 
 and reply to it at the next session. 
 Sigm-d: WILLI.\M R. DAT, 
 
 CUSHMAX K. DAVIS, 
 \VM. P. FRYE, 
 GEO. GRAY, 
 WHITELAW REID. 
 J. B. MOORE. 
 
 conveniencia de tijar el orden de los tra- 
 ba.ios de la Comision. propuso Mr. Gray el 
 norabramiento de dos delegados en repre- 
 sentac'on de cada una de las partes para 
 que. puestos de acuerdo, redacten y some- 
 tan a la Confereucia las reglas de pro- 
 cedimiento a que esta deba a.iustarse. 
 .\probada la proposieion. gueron designa- 
 dos el Sr. Viila-Urrutia y Mr. Gray para 
 la redaccion del reglaniento que habia de 
 presentarse a la aprobacion de la confereu- 
 cia en su prosima sesion. acordandose que 
 esta tuviera lugar el 3 de Octubre a las dos 
 de la tarde. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 manifesto que tenia encargo de su Gobier- 
 no de preseutar a los Comisarios americanos 
 como ouestlon previa y de caracter urgente 
 una mociou que presento por escrito y cuya 
 copia es anexa al protocolo. Mr. Day pidio 
 que se diera de ella lectura y asi lo hizo, 
 trartuciendola al ingles el Interprete. Ter- 
 minada la lectura declaro Mr. Day que los 
 Comisarios americanos estudiarian ticha 
 mociim y darian su respuesta en la sesion 
 [)rMXinia. 
 FirnKido. E. MONTERO RIOS, 
 B. DE ABARZUZA, 
 J. DE GARNICA, 
 W. R. DE VIELA-rRRlTlA. 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
ANNEX TO PROCOTOL NO. 1. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles para convenir con los Senor. Coralsarlos auierlcanos un 
 tiatado de paz cntre Espana y los Etados I'liMos de Aniprica tlcneu el honor dp 
 hacer presente a los Senores Coinlsftrios ;iiiU'rU'fliu)s In sisuiente: 
 
 Hablcudose conveuido en el artlculo G del protocolo fiimado en Washington el 12 
 de Agosto ultimo por el Senor Ministro do Estado del Gotiierno federal y el Senor 
 Embajador de Fraucia en concepto de Pli'iiipotenciario do Espana en que "al con- 
 eliilrse y flrmarse aquel documento deberian ser suspendidas las hostilidades entrc 
 los dos paises;"' y siendo de este convenio inmediata y necesaria conseeuoneia que el 
 statu quo existente en aquel momento en Flllplnas no habia de poder alterarse en 
 perjuieio de ninguua de las dos Altas Partes eontratantes mientras hubiera de durar 
 tal suspension de hostilidades. los Comisarios espanoles entienden que tiablendo de 
 ser el sobredieho Protoeolo y su estricta observaneia la base necesaria del tratada de 
 paz que estau Uauiados a convenir con los Senores Comisarios americanos. estan en 
 
 ■ el easo de proponer y rieraandar a diehos Senores Comisarios que juntaniente cnu 
 los infrnscritos se sirvan deelurar que dicho statu quo debc ser in?uediatameute re- 
 stableeldo por la parte contratante que lo haya allerado o que baya consentldo o no 
 impedido su alteraclon en perjuieio de la otra. 
 
 Yentendiendo los Comisarios espanoles iiu'' tal staiu quo fue alterado y conti- 
 nua cada dia eon mayor sravedad alterandose en perjuieio de Espana por li>s rebeldes 
 tagalos que formaron durante la campana y continuan fermando una fuerza auxlliar 
 de las tropas vegulares amerioanas, demaudnn a los Senores Comisarios americanos 
 que juntamente con los infraserltos se sirvan dedarar que las autoridades y jefes de 
 las fuerzas amerieanas en las Islas Filiplnas deben proceder inmediatamente a resta- 
 
 ■ bleeer eu su estricta y absoluta integridad aquel statu quo en los territorios que 
 O'-upen V se abstengan de impedlr por ningnn medio directo ni indirecto que las au- 
 toridades y fuerzas espanolas lo restablpzcan en los territorios que no ocupan las de 
 los Estados Unidos. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles se reservan volver a Insistlr sobre este asunt" asi como 
 sobre los derechos que a Espana pudieran corresponrier por efecto de la indicada al- 
 teracion que ha sufrido y puede coutinuar sufiiendo en Filipinas el Statu i\w> del 12 
 de Agosto ultimo liasta su restableeiinon to. Esta conforme: 
 
 EMILIO 1>K O.I EDA. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 (Annex to Protocol No. 1.) 
 
 Ti:e Spanish Conmiissioners to arrange with the American Commissioners a 
 treaty of peace between Spain and the United States of America, have the honor 
 to l.iy before the American Commissioners the following: 
 
 It having been agreed by .\rticle VI. of 'he Protocol signed in Washington 
 on .August 12 last by the Secretary of State of the Federal noevrnnieut and the 
 Ambassador of France acting as Plenipotentiary of Spain rhat ••upon the conclusion 
 ai.d signing of this Protocol hi>stilities bef.vecri the two countries shall be suspend- 
 ed:" and it being a direct and necessary conse(iuei:ce of this arrangement that 
 tlie statu quo at the time existing in the Philippines could not be altered to the 
 prejudice of the two High Contracting Part.es during' the continuance of .such sus- 
 pension of hostilities, the Spanish Commissioner.... nmlerstanding that the Protocol 
 aforesaid and its observance must be the necessary basis of the treaty of peace 
 they are called upon to arrange with the American Commissioners, feel bound to 
 propose and demand of the said Commissioners that jointly with the undersigned 
 they be pleased to declare that the said statu quo must be immediately restored 
 by the contractine party that may have altered the same, or that may have 
 consented to or failed t" prevent its alteration to the prejudice of the other. 
 
 Aid the Spanish Commissioners, understanding that such statu quo was al- 
 tered and continues being altered with dai'v im reasing gravity to the prejudi<e of 
 Spain by the Tag:ilo rebels, who formed during the campaian and still form an 
 anxll-ary force to the regular American troops, demand of the .\merican Com- 
 missioners that jointly with the undersigne.l they be pleased to declari' that the 
 authorities and officers of the American forces in the Philippine Islands must at 
 once proceed fully and absolutely to restore the s.-iiil statu cpio in the territories 
 tiiey may occury. and must abstain from preventing, by any means, direct or In- 
 direct, tile restoration thereof by the Spanish authorities and forces in the terri- 
 tory not occupied by those of the United States. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners reserve the right to insist again upon this matter 
 as well as upon the rights that may attach to Spain through the effect of the 
 said alteration which the statu quo of August 12 last has svffered or may con- 
 tinue to suffer in the Philippines until its restoration. True copy: 
 
 EMTLIO r>E O.IEIIA. 
 
COMMISSIONS AND FULL POWERS 
 REFERRED TO IN THE FOREGOING PROTOCOL. 
 
 Commissions of American Plenipct^ntiaries. 
 
 WILLIAM M'KINLEY. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OP AMERI- 
 CA, TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE PRESENTS. GREETING: 
 
 Know Yi'! That, reposing special trust and confidence in tbe Integrity and Abil- 
 ity of Wiliiaiu R. Day, of Ohio, I do appoint him a Commissioner Plenipotentiary 
 of the United States, under the Protocol siencd at Washington of the twelfth day 
 of August, 1808, to negotiate and conclude a Treaty of peace between the United 
 States and Snain, and do authorize an d empower him to execute and fulfil the 
 duties of this Commission, with all the powers, privilege?, and emoluments there- 
 unto of right appertaining, during the pleasure of the President of the United 
 States. 
 
 In testimony whereof. I have caused these letters to be made patent, and the 
 seal of the United States to be hereun to affixed. 
 
 Given under my hand at the city of Washington the 13th day of September in 
 the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, and the 123d 
 year of the Independence of the United States of America. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM M'KINLEY. 
 
 Ry the President: 
 Signed: J. B. MOORE. 
 Acting Secretary of State. 
 
 The commissions of tbe other American Plenipotentiaries were in the same 
 form, their names being as follows: 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS, of Minnesota, 
 WILLIAM P. FRYE, of Maine, 
 GEORGE GRAY, of Delaware, and 
 WHITELAW liEID i.f New York. 
 
 Full Power of American Plenipotentiaries. 
 
 WILLIAM .M'KINLEY. PRESIDENT i)F THE UNITED STATES OF AMERI- 
 CA, TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE PRESENTS, IJREETING: 
 
 Know Ye! That, reposing special trust and confidence in the Integrity and Abil- 
 ity of the Honorable William R. Day, of Ohio, lately Secretary of State of the 
 United States: the Honorable Cushman K. Davis, of Minnesota, a Senator of the 
 United States; the Honorable Wiiii.am P. Frye, of Maine, a Senator of tbe United 
 States-; the Hnnorable George Gray, of Delaware, a Senator of the United States, 
 and the Honorable Whitelaw Reid, of New Yorlc, lately Minister Plenipotentiary 
 of the United States to France, I do appoint tJiem jointly and severally to be 
 CiMnmissioners on the part of the United States under the Protocol signed at 
 Washington on the twelfth day of August, 1898, to negotiate and conclude a Treaty 
 of peace between the United States and Spain, hereby empowering them jointly and 
 severally to meet the Commissioners appointed or to be appointed under said Pro- 
 tocol on behalf of Spain, and with them to negotiate and sign a Treaty of peace be- 
 tween the United States and Spain, subject to the ratification of their Govern- 
 ment; and the said commission to hold and exercise during the pleasure of the Pres- 
 ident of the United States for the time Ijeing. 
 
 In testimony whereof, I have caused these lettois to be made patent and the 
 seal of tbe United States to be hereunto aliEixed. 
 
 Given under my hand at the City of Washington this 13th day of September, in 
 the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, and of the in- 
 dependence of the United States of .\m erica the one hundred and twenty-third. 
 
 Signed; WILLIAM MKINLEY. 
 
 I'.y the I'rcsidcut: 
 Signed: ,1. H. MOORE, 
 
 Acting Se.retary of State. 
 
COMMISSIONS AND FULL POWERS OF SPANISH PLENIPOTEN- 
 TIARIES. 
 
 DON ALFONSO XIII. por la graola de Dios y ia I'oiisdtucion Rey de Espaiia y 
 
 en sn ncmbre y durante su meiior edad PONA MAItIA CKISTINA, Roine Rogente 
 
 del Roino: 
 
 Tor ciiaiito ha lloKado el onso de celebrai- entre Kspaim y los Estados Unldos de 
 Aiiieiii-a nil tratado de paz; siendo necesario que al efecto autodoc To debidamente 
 a ppisoiias quo luerezi an Mi Heal conflanza y cimiui rjcndo en Voe. Don Eugenio 
 Montero Kios. f'aballero de la Inslgne Orden del Toison de Oro, condecorado con el 
 Collar de la Real y distinguida orden de Carlos III.. I'residente del Senado, ex-ml- 
 nistro de la Corona, ex-presidente del Tribunal Supremo de Justlcia. Academico de 
 la de Ciencias Morales y Politlcas, los cirouiistancias que a este fin pueden apeter- 
 cerse: por tanto, he venldo en elegiros y nointiraros. eonio por la presente os elijo y 
 nombro para que. en cumpllmlento de lo estlpnlado en el artlculo qulnto del Protoeolo 
 firniado in Washington el dia doee del mes de Agosto ultimo y revestido del caraeter 
 de Mi Plenipotenciario. contereneiels y convengais lo mas aeertado y oportuno, en 
 union de los denias Plenipotenciarios que. .-on esta niisnia feoha. nombro, y con los 
 que deslgne al propio objeto el Presidente de los Kstados Unldos. Y todo lo que asl 
 confereuoiels. convengais, tratels. coneluyais y flrmels lo doy desde ahora per grato 
 y rato, lo observare y cumplire, lo hare observar y cumpllr como si por Ml misma lo 
 hubiere conferenciado, convenido. tratado, concluido y firmado. para la cual os doy 
 Mi pleno poder en la mas auiplia forma que de derecbo se requiera. Y en fe de ellode. 
 He hecha expedir la presente lirmada d M niauo, debidamente sellada y refrendada 
 del infrascrito Mi ministro de Estado. Dado en el Palaeio de Madrid a veintidos de 
 Septienibre de mil ochocientos noventa y ochi. Firmado: MARIA CRISTINA. 
 
 El Ministro de Estado. 
 Firmado: .7uan Manuel Sanchez y Gutierrez de Castro, 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 HON ALFONSO XIII.. liY THE CliAClO f)F GOD AND THE CONSTITU- 
 TION KING OF SPAIN. AND IN HIS NAME AND DURING HIS MINORITY, 
 DONA MARIA CRISTINA. (JUEEN REGENT OF THE KINGDOM: 
 
 Whereas the occasion has arisen for the con<'luding between Spain and the 
 Uniti'd States of America of a Treaty of peace, and it being necessary that to 
 such end I should duly confer authority upon persons who shall merit my royal 
 confidence, and you. Don Eugenio Montero Rios, Knight of the Worthy Order of 
 the (Jolden Fleece, decorated with the Collar of tne Royal and distinguished Order 
 of Charles III.. President of the Senate. c'X-Minister of the Crown, ex-President 
 of the Supreme Tribunal "f ,Iustice. .\cailemician of the Moral and Political Sci- 
 ences, embody the characlcristlcs which niei't the I'equirements of the ease, I have 
 therefore chosen and appointed, and by these presents do choose and appoint you 
 to the end th::t. pursuant to the stipulations of Article V. of the Protocol signed 
 in Washington of the twelfth day of the month of .\ugust last, and invested with 
 the character of my Plenipotentiary, you may in unison with the other Plenipo- 
 tentiaries r have appointed under this date and those who may be desigmtted by 
 the Pres'dent of the United States for the same purjiose, confer and agree upon 
 what may be be.st and most advisabli'. \nd- everything you may so confer and 
 agree upon, negotiate, conclmb- .-uid sign. I n-iw confirm and ratify. I will observe 
 and execute, will cause to lie observed -nid e\c<-,ited. the same as if I myself 
 had conferred and agreed upon, negotiated concluded and signed it. for all of 
 which I confer upon .von ample authority to the fullest extent required by law. 
 Ill witness thereof I have caused these present to issue s'gned by my hand, duly 
 S'l'aled and attested by the undersigned, my Minister of State. 
 
 Given in the Palace of Madrid on tiie twenty-second day of Septi'Uiber of eight- 
 cin iiuiiilrcd :ind ninety-eight. Sigii.d- MARIA CRISTIN.X. 
 
 Signid: JUAN MANUEL S.WCHEZ V i:i 11 i:i;i:E/, UK c.\SIRn. 
 Minister of State. 
 
The commissions and full powers ot tlie oclier Spanish Plenipotentiaries were 
 in the sime form, their names and tities Ijeing as foi'ows: j 
 
 Don BUENAVENTURA ABAUZDZA, Senato'r of the Kingdom ami sometime 
 Ambassador and Minister of the Crown; 
 
 Don JOSE DE GARNICA Y DIAZ, Assoc-iatc Justice of the Supreme Court ot j 
 
 Justice, Deputy of the Cortez, Member of the General Codification Commission, ex- n] 
 
 Vice-President of the Congress of Deputies; 
 
 Don WENCESLAO RAMIREZ DE VILLA-URIIUTIA, Knight Grand Cross of 
 the Royal Order of Isabel the Catholic, Knight Commander of the Royal and Dis- 
 tinguished Order of Charles III., decorated with the White Cross of the second 
 class of Naval Merit, Grand Cross of the Dutch Lion of the Netherlands. Oak Crown 
 of Luxemburg, the Majidieh of Turkey, Knight Commander of the Legion of Honor 
 of France, of the Concepcion de Viilaviciosa of Portugal, decorated with the Cross 
 of the second class of the Bust of Bolivar, Knight of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus 
 of Italy, of the Crown of Prussia, of the Crown of Christ of Portugal, Licentiate . 
 iu civil and canonical law, and through competitive examination in admluistrative 
 law Academician Professor of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation, 
 my Minister Penipotentiary to His Majesty the King of the Belgians: j 
 
 Dcu RAFAEL CERERO Y SAENZ, General of Division, Ranking General of En- 
 gineers of the First Army Corps. Knight of the Grand Cross of the orders of San 
 Hermenegildo and of Military Merit, white insignia; decorated with the Cross of 
 the Ihird class of the Order of Military Merit, red insignia. 
 
 i 
 
 s 
 
Commission of American Secretary. 
 
 WILLIAM MKLNLEY. PRESIDENT OF THK UNITED STATES OF AMEU- 
 ICA, TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE I'KESENTS. GREETING: 
 
 Kncnv Ye! That, reposinR special trust and coufidenw iu tlie Iiiteudty aud Abil- 
 ity of John Biisseit Moore, of New York. I do appoint him Secretary and Counsel 
 to the Commissioners of the United States appointed under the Protocol signed at 
 ■Wasliington on the twelfth day of August, ISOS, to negotiate and conclude a Treaty 
 of peace between the United States and Spain, and do authorize and empower 
 him to execute and fulfill the duties of tliis Commission, with all the powers, privi- 
 leges, and emoluments thereunto of right appertaining, during the i>leasure .>f the 
 President of the United States. 
 
 In testimony whereof. I have oausod the.se letters to be made patent, and the 
 seal of the United States to be hereunto aflixod. 
 
 Given under my hand at the city of Washington, the 13th day of September In the 
 year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, and the 123rd 
 year of the Independence of the United Sir.tes of America. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM .M'KINLEY. 
 t 
 By the President: 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. 
 
 Secretary of State. 
 
Protocol No. 2. 
 
 Protocolo No. 2. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 3, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 3 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 Present— 
 Cii tlie pari nf ihe 
 
 L'niteil ."^tatts: 
 
 Mes.srs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FKYK. 
 
 liKAY, 
 
 KKID, 
 
 MOOKE. 
 
 FEKGIISSON. 
 
 On the iiart of .Spain: 
 
 Messrs. MONTKUO UIOS, 
 AliAKZfZA, 
 GARXICA, 
 VILLA IRRUTIA, 
 CERKRO. 
 
 The proloi'ol nf the preceding session was 
 read and appniveil. 
 
 Messrs. GRAY and VILLA-URRUTL^, as 
 a committee on procedure, reported that 
 they had. after conferring together, decided 
 that it was not advisable at present to 
 recommend the adoption of 'any roles In 
 addition to tliose already iletermlned upon 
 or still under discussion. 
 
 The iiuestlon of annexing to the protocol 
 memoranda on points of importance was 
 then discussed. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners proposed that 
 the Commissioners on either side should 
 have the privilege of filing memoranda on 
 points which they should deem to be of 
 sufficent importance to justify such action, 
 the memoranda so filed to be annexed to 
 the protocols. 
 
 The American Commissioners proposed 
 that the right should be reserved to the 
 Commissioners on either side to present 
 memoranda on points which they mlgnt 
 deem of sufficient importance to justify 
 them in so doing, the question of annexing 
 such memoranda to the protocol to be de- 
 termined in each case by the Joint Com- 
 mission. 
 
 No agreement having been reached, It 
 was decided to refer the matter to the 
 Secretaries for their consideration and ad- 
 justment, subject to the further action of 
 the Commission. 
 
 The American Commissioners then read 
 their reply to the communication presented 
 by the Spanish Commissioners at the first 
 conference in relation to the preservation 
 of the statu quo in the Philippines. A copy 
 of the reply is hereto annexed. 
 
 I'resentes— 
 Por parte de ins Fstados Ciiidos de Amer- 
 ica ; 
 los Seniires DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FKYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 
 Por parte de Espana: 
 
 ins Senores MONTERO RIDS, 
 AHARZUZA, 
 GARXICA, 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 CERERO. 
 
 El protocolo de la sesion anterior fue 
 Icido y aprobado. 
 
 Los Senores Gray y Villa Urrutia como 
 ponentes para formular las reglas de pro- 
 cedimiento, manifestarou que despues de 
 haber eonferenciado, habian decidido que 
 no crelan por ahora necesario recomendar 
 que se adoptaran otras reglas adicionales 
 a las acordadas anteriormente y que aun 
 s(? hallaban sujetas a debate. 
 
 Se discutio la cuestiou de unir como 
 anexos al pr.itocolo los Memorandums rel- 
 ativos a asuntos de iinportancla. 
 
 Los t'.iniisionados espanoles propusleron 
 que los de ambas Partes tuvieran facultad 
 de presentar .Memorandums sobre los pun- 
 tos que creyeran de bastante importaucia 
 para justificar tal deterininaciou y que los 
 Memorandums formasen parte del protoco- 
 lo como anexos al misiuo. 
 
 Los Comisiouados ainericauos propusle- 
 ron que se deberia reservar a los Comis- 
 iouados de ambas Partes este derecho de 
 presentar Memorandums sobre puntos que 
 se juzgasen de bastante importancla para 
 bacerlo asi; pero que la cuestlon de unlr 
 tales Memorandums al protocolo se re- 
 solveria en cada caso por la Comislon en 
 pleno. 
 
 Xo hablendose llegado a un acuerdo. se 
 decidio encomendar el asunto al estudlo y 
 resolndon de los Secretarios, salvo la 
 aprobacion posterior de la Comlsion. 
 
 11 
 
The Spjuiisli Cominissiouers reserved the 
 riirht to put in an answer to the reply at 
 I lie next sessiitn. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners then asked 
 for the opinion of the Amerioan Commis- 
 sioners ou the order of business. 
 
 The American Commissioners stated that 
 they were ready with propositions as to 
 matters determined by the protocol. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners said they 
 were ready to receive them. 
 
 The propositions, as hereto annexed, were 
 then read, and a oop.v of them handed to 
 the Spanish Commissioners. 
 
 After the reading was completed, the 
 Spanish Commissioners stated that they 
 desired to examine the paper, and, if 
 necessary, present amendments, and moved 
 that an ad.ionrmiient be talien until Friday. 
 
 After discussion, it was agreed to ad.ionrn 
 to two o'clock p. m.. on Friday. October 7. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAT. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 WILLIAM P. FRYE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITELAW REID. 
 J. B. MOORE. 
 
 Los Comisionados americanos leyerou 
 luego SH contestacion a la comnnicacion 
 presentada por los Comisionados espauoles 
 en la primera conferencia relativa a la 
 conservacion del statu quo en las Islas 
 Filipinas. Una copia de la contestacion se 
 acompana anexa a esta acta. 
 
 Los Comisionados espanoles proponen 
 luego a los Comisionados americanos que 
 <'xp->iigan su opinion acerca del orden que 
 se segTiira eu los traba.ios de la confer- 
 encia. 
 
 I,os Comisionados americanos manifiestan 
 tpie tienen preparadas proposiciones sobre 
 asuntos determinados por el Protocolo. 
 
 Los Comisionados espanoles dicen que 
 cstan preparados para recibirlas. 
 
 Las proposiciones que se incluyen anexas 
 son leidas dandose copias de ellas a los 
 Comisionados espanoles. 
 
 Despues de terminada la lectura los Com- 
 isionados espanoles maniestau que desean 
 examinar el documento. y si lo creen nec- 
 esario presentar enmiendas. y proponen 
 que se aplace la sesion hasta el viernes. 
 
 Despues de haberse discutido esto, se 
 (■i>:\,i]io en lerantar la sesion hasta las dos 
 do la tarde del viernes 7 de Octubre. 
 
 Firmado: E. MO.NTERO RIGS. 
 B. DE ABARZrZA, 
 .1. DE GARMCA. 
 W R. DE VILLA-TRRUTIA. 
 KAl'AIOL CERERO 
 
 12 
 
Annex 1 to Protocol No. 2. 
 
 Tlie American CouiiiiissitmLTS, haviuy duly cuiisiiien-il tin.- uuniimniicatiuii niado to 
 tliein in writing by Uie Spanish Commissioners ai their conference on the 1st In- 
 stant, made the following answer: 
 
 The American Commissioners concur in the opinion, which that communication 
 is understood to convey, that the Protocol ot August 12, 1S98. emhodies the condi- 
 tions on which nejjotiations for peace have been undertalien. 
 
 But in ihe proposal and demand of the Spanish Commissioners that the .\merican 
 Commissioners join them in a declaration that Ihe statu quo existing at the time of 
 the signature of the I'rotoeol "must be Immediately restored by the contracting 
 party tliat may have altered the same, or that may have consented to or failed to 
 prevent its alteration to the prejudice of the other, as well as in the demand of 
 the Spanish Commissioners that the American Commissioners join them in the dec- 
 laration that the American authorities in the rhilippines shall proceed to restore 
 or else refrain from interfering with the effort ot Sjiain to restore the statu quo un- 
 derstood by the Spanlsli Commissioners to have been disturbed by the Tagalo rebels, 
 who are described as an auxiliary to the American forces, the American Commission- 
 ers can see nothing but a proposal and demand to divert the conference from the 
 object for which it has met to the considiTation of a subject which properly belongs 
 to the two Governments, and not to the Commissioners here assembled. The Ameri- 
 can Commissioners do not intend to intimate tlial the proposal was made witli this 
 design, but tliey thinii it evident that this would be the necessary result of its dis- 
 cussion. 
 
 The topics embraced in the communication of the .Spani.'^h Commissioners were 
 set forth in mucli detail in notes of the French Kmbassy in Washington to the De- 
 partment of State of the United States of August 29. and September 3 and 11. To 
 th('SC notes the Department of State rei)lic(l on .September o and 16. An examina- 
 tion of these diplomatic papers will show that they embraced contested matters ot 
 fact as well as contested matters of law. In respect of some of the questions of 
 fact, it is probable that neither Government at present possesses full and accurate 
 information: while, in respect of other questions of fact, the reports in the posses- 
 sion of the Spanish Government were so entirely at variance with authentic infor- 
 mation in the pos-scssion of the United States as to compel the conclusion that at 
 least some of these reports were not of an official character. In respect ot questions 
 of law. the views of the two Governments were also at variance. 
 
 Tlie American Commissioners, therefore, with a view to prevent the diversion and 
 failure of the present negoliations. as well as on the ground of a w;int of power, 
 deem tliemselvcs obliged to reply that the questions involved in the present propo- 
 sals and demands of the Siianish Commisioners liaving heretofore been presented 
 to the Government of the United States and answered in notes of the Department 
 of State, any further demands as to military operations in the Philippines must be 
 addressed by the Government of Spain to the Government of the United States at 
 Washington, and consequently that they cannot join in the proposed declarations. 
 
 True Copy: 
 
 J. B. MOOIIE. 
 
 Annex 2 to Protocol No. 2. 
 
 In i-ntering upon negotiations for a treaty of peace, the natural procedure is to 
 follow the order of the topics in the Protocol of August 12. l.SSt.S. by which the Uni- 
 ted States and Spain agreed upon the terms on which Ihey would enter upon the 
 present negotiations. 
 
 B.v Article I of the Protocol. Spain agrees to "relinquish all claim of sov- 
 ereignty over and title to Cuba." 
 
 With a view to the immediate execution of this engagement, steps have already 
 been taken for the evacuation of the Island, as provided by the Protocol. 
 
 Only one thing remains to complete the legal formalities ot the transaction, and 
 that Is to embody In a treaty ot peace an appropriate stipulation by which Spain 
 relinquishes, according to the eng-agements ot the Protocol, all claim of sovereignty 
 and title. 
 
 The American Commissioners therefore propose, as a part of the treaty of peace, 
 the following article: 
 
 "The Government of Spain hereby relinquishes all claim of sovereignty over and 
 title to Cnba." 
 
 "In this relinquishment ot sovereignty and title is included all claim to the public 
 domain, lots and squares, vacant lands, public buildings, fortifications and the ar- 
 
 13 
 
ijiaiueiits thereof, and Ijarraeks and otbor structures which are not private individual 
 property. The archives, state papers, public records, and all papers and documents 
 relative to the domain and sovereignt.v of the island and necessary or convenient for 
 the government thereof, including all judicial and legal documents and other public 
 records necessary or convenient for securing to individuals the titles to property or 
 other rights, are embraced in the foregoing relinquishment: but an authenticated 
 copy of any of them that may be required will be given at any time to such officer of 
 the Spanish (Tovernment (as) may apply for it. The Government of Spain will like- 
 wise furnish an authenticated copy of any paper, record or document in the Spanish 
 archives, home or colonial, or in the possession of the Spanish tribunals, home or 
 colonial, relative to the domain and sovereignty of the island and necessary or con- 
 venient for the 5,'overnmeut thereof, or necessary or convenient for securing to in- 
 dividuals the titles to property or other rights." 
 
 By Article II of the Protocol, Spain agree^s to "cede to the United States the 
 Island of Porto Rico and other islands now under Spanish sovereignty in the West 
 Indies, and also an island in the Ladrones, to be selected by the United States." 
 
 The Government of the United States having selected In the Ladrones the Island 
 of Guam, the American Commissioners propose as the next article of the treaty of 
 peace the following stipulation: 
 
 "The Government of Spain hereby cedes to the United States the Island of Porto 
 Rico and other islands now under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indie.s, and also 
 the Island of Guam, in the Ladrones. 
 
 "In this cession is included all right and claim to the public domain, lots and 
 squares, vacant lands, public buildings, fortifications and the armaments thereof, 
 and barracks and other structures which are not private individual property. The 
 archives, state papers, public records, and all papers and documents relative to the 
 domain and sovereignty of the islands and necessary or convenient for the govern- 
 ment thereof, including all judicial and legal documents and other public records 
 necessary or convenient for securing to individuals the titles to property or other 
 rights, are embraced in the foregoing cession; but an authenticated copy of any of 
 them that may be required will be given at any time to such officer of the Spanish 
 Government as may apply for it. The Government of Spain will likewise furnish 
 an authenticated copy of any paper, record or document in the Spanish archives, 
 and home or colonial, or in the possessioQ of the Spanish tribunals, home or col- 
 onial, relative to the domain and sovereignty of the islands and necessary or con- 
 venient for the government thereof, or necssary or convenient for securing to in- 
 dividuals the titles to property or other rights." 
 
 True copy: 
 
 J, B. MOORE. 
 
 14 
 
Protocol No. 3. 
 
 Protocolo No. 3. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 7. 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 7 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 Present— 
 
 On the p.-irt of tlie T'nitod States: 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 n.wis. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REII>. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERfiURSON. 
 
 On tlip p.Tit at Spain: 
 
 Messrs. MONTERO-RIOS. 
 ABARZUZA, 
 OARXIOA, 
 VILLA-URRtlTIA. 
 CERERO. 
 
 Mr. OJi'rta. bavins exhibited his commis- 
 sion and furnished a ocpy of it, assumed 
 the duties of Secretary of the Spanish 
 Commission. 
 
 The protoc-.>l of the preceding session 
 was rend and approved. 
 
 On the question of procedure referred to 
 them at the last conference, the Secretaries 
 made tin- fitlowin? report: 
 
 "Where a i>roposition is [iresented and re- 
 jected, the side presenting it shall have 
 the right to tile a brief memorandum giving 
 its reasons in supp«>rt of such proposition, 
 nnd the other side shall have the right to 
 file a brief reply, the written discussion to 
 be confined to such memorandum and re- 
 ply, which are to be annexed to the pro- 
 tocol." 
 
 This report was adopted by unanimous 
 conaeut. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners then pre- 
 sented, in pursuance of the resenrsition 
 made by them at the last conference, a 
 reply to tiie American answer on the sub- 
 ject of the statu quo in the Philippines, at 
 the same time stating that the reply was 
 presenteil for the purpose of reserving the 
 right to bring up the subject hereafter. 
 
 The reply was received and filed; copy 
 and translation are hereto annexed. 
 
 The Si>anisli ('.oniniissioiiers then pre- 
 sented, as an amendment fn the American 
 pro|H(S!ils, a set of articles, in Spanish, 
 copy and translation of which are hereto 
 annexed. i« relation lo Cuba and Porto 
 Rico. 
 
 The American Commissioners, in order to 
 afford opportunity for tlie translation and 
 Consideration of the articles, moved that 
 the conference be adjourned till Tuesday. 
 October 11. at two o'clock p. m. 
 
 Prest'ules — 
 Por parte do los 
 ica: 
 
 I ados Unidos de Amer- 
 
 los Senores T>.\Y". 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FUY'E. 
 
 CRAY. 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERGDSSON. 
 
 Por parte de Esp.ana: 
 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS. 
 ABAITZTZA. 
 GARNICA. 
 VILLA-UKRUTIA, 
 CERRRO. 
 
 El Sr. Ojeda despues de haber presentado 
 su nombramlento y dado copla de el. actuo 
 en ealldad de Secrctario de la Comlsion 
 espanola. 
 
 Se leyo y aprobo el acta de la sesion an- 
 terior. 
 
 Respecto rtt I - rocedimienlo que habia de 
 adoptarse y que en la ultima sesion se dejo 
 a cargo de los Secretarios, estos informaron 
 haber llegado al acnerdo slgniente: 
 
 "Slempre que una proposiclon sea pre- 
 sentada y rechazada. la parte que la haya 
 presentado tendra el derecho de anadir un 
 breve memorandum en que se expresen las 
 r.izdiies (in que aquella se funda, y la 
 parte tendra el derecho de contestar en 
 forma breve, llmitandose dicha discusion 
 por escrlto al citado memorandum y con- 
 testaclon qui Iran anexos al acta." 
 
 El acuerdo anterior fue unanlmemente 
 aprobado. 
 
 Los Comlsarlos espanoies prcsentau eu vir- 
 tu<i de la resen'a que hicieron en la ult'ma 
 conferencia una contestacion a la comunlca- 
 cion de los Comlsarlos americanos relativa 
 al stjitu quo en Fllipinas. manifestando al 
 mismo tiempo que el objet" de dicha con- 
 testacion era el de reservar el derecho de 
 promover este asunto ulterlormente. 
 
 Dicho do<'umento fue debidamente re- 
 eibido y su copla y traduccion flguran como 
 anexos al acta presents. 
 
 Los Comlsarlos espanoies presentan a con- 
 tlnuaclon. como enmienda a las proposi- 
 clones de los americanos. el artlculado ipic 
 va adjunto. relatlvi. a Cul>!i y Porto Rli-o. 
 
 I. OS Comisarios Americanos, a fin de dis- 
 poiier del tiempo necesarlo para la txaduc- 
 clon y consideration de dicho artlculado, 
 propttsieiYm que la conferencia fuese apla- 
 zada hasta el martes 11 de Octubre, 
 
 15 
 
The conference was adjourned accord- Se aprobo este acuerdo y se aplazo la 
 ingly. proxima sesion hasta el dia 11 de Octnbre 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM. R. DAY. a las 2 p. m. 
 
 ^^I^V^A^V ''^'''^- '---•'"i- E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 GEO. GKAl^ f ^1 t.rR:^^T^' 
 
 ^^'J^i^^jy.ffjl^'^- W. R. DE VILLA-DRRDTIA. 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
 EMILIO DE O.TEDA. 
 
 5! 
 
 ♦ 4 
 
 # 
 
 s 
 
Annex 1 to Protocol JTo. 3. 
 
 . COMISION 
 
 Para la Negociacion de la Fas con los Estado Unidos. 
 PROPOSICION. 
 
 No. 2 (a). 
 
 Los Coinisarios espanoles se liau enterado, eon la detencion que require la iui- 
 ponaneia del asunto, de la co'itestaeion escrita eu que los Comisarios amorieanos se 
 nlcgan a aceptar la proposiciou que los Espauoles liablamos presentado en la seslon 
 celebrada per los unos y los otros en 1° del eorriente, para que se deelarase por la 
 Couferencia, en pleno, q!ie debia restable<'erse el statu quo en Filiplnas exUtente en 
 12 de Agosto ultimo, en que se eoneluyo y tirmo eu Wasbington el I'rotocolo, euyo 
 articulo 6" contiene el acuerdo de suspender las bostilidades entre los dos paises. 
 
 Vista esta contestaeion, los Comisarios espanoles entienden que es de su deber ba- 
 cer prtsente a los Senores Comisarios amerieanos, Que si el statu quo exlstente en 
 Filipiuas en 12 de Agosto ultimo, lejos de restablccerse continua perturbandose cada 
 yez mas, en perjuicio de Kspana. el Gobieruo de Su Majestad Catoliea y eu su nom- 
 bre sus Plenipotenciarlos en esta Conl'ereucia, se reservan proveer, a lo que entien- 
 dan que exige el derecho de Bspana, una vez que no conciljen como ha de poder cele- 
 brarse e! tratado de paz que estan encargados de conveuir eon los Senores Comisarios 
 anierieanos sobre la indeclinable base del Pmtoeolo de Washington de 12 Agosto 
 ultimo, si esta base se esta alterando eonstantemeute en una de sus partes y eada 
 dia en mayor perjuicio de Espana. 
 
 Paris. 7 de Octubre de l.StlS. 
 
 Esta conforme: 
 
 BJJILIO DK OJEDA. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 Annex 1 to Protocol No. 3. 
 PROPOSITION. 
 
 Xo. 2 (a). 
 
 With Ibe careful consideration the subject demands, the Spanish Commission- 
 ers have informed themselves of the written reply in which the American Com- 
 missioners decline to accept the proposition which the Spaniards presented at the 
 session held by both Commissions on the 1st instant, to the effect that the loint 
 body declare that the statu quo existing in the Philippines on the 12th of Au^st 
 last, date of the concluding' and signing in Washington of the Protocol, Article 
 VI. of which contains the agreement to suspend hostilities between the two 
 countries, should be restored. 
 
 In view of this reply, tlii' Si):vnisli I'ouiniissiouers understand that it is tlieir 
 duty to make known to the American Commissioners that if the statu quo existing 
 in tile Philippines on August 12 last, far from being restored, continues to be dis- 
 tuHipd to the prejudice of Spain, the Government of Her Catholic Majesty, and in 
 her name its plenipotentiaries in this conference, reserve the right to aei as tliey 
 may deem the rights of Spain sball require, since they cannot conceive bow the 
 treaty of peace they are charged with arranging with the American Commissioners 
 upon the immutable basis of the Prot.H'ol of Washington of -August 12 last, can be 
 concluded if this basis is being constantly altered in one of its parts, and contin- 
 ually to the greatiT prejudice of Spain, 
 
 True copy: 
 
 E.MILIO DE OJEDA. . 
 
 IT 
 
Annex 2 to Protocol No. 3. 
 
 COMISION 
 
 Para la Negociacion de la Paz con los Estados Unidos. 
 
 ARTICULO 1. 
 
 Su Majestatl la Reina Catolioa. en nombro y ropreseutapion de Esijana y coiisti 
 tutionalmente autorizada por las Cortes del Reino. renuiicia a su soberauia sohru la 
 Isla d'' Cuba, trausflrieudola a los Estad is Unidos de America, que la aeeptan. pai'a 
 que piiodan a su vez transferlrla oportuiiameoite al pueblo fubano cou las condiclones 
 establecidas en este tratado, ofreeieudo los Estados Unidos que d'sde su ratiticaoinii 
 seran sierapre y fielmente cumplidas. 
 
 ARTICULO 2. 
 
 La renuncia y transforencia que hace Su M.ij ■sl.'id Catolipa y <iue aoeptan lis 
 Estados Unidos de Ameriea eomprmile; 
 
 1. Todas las prerrogativas. atribuoioms y derecbos que. como parte integraute 
 de dicba soberania. corresponden a Su Majestad Catolica sobre la Isla de Cuba y sus 
 babilantes; 
 
 2. Todas las cargas y obligaciones de todas clases, pendientes al ratitioarse eslp 
 tratado de paz, que la C^irona'de Espana y sus autoridades eu la Isla de Culu 
 hubiesen contraido legalmente en el ejercicio de la soberania que renuneian y traus- 
 iieren. y que, <'n tal eoncepto. fornian parte integronte de la misiiia. 
 
 ARTICULO 3. 
 
 Kn oumplimieuto de lo i-onvendio en los dus artioulus aalerinn-s. Su Ma.iestad 
 Catolica. en la representacion con que celebra este tratado, reuunoia y trausflere a 
 los Estados Unidos, que las aceptan, eu el eoncepto sobredicho, tudos los edifieios. 
 muelles, cuarteles, fortalezas, establecimientos, vias publiras y demas bieni-s inmue- 
 bles que, con arreglo a derecbo, son de domino publico, y que como de tal dominio 
 publico, corre-sponden a la Cornua de Espana en la Isla de Cuba. 
 
 Quedan por lo tauto exceptuados de esta renuncia y transfirencia todos los 
 bienes inmuebles radieantes en la Isla de Cuba que correspondan on el orden ciyil al 
 Estado, en eoncepto de ,su propriedad patrimonial, asi como todos los dereebos y 
 bifnes de cualquiera clase que sean, que, hasta la ratificacion del presente tratado, 
 ha.yan venldo pacificamente poseyendo, en eoncepto de duenos, las Proyincias, Mnnl- 
 cipios, Establecimientos publicos o priyados, Corporaciones eclesiasticas o ciyiles 
 y cualesquii^ra otras colectiyidades que tongen legalmente personalidad .iuridica para 
 adquirir y poseur Lieues en la Isla de Cuba, y los particulares, cualquiera que sea 
 su uacionalidad. 
 
 Su Majestad Catolica renucia tambien, y transflere a los Estados Unidos. a quien 
 se le entregaran por le Gobierno espano', todos los documentos y titulos que se re- 
 fieran exclusivnmente a la soberania transferida y aceptada, que existan en los 
 Archiyos de la Peninsula. Habiendo de facilitarle copias cuando los Estados Unidos 
 las reclamasen, de la parte correspondiente a dicba soberania que contengan los 
 demas documentos y titulos tambien relatives a otros asuutos agenos a la Isla de 
 Cuba, que existan en los mencionados Archivos. Una regla analoga habra recipro- 
 camente de observarse, a favor de Espana, respecto a los documentos y titulos 
 agenos en todo o en parte a la Isla de Cuba que se hallen actualmente en sus Ar- 
 chivos y que Interesen al Gobierno espanol. 
 
 Todos los Archiyos y Registros oflciales, asi administr,'itivos como judiciales. que 
 «stan a disposieion del Gobierno de Espana y de sus autoridades en la Isla de Cuba, 
 y que se refleran a la misma isla o a sus habitantes y a sus derechos y bienes, que 
 daran a dlsposlclon de los Estados Unidos con los mismos derechos y obligaciones 
 con que hoy lo estan a disposieion del Gobierno espanol y de dichas sus autoridades. 
 Los particulares. asi espanoles como cubanos, tendran derecho a sacar, con arregto 
 a las leyes. las copias antorlzadas de los contratos, testamentos y demas documentos 
 que forman parte de los pnHncolos notariales " que sc custodien pn Ins Archivos 
 administrativos y Judiciales, bien estos se hallen en Espano o en la Isla de Cuba. 
 
 IS 
 
ARTICDLO 4. 
 
 Para fljur las cargas y oblisacioncs de todas clases. que la Corona de F]spana cede 
 y transflere como parte de s" soberania sobre la Isla de Cuba a los Bstadoa Unldos, 
 y que estog aceptau, se atendera a las dos reglas slguientes: 
 
 Prlmera: Las cargas y obllgaciones que liyan de transferirse, ban de haber side 
 cstablecldas en forma oonstituclonal y en uso de sus legltlmas atrlbuclones. por la 
 Corona de Espana. como soberana de la Isla de Cuba, o por sns autorldades legltl 
 mas usando de las suyas respeetivas. antes de la ratlfieaclon de este tratado. 
 
 Scgunda: Su creaclon o ooiistitiieujn ha de dabcr sido para el servlcio de la Isla 
 de Cuba o co!i cargo a su Tesoru especial. 
 
 AKTICULO 5. 
 
 EJn vlrtud de lo dispiiesto en el nrtirulo anterior quedan comprendidos en la 
 sobredieha transferencia, las dcudas cualquiera que sea su clase, cargas de justlcla. 
 sueUlos o asignarionos de funcionarlos asl civiles como eolesiastleos. que hayan de 
 continuar prestaudo sus servicios en la Isla de Cuba, .v pensioucs de jubilacion y 
 reitro y de vludcdad u horfandad con tal que en todas ellas concurran las dos clr- 
 cunstancias prescritas en el art.icuIo anterior. 
 
 AETIOULO G. 
 
 Su Majestad C-atolica, en nombre y representjicion de Espana. y constituclonal- 
 mente autorizada por las Cortes del Reliio. cede a los Estados Dnidos de America y 
 estos aceptan para si mismos. la snberania sobre le Isla de Puerto Rico y las demas 
 que corresponden en la actnalidad a la Corona de Espana en las Indias Occidentales. 
 
 ARTICULO 7. 
 
 Esta cesion de la sol)erania sobre el tirriturio y habitantes de Puerto Rico y las 
 demas Islas mencionadas se entiende que eonsiste en la cesion de los derechos y 
 obligaciones. bienes y documentos relalivos a la soberania de aichas isles, Ignales 
 a los que respecto a la renuncia y trans fereucia de la soberania de la Isla de Cuba, 
 se deflnen en los articulos 2 hasta el 5 inclusive de este tratado. 
 Esta conforme: 
 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 Annex 2 to Protocol No. 3. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Her Majesty tbe Catholic Queen, in tbe name and representation of Spain, .ind 
 thereunto constitutionally authorized by the Cortes of the Kingdom, relinquishes her 
 sovereignty over the Island ot Cuba, transferring it to the United States of America, 
 which accept it. in order that they may iu their turn transfer it at the proper time 
 to the Cuban people, upon tbe conditions established in this treaty, the United 
 States promising hereby that as soon as they are ratified they will always be 
 faithfully complied with, 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 The relinauishment and transfer made by Her Catholic Majesty, and accepted 
 by the United States of America, embrace: 
 
 1st. All the prerogatives, powers aud rights, which, as an integral part ot the 
 sovereignty, belong to Her Catholic Majesty both over the Island of Cuba and over 
 its Inhabitants: 
 
 2nd. All charges and obligations ot every kind in existence at the time of the 
 ratification of this treaty of peace, which the Crown of Spain and her authorities 
 In the Island of Cuba may have contracted lawfully In the exercise of tbe sov- 
 ereignty hereby relinquished and transferred, and which as such constitute an In- 
 tegral part thereof. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 In compliance with the provisions of the two preceding articles. Her Catholic 
 Majesty, acting In the same representative character with which she has entered 
 Into this treaty, relinquishes and transfers to the United States, which accept 
 
 19 
 
tliciu, upon tbe conditions above stated, all tlie buildings, whanes, baiTacks, fort- 
 ressfS. eetablisliments. public ways of couuuuuication. and all other immovable 
 property wbich according to law attaciics tn tbe public domain, and which so at- 
 taching belongs to the Crown of Spain in the Island of Cuba. 
 
 All immovable property situated in the Island of Cuba which under the civil 
 law belongs to the state as patrimonial property, and all rights and property of 
 whatsoever kind, which up to the notiflcation of tbe present treaty have been peace- 
 full.v enjoyed and held in ownership by provinces, municipalities, public and private 
 establishments, ecclesiastical and civil corporations, or any other collective bodies 
 lawfully incorporated and having legal authority to acQuire and hold property in 
 the Island of Cuba, and b.v private individ-uals. whatsoever their nationality, are 
 therefore excluded from the above relinquisUmetir and transfer. 
 
 Her Catholic Majesty further relinquishes and transfers to the United States 
 all right to the documents and papers exclusively relating to the sovereignty here- 
 by reliuquisJhod and accepted, to be found in the archives of the Peninsula, said 
 documents and papers to be delivered to the United States by the Spanish Govern- 
 ment, copies of such portions of r>ther dfjcuments and papers relating to other sub- 
 jects foreign to tbe Island of Cuba, but relating to the sovereignt.v aforesaid, which 
 ma.v exist in the said archives, shall be given to the United States whenever desired. 
 A similar rule shall be reciprocail.v observed in favor of Spain regarding documents 
 and papers foreign, in whole or in part, to the Island of Cuba, which may be in tbe 
 archives of the latter and of interest to the Spanish Government. 
 
 All archives and official reconls, executive and .iudicial. which are at the dis- 
 posal of tbe Government of Spain nnd its authorities in the Island of Cuba, and 
 which refer to the said island or its inhabitants, and to their righls and property, 
 shall be at the disposal of the United States, with the same rights and obligjitlons 
 as now .attach to them while at the disposal of the Spanish Government and its said 
 authorities. Private persons, Spaniards and Cubans alike, shall be entitled to make 
 according to law authenticated copies of conti-acts, wills, and other instruments 
 forming part of the notaiial registers and tiles or in the cust(»dy of the executive 
 and the judicial af'hives, be tbe same either in Spain r)r in the Tslaml of Cuba. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 In order to establish the charges and obligations of. all kinds wliicli tiie Crown of 
 Spain cedes and transfers as a part of its sovereignty over the Island of Cuba to 
 the United States, and which the latter accejit. the two rules following will be ob 
 served : 
 
 First: The charges and obligations to lie transferred must have been levied 
 and imposed in constitutional form and in the exercise of its legitimate powers by 
 the Crown of Spain, as the sovereign of tlie Island of Cu'ba, or by its lawful author- 
 ities in the exercise of their respective powers prior to the mtiiication of this 
 treaty. 
 
 Second: Tlie creation or establishment of such charges or obligations must liave 
 l)fcw'n for the service of the Island of Cub;i. or cluirgeable to its own indiviilual 
 treasury. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 I'ursnanl to the jii-ovisions of the foregoing article, there shall be embraced in 
 the said tiMusfrr all debts, of whatsoever kind. Lawful charges, the sal.irics tpr ;il- 
 lowaiiccs "f all eiiiplo.\'cs, civil and ci'Clesi;isfical. who shall coiitiime to render ser 
 vices ill the Island of Cuba, and all iiensimis in tin- <-ivil and military services and 
 of widows and orphans: provided that thi y cnnt'onn lo ihe requirements prescribed 
 in the foregoing article 
 
 Alil'ICLE VI. 
 
 Her Catholic Majesty, in the name and representation of Spain, and thereunto 
 constitutionally em|M)wered by the Cortes of the Kingdom, cedes to the United 
 States of America, and the latter accent tor themselves, tlie sovereignty over tlie 
 Island of Porto Rico and tbe other islands now ticloiiging to the Crown of Spain in 
 tlii^ West Indies. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 This cession of the sovereignty over tlie territory and inhabitants of Porto Rico 
 
 and the otiier islands mentioned, is under.stood to embrace the cession of the rights 
 
 and obligations, property and documents relating to the sovereignty of the said 
 
 islands, similar in nil things to those which, with respect to the relinquishment and 
 
 transfer of the sovereignly of tbe Island nf Cuba, are defined in Articles II. to V., 
 
 inclusive, of the treaty. 
 
 Tnie cop.y: 
 
 EMILO DE OJEDA. 
 
 2n 
 
i.(^2f 
 
 COMMISSION OF THE SPANISH SECRETARY. 
 
 viiiii 
 
 EXl'.MO. SBNOR, 
 
 S. M. el Key (q. D. g.) y pii 8U noiiilu-c Im Ki'iiia Rcuciit" ■Id Ui'iuo. si' li:i si-Tvi 
 expedlr cl Real Deereto slKUlentc: 
 
 "Tomaiido en eonsideraclou las I'spccMalcs i-ii-emnst«»neias qui' concvirion en Don 
 "Emllio (le Ojeda. Mi Enviado Extraordinarlo y Mlnistro Plenipotenclario cerca de 
 "S. M. Slieriffiana: En nonibre de Ml Angusto Hijo el Key Don Alfonso Trece y 
 "como Relna Kegente del Ueino; Vengo en dispone!- quo. conservando su cargo. jUise 
 "a desempenar las funciones de Secretario General de la Comlslon espauola encar- 
 "gada de negoeiar en Paris el tratado de pilz entre Espana y los Bstos Unldos de 
 "America. 
 
 "Dado en Palaoio a velntiseis de Sept ieiiilii-e dr mil oehoeientos noventa y oclm. 
 
 "MARIA CRISTI.VA. 
 
 "El Presidentc del Consejo de .Ministnps. 
 "PRAXEDES MATEO SAOASTA:" 
 Lo que traslado a V. E. para su eonoeiniiento ••*. 
 Plos sue. a V. E. m. a. 
 Madrid. 26 Septiembre de ISaS. 
 
 SAGASTA. 
 Senor Don EMILli) HE O.TEDA. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 Moit Excellent i^ir: 
 
 H. M. tlie King iwlioui God preservei .iiid in his name the Queen Regent of the 
 Kingdom has been pleased to issue the Royal Deeree following: 
 
 "Bearing in mind the special auaUnoations of Don Emllio de Ojeda, My Envoy 
 "Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Sheriffian Majesty, in tho 
 "name of my Augnst Son, the King Don Alfonso XIII., and as Queen Regent of 
 "the Kingdom. I will that, still redlining his office, he discharge the functions of 
 "Secretary General of the Spanish Commission entrusted with negotiating in Paris 
 "the Treaty of Peace between Spain and the United States of America. 
 
 "Done at the Palace on the twenty-sixth of Septemt)er. eighteen hundred and 
 
 "'""'•'■^-"'^"- "MARIA CRISTINA. 
 
 "PRANEDES MATEO SAGASTA. 
 
 "President of the Council of Ministers." 
 
 Which T transmit to Y. E. for your Information***. 
 
 God preserve Y. E. many years. 
 
 Madrid. September 26, 189.S. SAGASTA. 
 
 Senor Don EMILIO DE O.TEDA. 
 
 31 
 
--^ 
 
Protocol No. 4. 
 
 CONFERENCE. 
 Of October 11. 1898. 
 
 Protocolo No. 4. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 DEL 11 DE OCTUBRE DE 1898. 
 
 Present- 
 On the part of the United States: 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIOS, 
 ABARZDZA, 
 GARNICA. 
 VILLA-DRRDTIA. 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The American Commissioners presented 
 a paper, copy of which is hereto annexed, 
 in which they rejected the articles sub- 
 mitted by the Spanish Commissioners at 
 the last session as an amendment to the 
 
 I'resentes— 
 I'oi- parte de 
 A.uerica; 
 
 ins S<-nort 
 
 los Estados Cnldos de 
 
 DAY, 
 DAVIS. 
 FRYE, 
 GRAY, 
 REin. 
 MOORE, 
 FERGUSSON. 
 l*or parte de Espana: 
 :,.s SiiKHVs MONTERO RIOS, 
 ABARZUZA, 
 GARNICA, 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 I'i'f ii'ida y aprobada el acta de la sesion 
 am<riiir. 
 
 l.oy Ciiniisarius americanos presentan ana 
 coutesiarioH rt^cnazaudo el articulado de 
 tratailo qut les entregaron los Comisarlos 
 c.spanoles 'en la sesion anterior eomo en- 
 iiiicnda al proyei-to del tratado que presen- 
 taron los americanos en lo relativo a la 
 proposals of the American Commissioners reniiuola de Espana a la soberanla dei 
 on the subject of Cuba. Porto Rico and E.spaua sobrc Cuba y a la cesion de Puerto 
 other islands in the West Indies, and the Rico y otras islas en las Antillas asi como 
 
 island of Guam in the Ladrones. 
 
 The paper having been read in Enalish 
 and in Spanish, the President of the Span- 
 ish Commission on behalf of the Spanish 
 Commissioners presented under the rules a 
 memorandum setting forth their reasons In 
 support of their propositions. 
 
 de la Isla de Guam en el Archipielago de 
 las Ladroues. 
 Sc lee dicha contosracion en ingles y en 
 
 1! 
 
 iliazado 
 
 cl 
 
 The .American Commissioners Inquired I'lv.sidente de la 
 
 articulado espanol 
 Coniislon lespanola 
 
 el 
 en 
 
 whether the Spanish Commissioners con- 
 sidered their propositions as finally re- 
 jected. 
 
 The Spanish Comniissioners replied that 
 the rejection was set forth in the very 
 terms of the American reply, and that the 
 occasion had therefore arisen for the pres- 
 entation of their memorandum: bnt that, 
 before filing the latter, they were read.v 
 and even preferred to discuss the subject of 
 it orally, since this might result in an 
 agreement and render the filing of the 
 inemorandnm unnecessary. 
 
 nomhre de dicha Comision .v en virtud del 
 reghimcntii. !>resen.ta un Memorandum en 
 que se couslgnnn las razones en que fun- 
 <iar,:u su proposic^on. 
 
 I>a Coniisiof americana preguula si con- 
 siderau los ospanoles deflnilivamente 
 r<T.liai!ada su proposioion. 
 
 L.1 
 
 ^■spanola diet' 
 
 que 
 
 The .\nierican Commissioners said that rechajio osta ecmsignado en los pmpios ter- 
 Ihe memorandnra could be read, but that miuos de la contestacion amerlcana. y que 
 they reserved the right under the rules p,)i- tanti> <*ra Ilegado el momento de pre- 
 to make a written reply, and that any oral scinar cl .Memorandum; pero que esto no 
 discussion Into which they might enter was obstante esta dlspuesta a discutlr oral- 
 not to he considered as a waiver of that m'nie el asuuio antes de que se tome acta 
 fl„l,t dtfl .Memorandum y hasta prePcrlria estc 
 
 curso, i>iiesto (pie de llegarse a un acuerdo 
 en la discusion podria prescindirse de la 
 preseiitaciiin del Meiiioranduni. 
 
 2.^ 
 
Se admit p In Ipctura dd documento. sf 
 biea los Comisarius americauns se rcser- 
 van el derecbo. se^i o do leldo o discutido 
 oralmeute. de contestar por eserito eii In 
 misma forma. 
 
 L&ese en ingles el Memorandum qin' va 
 adjunto al acta presento. 
 
 Los Comisarius; amorifnn(>s mniiififstan 
 que on su s^rntir. hnbiendn si do reehazado 
 el artienlndn prcsentndo jior ios Comisarins 
 espauoles. y baI>iendio estos presentado el 
 Memornudnni nl respect*), segun previeiic 
 el reglamontu. I. is ("umisarios ameri«-ani'>- 
 estau facnltndos iiarn eoutestar por escrito 
 y que por tan^to la discusiou debia versar 
 abora sobre los articulos propiiestos por 
 los americanos. 
 
 Los Comisarlos espanoles deolaraon que 
 en su opinion hablendo side recbazados 
 ambos estaban en igual case y debian dis- 
 cutirse a la vez ambos proyectos. 
 
 Los Comisnrios americanos en vista de 
 esto se manifestaron dispuetos a oir los 
 argiimentos que tenian que adnoir los es- 
 panoles: pern estos teniendo en cnenta que 
 los americanos debian presentar una con- 
 testa cion escritn propnsieron aplazar la 
 discusion oral lin-^tn cjue les fuera conn 
 cido el roniciiido de in respnesta anveri 
 can a. 
 
 Se con^iuii en ello, 
 
 F.! PresidenTi' di- la Coniisioii es|ianiila 
 manifesto que jmr In rapida lectnra del 
 documento aniericano coiu'entando el articu- 
 lado presentado por la Comision espauola. 
 habia el comprendddo que los Comisarios 
 americanos babian sido inducidos en error 
 al creer que en dicbd nrticulado se esigia 
 que los Bstados Unldos aceptar la renun- 
 cia en su favor d«' la sobt*ranin iie Espnnn 
 sobre Cuba, hnbicran de transmitirla al 
 queblo cubann. EI Presidente anadlo que aT 
 mencionar en dicbo nrticulado que dicba 
 renuucia la hacia Kspana "a fin de que los 
 Estados Uuidos puedam transferirla nl 
 pueblo cubano" Espana se adaptaba aF 
 espipitu y a la letra de la joint-resolution 
 del Congreso anicricano, pero en el pro- 
 ye<'t<i espanol no se imponia esta obligacion 
 a los Estados Unidos puosto que so decia 
 que podian bncer In trnnsforencia de la 
 soberania mas iin (pir Imbieian de t^ner la 
 obligacion de Iia<-ci-I:i. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos eontestaron 
 que en efecto balua sido su impresion que 
 la renuncia por parte de Espana estaba 
 hecba en terniiiHis que segun las leyes 
 americauas imj)Ii('abnn una obliii:neion 
 liduoiaria. 
 
 Tbe memorandum, copy and trauslatiou 
 of which are hereto annexed, was then read. 
 
 The reading having been completed, tbe 
 American Commissioners stated that their 
 understanding of tbe situation was this: 
 that, tbe articles presented by the Span- 
 ish Commissioners having been rejected, 
 and the Spanish Commissioners having 
 thereupon filed a memorandum under the 
 rules, tbe American Commissioners were 
 t'Utitled to make a written reply, and that 
 the question now recurred on the articles 
 proposed by tbe American Commissiouers. 
 
 Tbe Spanish Commissioners declared that 
 in their opinion the pi'oposition ou both 
 sides had been rejected, and that both 
 propositions were before the Commission ou 
 nii equal footing for oral discussion. 
 
 The American Commissioners stated tbat 
 they were ready to hear the Spanish Com- 
 missioners. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners suggested 
 that, as the American Commissioners 
 wished to reply to tbe Spanish memoran- 
 dum, it would be advisable to postpone tbe 
 oral discussion till tbe reply was before tbe 
 Commission. 
 
 To this the American Commissioners as- 
 sented. 
 
 Tbe President of the Spanish Commis- 
 sion then stated that from the rapid read- 
 ing of the paper presented by the Ameri- 
 can Commissioners at the opening of tbe 
 session, they had derived the impression 
 tbat those Commissioners were laboring 
 under a misapprehension as to tbe stipula- 
 tion in the Spanish articles touching Spain's 
 relinquishment of sovereignty over Cuba. 
 In proposing tha.t the sovereignty should be 
 relinquished to the United States in order 
 tbat the latter .might transfer it to tbe 
 Cuban people. Spain had merely conformed 
 to the letter and spirit of the joint resolu- 
 tion of the American Congress; but it was 
 not her Intention to impose upon tbe 
 United States an obligation to make such 
 transfer, as was shown by the fact that It 
 was said in the articles that the United 
 Slates "may" transfer the sovereignty, not 
 that they were bound to do it. 
 
 The American Commissioners replied that 
 the language employed in the article would, 
 under the American law, impress the relin- 
 quishment with a trust. 
 
 24 
 
The Spanish i'ommissiouers said that it I,;i ('(miision (.siiaiinia ('ontesto <nic si tal 
 
 the phraseology lent itself to doubts, either i-ra i-l sc^iitido i\uv s<';;un las Icyes anieri- 
 
 under American law or under intei-natiniiai i-auas inMjiau airibuirlo, se mo<llft<^arla el 
 
 rules of interpretation, they wonlu iixi" imi el sciitido i|iic a<'abatia dc su^ei'lr. 
 change it. 
 
 The conference was ad.iuui'ned to l"'riday. Si* apiazo l;i cKnl'crriu-ia liasta «d vii*rnt.'S 
 
 October H. at two o'clock p. m. 1 1 dc OctMbre a las 2 p. ni. 
 
 Signed: WILLI.Wl K. D.VV. i'ii-.nado: E. MONTEISO UIOS. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. r. dE ABAIiZrZA. 
 
 WM. P. FRYE. .). HE UARMOA. 
 
 GEO. GRAY. W. U. DE \II.I-A-UliRrTIA. 
 
 WHITELAW REID. UAIAI-:!. CEltREKO. 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. DMIl.ld i>l-: u.lIUiA. 
 
Annex 1 to Protocol No. 4. 
 
 The AmtTican Commissioners, wlieu they presented in the conference of the 33 
 liistMiit ;i ilnift .if artii-k'S f.ir the reliuquishment b.v Spain of sovereignty over and 
 title to Cuba and for the seceion of Porto Itieu and other islands in the ^Yest Indies, 
 and the Island of Guam in the Ladrones, stated that the disposition of these subjects 
 was determined by the Protocol of August 12. 1898. 
 
 The two articles of the Protocol relating to these subjects are brief, and, as it 
 seems to the American Commissioners, easy of comprehension and readily to bt' 
 carried into effect. 
 
 They are: 
 
 ■'AliTICLE I.— Spain will relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title to 
 Cuba. 
 
 "AIITICLK II.— Spain will cede to the United States the islaiid of Porto Rico and 
 other islands now under Spanish sovereignty in the \yest Indies, and also an island 
 in the Ladrones to be selected by the United States." 
 
 The American Commissioners were careful, in the articles proposed by them, to 
 express the relinquishment or cession, as the case might be, in the very words of the 
 Protocol, merely adding thereto the usual subsidiary and incidental clauses touching 
 public property and archives, with a view to making the treaty effectual, and pre- 
 serving evidence of public and private property rights. 
 
 The Americaii'Commlssioners regret to find in the articles presented by the Span- 
 ish Commissioners on the 7th instant a departure from the terms of the Protocol In 
 the following particulars: 
 
 To the unconditional engagement of the Protocol to relinquish all claim of sover- 
 eignty over and title to Cuba, they have proposed conditions: 
 
 1. That Spain shall transfer her sovereignty over the island to the United States, 
 and that the United States "shall in their turn transfer it at the proper time to the 
 Cuban people." 
 
 2. That this transfer shall be made upon the ouuditious to be established in the 
 treaty between the United States and Spain. 
 
 3. That the United States shall engage itself to Spain for the performance of 
 these conditions. 
 
 In place of the unconditional relinquishment agreed to in the Protocol, it is pro- 
 posed that the relinquishment now offered shall embrace all charges of every kind 
 which Spain and her authorities in Cuba have lawfully contracted heretofore, and 
 may hereafter contract, prior to the ratification of the treaty of peace; and these 
 "charges and obligations," past, present and future, which it is proposed to "trans- 
 fer" to the United States, are declared to include debts, civil and ecclesiastical 
 salaries, and civil and military pensions, ostensil.)ly in arrears, as well as yet to accrue. 
 
 To the American Commissioners this appears to be not a proposition to "relinquish 
 all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba," but in substance a proposition to 
 "transfer to the United States and in turn to Cuba a mass of Spanish charges and 
 obligations.* 
 
 It is difficult to perceive by what logic an indebtedness contracted for any pur- 
 pose can be deemed part of the sovereignty of Spain over the Island of Cuba. In the 
 article proposed it is attempted to yoke with the transfer of sovereignty an obligation 
 to assume an indebtedness arising out of the relations of Spain to Cuba. The uncon- 
 ditional relinquishment of sovereignty by Spain stipulated for in the Protocol is to 
 be changed into an engagement by the United States to accept the sovereignty bur- 
 dened with a large mass of outstanding Indebtedness. 
 
 It is proper to say that if during the negotiations resulting in the conclusion of 
 the Protocol Spain lind proposed to add to it stipulations in regard to Cuba such as 
 those now pyt forward, the proposal, unless abandoned, would have terminated the 
 negotiations. 
 
 The .\merican Commissioners, therefore, speaking for their Government, must 
 decline to accept the burden which it Is now proposed shall be gratuitously assumed. 
 
 The .\merican Commissioners further observe that in article S of the draft there 
 Is a negative clause, by which property not belonging to the Crown of Spain Is 
 excepted from the proposed relinquishment and transfer of sovereignty. In one respect 
 this exception appears to be unnecessary, and in another illogical. So far as It affects 
 
 -•See Protocol No. 5 
 
 26. 
 
the question of legal title li is unnecessary, since such title. If not held by Spain, 
 would not pass to the United States by Spain's transferor sovereignty. On the othci 
 hand, so far as it affects the question of sovereignty, it is illogical, since the sover- 
 eignty, -n-hich includes the right of eminent domain, would, if excepted from the 
 relinquishment, remain %vlth Spain. We would thus have the singular spectacle of 
 Spain relinquishing her sovereignty over property belonging to the Orown. but retain- 
 ing It over all other property. 
 
 Thus again we should witness the utter defeat of the explicit engagement in the 
 Protocol that Spain would "relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title to 
 Cuba." 
 
 In the articles presented by the American O>mmissioners there were stipulations 
 in relation to archives and official records, which stipulations were Intended to se- 
 cure, and. as the American Commissioners believe, would efTectually secure, the ob- 
 ject of preserving and of furnishing to those in interest evidence of title to property 
 In the Islands in question. 
 
 (') See Protocol No. 5. 
 
 In the articles submitted by the Spanish Commissioners, it is provided that doc- 
 uments and papers relating to sovereignty to be found in the archives of the Penin- 
 sula shall be furnished to the United States; also "copies of such portions of other 
 documents and papers relating to other suhlects foreign to the Island of Cuba and 
 the sovereignty aforesaid as may exist In the said archives." 
 
 It is difficult for the Americans to understand this latter clause: perhaps its 
 exact meaning Is not conveyed In the English translation of the Spanish text. 
 
 It is to be further observed that In the provisions of the Spanish articles relating 
 to the furnishing of record evidence of titles to lands in Cuba and Porto Rico, it Is 
 stipulated that the archives and records shall be at the disposal of the United States 
 "with the same rights and obligations as now attach to them while at the disposal of 
 the Spanish Government and Its said (Insuliin .inthoriries." This restriction, the 
 object of which is not perceived, would seem to limit the control over archives and 
 official records, after Spain's relinquishment of sovereignty, to the same power, both 
 In kind and In extent, as was formerly possessed tiy the Spanish Government. This 
 appears to be inconsistent with the right of control which every sovereign power 
 should possess over Its archives and oITicial records. 
 
 All the conditions .nnd oualiflcarlins above referred to .Tre bv general referi^nce In- 
 corporated in the articles relating to the cession of Porto Rico and other islands In 
 the West Indie*, nnd render tliese ,Trticle< e'inallv inadmissible. 
 
 True copy: 
 
 .1. }'. MOORE. 
 
 27. 
 
Annex 2 to Protocol No. 4. 
 
 COMISION 
 PARA LA NEGOCIACION DE LA PAZ CON LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS. 
 
 MEMORANDUM 
 
 eu .iu,. se exponri, suciutameute las razoues o fuiuLuuentos del prorecto de arti- 
 cuos mva el tratad,, dc pnz. relatives a la rem.neia. per parte de Bspana, de su 
 scuerania en Cuba y Puerto Kieo, que presputan a la conferencia los Pleninoten- 
 cmrios espanoles. 
 
 Los Plenipotenciarios espaiiol.-s aeepiai, id |H-iisamieuto generador del provecto 
 Oe artieulo presentado por los Senores CVvmisarios amerieanos sobre la remmoia de 
 l!.spana a su soberania en Cuba y la eesion de sii soberania en Puerto Rico: pero les 
 es imposible prestar el mismo asentimiento a lo demas que en dieho provecto se con- 
 tiene. .va porque entienden que parte de ello e^^ta fuera del ak-ance que cabe dar a 
 la renuucia y eesion sobredicbas, ya porque tambien estas reuuncia t cesion tal 
 como apareeen en aquel provecto, ne eontieuen bajo otros aspectos euanto es indis- 
 per.sible que comprendan. 
 
 La renuncia que hace S. M. C, de su soberania en la Isla de Cuba es 
 Didispensable que sea aceptada por el Presidente de los 
 Estados Unidos de America. 
 
 El (Jobiemo de hi Union americana njuuoa exiffo al Gobierno espanol que abau- 
 aoa.ase la .soberania en Cuba, sino que la recunciase para qne la Isla fuese inde- 
 pendiente. A.si consta en la correspondencia diplouiatica que eonserva el Gobierno 
 de !>. M. c. sobre las negociaeiones entre aiuibas Altas Partes contratantes antea-- 
 lores a la deelaraoion de la guerra. Asi tambien las Gamaras amerieanas lo declara- 
 roii en la resolucion conjuuta de 19 de Abril ultimo, aprobada despues por el Senor 
 1 rateideute de los Estados Unidos. El artieulo pramero de la citada resolucion dice: 
 que el pueblo de Cuba es y debe ser libre e iudepeudjente." 
 
 Asi tambien el Senor Secretario de E.stado en Wasbinston nrdeno en 20 del citado 
 nies a su Ministro en .Madrid, que lo eomunicase al Gobierno espanol empleando las 
 mjsmas palabras del texto de aquella resolucion para que "Espaiia renimciase in- 
 mediatanit^nte su autoridad y gobieruo en la Isla de Cuba." 
 
 T asi linalmeiite se consigno en el artieulo 10 del Protocolo firmado en Washing- 
 ton en doce de Agosto pasado, euyo artionlo 10 segun el teito ofificlal, firmado en 
 id.oma frances. a. la vez que el firmado en idioma ingles por los representantes de 
 ambas Altas Partes contratantes. dice asi: 
 
 ••.VRTICLE 1. L'Espague renonoera a toi:tc pretention a su souverainete et a 
 tout rinut sur Cuba.- que literaiuiente traducido al e.-ipaiiol e,iuivale a lo siguiente: 
 La Kspaua nnimciaia a toda pretension a su so,berania v a todo derecho sobre 
 Cuba. 
 
 Seria ofender la grande ilustracion de Ics .Scunu-es Comisarios amerieanos tratar 
 de demosirarles la esencial diferencia que. segun la doctrina elemental del dereebo 
 publico mteniaeional. y la practica de las naciones. e.xiste entre el abandono v la 
 renuncia de la soberania. 
 
 El territoro abandonado tiene dereebo para adquirirlo el primer oeupante; el 
 ternl.u'io renuuciadn i,asa neresari.imente a aquel a cuyo favor tiene que haeerse la 
 renuncia. Y los Estados Unidos exigieron ia de Espana para el pueblo cubano a fin 
 de que se coustituyese independlente. 
 
 Aumjue es verdad iiue los EBtados Unidot de America, en el caso preseute, exi- 
 gieron esto de i^spana, exigieron tambien que tal renuncia habia de haeerse por su 
 mediacion. Los Estados Unidos habian de reeibir la Isla de Cuba y conservarla en 
 si: poder teniendJ) su gobierno basta su pacirteacion. "abrigando el proposito de de^ 
 .iar mo se puede dejar lo que no se tiene) el dominio y gobierno de la Isla al pueblo 
 
 2S. 
 
(Je I'sta. una vi>z ri'ivli/.iHl.-i ilic-li:i |i:i.iiic,iiiiiii." Asi solcniin'mciilf so consisni) en el 
 articiilo 40 de la rpsnlucion roiijuiita de las I'ainavas aiiK-rlraiias y cii cl rtospacli.i del 
 Seiior Jliiiisiro de Estadci anierirano a sii Miuistrci I'li Madrid. Y sn hasta la parll- 
 oariiin de la Isla no ban de dejiir su domlnio y gobierno los Estados Uiiidos. es de 
 tiMla cvidi'iieia iiue onti-etantn smi cdlos Ins qw lo lian de conservar. 
 
 Y el'eetlvameute Ins Wslailns Cnulns ennseivai-ou y eouservan en su jjoder a 
 Santiago de Cuba y l"s denms ten-itniias ili- la Isla en (jue domlnan sus annas, slu 
 Uaber'os enti'esado al |>neblo eubaim. pur im nni-r Indavia Gobierno que lo repre- 
 spnte. Y en ol Protoeiilo de Washinclnn ya oifado fartieulo 40). se aeordo que la 
 evaeuaeion de la Isla per las fropas espanolas y sus detallas se conven<lrian por una 
 Couilsion mixta forniada por Coniisarios del (iohlerno espanol y Coinisnrios del 
 Gobierno de \Vasliin;.'lon. pero no por Coniisario del pueblo oubano. 
 
 i;i Gobienio federal es pues. el que. neei'sariainenle, liene que aeeptar la re- 
 nuneia que liacs el de Espana a la scdierania en la Isla, para eonservar esta Isla 
 en su i)oder y gobernaria hasta que esli> paeilieada. en uuyo easn. y no antes, 
 segun sus propias resolueiones, es i-iniudii su pnvponen dejar l.-i soherania de equel 
 tiTriiorii) a disposieimv del (iobierno que so eonstituya en Cuba. 
 
 II. 
 
 la cesion y la renuiicia de la sobeiania comprendeii las de los dere- 
 chos y de las obligaciones que la constituyen. 
 
 El eou<-e|>to de la soberania ile un Kslado nuuva se ha i-on(un«l«do en el ninndo 
 antigno ni niueho nienos en id niundo inoiicrno y eristiann. eon el eoneepto del 
 doiuinni civil y [irivado y nienos aun eon ,d del dominio del senor sobre el eselavo. 
 
 l-;i s.dierano. es verdad (pie tii'ne prerrogaiivas y drechos sobre el terrltorio y 
 sus habitantes; pero estas prerrogalivas di reehos le eorresponden no para su sai- 
 isfaceion y go<-e, sino para el buen gobieraio y bienestar (W los pueblos que estan a 
 sn soberania sometldos. Por e.sta razoi,, lo.-. dereehos del soberano se convierlen 
 en obligaciones para eon sus siilnlitos. Kl sooerano tieiie obligacion de cuidar de su 
 buen regimen y de sn progreso y prosperidad. El soberano no es dueno de los Im- 
 ■puestos y rentas que pereibe de sus subd.ilos, para emplearlos y consnniirlos en sn 
 propio y personal benelieio. sino para invertirlos en la satisfaceion de las iieeesi- 
 dades pnblicas y en el bienestar de ariueilos. El cumplimiento de estas obligaciones 
 es el t'nndameuto de la legitiinidad de sus faenltades para oelebrar con terceras 
 personas todas las eonveneiones y <'oniraer lodas las obligaciones que sean nece- 
 sarins par.a proeurarse los re(-nrsos i)reeisos .il buen reginmn y gidueriio de sus sub- 
 ilitos y ateuder al mei-jor servicio publico lU' los niisnio.s. 
 
 Estas obligaeioues subsisten desde que sc <-oniraen hasta que se cnmplen. 
 
 Y es de toda eyiiteneia que si durante l(.do el tiempo inierniidio entre la eonsti- 
 tueion y el eunipliniiento de una oWigaeion de soberania, el soberano la pierde per 
 reuuneia u otro titulo legitimo, la obligacion peiidieule pasa eonio parte integrante 
 de la .soberania misnia a aqnel que en ella le siicede. Sena ciuitrario a la nocion 
 mas plemental de la Justicia. e incompatible eon el dretado de la concieneia univer- 
 sal de las gentes, que un soberano perdiera siis dereehos sobre el territi)rio .V sus 
 subditos y hnbiera de continuar esto no obstante sometido al enmplimento de las 
 obligaciones que habla ereado. exclusivamcnte. para su regimen y gobierno. 
 
 Estas maximas apareeen observadas por todas las naciones ciiltas que no hau 
 querido atropellar los prineipios eternos de la justicia, ineluso aqnellas en que estas 
 cesiones se hicievon por la fuerza de las armas y conio premio de la victoria en los 
 tratados sobre cesiones tcrritoriales. Rar« es el tratado en que no ha pasado con el 
 terrltorio oedido al nuevo soberanio una parte propocional de 'as obligaciones gen- 
 erates del Estado ccdentc, que en la mayoria de los casos tenian la forma de deuda 
 publioa. 
 
 Pera aun es mas claro el easo a que se retiere la oouveneion que ha de elabovar 
 esta conferencia. Aqui no se trata de transfeii, eon la soberania de Cuba y 
 Ptierto Rico, una parte proporcional de las; obligaciones y eargas generales de la Met- 
 ropoll, sino tan sOlo las obligaciones y eargas que son peculiares a las Islas que se 
 ceden y transfleren. Cuando no se trata de obligaciones de conjnnto y comunes a tp- 
 dos los territorios sometldos al soberano que las eontrae, sino de obligaciones espe- 
 elales al terrltorio mismo cedido y eontraidas por sus legitimas autoriades. ni una 
 sola yez, aun en aqnellns tratados en que el veneedor se ha mostrada mas dispia- 
 dado con el vencido ban dejado de pasar eon el terrltorio cedido sus propias y pe- 
 culiares eargas y obligaciones. Asl, puede conslderarse como clausula casi obll- 
 gado, la de que !a cesion del terrltorio lleva eonsigo la de las obligaciones y deudas 
 departamentales, comnnales y en general hablando, pecnllares al terrltorio de la 
 cesion. El Gran Conquistador de este siglo no se atrevio jamas a vlolar esta regla 
 
 29. 
 
de eterra jusficia, en todos los trataros quo c-elebro con aquellos soberanos. cuyos 
 teiTitorios. en todo o en parte, convertia en I'remio de sus victorias. 
 
 Pues liien. es de hacer constar. que la soberania de Espana jamas dejo de ad- 
 ministrar separadamente de la Metropoli siis colonias en .\merica, desde su descu- 
 brimiento Le America espanola estuvo slempre goberando desde la capital de la 
 mou.irquia por un Consejo especial llamado de Judias que en nada intervenia en el 
 regimen \- ixobii-rno de la Peninsula, el ctial oorria a i-argo del Consejo llamado de 
 Castilia. 
 
 Dividido el territorio descubierto por Colon y por otros ilustres exploradores 
 espanoles (que tan inmenso, aunque no siempre agradeeido serricio ban prestado 
 a la oivilizacihnl en Virreinatos y Capitanias Qenerales, cada uno de estos peque- 
 noR FIstados recandaba sus proplos ingresos v cubria sns proprios gastos, o contraia 
 para eubrlrlos las ohligaciones que las necesidades de su propio goblerno demanda- 
 ban: y rnando algnno de estos territorios se hallaba en defleit permanente. como 
 sih^edia a la Tsla de Cuba, la colonia hernial. a n-as proxima acudia a su socorro. El 
 Virreinato de Jlejiio desde 176G hasta 1806 auxilio a la Isia de Cuba anualmente 
 con fuertes cantidades para sus atenciones de goliierno y para el desarrollo de su na- 
 tural riqueza entonces inexplorada. a cuyos gastos no podia, a la sazon, atender con 
 sus recursos prjpios. Nada menos que HiS uiillones de pesos entraron en Cuba [iro- 
 cedenles de Mejico ba.io tal eoncepto, durante aquel periodo: conociendose estos aux- 
 ilios en la adininistracion colonial espamla con el nombre de "situado de Majico." 
 
 En el siglo actual llevo Espana hasta sus ultimas eonsecuenciag este sistema de 
 adniinistracion separada e independente di sus colonias. El Ministerio de Ultra- 
 mar era el departamento donde se concentraba esta administracion. Cada colonia 
 tuvo anualmente su proprio presupuesto y sus deficits; cuando sus propios ingre- 
 sos no eran bastautes para cubrir sus proprios gastos fucron atendidos por opera- 
 eiones esj>eciales de deuda consolidada. hipotecaria o Uotante para y con cuenta de 
 la colonia en cuyo beneficio estas operaciones se hicieron. 
 
 Y la separacion ev.tre la administracion dr la Peninsula y la colonial fue, durante 
 nincho tic'mpo tan completa. que el personal de funcionarios publicos para los servi- 
 cios administrativos y judicales de las colonias. era peculiar a las mismas, hasta el 
 punto de que estos funcionarios no teniau aptitud legal para ser incluidos en los 
 cuerpns gerarquicos similaries de Espana. ni .lesinipenar en ella analogas tunciones. 
 
 E«te regioien es el liajo que yino Espana administrando a Cuba hasta el momi'Uto 
 prcseute. 
 
 Sabemos bien que fuera de Espana se incurre en gravisimos errores, por efccto 
 de no ser conocido el regimen colonial espanol. pero es tieuipo ya. y sobre todo es 
 necesario. la occasion presente, que estos errores se de desvanezean, eontrastandolos 
 con la yerdnd de los hechos y con los preceptos de las leyes espanolas, Cuba y Puer- 
 to Rico nunca han vivido dentro del presupuesto general de la Nacion espanola ni en 
 este rtguraron jamas sus ingresos. ni se inchiyeron sus ga.stos. Todas las obligaclones 
 que esteii pendientes y hayan sido legalmente creadas para el servieio de Cuba y 
 Puerto I;ico y a cargo de sus especiales Tesoros, siempre distintos y separados del 
 Ti.'soro de la Peninsula, son obligaclones enbanas o puertorriquenas, es decir, obliga- 
 clones locales, que atectan unica y exclusivamente a) territorio de las Islas y a sus 
 habitantes. 
 
 Lo dicho hasta aqui sobre la uaturalez de las obligaeioues coloniales y sobre los 
 obligados a su complimento, jamas lo han desconocido edicho sea en su honor) los 
 puebl'is hispano-americanos. Aquellos conquisttaron por su propio esfuerzo su inde- 
 pendeucia y la mayor parte de eilos antes que Espana ia huhiera reconocido, habian. 
 por les anteriores y solemnes de sus Camaras. deelarado propias y como las mas jiriyi- 
 legidas de todas las deudas. las que la Corona de Espana habia contraido, durante su 
 solierania. para el serricio de aquelles territorios. y se hallaban registradas en sus 
 respectivos libros de Tesoreria. 
 
 Son muy contadas las republicas hispano-americanos que aguardaron a hacer tan 
 honrada declaracion. a que la Metropoli rcconciera su independoncia, porque. como 
 decian. la Republica Argentina en el tratado que celebro con Espana en 21 de Sep- 
 tiembre de 1863, y la del Uruguay, en el ue celebro en 19 de Julio de 1870. ■'asi 
 como ellas adquirian los derechos y privilegios correspondientes a la Corona de 
 Espana, coctraian tambien todos sus deberes y obligaclones." z 
 
 Xotese que las Republicas hispano-americanas. sin escepcion, reconocieron e hici- 
 eron suyas estas deudas de cualquier clase que fueran, detallandolas en el tratado 
 de paz con Bolivia de 21 de .Tuli.i de 1.S47. en que se dice que. ■'cnmprendian todos 
 los creditos por pensioners, sueldos. suministros, anticipos, tletes, emprestitos forzo- 
 s.)S, depositcs, contratos y sualqueria otra deuda, .va da guerra, ya anterior a esta, 
 que pesaren sobre aquellas Tesorerias, siempre que procediesen de ordenes directas 
 del Goblerno espanol o de sus autoridades constituidas en aquellos territorios." 
 
 Espana no reconocio la independencia de ningun Estado americano que antes 
 h'lbiera sido colonia suya, sino con esta condicion, que aquellos Estados esponta- 
 neamente declararon en sus respectivos tratados, que era de perfecta justicia. 
 
 SO. 
 
Su derpclio y su dignidacl uo le permiteu reconoeer sin esta condiclon. que abora 
 mas que antes, si tube( continua sleudo de justicia. la independencia de los pueblos 
 cubaiia y puertoriqueno que estos no ban podido rouquistar pi.r su propi" J" cxdu- 
 slvo esfuerzo. 
 
 Kspana eta dispuesta a ceder la soberania de Puerto Rico y dcnias islas de las 
 ludias Oceidentales, y a renunciar a lo soberania de la Isla de Cuba, todo a favor 
 de los Estados Unidos. que habran de aceptaila. poniendo a su disposiciou esta sober- 
 aula en el estado on que actualniente la posee. y por lo tanto con los derechos 
 y las cargas que actualniente la constituyen. A eslo se obligo en los artlculos 10 y 
 20 del Protocolo firmado eu Washington en 12 de Agosto ultimo y esto es lo que 
 quiere eumplir cou la mas exquislta lealtad eu este tratado. 
 Ksta conforme: EMILIO VV. (UEUA. 
 
 Annex 2 to Protocol No. 4. 
 
 MEMORANDUM 
 
 succinctly setting forth tbe grounds or reasons of tbe proposed articles for the 
 treaty of peace relating to the relinquishment by Spain of her sovereignty over Cuba 
 and Porto Rico, presented to the conference by the Spanish Plenipotentiaries. 
 
 The Spanish Plenipotentiaries accept tbe main idea of the proposed article, as 
 drafted by the American Commissioners, relating to the relinquishment by Spain of 
 her sovereignty over Cuba and the cession of her sovereignty over Porto Rico: but 
 they are unable to concur in the remaining portions of said draft; because, on the 
 one hand, they understand that part thereof goes beyond the proper scope of said 
 relinquishment and cession: and because, on the other, the said relinquishment and 
 cession as expressed in the said draft do not embody, in other ways, all that it Is 
 indispensable they should. 
 
 I. 
 
 It is imperative that the President of the United States should accept 
 the relinquishment made by Her Catholic Majesty of her sov- 
 ereignty over tie Island of Cuba. 
 
 The Government of the American Union never demanded that the Spanish Gov- 
 ernment abandon (abaudonar) the sovereignty over Cuba, but that it relinquish (re- 
 nunciar) the same, so that the island should become Independent. It so appears from 
 the diplomatic correspondence in the possession of the Government of Her Catholic 
 Majesty relating to the negotiations between the two contracting parties prior to the 
 declaration of war. It was also thus declared by the American Congress in the Joint 
 Resolution of April 19 last, subsequently approved by the President of the United 
 States. Tbe first clause of that resolution reads "that the people of Cuba are and of 
 right ought to be free and independent." 
 
 So also, on the 20th of the same month, did the Secretary of State in Washington 
 Instruct the American Minister in Madrid to say to the Spanish Government, using 
 the identical language of the Joint Hesolntion. that "Spain should at once relinquish 
 its authority and government in the Island of Cuba." 
 
 And so. finall.v, was it set forth in Article I. of the Protocol signed In Washington 
 on the 12th of August last, the official text of which as signed in French and English 
 by the representatives of the two High Contracting Parties reads as follows? 
 
 "ARTICLE ler. L'Espagne renoneera a toute pretention, a sa souveralnete et a 
 tout droit sur Cuba." which literally translated Into Spanish Is as follows: "Espana 
 renunciara a toda pretension a su soberania y a todo derecho sobre Cuba." 
 
 To undertake to explain the essentia) rlilTerence which according to the elemen- 
 tary principles of public international law and the usage of nations exists between 
 the abandonment (abandono) and the relinquishment (renunciai of sovereignty, would 
 be to offend the intelligence of the learned American Commissioners. 
 
 Abandoned territories can of right be acquired by the first occupant, while relin- 
 quished territories necessarily pass unto him to whom relinquishment is made. And 
 the United States demanded that Spain relinquish in order that the Cuban people 
 might become Independent. 
 
 31. 
 
AUliuugli it is Iriiu tliat tlie United States of America aemaudecl tliis of Spain In 
 the present case, they also demanaed that such relinquishment must be made 
 through them. The United States were to receive the Island of Cuba and retain the 
 possession thereof, aoverniny it until its paeiflcation was secured, asserting its -'de- 
 termination to leave luo one can leave what he does not hold! the government and 
 control of the island to its people, as soon as the said pacification is accomplished." 
 So was it solemnl.v set forth in section 4 of the Joint Hesolutiun of the American 
 . Congress and in the dispatch of the Secretary of State to the American Minister at 
 Madrid. And if the United States are not to leave the government and control of 
 the island until the paciflcation thereof is accomplished, it is self-evident that in the 
 meantime the United States are called upon to adniluistcr the one and retain the 
 other. 
 
 And. ill fact, the United States held and continue to hold Santiago de Cuba and 
 the other territories of the island where their arms are supreme without having de- 
 livered them over to the Cuban people, as the latter have not as yet any Government 
 to represent them. And in the said Protocol of Washington (Article IV.) it was 
 agreed that the evacuation of the island by the .Spanish troops and the deta 1» 
 thereof should be arranged and carried out by a mixed commission, consisting of 
 Commissioners appointed by the Washington Government and by the Spanish Gov- 
 ernment, but not of Commissioners appointed by the Cubans. 
 
 The Federal Government is thereforenhe one which must of necessity accept the 
 relinquishment made by Spain of her sovereignty over the island, so as to retain 
 the latter under its control and government until it Is pacified, in which event, and 
 not before, according to its own declarations, it will leave the sovereignty over' that 
 territory at the disposal of the Government that may be constituted in Cuba. 
 
 II. 
 
 The cession and relinquishment of soveieignty embraces the cession and 
 relinquishment of the rights and obligations constituting- it. 
 
 The idea of the sovereignty of a State was never confounded in the ancient world, 
 and much less in the modern and Christian world, with the idea of individual or pri- 
 vate ownership. Much less still with the authority of the master over the slave. 
 
 The sovereign, it is true, has prerogatives and rights over the territory and its 
 inhabitants; but these prerogatives and rights attach to him not for his own satisfac- 
 tion and enjoyment, but for the good government and the welfare of the people sub- 
 ject to his rule. For this reason the rights of the sovereign become obligations with 
 respect to his subjects. The sovereign is bound to see that they have a good govern- 
 ment and to their progress and prosperity. The sovereign is not the owner of the 
 tax proceeds or of the revenues he receives from his subjects, to be used for his own 
 personal benefit, but to meet with them all public necessities and attend to the 
 public welfare. The fulfilment of these obligations is the foundation of the legit'- 
 macy of his authority to enter into conventions and agreements of all kinds with 
 third parties, to contract all the obligations necessary to raise means for the good 
 administration of the government of his subjects, and to attend to the public serv'ce 
 in the best possible manner. 
 
 These obligations exist from the mom.-nt they are contracted until they are ful- 
 filled. And it is perfectly self-evident that if during the period Intervening between 
 the assumption by a sovereign of an obligation and the fulfilment of the same, he 
 shall i-i'ase lo bi- b.iinid thereby through i-clintiuishmcrit or any other lawful convey- 
 .niic. tlie outstaniling obligation passes as an integral part of the sovereignty itself 
 to hiui who succeeds him. It would be contrary to the most elementary notions of 
 justice and inconsistent with the dictates of the universal conscience of mankind for 
 a sovereign to lose all his rights over a territory and the inhabitants thereof, and 
 despite this to continue bound by the obligations he had contracted exclusively for 
 their regime and government. 
 
 These maxims seem to be observed by all cultured nations thai are unwilling to 
 trample upon the eternal principles of justice, including those in which such cessions 
 were made by force of arms and as a reward for victories through treaties relating 
 TO territorial cessions. Rare is the treaty in which., together with the territory ceded 
 lo the new sovereign, there is not conveyed a proportional part of the general obliga- 
 tions of the ceding State, which in the m.ijority of cases have been in tlie form of n 
 public debt. 
 
 32. 
 
But tlic case to which the couveiition u\ lie fnuneil by this conference refers Is 
 clearer still. It Is not the purpose here to transfer, together with the sovereignty 
 over Cuba ana I'orto Uico, a proportional part iif tlie obligations anil general charges 
 of the mother cnuntry. but only the obligations and charges attacliing inciiviiiualiy to 
 the isliiiuls cedml and transferred. When not treating of general obligations common 
 to all the territories subject to the sovereign contracting the same, but of the special 
 obligations of tiie particular territories ceded which were contracted by its legitimate 
 authorilles. In no single case, not even in those treaties in wliicli the victor ha» 
 shown himself most merciless toward the vanquished. Iiave the individual and sepa- 
 rate charges and obligations of a ceded territory failed to pass therewith. Thus it 
 may be consiilercd as .in absohitely essential condition that the cession of territory 
 carries with it the cession of the departnicntai, commumil, and, generally speaking, 
 individual nliiigations ami dei)ts "f the ceded territory. The Great Conqueror of thi^ 
 century never dari'd to viitlate this rule or eternal justice in any of tlie treaties lie 
 concluded with tliosc sovereigns whose territories lii' .ippropriatcd in whole or in 
 part, as a reward for his victories. 
 
 Very well; it must be recorded that the sovereignty of Spain never ceased to ad- 
 minister its colonies in America, from the time of the discovery, separate from the 
 mother country. Spanish America was always governed from the capital of the 
 monarchy by a special council called "Council of the Indies." which in no wise In- 
 terfered in the regime and government of the Peninsula, whicli was uinler a council, 
 designated as the "Council of Castile." 
 
 The territor.v discovered hy tjOininbiis .-md other illustrious Spanish explorers who- 
 have reiub^red sucli gri-al tliunuii not always aiiprecialcd ser\ices to civilization 
 being divided into vice-royalties and captaincies-general, each of these small States 
 collected its own revenues .and met its own expenses, or contracted obligations to 
 meet the necessities of its own separate government: and when one of these territo- 
 ries found itself with a permanent deficit, as was the case in the Islainl of Cuba, the 
 nearest sister-colony came to its rescue. The Vice-royalty of Mexico from 1766 to- 
 ISOC annually assisted the Island of Cuba with heavy sums for its governmental 
 needs and the development of its natural rc-sources. at the time unexploited. wliich 
 expenses it could not. at such time, meet from its own revenues. Not less than 103> 
 millions of pesos came into Cuba from Mexico during that period, this assistance 
 being known in the Spanish colonial admiiiisl ration under the name of "Sitnado de 
 Mexico." 
 
 During the present century Spain carried to the last extreme this system of the 
 separate and independent administration of its colonies. The Ministry of the Colonies 
 was the department where this administration was centred. Each c'.lony liad an- 
 nually its own budget and deficits. When its own revenues were not sufficient to 
 cover its own expenses, these were met by special operations In the way of consoli- 
 dated, mortgage or floating debts, and were chargeable to the colony for whose bene- 
 fit such operations were conducted. 
 
 And the separation of the administration of the Peninsula and the colonies was 
 for a long time so complete that the body of public employes in the executive and 
 judicial services of the colonies was separate and independent, to the extent that 
 these employes had not the legal capacity to be included in the similar hierarchical 
 bodies of Spain, or to discharge therein like functions. 
 
 This regime is the one under which Spain has been administering Cuba up to the 
 present time. 
 
 We are well aware that outside of Spain grave errors are fallen Into, owing to 
 the Spanish colonial system being unknown: but it is high time and above all at this 
 juncture Is It necessary that these errors br dissipated by comparing them with the 
 actual facts and the provisions of Spanish laws. Cuba and Porto Rico have never 
 been included In the general budget of the Spanish nation, nor have their revenues 
 ever figured therein, wliicli is also true of their ex[U'nditures. Ail outstanding obliga- 
 tions that have been leg.llly contracted for the service of Cuba and Porto Rico, and 
 whicii are chargeable to their individual treasuries, always distinct and separate from 
 the treasury of the Peninsula, are Cuban or Porto Rican obiigtaions— that is. loi.-al 
 obligations, .solely and exclusively affecting the territory of the Islands and their In- 
 habitants. 
 
 What has been said up to this point regarding the nature of the colonial obliga- 
 tions and those bound thereby, has never been disregarded (to their honor be it said) 
 hy the Spanish-American peoples. They achieved their Independence through their 
 own efforts, and the majority of them, before Spain had recognized it, had by prior 
 and solemn acts of their legislatures, declared as their own and as having preference 
 those debts which the Crown of Spain had contracted during the continuance of Its 
 sovereignty for the service of such territories, and which debts were recorded in their 
 respective treasnry books. 
 
Very few of the Spanlsh-Amerlean Republics delayed so hoaorable a declara- 
 tion until the mother country had recognized their Independence, as was said by the 
 Argentine Republic in the treaty concluded with Spain on September 21, 1863, and 
 by Uruguay, in that fonrliideii on ,Tuly 1!), 1.S70: "Just as they acquired the rights 
 and privileges belonging to the Crown of Spain, they also assume all its duties and 
 obligations." 
 
 Note that the Spanish-American republics without exception recognized and as- 
 sumed as their own these debts of every Uind whatsoever, specifying them in the 
 treaty of peace with Bolivia of .Inly 21, 1847, wherein It is stated that they "include 
 Alt debts for pensions, salaries, supplies, advances, transportation, forced loans, de- 
 posits, contracts and any other debt Incurred during war times or prior thereto, 
 ■chargeable to said treasuries: provided they were contracted by direct orders of the 
 Spanish Government or Its constituted authorities in said territories." 
 
 Spain did not recognize the independence of any American State which had pre- 
 viously been her colony save upon this condition, which those States spontaneously 
 incorporated in their respective treaties, as of right they should. 
 
 Her right and her dignity will not permit her to recognize— without this condi- 
 tion, which now more than ever If possU')le is still just and proper — the independence 
 of the Cuban and Porto Rican peoples, which they have not been able to achieve by 
 their own unaided efforts. 
 
 Spain Is disposed to cede the sovereignty over Porto Rico and other islands of the 
 West Indies, and to relinquish the sovereignty over the Island of Cuba, all in favor 
 of the United States, which shall accept the same; she placing this sovereignty at 
 their disposal in the condition in which she now holds it, and therefore, with the 
 rights and charges at present constituting It. She bound herself to this by Articles 
 I, and II. of the Protocol signed at Washington on August 12 last, and this is what 
 she desires to carry out with the strictest faith In the present treaty. 
 
 True Copy: 
 
 BMILIO DB OJEDA. 
 
 34. 
 
Protocol No. 5. 
 
 Protocol No. 5. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 14, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 14 de Octubie de 1898. 
 
 Pi-csent— 
 
 On llie part of iho United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 KItVE, 
 
 <;i;av, 
 
 KEID. 
 
 MtlORE. 
 
 PEUtiUSSOX. 
 
 On the part '^f Spain: 
 Messrs. MoNTETto Kids. 
 AHARZrZA, 
 ARNICA, 
 VILLA-IRRtniA. 
 CERERO. 
 O.I ED A 
 
 The protocol of the pre<;ediiif? session \\ ;i.s 
 read and approved. 
 
 The Amerieau Commissioners presented 
 a reply to the memorandum submitted h.v 
 the Spanish Commissioners at the last ses- 
 sion on the relinquishment of s^ivereignty 
 over Cuba and the transfer of debts. The 
 paper was read, and a copy of it fs hereto 
 annexed. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners, referring to 
 the paper in which the American Commis- 
 Bic.ners rejected, at the conference of the 
 nth Instant, the articles presented by the 
 Spanish Coniuiissioners at the conference 
 of the 7th, on the subject of Cuba and 
 Porto Hico, called attention to the follow- 
 ing sentence: 
 
 "To the American Commissioners this ap- 
 pears to be not a proposition to 'relinquish 
 all claim of sovereignty over and title to 
 Cuba,' but in substance a proposition to 
 'transfer' to the United States and in turn 
 to Cuba a mass of Spanish charges and ob- 
 ligations." 
 
 The Spanish Coramissinr'ers desired a 
 modification of this sentence on the ground 
 that it might be thought to imply that tliey 
 were not acting in good faith. 
 
 Tne American Commissioners stated that 
 In their opinion the sentence did not con- 
 vey such an imputation, but, out of defc.-- 
 ence to tlie Spanish Commissioners, they 
 altered it to rt^rid as follows: 
 
 "Ti the American Commissioners this ap- 
 pears to be not a proposition to 'relinquish 
 all claim of sovereignty over and title to 
 Cuba.' but in effect a proposition to 'trans- 
 fer' to the United States and in turn to 
 Cul>a a mass of charges and obligations 
 which, in the opinion of the American Com- 
 missioners, properly belong to Spain." 
 
 I'resentes- 
 I'or parte tie los Estados Unidos de Amer- 
 ica : 
 los Senores DAY. 
 
 DA^ IS. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FEROUSSiiN, 
 
 I'or parte de Espana- 
 
 los Senores MONTEKO RIGS, 
 ABARZUZA. 
 GARNICA. 
 VII.LA-I'RHrTiA, 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 
 K\ profiicolo de la sesion anterior fue 
 leido y aprobado. 
 
 Los Comlsionados americanos presentarou 
 una contestacion al Memorandum que los 
 Oomisionados espanoles sometieron en la 
 ultima sesion acerea de la renuncia de la 
 soberania sobre Cuba y la transferencia de 
 sus deudas. EI docnmento fue leido in- 
 cluyendose una copia anexa a esta acta. 
 
 Los Comlsionados espanoles reftriendose 
 al escrlto en el cual los Coniisionados 
 americanos rechazaron en la conferencia 
 del dia 11 del corriente los articulos pre- 
 sentados por los Comlsionados espanoles 
 en la conferencia del 7, acerea de Cuba y 
 Puerto Rico, llamaron la atencion sobre 
 la siguiente frase: 
 
 "I'reen los Comlsionados americanos que 
 esto no parece ser una proposision para 
 rennnciar a toda pretension de soberania 
 y a todo dereeho sobre Cuba, sino mas 
 bien una proposicion para transferir a los 
 Estados Unidos y estos a su vez a Cuba, 
 una masa de cargas y obligaciones espa- 
 nolas." 
 
 Los Comlsionados espanoles pidleron la 
 modlflcaelon de esta frase fundandose en 
 que pudiera impllear que ellos no proce- 
 dian de buena fe. 
 
 Los Comlsionados americanos manifes- 
 taron que en su opinion la frase no tenia 
 tal Interpretacion, pero que por defereneia 
 ■A li>s Comlsionados espanoles, la moditi- 
 caban en los terniinos siguicntes: 
 
 "Creen los Comlsionados americau<)S que 
 esto no parece ser una proposicion para 
 renunciar a toda pretension do soberania y 
 a todo dereeho sobre la Isla de Cuba, sino 
 que ea realidad es una proposicion para 
 transferir a los Estados Unidos y estos a 
 Cuba una masa de cargas y obligaciones 
 que en opinion de los Comlsionados ameri- 
 canos pertenecen reaimente a Espana." 
 
This matter having been disposed of, tlie 
 Spanish Commissioners stated that, bffore 
 proceeding with the discussion of tlie ques- 
 tions under consideration, they desired it 
 to be understood that, if certain articles 
 should be agreed to. but in the eud no 
 treaty should be signed, the articles ns 
 agreed to should not in such case be taken 
 as expressing either Governmenifs estiui,i- 
 tion of its just rights in respect of tlie 
 subjects to which the articles related. 
 
 The American Commissioners coucuircd 
 in this view. 
 
 The Joint Commission then proceeded to 
 the oral discussion of the poimts discussed 
 In the Spanish niemorand-ira of October 11 
 and the American reply of to-da.v. 
 
 'After the discu.ssion of the first point— 
 the question whether the sovereignty over 
 Cuba should be relinqui.slied to the United 
 States— was exhausted, without any agree- 
 ment having been readied upon it, the 
 American Conunissiouers proposed to laiie 
 up the .second point— the question whether 
 charges and obligations conatituted a part 
 of tiii> sovereiguty and as such passo.l 
 with it. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners sugges-ed 
 that if no agreement could be reached on 
 the first point it seemed to be needless to 
 discuss the second. 
 
 The American Commissioners, concurring 
 in this view, proposed that, owing to the 
 lateness of the hour, the conference be 
 adjounicd to continue the discussion of the 
 first point at the next session, which should 
 be held on Monday, the 17tu of October, at 
 two o'cloolv p. m. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners agreeing, ihe 
 conference was adjourned accordingly. 
 
 Signed: WILLI.iM If. DAY. 
 
 OUSH.MAN K. DAVIS, 
 M"M. P. FRYE. 
 CEO. GRAY. 
 WIIITEt.AW RBID, 
 .71 III. V 11 MOORE. 
 
 Resuelto esto asuuto, los Comisionados 
 espanoles manifestaron que antes de pro- 
 ceder a la discusion de las cucstiones 
 sometidas a estudio. deseaban que se estab- 
 leciera, que si algunos articulos fue.seu 
 aprobados, pero que al final no se Ilegase 
 a firmar uu tratado, tales articulos apro- 
 bados no deberian en uingTin case ser con- 
 siderados como expresaudo la opinion de 
 cualquiera de los Gobiernos sobre sus 
 justos dereehos respecto a los asuutos a 
 los cuales dichos articulos se referian. 
 
 Los Comisarios americauos aceptaron esta 
 proposicion. 
 
 Luego la Comision procedio a la discusion 
 oral de los puntos que se tratau en el 
 Memorandum espanol del 11 de Octubre y 
 a la eontestacion americana presentada 
 ho.v. 
 
 Y habiendose Jiscutido. sin que se Ilegase 
 :i uu acuerdo el primer punto, relativo a 
 si la soberania sobre Cuba deberia renun- 
 ciarse a favor de los Estados Unidos, los 
 Comisarios americanos propusierou con- 
 tinuar con el segundo o sea la cuestion de 
 si las cargas y obligaciones constituian una 
 parte de la soberania y como tales debiau 
 transmitirse con esta. 
 
 Los Comisionados espanoles indicaron que 
 si no se podia llcgar a un acuerdo eii el 
 primer punto, no parecia oportuno con- 
 tintiar la discusion del segundo. 
 
 Los Comisionados americauos opinaron 
 de la misma manera .v propusieron que 
 dado lo avanzado e la hora, se aplazara la 
 conferencia para contluuar la discusion 
 del primer punto en la proxima sesion, 
 que se celebrara el lunes 17 de Octubre a 
 las dos de la tarde. 
 
 Los Comisionados espanoles aprobaron 
 esta mocion y en su eonsecuencia se sus- 
 pendio la conferencia. 
 
 Kinuado: E. .MONTERO RIGS, 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA. 
 W. R. DB VILLA-URKUTIA. 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 36 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 5. 
 
 Tile Amorit'an Commissioners bereliv jji-estiit their leply tt> thv* memnramluiu 
 wliicli tlte Spiiuish Commissioners, umler the rules of the Commission, snbmitted on 
 the 11th instant, fttr the pnrpose of ^ivin^ their reasons in support of the articles 
 which the American Commissioners hiHl rejected, in relation to Culja ami I*orTo Rico. 
 
 1. 
 
 Tile Siiiiliisli iiieiiioraniUiiu. referrin;; to tile (t«-nian<ls of the Cniteil .Stales before 
 the war. to the joint resolution of Coniiress, iinil to the lan;,'uage of .\rticle I of tiie 
 I'roiocol of Aususi 12. l.sns, maintains that it is "im|i>>nilive" that tlie mited States 
 "should accept the relinquishment made l,y Her C;itliolic Majesty of her soverei;iiity 
 over the Island of Cuba." 'lliis coiiteinion is based upon tlie fact tiiat in the various 
 documents referre^l to the t'niletl statics reriuired Spain to "relimiuisli" her sover- 
 eijrnty. but did not demand that she •'.ilianrton" it. 
 
 A distlTjetioii is thus in.ade between .-i reliiiquishment and an abaridoniiieni ; and it 
 is argued that while "abandoned territories" become derelict. s«> that tliey may be 
 acquired b.v the first occupant, "relinquished territories" necessarily jiass to him to 
 whom relinquisliment is made. 
 
 The Aiiierican Commissioners are unible to admit that such a (Mstiiirtion be- 
 tween the words in question exists eitlicr in law or in ciminion use. 
 
 The word "relinquish," as delined in ilio Kuj^jlisii dictionaries, means "to jrive I'p 
 the possession or oi-cupanc,v of : withdraw frOni: leave; abaiuion; quit." .\;raiM: "to 
 renounce a claim to; resign ; as, to relinquish a debt." 
 
 On the other hand, we fiml in that ^leat monument of Spanish IcarninL'. tlu' law 
 dictionary of Rscrichc tUiccionario de I.e^islacion y .InrisprudeTiciai, irnder the word 
 renunciar. which the Spanisli memoraiidnm declares to be the eq.iivalent of the 
 rrench word renoncer (used in Spain's version of the Prot<x*oIl. and of the lOnslisli 
 word "relinquish." the following detiiiition: "The vt>lniitary ;;i\'imr up of a riylit 
 exercised or expe<-led to he exerciseil. or of a tliin;; held or possessi-d or expected to 
 be held or po.ssessed." ' 
 
 Coinmeiitin^' upon thi^ deliaition. Es'-richc sa.vs; 
 
 "The i-elinquishmeirl differs from the cession in (hat the latter -cquires for its 
 completion the concurrence of the wills of tlie grantor and the jrrantee and a just 
 cause for the traiu-fcr. whib- the fornn r is jierfect wi'tli oiil,v the will of the relin- 
 quisher. The effe<-t of the relinquislinient is confined to the abdication or droppins 
 of the right or thinir ri'liiiqnishetl. The elVect of tlie cession is tlic eonveyaiue of the 
 right to the gratrtee." 
 
 The distinction thus drawn, not beiwi'eii relinqnishment and abandonment, whi'-'i 
 are treated both in English an,] in Spanish as practicaly the same, but between 
 relinnnishmont and ces-siou, is written upon the face of the Protocol, which, while 
 obligsiting Spain (Article Ii to "relinqnisli all claim of sovereignty ovi-r and title to 
 Ctiba," in the next article requires her to "cede to the United States the Island of 
 Porto Uieo and other islands now under .Sjianish sovereignty in the West Indies, and 
 also an island in the Ladrones. to he selected by the fnitcd States." 
 
 If it were tine, as mainained in tlie Spaidsn memorandum, that the ait of relin- 
 quishment includes, and reiinires for its coiiipletion. the process of legal transf.T 
 from one band to another, and thus *• iistltutes in form and in effect a cession, it 
 is obvious that tlie i-ontracting parties, in framing the I'rotoeol, i>niploycd, in stipu- 
 lations which were deliberately separated and sharply contrasted, ditferent words to 
 express the same inenning. 
 
 The American Commis.--ioners understand ilie Spanish meniorandmn to maintain 
 that their Government, prior to the war. demanded of Spain, in effect if not in 
 words, the relinquishment of her sovereignty over Cuba to the T'nitiHl States. The 
 Spanish memorandum donUtk^ss refijrs to the demand a copy of which was coni:na- 
 iilcaled by tlie Secretary of State of the Cnited States to the Spanish .Minister at 
 Washington on the 20th of April last. The precise words of this demand are "that 
 the Government of Spain at once rellnqiilsb its authority and Government in the isl- 
 and of Cuba and Cuban waters;" and the denunul is accompanied bv the declarali.ia 
 that the Inited States, in taking the step, "disclaims any disposition or intention to 
 exercise sovereignty. Jurisdiction or control over said Island except for the paelHca- 
 tion thereof, and asserts Its determiuarion, when that is accomplished, to leave the 
 goveniment and control of the island to its peojile under such free and independent 
 Government as they may establish." 
 
 To this demand the I'nited States .■equiied by a certain time "a full and satis- 
 factory response ••*. whereby the ends of pi-ace in Cuba shall be assured." 
 
 From the demands tlius fully set foth. the Spanish inenior:iudum extracts the 
 
assertion by tlie United Slates of its detprnjination "to leave the government and 
 control of the island to its people," and. omitting both what precedes and what 
 follows, construes that assertion as a demand "that such relinquisliment must be 
 made tbrough them" (the United States). The demand as a whole, however care- 
 fully and clearly excludes this construction. Not only is the assertion preceded in 
 the same sentence, by lu express disclaimer on the iiart of the United States of any 
 disposition or intention to talie the sovereig-nty of the isiand, but the assertion itself 
 includes an express dec-laraUon of a determination to allow the island to remain, after 
 pacjflcatlon, "under such free and independent Government" as mav be established 
 by its people. 
 
 To this construction of the demand we may apply a simple test. If Spain had 
 answered that she would relinquish her sovereignty over the Island of Cuba, and 
 had at the same time declared that it was not her intention to relinquish it to the 
 United States, would any one have imagined that she had failed to make a "full 
 and satisfactory response" to the demand? 
 
 _ The second part of the Spanish uu-morandum is devoted to an argument to main- 
 tain the proposition that "the cession and relinquishment of sovereignty embraces 
 the cession and relinquishment of the rights and obligations constituting It." 
 
 The American Commissioners are not disposed to comment upon the Indefl- 
 mteness of this proposition, or upon the fallacies involved in treating the obliga- 
 tions which a sovereign may Incur m the exercise of his sovereignty as a part of 
 the sovereignty itself. National sovereigiity (soberania naclonal), as defined by 
 high Spanish authority (Novisimo Dlccionario enelclopedico de la iengua castellana, 
 por D. Delfln Donadin y Btugnau. based on the Dictionary of the Spanish Acad- 
 emy ), is "the right which a nation has of organizing tbe public powers in such 
 a way as it may deem advisable." This right, though it includes the power to con- 
 tract obligations, is in no sense composed of them. The thing done in the exercise 
 of sovereignty is not a part of the sovereignty itself; tbe power to create is not 
 the thing created. Noc is it possible to shut our eyes to the fact that in the Span- 
 ish memorandum the term obligations is used indiscriminately in respect of two 
 different things, namely, the duties which a sovereign as such" owes to his subjects, 
 and the debts which he may specially contract in the exercise of his sovereign power 
 for his own purposes. 
 
 With these preliminary observations, the American Commissionei-s proceed to the 
 consideration of the specific matter before them. 
 
 The American Commissioners note ihe declaration in tlie Spanish memorandum 
 that there is no purpose now to ti-auffer witii the sovereignty of Cuba and Porto 
 Rico a proportional part of the natiuu.il debt of Spain, but "only the obligations and 
 charges attaching individually to the islands," which obligations and charges it 
 likens to the local debts which pass with ceded territory. It appears, however, by 
 the explanuiion given in the memorandum of the origin of these charges and obli- 
 gations, and of the manner in which they were contracied, th.it they include the 
 whole of what is commonly called the Cuban debt. The .\mericaii C-ommissioners, 
 therefore, while reaffirming their position as to the exclusion by the Protocol of any 
 proposal for tbe a.ssumption of such charges and obligations, will examine the sub- 
 ject in some of its aspects. 
 
 It is true that the linaucial department of the Isl.and of Cuba, commonly called 
 the "Cuban Treasury," was not a branch of the Spanish Treasury, but it is equally 
 true that it was accountable to the Spanish Secretary for the Colonies, the Miuis- 
 tro de Ultramar, and that it was managed by a body of officials appointed by the 
 Crown, at whose head was a high functionary, called Intendente General de Ha- 
 cienda. In each year a budget was made up by the Spanish Colonial Secretary on 
 data furnished by the Intendente General, and tbis budget was submitted to and 
 acted upon by the Cortes. If in any year the revenues collected in Cuba were In- 
 sufficient to rceet the burdens imposed upon them, the deficit was charged to the 
 island, and formed a new item of the Cuban debt. It thus appears that the finances 
 of the island were exclusively controlled by tbe Spanish Government, and that the 
 debt was lu no sense created by Cuba as a province or department of Spain, or by 
 the people of the island. In reality it is notorious that the denial to Cuba of any 
 financial autonomy and of any power to protect herself against the imposition 'iy 
 Spanish officials of enormo'is burdens for purposes foreign and adverse to her inter- 
 ests, has been the most proliiie source of discontent in the island. The debt-creating 
 power, such as commonly belongs to communes or municipal corpor.1tl.5ns, never was 
 delegated to Cuba. Such a thing as a Cuban obligation, created by the island in the 
 exercise of powers either inherent or delegated, is unknown to tbe markets of ine 
 
 world. 
 
 38. 
 
Hlivlng brU-Hy sk,-:.- r. system ot fll;:lluliil :..liniiiistr:Hi<m will. rt-siH'Ct 10 
 
 ("nbii. we iiiny eonsiilei- tlie urlgin of the debt. 
 
 Prior to f^fil n" so-i-ulled Cuban debt existed. 
 
 The revenues of the island were as a reie far more than sufficient to pay the 
 expenses of its governmont. and produced in each year a surplus. This surplus 
 wa« no; expended for the benefit of the island, but was sent to Madrid. The sur- 
 pluses thus disposed of amounted, from 1856 to 1861 inclusive, to upward of 
 $2(1,000,000. 
 
 In 1864, in order to meet the national expenses of the attempt to reincorporate 
 Sau Domingo into the Spanish dominions, and of the -expedition to Mexico," the 
 Spanish authorities issued bonds to the amount of $.3,liO0,0(Hi. Subsoqiiently new 
 loans were made, so that the so-called Cuban del>t had swollen by 1S6.S to $18,000,000. 
 
 In that year the ten years war for Cuban mdependeiite brolce out. a war pro- 
 duced by causes so generally conceded to be just as to need no exposition on this 
 occasion. Ail the expenses of this war were imposed upon Cuba, so that lu 1880, 
 according to a. statement made at Madrid in that year iiy the Spanish Secretary for 
 the Colonies, the so-called Caban debt amounted to upwaird of .iilTO.000,000. 
 
 Sub.se<iuentiy the Spanish Government undertooii to consoiidaite these debts, and 
 to this end created in ISSG the so-cailcd Bilietes hipotecarios de la Isia de Cuba to 
 the amount of 6-iO,000.000 pesetas, or ,^124,000.(W. 'The Spanish Government under- 
 tooii to pav these bonds and the interest thereon out of the revenues of Cuba, but 
 the ilationai character of tne debt was shown by the fact that, upon the face ot 
 the bonds, "the Spanish nation" (ia Nacion Espanoia) guaranteed their payment. The 
 annual charge for interest und sinking fund on account of this debt au.ounted to the 
 sum ot 3y,10~l,000 pesetas, or $7,838,200, which was disbursed through a Spanish liuan- 
 cial institution, called the Banco Hlspano-Coloniai, which is said to have coiiected 
 daily from the custom liouse at Havana, through an agency there established, tlie 
 sum" of $33..3.'!9. 
 
 In 1890 a new issue of bonds was authorized by the Spanish Government, to tlie 
 amount, as it is understood, of 875.000,000 pesetas, or $1-5,0(Ki..kW. with the same 
 guarantee as before, apparently with u view to refund the prior debt, as well as to 
 cover any ne,v debts coniracted between 18S6 and 1890. It seems, however, that 
 only a small number of th<-se bonds had been disposed of when in February, lS9o, 
 the last insurrection and movement for independence broke out. The Government of 
 Spain then proceeded to issue these now bonds for tlie purpose of raising funds 
 with which to suppress the uprising, so that those outstanding on January 1, 189S, 
 amounted, according to published reports, to 858.550,000 pesetas, or $171,710,000. Ic 
 addition to tiiese a further loan, liuown as the "Cnb.in War Emergency Loan," 
 was. as the American Commissioners arc advised, floated to the amomit of 800.000.000 
 pesetas, or $160,000,000. represented by what are called "five per cent peseta bonds." 
 
 Although 't does not appear that any mention is made in these bonds of the rev- 
 enues of Cuba, it is understood thai thi^y are regarded in Spain .is properly con- 
 stituting a part ot the "Cuban Debt." together with various unliquidated debts, 
 large in amount, incurred by the Spanisli authorities in opposing by arms the inde- 
 pendence of Cuba. 
 
 From no point of view i-an the debts above described be considered as local debts 
 of Cuba or as debts incurr,_'d for the benefit of Cuba. In no sense are they obliga- 
 tions properly chargeable to that island. They are debts created by the Govern- 
 ment of Spam, for its riwn purposes and tlirongh its own agents, in whose creation 
 
 Cuba had no voice. 
 
 From the moral point of view, the proposal to impose them upon Cuba is equally 
 untenable. If. as is sometimes asserted, the struggles for Cuban independence have 
 been carried on and supported by a minority of the people of the island, to impose 
 upon the inhabitants as a whole the cost of suppressing the insur-ections would 
 be to punish the many for the deeds of the few. If. on the other hand, those strug- 
 gles hiive. as the American Commissioners maintain, represented the hopes and as- 
 pirations of tlie body of the Cuban people, to crush the Inhabitanits by a burden 
 created by Spain in the cfTort to oppose tlielr independence would be even more un- 
 just. 
 
 The American Commissioners deem it unnecessary, after what lias been stated, to 
 enter into an examination of the general references, made in the Spanish mnioran- 
 dum. to cases lu which debts contracted by a State have, upon its al)sorption. been 
 assumed by the absorbing state, or to cases in which, upon the partition of territory, 
 debts contracted by the whole have been by special arrangement apportioned. They 
 arc conceived to be inapplicable, legally and morally, to the so-called "Cuban Debt," 
 the burden of which. impose<i upon the people of Cuba without their consent and 
 by force of arms, was .me of tlie principal wrongs for the termination of wiilch the 
 struggles for Cuban In'lependence were undertaken. 
 
 Tlie American Commissioners have deemed it due to the Spanish Commissioners 
 and to themselves to make these ob.serva tinns ul)on the genei-ai subject of Cuban 
 
 39. 
 
"charges and obligations;." apart from the special circumstances under wliicU the 
 present negotiations were begun. But. as they have heretofore .stated, they consider 
 the subject to be disposed of beyond all question by the Protocol. Th^ suggestiDn 
 that their Government should assume, either for itself or for Cuba, or Porto Uieo, 
 the burden of the '-charges and. obligations" now in ijuestion was not put forward 
 during the negotiations that resulted in the conclusion of that convention, nor, if it 
 had been so put forward, would it have been for a moment entertained by the 
 United States. 
 
 From nnsellish motives, of which it is unnecessary to make a renewed de<-lara- 
 tion, the Government of the United States, at great sacrifice of life .and treasure, 
 has prosecuted the conflict whi<'h followed its demand for the relinquishment by 
 Spain of sovereignty over Cuba. 
 
 One of the results of that conflict is the unconditional agreement, embodied in 
 the first article of the Protocol, that Spain "will relinquish all claim of sovereign. 
 ty over and title to Cuba." Upon the simple fulfilment of that stipulation the Ameri- 
 can Commissioners are obliged to insist. 
 
 True copy: 
 
 ■ JOHN B. MOOUE. 
 
 40. 
 
Protocol No. 6. 
 
 Protocol No. 6. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 Of October 17. 1S98. 
 
 Present— 
 On the parr of Ibc luiteil States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 PRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTEKO RiOS, 
 
 ABARZrZA. 
 
 GARXIfA. 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 Messrs. VILLA-URRliTIA and 
 were absent because of Illness. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 17 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 ioa 
 Ins 
 
 Presentes— 
 parte de los Estartos TnUlos de Amor- 
 
 The protoeol of the preceding session was 
 read ""d approved. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 stated that, without making any formal 
 protest, he desired to bring to the atten- 
 tion of the American rommissloners the 
 fact that he had received from his Govern- 
 ment a telegram referring to reports to 
 the effect that two American men-of-war 
 were about to leave American ports with 
 
 SeiKires 1>AY, 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 PRYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERGUS'SON. 
 
 I'or parte de Espnna: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS, 
 ABARZUZA. 
 GARNICA, 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA I,os Comlsarios espanoles informan a los 
 :„nericano« que los Senores Villa-Urrut.a y 
 0.ieda no pueden asistir a la conferencia 
 por hallarse enfermos. 
 Se le.v.> y fue aprobada el acta anterior. 
 
 Fi s,.„„r Presidente de la Comision es- 
 nanola. sin hacer una reclamaclon concreta, 
 llama la atencion de los Senores Comlsa- 
 rios americanos aeerca de un telegrama 
 nue ha reclbido del Goblerno espanol rela- 
 tivo al envio a Manila de dos bnques dc 
 >.uerra americanos y refuerzos de tropas a 
 1 "uarnicion de Manila, asi comn a los 
 
 were about to leave American ports wun i s"-".,.. -- rictima* los 
 
 reinforcements of troops for the garrison n.alos tratamientos '^^ J^ ^""J^'^^';^"', T. 
 at Manila, and that Spanish prisoners in espanoles pr.sioneros de los ta„alos. .V ^ 
 
 the possession of the Tagalos are HI- 
 treated. He w.inM not read the telegram, 
 bnt as such reports tended to ex<-ite the 
 public mind and embarrass the efforts to 
 
 leer dicho telegrama. ruega a los Senores 
 Co.uisionados americanos lo pongan en 
 - nocimiento del Gobierno de ^Vashington 
 fin de evitar que esos heehos fomenten 
 
 public mind anil emnarrass tne euo.it, lo u .... ...- -■•— - „,,,.„ nuhlico v en- 
 
 es,ab,i.h peace and concord between the >«. ':'';'--^-;» ^1: f " ^ di;;^.Uad:s 
 
 two nations, lie Imped that the American 
 Commissioners would bring the matter to 
 the knowledge of their Government. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion replied that the American Commission- 
 ers possessed neither Information nor in- 
 
 ardeciendo las paslones creen d-ifieultades 
 para la obra de paz y concordIa entre 
 ambas naciones. 
 
 El Sonor Presidente de los Comlsarios 
 americanos manifiesta en contestacion que 
 carecian de intormes e Instrucci.mes nece- 
 
 ers possessed neither Intorma on nor m- ;" . "■ .^^^^ f^, ,,„„to. de la com- 
 
 strucions such as would enable them to ^^^■' ^ ■••",*"'" ,„, „„, o.biernos. pero 
 
 deal with the subject, which properly be- 
 longed to the two Governments, but that, 
 prompted by motives similar to those 
 avowed by the President of the Spanish 
 Conunission, they would communicate to 
 their Govei-nment the fact that the reports 
 in question had been brought to ihelr at- 
 tention. 
 
 The discussion of the business before the 
 Joint Commission having been resumed. 
 tJie Spanish Commissioners stateil that al- 
 though the articles presented by them 
 were not couched In the same words as the 
 Protocol of August 12. 18!),S, and the propo- 
 sitions in the notes pre< eding Its conclu- 
 sion, the sense was. In their opinion. th< 
 sam 
 
 petencia nnica de los dos Goblernos. pero 
 que inspirandose en iguales fines, o sea 
 coiise'-'uir una paz duradera. comunlcara a 
 Washington los deseos expresados por los 
 Senores Comlsarios espanoles. 
 
 Entrando en la ..rden del dia. la Comis- 
 ion continuo la deliberadon iniciada en la 
 i-.inferencia anterior, manlfestando el Senor 
 Presidente de los Comlsarios espanoles, 
 que si bien el articulado que hablan pro- 
 puesto no estaba redactado en las mlsmas 
 palabras empleadas en el Protoeolo de 12 
 de Agosto de 1898. y en los despachos que 
 
 > sense was lu ruen iji^tii...... I .■' ". — 19---- - , . _ _ 
 
 slill, they were ready to withdraw n.edlaron para llegar a su conclusion, en 
 
 41 
 
tlieii- articles, and to substitute fur them 
 articles more nearly in eonformit.v with the 
 language of tlie I'rotoeol. 
 
 The American Commissioners, in response 
 to this statement, presented a paper, copy 
 of which is hereto annexed, in which, while 
 recognizing the fact that the Government 
 of the I'nited States assumed all responsi- 
 bilities for protection of life and property 
 that legally attach to it during the occupa- 
 tion of Cuba, they Anally declined to as- 
 sume the burden of the so-called Cuban 
 debt, either for the United States or for 
 Cuba, and offered as a substitute for the 
 articles previously presented by them the 
 precise stipulations of Articles I and II of 
 the Protocol, as to Cuba, Porto Rico and 
 other islands in the West Indies, and the 
 island to be ceded in the tiadrones. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners stated that 
 they reserved the right to e.^amine this 
 proposal ami to present another draft of 
 articles which should conform to the Pro- 
 tocol. 
 
 The conference w;is then adjourned to 
 the 19th instant, at two o'clock, p. m. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. 
 
 CTSHJIAN K. DAVIS. 
 WM. P. FRYE. 
 i;E(). OKAY'. 
 WIIITELAW REID. 
 .lOHN F,. MOORE. 
 
 so opinion, el seutido es el mismo, pero 
 cjue estaban dispuestos a retirarlas o re- 
 formarlas mas en cousonancia con los ter- 
 iiiinos usados en el texto del Protocolo. 
 
 En contestaeioD los Comisarios amerl- 
 camis presentaron un documento de que es 
 copia anexa, en el cual. al propio tiempo 
 ipie declaran que el Gobierno de los Es- 
 tados Unidos asume las responsabilidades 
 inherentes a la proteccion de vidas y ha- 
 ciendas en Cuba, niientras dure la ocu- 
 pacion de Cuba, declinan flnalmente el 
 asumir la carga de la Dueda cubana, tanto 
 para los Estados Unidos como para Cuba. 
 Asiinismo proponen sustituir los articulos 
 propuestos por ellos eon las estipulaclones 
 precusas de los Articulos I y II del Proto- 
 colo reterentes a Cuba. Puerto Rico e islas 
 de las Antillas y la isia de las Ladrones 
 que ha de ser cedida. 
 
 Los Comisarios espauoles manifestaroD 
 que se reservaban el dereeho de estudiar 
 hi moeion presentada, a fln de presentar 
 otro proyecto de articulos con arreglo al 
 I'rolucolo, levantandose la sesion despues 
 de haber convenido el volver a reunirse el 
 ilia 19 del corriente a las 2 de la tarde. 
 
 Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA. 
 W. R. DE VILLA-URRDTIA. 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 42. 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 6. 
 
 The American Commlsslonera having listened with great respect to the arguments 
 orally urged by the Spanish Commissioners in support of the articles offered by 
 them, lis well as duly considered the written memorandum submitted In support oi^ 
 the same, must adhere to the rejection thereof as stated In the memorandum of the 
 American Commissioners read to the Commission and attached to the protocol of 
 the 11th instant. The chief additional reason adduced In the oral presentation for 
 the acceptance of sovereignty by the Dnlted States In Cuba is that without such ac- 
 ceptance the people of Cuba notably of Sp.inish origin will have no protection of 
 person and property. The United States recognizes in the fullest measure that In 
 requiring the relinquishment of all claim of Spanish sovereignty and the evacuation 
 of the Island of Cuba It has assumed ail the obligations Imposed by the canons of In- 
 ternational law and flowing from Its occupation. The United States, so far as It has 
 obtained possession, has enforced obedience to law and the preservation of order by 
 all persons. It has no disposition to leave the island a prey to anarchy or misrule.. 
 
 As the Spanish Commissioners strenuously urge that the acceptance of sovereignty 
 includes tie assumption of the so-called Cuban debt, and as it is evident that this 
 question divides the Commission and stays its progress, the American Commissioners, 
 having carefully considered the arguments of the Spanish Commissioners, must 
 again and flnaliy decline to accept this burden either for the United 
 States or Cuba. In the articles proposed by the American Commissioners on the 
 third instant there were contained certain stipulations which, tie American Com- 
 missioners believed, while not enlarging the Protocol, would effectually preserve the 
 evidence of title to property and make clear the nature of public property and rights 
 included In the relinquishment of sovereignty and title. It having been urged that 
 these, no less than the articles proposed by the Spanish Commissioners, enlarge the 
 terms of the Protocol, the American Commissioners are now prepared, for the pur- 
 pose of disposing of the question of Cuba, Porto Rico and Guam, simply to embody 
 in the treaty the precise stipulations of the Protocol on those subjects, neither ad- 
 ding thereto nor subtracting therefrom. 
 
 The American Commissioners, thereto re, offer as a substitute for the articles 
 heretofore presented by them the following: 
 
 "ARTICLE I.— Spain hereby rellquishes ail claim of sovereignty over and title to 
 Cuba. 
 
 "ARTICLE II.— Spain hereby cedes to the United States the Island of Porto Rico 
 
 and other Islands now under Spanish sovereignty In the West Indies, and also the 
 
 Island of Guam in the Ladrones." 
 
 True copy : 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. 
 
 43. 
 
Protocol No. 7. 
 
 Protocolo No. 7. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 21, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 21 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 In the protocol of the conference of Oc- 
 tober 17, it Is stated that an ailjoummoui 
 was tnken to Wednesday the 19th. On 
 the ISth of October the I'rfsident of the 
 Spanish Commission made to the Presi- 
 dent of the American Commission a re- 
 quest that the ne.\t meeting be postponed 
 to the 21st of October, in order that the 
 Spanish Commissioners might have an op- 
 portunity to prepare certain papers for 
 submission to the Joint Commission. 
 
 The reassembling of the Joint Commis- 
 sion vras therefore postponed until Friday. 
 the 21st of October, at two o'clocl;, p. m., 
 at which hour there were present— 
 
 On the part of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FRTE, 
 
 (iRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERGI'SSON, 
 On the part of Spain: 
 
 Messrs. MOXTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZUZA. 
 
 GAR.MCA. 
 
 VILI.A-IRRUTIA. 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding sessioi. 
 was read and approved. 
 
 The American (Commissioners stated that 
 they had telegraphed to their Government 
 the representations made to them by the 
 Spanish Commissioners at the last* ses- 
 sion, as to the reports of the sending of 
 two American men-of-war with reinforce- 
 ments for the garrison at Manila and for 
 the ill treatment of Spanish prisoners by 
 the Tagalos. but that they had as yet re- 
 ceived no reply, probably because "of the 
 absence of the President from Washington. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners expressed 
 their thanks for the action of the Ameri- 
 can Commissioners. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners stated that 
 they regretted to reject the proposals pre- 
 sented by the American Commissioners at 
 the last session, and that thev therefore 
 presented certain articles as a substitute 
 for the articles previously submitted by 
 them in relation to Cuba .ind Porto Rico. 
 
 An adjournment was taken on Monday, 
 the 24th of October, at two o'clock, p. m.. 
 In order that an opportunity might be af- 
 forded for the translation and examina- 
 tion of the new articles. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAT. 
 
 CUSHMAX K. DAVIS, 
 WM. P. FRYE, 
 GEO. GRAY, 
 WHITELAW KEID. 
 JOHN B. MOORE. 
 
 En el acta de la sesiou del 17 del cor- 
 riente, se fijo el dia 19 para la proxima 
 conferencla, pero habiendo rogado el Presl- 
 dente de la Comlsion espanola el dia 18, 
 al Presidente de la Comlsion auiericana, 
 que se aplazase dlcha conferencla "ara el 
 21, a fin de que los Comislonados espanoles 
 pudiesen presentar en ella clertos docu- 
 mentos, se eonvino en que se aplazase 
 hasta dicha fecha y en virtud de este 
 acuerdo se rennen hoy a la.s 2 de la tarde 
 las (los Comisiones. hallandose presentes. 
 
 l"or pane de los Estados Unidos de Amer- 
 ica: 
 los Senores DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 KEID. 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGLSSON. 
 Por parte de Espana: 
 In* S.nores Mf)XTERO RIOS. 
 
 AP.ARZUZA. 
 
 (;AKXICA. 
 
 VILLA-IRRITIA, 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 Se leyo y fue apiobada el acta de la 
 sesion anterior. 
 
 Los Comislonados americanos manifes- 
 taron que habian telegrafiado a su Go- 
 bierno lo que los Espanoles les encargaron 
 transmitirle respetco del envio de dos 
 buques de guerra americanos con refuerzos 
 para la guarnicion de Manila y del mal 
 trato que a los prisioneros espanoles daban 
 los Tagalos, pero que aun no habian re- 
 cibido contestacion, debldo probablemente 
 a la ausencia de Washington del Presi- 
 dente. 
 
 Los Comislonados espanoles expresaron 
 con este motivo sn agradecimlento a los 
 americanos. 
 
 Los Comislonados espanoles manifestaron 
 que sentian lener que rechazar los artl- 
 culos pr€>sentados jior los Comislonados 
 americanos en la ultima sesion. y que en 
 consecuencia presentaron entonces un 
 nuevo proyecto de articulos de tratado des- 
 tinado a sustiluir a los que presentaron 
 anteriormente, relatlvos a Cuba y a Puerto 
 Rico. 
 
 Con el objeto de pemiltir la traducclon 
 y el examen de estos nuevos articulos, se 
 eonvino en que la proxima sesion tendria 
 lugar el Innes 24 del corrlente a las 2 p. m. 
 
 Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS, 
 B. DE ABARZUZA, 
 J. DE GARXICA, 
 W. R. DE VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 RAFAEL CERERO, 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 45. 
 
ANNEX TO PROCOTOL NO. 7. 
 
 COMISION 
 Paia la Negociacion de la Paz Con los Estados Unidos. 
 
 AKTICULO I. 
 
 Su Majestad Catolica I:i Itciiia npsi-iilp dp Espana. en nombre de su augusto 
 hijo Don Alfonso XIII, Rey del Espana, eonstltuclonalmente autorlzada por las 
 Cortes del Relno. renunchi a su soboraiila y a todo derecho sobre Cuba. 
 
 Los Estados Unidos de America, aceptamlo osta renuurla. reolhen de Espana 
 la Isia de Cuba para prestarle ayuda y dlrecclon y tenderla en su domlnlo y 
 goblerno hasta que. una vez realizada su paciflcaclon. dtjeu dioho domlnlo y 
 goblcrno al puoblo eubano. 
 
 ARTICULO IT. 
 
 La renuncla y transferencla que haoo S« Majestad Catolica y que aceptan los 
 Estados Unidos de America, comprende: 
 
 1. Cuantas prerrogativas, atrlbuclones y dcn'rhns corrcspondan a Su Majestad 
 Catolica, como parte de su soberania sobre la Isla de Cuba sus habltantes. 
 
 2. Cuantas cargas y obllgaclones pecunlarlas pendlentes a' ratlflcarse este tratado 
 de paz. que prevlo un mlnucioso exanien de su orljen. objeto y condlclones de su 
 creacion. deban reputarse. segun derecho estrlto e innegable equldad. distlntas de 
 las que son proplas y peculiares del Tesoro de la Peninsula y haber sido slempre 
 proplas y peculiares de Cuba. 
 
 Para hacer el rlguroso examen que sc iirpscrihe en cl parrafo anterior, se nom- 
 brara por las dos Altas Partes contratantes una Comislon de personas competen- 
 tes e Imparciales segun sc determinara en el articulo correspondiente de este 
 tratado. 
 
 ARTICULO III. 
 
 En cumplimiento de lo convenldo en log dos artieulos anterlores Su Majestad 
 Catolica, en la representacion con que celebra este tratado. renuncla y transflere a 
 los Estados Unidos todos los ediflcios. nmelles, cuarteles, fortalezas. estableclmlen-. 
 tos. vias publicas y demas bienes inniuebles que. con arreglo a derecho son de 
 donihro publico, y qu.' como de tal domlnlo publico, corresponden a la Corona de 
 Espana en la Isla de Cuba. 
 
 Quedan por lo tanto except uados de osta renuncla y transferencla todos los 
 derp<hos y bienes de cualqniera clase que sean que. hasta la ratlflcion del presente 
 tratado, hayan venldo padficamente poseyendo. en concepto de duenos. las Provln- 
 clas. Municipios. Establecimientos publlcos prlvados, Corporaclones eclesiastlcaa o 
 civiles y cualesqulera otras colectividades que tengan legalmeute personalidad ]ur- 
 Idlca para adqulrlr y poseer bienes en la Isla de Cuba, y los particuiares, cualqniera 
 que sea su nacionalldad. 
 
 Su Majestad Catolica renuncla tambien y transflere a los Estados Unidos. a 
 qulen se la entraearan por d Gobieruo espanol. todos los documentos y tltulos que 
 se reneran exciusivamente a la sooeranla transteriaa y aceptaaa y todos sus 
 derechos, que existen en los Archives de la Peninsula. Hablendo de fqcllitarie copias 
 cuando los Estados Unidos las reclamasen. de la parte correspondiente a dlcha 
 soberania que contengan los demas documentos y tltuIOs que se refleran ademas a 
 otros asuntos distintos de la Isla de Cuba y de su sobarania y derechos. que ex- 
 Istan en los menclonados Archives. Una rcgla anajoga habra reciprocamente de ob- 
 sen-arse a favor de Espana respecto a los documentos y tltulos agenos en todo o en 
 parte a la Isla de Cuba que se hallen actualmente en sus Archives y que Interesen 
 al Goblerno espanol. • 
 
 Todos lo.s Archives y Registros eflclales. asl adTilnlBtratlvo? como Jndlclales. que 
 estan a disposiciou d»'l Goblerno de Espana y de sus Auroridadcs en la I&la de Cuba. 
 y que se refieran a la mlsnia I.sia o a sus habltantes y a sus derechos y bienes, queda- 
 ran sin reserva de ninguno de esta clase. a disposieien de los Estados Unidos para 
 que los conserve o disponga de ellos con las mlsmas facultades que hasta ahera han 
 tenldo sobre los mlsmos el Goblerno espanol y sua antorldades. Les particuiares, 
 asi espanoles como cubanos. tendran derecho a saear, con arregle a las leycs. las 
 copias autorizadas de los contratos. testamentos y demas documentos que formen 
 parte de los protocelos notariales o qne se cnstodlen en los Archives admlnlstratlvos y 
 judlclales. bien estos se hallen en Espana o en la Isla de Cuba. 
 
AKTICULO IV 
 
 En eonpeiisaoiou de las peridas y gastos ocasionados a los Estados Unidos por 
 la guerra y a las reclamacioQes de sus conciudadanos con motiro de los danos y 
 perjuicios Que hiiljiesen snfrido eu sus pcrsonas y biones durante la ultima insur- 
 recion de Cuba. Su llajestad Catolica, en tionibri' y represcntarinn de Espana, y 
 eonstitucionalmente autorizada por las Cortes de! Reino. cede a los Estados Uuidos 
 do America, y est'is aotptan para si mismos, la Isla de Puerto Rico y las otras 
 islas que actualmcute estan liajo la soberania espanola en las Indias occidentales, 
 si corao la Isla de Guam, en el Archipielaso de las Marianas o Ladrones. que fue 
 eleffida, por los Estados Uuidos de America en virtud de lo couvenido eu el articulo 
 II. del Protoeoio tirmado en Washington el 12 de Agosto ultimo. 
 
 ARTICULO V. 
 
 Esta eesion de la soberania s"bre el territoriii y habitautes de Puerto Rico y 
 las demas islas mencionadas se eutiende que oonsiste en la eesion de los derechos 
 y obligaciones. bieues y documentos relativos a la soberania de dichas islas, Iguales 
 a los que respecto a la renuneia y transferenoia de !a soberania de la Isla de Cuba, 
 se definen en los artieulos anteriores. Esta conforme: 
 
 EMII-Kl DE (1.1 EDA. 
 
 TEANSLATION. 
 
 (Annex to Protocol No. 7.) 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Her Catholic Ma.1i'Sty. the Queen Regent of Spain, in the name of her August Son 
 Don Alfonso XIII.. King of Spain, thereunti) eonstitutionally authorized by the 
 Cortes of the Kingdom, n-linquishes her sovpreigTity over and titU. to Cuba. 
 
 The United States of America, accepting said relinquishment, receive the Island 
 of Cuba from Spain to lend it aid and guidance and hold it under their control and 
 gorernment until', the pacification thereof realized, they leave said contnil and ^ov- 
 ernm ent to the Cuban people. 
 
 ARTIiLE II. 
 
 The relinquishment and transfer made by Her Catholic Ma.1es-ty and accepted by 
 the United States of America embrace : 
 
 1. All prerogatives, attributes and rights appertaining to Her Catholic Majesty 
 as part of her sovereignty over the Islaiid <if Cuba and its Inhabitants. 
 
 2. .\U pi'Cuniary charges and obligations outstanding upon the ratification of this 
 treaty of peace which, after a minute examination into their origin, purpose, and 
 the conditions of their creation, should l)e held, pursuant to strict law and undeniable 
 equity, to be distinct from such as^are properly and peculiarly chargeable to the 
 treasur.v of the Peninsula, and to have been always properly and peculiarly Cuban. 
 
 To make the strict examination arovided for in the foregoing paragraph, the 
 two Higli, Contracting Parties shall name a Commission of competent and impartial 
 persons in the manner to be determined in the proper article of this treaty. 
 
 .\KII(1.K III. 
 
 In obedience to the stipulations of the twe preceding articles. Her Catholic 
 Majesty, in the ri'presentative character with whi<-h she conclmii's this treaty, re- 
 Imquishes and transfers to the United' States all the buildin.gs. wharves, barracks, 
 forts, establishments, public highwa.vs and uther immovable property which in con- 
 formity with law are of the public dtwnain. and which being of the public domain 
 belong to the Crown of Spain in the Island of Cuba. 
 
 Therefore there are excepted from thU reliiiquishmeut and transfer all rights and 
 property of whatsoever kind which up to the ratification of this treat.v may have 
 been peacefully enjoyed as owners by th ■ provinces, nninicipalitics, pulilic or pri- 
 vate establishments, ecclesiastical or civl' lindies and any other associations having 
 legal capacity to acquire and possess prop rty in the Island of Cuba, and private in- 
 dividuals, whatever may be their nationality. 
 
 Her Catholic Majesty also relinquishes and transfi.rs to the United States, to 
 whiTh they shall be d,elivernd by the Spanish (iuvi'rnment. all documents and titles 
 
 48. 
 
exclusively referring to the sovereignty transferred and accepted, and to all its 
 rights, which may exist in the archives oT the Peninsula. Copies of the part relative 
 to the said sovereignty which may appear in other documents, and titles which re- 
 fer moreover to other matters distinct from Uu- Island of Cuba or its sovereignty and 
 rights, existing in said archives, must also be furnished when the United S^tes 
 shall require the same. A like rule must be reciprocally observed with respect to 
 Spain in so far as relatis to documents and titli's unconnected in whole or in part 
 with the Island of Cuba that may now bo in its archives and which are of interest 
 to the Spanish Government. 
 
 All official archives and records, cxccutivo us well as judicial, at the disposal of 
 the Government of Spain and of Its authorities in the Island of Cuba, and which re- 
 fer to the said island or its inhabitant's, ilieir rlsrhts and property, shall remain with- 
 out any reservation whatever of this kind at the disposal of the United States, to 
 preserve the same or dispose of them with the same authority exercised over them 
 up to the present time by the Spanish Government and its authorities. Private par- 
 ties, Spaniards as well as Cubans, shall have the right to malte in accordance with 
 law authenticated copies of the contracts wills, and other instruments forming part 
 of notarial protocols or flies, ail of which may be in the executive and judicial ar- 
 chives, be the latter In Spain or in the Island of Cuba. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 As compensation for the losses and expenses occasioned the United States by the 
 war and for the claims of its citizens by reason of the injuries and damages they 
 may have suffered in their persons and property during the last Insurrection in 
 Cuba, Her Catholic Majesty, in the name and representation of Spain, and thereunto 
 constitutionally authorized by the Cortes of the Kingdom, cedes to the United 
 States of America, and the latter accept for themselves, the Island of Porto Rico 
 and the other islands now under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indies, as als<s the 
 Island of Guam in the Mariana or Ladrones Archipelago, which island was selected 
 by the United States of America in virtue of the provisions of Article II. of the 
 Protocol signed in Washington on August 12 last. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 This cession of the sovereignty over the territory and inhabitants of Porto Rico 
 and the other islands mentioned is understood to embrace the cession of the rights 
 and obligations, property and documents relating to the sovereignty of said islands 
 alike In all respects to the relinquishment and transfer of the sovereignty of. tlie 
 Island of Cuba as defined in the foregoing articles. 
 
 True copy : 
 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 49. 
 
Protocol No. 8. 
 
 Protocol No. 8. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 24. 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 24 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 I'lesi'iites— 
 I'or parto di' 
 
 Present- 
 On the part of the United States 
 
 Messrs. PAT. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FUYE. 
 
 GKAY. 
 
 UEin. 
 
 MOOUE. 
 
 PERGUSSOX. 
 
 On the part of Spain : 
 Messrs. MONTEltO RIGS. 
 ABARZrZA, 
 GARXTCA. 
 VILLA-URRUTIA. 
 CERERO. 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The American Commissioners stated that 
 they had carefully considered the articles 
 tendered by the Spanish Commissioners at 
 the last meeting, by wliich. while S.pain 
 was to reliiKiui&h sovereignty over Cuba, 
 such rellntiuishnient was to be accepted by 
 the United States and was to include such 
 charges and obligations, outstanding at the 
 ratification of the treaty, as should be held 
 by a Commission not to be properly and istentes 
 
 peculiarly chargeable to the treasury of '~ 
 
 the Peninsula, but to be properly and 
 peculiarly Cuban, and that they must re- 
 ject the articles in question as well as any 
 articles that required the United States to 
 assume, either for itself or for Cuba, the 
 so-called Cuban debt. They were willing, 
 however, to add to the articles in which 
 Spain relinquislied sovereignty over and 
 title to Cuba a suitable stipulation by 
 which the United States would assume the 
 obligations as to the protection of life and 
 property imiwsed by its occupation, so long 
 as such occuiiatioii sh<Mil<i conriniie. 
 
 After much discussion, the President of 
 the Spanish Commission stated that the 
 Spanish Commissioners did not care for the 
 phraseology in which the relinquishment of 
 
 !os Estados Unidos de 
 
 pa rt 
 America. 
 Ins Scnores r>.\Y. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 I'RVK. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 EURGI-SSON. 
 
 I'or parte de Espana: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS, 
 
 AI'.ARZUZA. 
 GARXICA. 
 \II,I,ATl!l!i ■■Il.\. 
 
 CERERO. 
 O.TED A. 
 
 I''ue leida y nprohada el acta de la sesion 
 aiitei"ior. 
 
 I, OS (^omisioiiados amerioanos manifes- 
 laron que babian examinado con todo de- 
 tenimiento los articulos presentados por los 
 Comisionarios espanoles en la ultima sesion, 
 en los cuales l<;spaua hacia el abandono de 
 su soberania sobre Cuba que debia ser 
 aceptaria por los Estados Unidos compren- 
 d'endoso en dicho ab.andono y en su acep- 
 tacion todas las cargas y obligaeiones ex- 
 al tiempo de la ratificacion del 
 iratado, que una Comision especial hubiera 
 de considerar como no pertenecieutes ui 
 afectas al Tesoro de la Peninsula, siuo como 
 inhercutes y peculiares del de Cuba, anad- 
 iendo los Comisionados americanos que se 
 veian precisados a rechazar los articulos en 
 cuestion. asi como cualesquiera otros en 
 los que se o.xigiera a los Estados Unidos 
 que asumiescn. ya sea para si. ye para 
 Cuhvi. las cargas do la Deuda cubana. peri> 
 que eslaban sin embargo dispuestos a ana- 
 dir al articulo eu que Espana hacia el aban- 
 dono de su soberania y derechos sobre 
 Cuba, una estipulacion por la cual los Es- 
 tados Unidos asumirian sobre si las obli- 
 gaeiones relativas a la conservacion de las 
 vidas y propiedades de los habitantes de 
 Cuba, que ies imponia su ocupacion lueutras 
 esta durase. 
 
 Hespues de una prolongada discusion, 
 manifesto el Presidente de los Comlsarios 
 espanoles que la Comision espanola no daba 
 importancia a la fraseologia en que se cx- 
 
 sovereignty was expressed, so long as it presara el abandono de soberania, slempre 
 embraced an obligation as to debts, such que comprendiese el tratado una obligacion 
 
 as was stated in the second of the articles 
 presented by them. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion, replying to this statement, inquired 
 whether the President of the Spanish Com- 
 
 respecto de las deudas, tal como flguraba 
 eu el articulo 2d del proyecto de articulos 
 presentado. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 contesta a esta declaracion preguntando si 
 el Presidente de la Comision espanola, en- 
 
 51. 
 
mission intended thereby to say that the tendia decir con esto que los Comisarios es- 
 
 Spanish Commissioners would refuse to panoles se nepraban a tomar en considera- 
 
 consider any articles as to Cuba and Porto rfon cualesqudera articulos' respecto de 
 
 Eico which contained no provision for. the Cuba o Puerto. Rico que no contuvlesen una 
 
 assumption of indebtedness by the United disposicion por la que asumiesen sus deudas 
 
 States, or Cuba, or both. los Estados Dnidos o Cuba o aiubos. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners having asked Los Comisionados espanoles habiendo pe- 
 
 for time in which to reply to this inquiry, rtido uu plazo para eontestar a esta pre- 
 
 the conference was adjourned to Wednes- gunta, se fljo la proxima conferencia para 
 
 day, October 26, at four o'clock, p. m. el miercolc-s 26 de Octubre a las 4 p. m. 
 
 Signed : WILLIAM R. DAT. Firmado: E. MONTERO KIOS. 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. B. DE ABARZDZA. 
 
 WM. P. FRYE. J. DE OARNICA. 
 
 GEO. GRAT. W. R. DE VILLA-fRUrTIA, 
 
 WHITELAW REID. RAFAEL CERERO, 
 
 .70HN B. MOORE. EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 52. 
 
Protocol No. 9. 
 
 Protocolo No. 9. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 Of October 26, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 26 de Octubie de 1898. 
 
 Present- 
 Oil till' |i:irl nf tlip t'niti'd Stntes: 
 
 Mostsis. DAY. 
 
 n.wis. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 KEKOl'SSOX. 
 
 Oil the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MOXTERO RIOS, 
 AlSARZfZA. 
 GAR.NIl A. 
 VILLAURRUTIA. 
 CERERO. 
 O.I EDA. 
 Till' pnitociil (tf rlit' pi-iM-edinir sessinii 
 was road and approv<Ml. 
 
 The Spanish Comniissiiuicrs tiled umlrr 
 the rnles a ineinorandiim. enpy and trans- 
 lation of wliieh are hereto annexed, givinff 
 their reasons in support of the artieles pre- 
 sented h.v them on the Hist of Oelober, 
 and rejeeted by the .\merican roinnils- 
 sioners on the 24tli. 
 
 The Anieriean t'oinniissioners stated that 
 they wonlil tile under the rules :i written 
 
 reply, whirh should he ;illllexed It) tin' pro- 
 toi'Ol. 
 
 The Spanisli 
 to tlie Inquiry 
 
 t 'oiiiniissiouers 1 
 addressed to thi 
 
 M made 
 hy the 
 American Coiiiuiissiouers. at the elose of 
 tlie last session, tlie following reply: 
 
 "The Spanish Commissioners, havins be- 
 come acquainted with the iiiiestion pr<i- 
 pounded to tliein ar the eiul ol' the hist 
 conference Ity the I'resirlent of tlie Amer- 
 ican Commi.ssion,— hayins read it and 
 stndiod it in order to understand with all 
 clearness its meaning aiirt Its scope: 
 
 "Cousiderinjr that in tlie conference tielil 
 by the two Commissions on the 14th of hrad.^ por 
 this month it was resolyed that no a;:ree- 
 ment reached upon an.y article should be 
 considered as the tinal expression of the 
 
 Tor parle de los Estados Tnidos de 
 America : 
 
 lo.s Scnores PAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 EERGUSSON. 
 
 I'or parte de Espana: 
 li'S Sniores ^^O^•TER0 ItlOS. 
 AP.ARZTZA. 
 G ARNICA, 
 \lLLA-rRRT'l'IA. 
 CERERO. 
 O.I EPA. 
 
 Fue leida V aprobiida ,>1 acta lie la sesi.iii 
 anterior. 
 
 Los Coiuisafios espanoles preseiitar rii 
 para su insor<,ion en el protocolo seirun 
 reslainento nn Memorandum cuya copia y 
 traduccion «on anexo«. en el cual oxpoivn 
 sus razones en apoyo de los articulos pre- 
 sentados por cUos el 21 del corriente y 
 rei'hazados por los Comisarios ainiTtcarios 
 el 24. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos otrecierou dar 
 su <'outeRtaclon escrita conforme al ri'i:la- 
 iiicnto. copia y tr.iduccion de l;i cual t'or- 
 UKiraii iiartf <iel protocolo general de -as 
 foisferi'ucias. 
 
 Los Comisarios espaiuiles diertui :i la 
 piefiuuta que al tin de la' sesion anterior ics 
 diriffio la Couusion americana la contrsia- 
 lion siKUiente; 
 
 "Enterados los Comisarios espanoles de 
 la pres;un'ta que. al terminar la ultima con- 
 fereiica, les hizo el Senor Presidente de l.i 
 Comisioii americana. y despnes de haherin 
 Ii'ido y estudiado equellos para comprender 
 con teda claridad su sentido y alcance: 
 
 •■Considei-iindo que en la conferencia cele- 
 
 ur.Vias Comisioni'S el (Via 1-4 de 
 
 estc iiies. sc convino en qne el .acnerdo ile 
 
 cualqnier articnio no po<Va considerarse 
 
 como expresion definitiya do las mims y 
 
 views and opinions of either Government opiniones de nno u otro Gobierno sobre ios 
 on the points and matter contained tliere- puntos y materia contonida en dicho arti- 
 
 iilo. si no so lles.aba a convenir en tod'vs 
 
 !u, until after an agreement should 1)0 
 readied on all other articles of tlie treaty, 
 or in other words, upon the wliole of it: 
 
 "Considerinji, therefore, that the question 
 propounded by the President of the Amer- 
 ican Commission cannot now be jriven any 
 answer, which without violation of tile 
 resolution unanimously ailopted by the two 
 
 los del tratado, o sea en su totalidad: 
 
 •'Consideraudo pot- lo taiito que la pre- 
 sunta hecha por el Senor Presidente de la 
 Comision americana no puede tenor aliora 
 nna contestaciou qne implique una aproba- 
 cioii dofinitiva del articulo o articulos a que 
 
 Commissions at the aforesaid conference dlcha pretiuiita se reflere, a no infrlnslrse 
 of the Hth instant may involve the tlml lo oonvenido por unanimidad por ambas 
 
 5,3. 
 
approval of rlio m-ticlo or artioies to which 
 the question refers: 
 
 "Considerinfr. furthermore, that even iu 
 case such resolution as the above had not 
 been agreed upon by the Commissioners, 
 its adoption would have been required Ij.v 
 the ver.y nature and essence of the mission 
 entrusted to them, which is to frame a 
 treaty of peace, settling not only the ques- 
 tion of the articles, but also that of the 
 Philippine Islands and all other questions, 
 even of lesser importance, which may exist 
 between the two High Contracting Par- 
 ties; 
 
 "Considering that this treaty is not to 
 be framed, as no other treaty has or ever 
 can be framed, upon the exclusive basis of 
 strict justice, as understood by each party, 
 but also upon the basis of the advantage 
 to be derived by either or by both, thus 
 modifying In harmony therewith the de- 
 mands of strict law: and that, therefore, 
 the Spanish Commissioners, although un- 
 derstanding that strict law decides the 
 question of the Cuban debt in their favor, 
 are in duty bound and are willing to mod- 
 erate the said strictness in view of the ad- 
 vantages which Spain may derive from 
 other stipulations of the treaty which, 
 without being prejudicial to the United 
 States, may be favorable to Spain: 
 
 "Considering, therefore, that the article 
 or articles to which the President of the 
 American Commission refers cannot at 
 this time be the subject of final approval, 
 since they must remain subject to the 
 others to be included in the same treaty, 
 meeting the approval of both ITigli Par- 
 ties:— 
 
 "The Spjinish Commissioners answer the 
 said question by stating that, reiterating 
 their conviction that pursuant to law the 
 colonial obligations of Cuba and Porto 
 Rico must follow these islands and their 
 sovereignty, they do not refuse 'to con- 
 sider any articles as to Cuba and Porto 
 Rico which contain no provision for the 
 assumption of indebtedness by the United 
 States, or Cuba, or both.' subordinating 
 the final approval of such articles to that 
 of the others which are to form the com 
 plete treaty: and they therefore invite the 
 American Commissioners to enter upon the 
 discussion of the other points to be em- 
 bodied in the treaty, and at the outset to 
 take up the discussion of the Philippine 
 Archipelago, and to propo.se to the Span- 
 ish Commissioners what they understand 
 should be agreed upon in said treaty with 
 respect to this subject." 
 
 The American Commissioners, after the 
 reading of this paper, inquired whether 
 they were to understand that the Spanish 
 Commissioners accepted the articles previ- 
 ously presented by them as to Cuba, Porto 
 Rico and Guam. 
 
 Comisiones en la conferencia sobredicha del 
 14 de este mes: 
 
 "Considerando ademas. que aunque asi 
 aquellos no lo hubleran convenido, lo exigia 
 la indole y la propria esenoi de la mision que 
 les ha si'lo confiada y que consiste en 
 eiaborar un solo tratado de paz en que 
 queden resueltas no solo la cuestion de las 
 .4ntillas, sino tambien la de Filipinas y 
 eualquies otra, aunque sea menos im- 
 portante que exista entre las dos Altas 
 Partes: 
 
 "Considerando que no habiendo de elabo- 
 rarse este tratado, como nunca se ha elabor- 
 ado ni puedo elaborarse ninguno, con el 
 unico criterio de la rigurosa justicia que 
 cada una de las Partes pueda entender que 
 le asista, sino tambien con el de la con- 
 veniencia de cada una de ellas y aun de 
 ambas.para modificar a su tenor las esigen- 
 cias del criterio meramente juridico, y que, 
 poi- eonsiguiente, sobre la cuestion relativa 
 a la deuda de Cuba, los Comisarios espa- 
 noles, que entienden que el Derecho la 
 restielve a su favor, tienen el deber y estan 
 dispuestos a cumpllr lo, de moderar este 
 rigor, por las conveniencias que para Bspana 
 puedan surgir de otras estipulaciones del 
 tratado. que. sin ser perjudieiales a los 
 Estados Unidos. puedan ser favorables a 
 E.spana ; 
 
 "Considerando por lo tanto. que el articnlo 
 o articulos a que se reflere la pregunta del 
 Senor Presidente de la Comision amerleana, 
 no pueden ser por hoy objeto de una apro- 
 bacion definitiva, pnesto ,iue no pueden 
 menos de quedar subordinados a que ;os 
 demas que han de ser incluidos en el misuio 
 ir;:tadr, merezcan tambien la aprobacion 
 de ambas Altas Partes: 
 
 "I. OS Comisarios espanoles eontestan a la 
 sobredicha pregunta diciendo que aflrmaudo 
 su conviccion de que con arreglo a Derecho 
 las obligaciones coloniales de Cuba y Puerte 
 Rico deben pasar con esta? islas y su so- 
 berania no rehusan 'tomar en consideracion 
 cualquier otro articulu relativo a Cuba y 
 Puerto Rico, que no conten,?a la clausula 
 de asumir las cargas por los Estados Unidos 
 o por Cuba o por ambos,' snbordinando la 
 defir.itiva aprobacion de tal nrticulo a la de 
 los demas que hayan de forniar la totalidad 
 de' tratado: e invitan. en su consecuencla, 
 a los Senores Comisarios americanos, a que 
 se proceda a la dlscusion de Ins demas pun- 
 tos que en el tratado se han de comprender. 
 y desde luego a la del relativi al Archip>el- 
 ago Filipino. proponieAdo a los Comisarios 
 esiianoles lo que entiendan que debe con- 
 venirse en aquel scobre este asunto." 
 
 Despues de dada lectura de esta contes- 
 toeion. los Comisarios americanos pregun- 
 taron si debian entender par ella que los 
 Comisarios espanoles aceptaban los articulos 
 presentados por la Comision americana re- 
 latives a Cub.i, Puerto Rico v Guam. 
 
 54. 
 
The Spanish Commissioners replied that Los Comlsarios espauoles contestaron que 
 they accepted them in the sense stated in Ids aceptaban en el sentldo expresado en 
 the paper— provisioually. subject to the su doeumento, y subordinada sa aceptaoion 
 conclusion of a treaty of peace. a la aprobaclon de los demas artlculos que 
 
 haya de contenor el tratade de paz. 
 On motion of the American Commission- A propuesta de los Comlsarios ameri- 
 ers, the conference was adjourned to the canos. seapiazo la prozlma conferencla para 
 87th of October, at two o'clock p. m. e' 27 de Octubre a las 2 p. m., a ftn de que 
 
 Iob Comlsarios amerlcanos puflleran estudlar 
 con todo deteolmlento la contestacion dada 
 por los Comlsarios espanoles. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. FIrmado: B. MONTEEO RIOS, 
 CDSHMAN K. DAVIS. B. DE ABARZUZA, 
 
 WM. P. FRYE. J. DB GARNICA, 
 
 GEO. GRAY. W. R. DE VILLA-URRDTIA, 
 
 WHITELAW RBID. RAFAEL CBRERO, 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 55. 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 9. 
 
 COMISION 
 Paia la negociacion de la paz con los Estados TJnidos. 
 
 MEMORANDUM 
 Presentado en la sesion de 26 de Octubre 1898. 
 
 Los Coniisarios espanolcs sp liau eiitenid" c"" voriUuUTa peiui ilcl Miinoi'niKUim 
 prosenlftdn por los Senorcs romisjii-io..; :i meiic-iuios fii Ui oonfpi-pncia iiUiina <-i'li'l)i-a- 
 (la en 17 del oorrlentp. En este documento didios Seuoi-es. fundandosp en attrniaolones 
 y apreciaciones con cuya oxai'titiid la Coiulsion fspanola no pnedc nianifoslirse 
 conforme, a pesar de la rccia hnonpion con (lUo. no ilnda, que fueron o.vpuestas, 
 concluyen aquellos por manlfeslai- qne ^iuslitnyi-n el projeeto de los dos articnios 
 sobro Cuba y las denias islas. qne lialjian pi-pstntado en !a c-onferenoia dp :i del 
 ecrvionto, con otros dos. roilncidos a la copi.i literal de los dos prinieros articnios del 
 Protocolo de Washington, aiesando pan esto que entiendcn qne ol tra'tado de pa/., 
 cu cuanto so refierc a la soberania di- las .\ntillas y de la Isla de Guam en las Mari- 
 anas, no rtebe contener mas iii menos que la i-eprodnc-ion literal 'le aquellos do.s 
 articnios. 
 
 Mas conio estos ya f.irriKiu parte lie mm Coiiveni.* obligatorio cnal lo cs cl rinli.i-olo 
 de WasbinRtoB. parece inntil hacer de cllos nua mora repriHluccion cii cl iratado 
 q<ic ha be celebrarse en la couferencia. Los con'tralos, asi eu el ordcn privado conio 
 en el Intern.acional. son perfentos, y prodncen ti>dos sns efectos para las partes que 
 los hayan otorsado, sin necesldad de ningi:i.M cunnruiaeion posterior que en .la.la 
 puede aumentar su efivacia. Parece, por cst(.. redundante esta rcprndni'cioM. si a 
 ella se ha de limitar el tratado de paz sobre las Antill.is. oomo quicvn Ins Seiiores 
 Comisarios ianericaiuis. _^ 
 
 Si esta consideracion cs di- puiM raz..ii y ami ilc uicro buen seirtidn. la propuesi.:i 
 dp los Comisarios americanos no se i(MiiprcMule >1iio en el supuesto de que estos 
 ei.tienden que el tratado. aparte de cnaiquier disposicloii de carai-ter sccnndano 
 que en ol pueda incluirse. no debe versar mas ipie sobre el Archipielago Filipino. 
 
 Si tal es el pensaiuiento de la Comision amcricana. l.i espanola no puede prestane 
 sn asentimicnto porque e-.itieiidp que su cjecncion seria una infraccion del I'ortocolo. 
 Pespues de las tres eondlcinues qui' ( 1 Senor Secretario de Esta.lo de Washington, 
 conlcstando en SI de Julio ultim.. al mensajc del Goblernn de Sn Majcstad (-atoliea, 
 de 22 del mismo mcs. propnso a Rspaiia para terminar la gnerra. dijo: "Si las con- 
 dlriones ofrecidas aqui son aceptadas cii su iiitegridad, los Estados fnidos nom- 
 braran Comisarios que sv encontraran con los igualmentc autorizados por Espan.i. 
 con objcto de arreglar los dctalles del tratado de paz y dc flrraarlo en las coiidicinnes 
 arriba exprcsadas." Estos dctalles no aparocen circnnscritos al arcbiplelago. 
 
 El propio Senor PresideiUe de la Keimblh'a amcricana. en la I'onfcrcncia .lue 
 celtbro el 10 de Agosto con el Senor llnibajador de Frincia. rcpresentantc de Es])ana 
 para el caso, ddstinguio pcrfcctauientc ■■! Protccolo del iratado dc pnz, dicieudo 'que 
 aqnel dcbla ser un incro do<niiiiento p'-eliininar que no tendria por obieto mas ipie 
 consagrar sin dilacion alguiia el acncrdo de los dos Gobiernes sobre los prlncipios 
 misnios de la paz, v que. por lo tanto. i o seria neccsario rescrvar en cl. ni los de- 
 rccho de las Cortes, ni los del Semidn federal, o llamados nnicanumte a ratilicar rd 
 tratailo deflnitivo. 
 
 IJI Senor Presidentc. es verdad. liabl" del asuiilo de las rilipinas para dccir ,|no 
 quedaba reservado a la confcrcnci.-i dc Paris, pero un<n-i dijo. ni indico siqniera. 
 quo psie asunto habria de ser el unio que se tratarla en este conferencia. 
 
 Y Hnalniente en el articulo .5 del Protocoio, redaciado de conforniidail con todos 
 estos precedeutes. se di"e que los Comisarios icMiibr.idos por anibas Atlas Partes 
 hf.brian de proceder en Paris a negoclar y conclnlr un tratado de paz. sin limitar ni 
 roiicretar su objeto y empl'-ando. por la inversa. una frase cnyo evidente .sentido cs 
 qne on el tratado de" paz (|iie se clab.>rasc jior la Comlsi.in liablan dc resolversp tod.is 
 las cuPStionVs, a la sazon pcudientes. cat re los dos Estados, qne le. estuvlesen re 
 sucltas ya en el acuerdo preliminar del Prolecolo. 
 
 Cierto es que los Senores C-oinisarlos americanos fund-.in precisamento sn ultimo 
 proyc-i.. .-n la ,.oiwider.ieioii de que tnd.. lo relnlivo a las Antillas espanolas ya fiie 
 
resuflto eii el Protocolo. Mas a esta eonsideracion es precisamente ii la que desdo la 
 primera couterencia no ban podido ni pueden prestar su asentimiento los Comisarlos 
 espanoles. 
 
 Los americanos eu su Memorandum de 11 de este mes manifestaron que los Com- 
 isarios etpanoles ponian en su proyecto condiciones a la renuneia de la soberania 
 eu Cuba. Giavisimo error. En aquel proyecto no se deseonoce el '>aracter puro e 
 incondicional de tal renuneia: lo unico aue alli se hace es eonslgnar en lo que c-sta 
 renuneia consiste. Y esto es eseneialmen te diverso de le que los Senores Comisarlos 
 americanos entienden. 
 
 Y que. efeetlvamente. los articulos del proyecto de 'os espanoles tiene por unico 
 objeto fljar el sentido de la renuneia. pero no someterla a condiciones. esta denios- 
 trado por el objeto mism.j de las discusiones orales y cscritas que vienen mediando 
 entre log unos y los otros. 
 
 Los Senores Comisarlos americanos entienden que el unico seatido que puede 
 darse a la renuneia de soberania convenida en el Protocolo es el propio del abandono 
 de esta soberania: para deducir de aqui, que Espana debe abandonar la Isla de Cuba 
 como cualquier potencia puede abandonar u:- territorio desierto del Africa que antes 
 hubiera poseido. 
 
 For mas que la Comlslon espanola distingue el sentido juridico de la palabra 
 abandono del qne es propio de la renuneia. no sostendria esta discusiou teclmica, im- 
 propria de una confereneia diploniatica. si no fuera pnrque la Comision amerieana 
 so.stieue su opinion como el principal fundamento que da a su aspirocion de que. 
 por tal supuesto abandono. quede cortado todo vinculo de derecho y ninguno nuevo 
 aur ja de aquel acto, entre Espana y los Estados Unddos. al apoderarse de la Isla. 
 bien en su propio nombre y para ellos mismcs. bleu eu nombre y para el queblo 
 cubano. 
 
 Pero esia aspiracion, sin ejempio en los fastos diplomatieos del mundo. no pue- 
 den admitirld los Comisarlos espanoles, daudo por reproducido cuan'to expusieron 
 en el primer capitulo del Memorandum que presentarou en contra del proyecto de 
 articulado de la Comision nnierieana, y anaden las breves conslderaciones siguientes 
 que les sugiereu los dos Memorandums ultimamente presentados por la misnia. 
 
 Deja la espanola a un lado la cila que. en apoyo de su opinion, la Comision 
 an:erieana hace del Diecionario de Escriclie. que es una obra muy respetable cier- 
 tamente, pero cu.vo unico objeto es la exposiciou de la jurisprudencia practica del 
 Derecho privado, exposicion muy popular, es verdad, eu Espana, porque sirve de 
 mentor a los jovenes abogados en el jirimer periodo de su vida profesional, pero que 
 es completamente ageua a la ciencia del Dereche Intemacional y publico. 
 
 Casos de abandono, en el sentido que se pietende, no registra la bistoria moderna 
 de los pueblos mas que los de terrltorios desicrtos, o a lo sumo, poblados por las 
 tribus barbaras del Africa. Abandono de un verdadero Estado, ya formado, de e.\'s- 
 tencia secular, con una or.Lianiz.acion social y politiea completa y poblado de ha- 
 bitantes que gozan .v tienen derecho a gozar de todos los benefieios de la civilizaclon 
 rcoderna, no ha habido hnsta ahora, ni creen los Comisarlos espanoles que lo habra 
 en el mundo. 
 
 Los terrltorios abandonados son legitimamente ocupados por el Estado que qulera 
 establecer en ellos su soberania. Mas loa ocupacion, meramente de hecho, no im- 
 pone al oeupante otros deberes mas que ios one en las regiones de Africa cumplen 
 las potencias de Europa con las barbaras tribus que los pueblan o los recorren. Cree 
 la Comision americana qne los Estados Unidos en concepto de ocupantes de la Isla 
 de Cuba, puesto que este es el unico en que segun el supuesto que deflenden habran de 
 posesionarse de ella, no han de tener para con los habitantes de la grande Antilla 
 mas deberes que los que cumplen con equ ellos degradades seres humanos? 
 
 Tenemos la completa segin-idad de que no es tal el pensamjento de los Senores 
 Comisarlos americanos, pero a esta cou.->ecueucia fatalmcnte conduce a la Comision 
 americana. su empeno en negar toda difereneia de derecho entre los efectos del 
 abandono y los efectos de la renuneia. 
 
 A esta no obsta la protesta de los Senores Comisarlos americanos en su ultimo 
 Memorandum, afirmando que los Estados Unidos dispensaran a los h.-^brtantes de 
 Cuba y a sus proprietrades todo la proteccion que necesiten, como vienen hacieu- 
 dolo en la peliuena porcion de territorio 'que r^n la isla ya ocupau por la t'uerza de 
 las armas. Creen los Estados Unidos que a Espana eon relacion a la Isla de -Cuba 
 y a sus habitantes, ne deben reconocersele por aquellos mas derechos al dejar su 
 soberania, que los Estados Unidos o cualquiera otra Potencia se apresurariaii a 
 reconocer a la mas desgraciada de las tribus africauas dc euyo territorio se apodera- 
 ron? Pero, nparte de que ellos niismos no dan a esta obligacion que dicen que tie- 
 nen, mas fundamento que el hecbo de ser pcseedores de la Isla, lo cual confirma lo 
 que acabamos de indicar. tambien es cierto que dichos Senores Comisarlos no se 
 prestan a que esta, ni otra obligacion alguna de los Estados Unidos, se consigne en 
 el tratado que, segun exigen. ha de limitarse a la reproduecion de 'os dos. primeros 
 articulos del Protocolo. 
 
 58. 
 
For lo tauto esa obligacion que en el Memorandum dlcen que eoutnieu no sera 
 exiplble por no eonstar en el tratado. y sin animo de ofensa para los Estados Unidos, 
 la logica no pennile que se nleyiue en al)>o:uto. la posibiUdad de que pase. en mas 
 o en menos. con ella. lo que con las obUg^iclones que espontaneameute coutrajeron los 
 Estados Unidos en las ueeociaclones que prepan.ron el Protocolo y que, esto no ob- 
 stante los Senores Comisarios amerioanos so nlegan a que consten en el tratado. 
 
 Ui' Camaras de los Estados Unidos en su resoluclon conjimta. y el Seuor ITesl- 
 dente de la Union en su ultimatum a l-kspana. pudo exislr a esta naelon. auiique 
 Inutil es deelr que Espaiia no hubiera a.eedido a tan enorme exigencia, el abandono 
 absoluto de su soberania en Cuba, en el -ontido en que ahora lo exigen sus ConiI:^»- 
 rios, como pudo tambien exigirle su .es.on franca y libre de toda earga a los Ksta- 
 dos Unidos. Mas lo oierto es que uo lo exigio. porqtie se limito a reolamarle la re- 
 nuneia de su soberania ,,ara que el pueblo cubano fuera libre e independienle. o lo 
 que e« lo mismo. la renunela de su soberania en favor del pueblo cubano, pani que 
 fmra libre e Independente, si blen al mismo tiempo, no consintlo y antes blen exlgio. 
 que esta renuncia ftu-ra. desde luego. liecUa a favor de los Estados Unidos. para 
 aquel pueblo a qnien los Estados Unidos babian de prestar ayuda y dircccion. por- 
 Quo no de otro modo era poslble que la Isla de Cuba dejara de pasar dire<-ta e in- 
 mcdiatamento del poder de Espana al del ptiebio cubano. para liaber de permanccer 
 en poder de los Estados Unidos hasta la paciticacion de la isla. Esto nos parece 
 que los Senores Comisarios amerioanos no pueden menos de re.-nnocerlo como 
 rigurosamente exacto. 
 
 Y si tales fneron los terminos en que los Estados Unidos encerraron su exigencia 
 a que'al fin accedio E.spana sin que aquellos los hublesen previamente modificado, 
 es claro como la luz del sol. que el convetiio de que es formula el articulo 1 del 
 Protocolo ipues otro no se celebro entre las dos Atlas Partes) tieue necesanamente 
 que entenderse en el sentldo de los terminos en que fne propuesto pnr una de ellas. 
 T aeeptado por la otra, y que no eslicito ahora a cualniiiera de -lias alterar esios 
 terminos con el fin de eonvertir aquella .eiutncia. exigida para uii objeto determln- 
 ado y a tenor de un procediraiento establicido. en un abandono absoluto sin el 
 objeto y procedimiento eonvenidos. oomo el que pretende la Comision amencana .lue 
 
 Noes pues el caso del abandono que la Comision anu-ricana exige. sino el de la 
 renuncia eonvenida que la espanola sostiene, el que ha de consignarse en el tratado. 
 Es un caso analogo a tantos olros por que ban pasado las potencias coloniales suan- 
 do perdieron su soberania en todas o parte de sus colonias. Jamas una potencia colo- 
 nial abandono, en el seiMido que ahora se quiere imponer. una colonia para que se 
 conyirtiese en un nuevo Estado indepemlienie y libre. Cuando esto sucedio, la Metro- 
 poli cedio renuncio su soberania, si antees h;. colonia misma no la habia conquistado 
 por la fuerza de las armas, pero jamas la abiMidono en el sentido sobredicho. Si los 
 Senores Comisarios americanos no estan conformes con e.sta categonea . anrmacion, 
 les rogamos que nos citen un caso que la contradiga. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles ruegan tamoien a los Senores Comisarios amencanM 
 que fijen su atencion. tan ilustrada y serena, en la contradiccion palpitante que re- 
 salta entre su teoria y los hechos que los Estados Unidos vieneii Ilevando a cabo. 
 Scgnn la Comigion americana la unica L-ituaeion legal poslble sobre la Isla de Cuba, 
 entre Espana de una parte y los Estados Unidos por si. o en nombre .lei pueblo 
 cubano. de la otra, es la siguiento: Espana debo abandonar la Isla de Cuba. Los Es- 
 tados Unidos despues del abandono ban de posesionarse de la Isia para el pueblo 
 
 cubano. , , 
 
 T por eonseguienle el transito de la Gran Anlilla Je una a oira siluacion ha de 
 bacerse sin tstablecerse vinculo alguno de derecho entre Espana y su antigua colonia 
 y por ella los Estados Unidos. I'ues i)i?n, las fueiv.as de los Estados Unidiw rindie- 
 ron a SiuUiago de Cuba, y firniaron con i.as antorldades militates espanoles una ca- 
 pitulacJon. En esta no exigieron que las fuerzas de la Metropoii abandonaran a San- 
 tiago de Cuba, sino que se lo entregaran a las antorldades americanas. formandose 
 inv°entario. que firmaron ambas partes, en el cual consta cuanto la ,ina entrego y la 
 otra secibio. La Comision americano que esta en la Habana. por haber sido nom- 
 brada en cumpliiniento de lo prescrito en el articulo 4 del Protocolo exige a la Com- 
 ision esoanola que le entregne todo lo que a Espana correspondla en uso de su sober- 
 ania, asi en lo civil como en lo milltar. y e sto, en virtud de instrucciones expresas de 
 su Gobierno, y por demas esta el declr que esta eutrega, tambleu ha de ser en forma 
 de inventarlo. 
 
 Ante estos hechos es posible negar que Espana. al lenunciar a su soberania en 
 Cuba, exlgcu los Estados Unidos que se la eni rogue a ellos mlsmos? 
 
 Pues aun hay mas que esto: la Comision americana. a pesar de la teoria que 
 sostiene ha acomodado sus primeros acios a la que sostiene la espanola. En el 
 parrafo'2 del articulo 1 que aquella pnseuto en .'! de octubre, llama cesion (uo aban- 
 dono) a la renuncia de la soberania de Espana en Cuba. T esto no se puede explicar 
 por una simple incorreccion de lengnaje, porqne en el articulo 2 flja cuales han de 
 
 59. 
 
ser los efectos de la cesiou de la soberauia de Puerto Rico, y emplear para fijar estos 
 efectos, las mlsmas, exactamente las uiismas frases, que aeababa de emplear en el 
 articulo 1 para fijar los de la renuiieia de la soberania en Cuba. Prueba aeabada de 
 que, segun la Comision americana. a pesar de sus opiniones sosteuidas al ealor de la 
 eontroyersia eon la espanola, al redaetar su primer proyeeto entendia que los efectos 
 de la renuncia de la soberania eran los -jiismos. es.actamente los mismos. que los de 
 su cesJon. 
 
 y si quisiera deeirse que aunque sean igu:ile& los efectos. la renuncia. que ta 
 Comision americana llama abandono. se distingue de la oesion, en que aquella no se 
 hace con relacion a nadie que haya de adquirir el territorio abandonado, y por el 
 contrario. la cesion se bace a favor de quim haya de adquirir el terrotorio cedido. 
 tanipooo los Comisiarios americauos mariaron esta diferencia en su proyeeto. porque, 
 balilando en auibos articulos de los ArclilTos y demas papeles que habiau de ser 
 objeto de la rtnuucia o cesion. dicen por i^ia! en los dos, empleando las mismas 
 frases, que loda copia legalizada de aquellos documentos que pudiera ser requerida 
 por un funcionario del Gobierno espanol. se le expedlra en todo tiempo, y egto es 
 inintelig'ible sine en e] sentido de que lia de baber quien pueda expedir tal copia. Y 
 no sera posible esta expedicion sino por quien tenga en su poder el documento que 
 ha de copiar. Y no pued tenerlo ensu podcr quien no lo haya recibido. Por consi- 
 guiente los Comisarios aniericanos al esfablecer en el articulo 1 las reglas concer- 
 nientes a la entrega de los Archwos de la Isla de Cuba, partian del saupuesto de 
 que esa entrega hartia de ser hecha a alguien. T e.so. y nada mas que eso. es lo que 
 coiisignaron en el artii-ulo 2. respecto a la entrega de los Archiyos de la Isla de 
 Puerto RJco. 
 
 La Comision americana acude para sostener su inaceptable opinion sobre el aban- 
 dono por Espana de la Isla de Cuba, a la diferencia que consta en el Protocolo del 
 mlsmo. Dicen que Espana se presto solamente a ceder a Puerto Rico a los Estados 
 Onidos, entretanto que respecto a la Isia de Cuba se obligo a renunciarla. De esto 
 deducen que los efectos de la obligaciou de Espana. respecto a una .\utilla. son mas 
 amplios que respecto a la otra. Ya hcnos probado con el texto propio del proyeeto 
 de articulado de dichos Senores que ni aun esta diferencia en los efectos con relaeion 
 a Espana entreveian ellos. al redaetar su proyeeto. que existia. La diferencia, no 
 obstante, se ccmprende bien bajo otro aspecto. Los Estados Unldos exigieron a Es- 
 pana y despues le declararon la guerra para que Cuba fuera lihre e independiente. Y 
 claro es que habiendo yencido ya no podian exigirle que se la cediese. de,1ando a un 
 lado la libertad e independencia de la Isla, porque esto daria raativo al nmndo para 
 ereor que tal libertad c independeticia no hahia sido la verdadera causa del conflicto. 
 
 No le hiiMeron la misnia exigencia respecto a Puerto Rico, y si reclamaron des- 
 pues la soberania de la pequena Antilla, y de las demas que rodeau a la Grande t.y 
 que haran en lo pnrveuir imposible su independencia. siu la yoluntad y gracioso eon- 
 sentlmiento de los Estados Unidos, que siempre la tendran a su raerced, por su do- 
 minio sobre las que la rodean como un circulo de hierro), fue en eoncepto de indern- 
 niz.acion de los gastos de la guerra. y de los perjuieios que decian que los ciudadanos 
 aniericanos habian siifrido durante la iusurreccion colonial. Esta es !a natural expii- 
 eacion de que en el Protocolo nparezca la soberania de una isla como renunciada y 
 la de las otras como cedida. 
 
 Los Comisarios espaiiolv's entienden por todo lo dicho. que es para ellos un dcber 
 inehidible. el continuar sosteniendn (|ue la reruneia de la soberania en Cuba, a que 
 se obligo Espana en el articulo del Protocolo. debe enteiulerse no abandono de la 
 soberania an el sentido que dan a la frase los Senores Omisarios americanos. sino en 
 el de renuncia propiamente dicha. tal eouio se ha einpleado en el e]emplar escrito en 
 f ranees, que flrmo tanibien el Gobierno americano, y que por lo tanto no puede 
 menos de aceptar como texto ofieial, Por consiguiente. Espana tiene la obligaciou 
 de renunciar a la total soberania sobre la Gran Antilla, para que a esta obllgacion 
 correspouda otra por part" de los Estados Unidos, y es la de recibir la Isla en nombre 
 y para el pueblo cubano. por el eual. aparte de los altos lines humanitarios que. 
 segun afirman. inspire su cenducta. por mas que a ello no puedo asentir Espana. se 
 eoiiStituyeron libremente y por su propia esi>ontaneidad mainlatarios con todas las 
 obligaeiones que se inipone el "negotiorum gestor." (aunque segun persisten en 
 aflrma no lo sean "in remsuam"). segun denomina el derecho a aquel que se encarga 
 de reclamar y gestionar los intereses de otro. por mas que este no le haya eonferido 
 expresa y oflcialmente su mandate. 
 
 Creen. por esto. los Ccimisarios espanoles que el eontraproyecto del articulo pri- 
 mero que presentaron. esta red.actado en el e.otricto sentido que tiene el articulo 1 
 del Protocolo. excepto en un impiirtaTitc punio de que pasan los Comisarios espa- 
 noles a ocuparse. 
 
 Los Estados Unidos de .\merica exigieron a Espana. -segun se ha dicho. la renun- 
 cia de la soberania en Cuba, en los terminos que en este Memorandum quedan ex- 
 piesados. 
 
 La Comision americana en su iien\i!timo Memorandum dice, que si Espana hu- 
 
 60. 
 
biest aooeOldo al sor requeriiia con el iiltlu.aluiii. a .ibandonav la Isia (U- Cuba, slu 
 entrogarla a los Estados Uiiidos. todo el imiudo hiiblcra cieido i\\iv Espana aeoedia a 
 cuanto so podia Pxisirlo. Lo hiibiera quiza oreido todo el mundo. niorios los Estados 
 rnidos. poniiU' no parccc a la Comisioii cspaiiola que teiisra ncci'sidad de deniostrar, 
 qua haya nadio. ni on Eui-opa ni en America, que crea que los Estados I'nidos se li'i- 
 bieran dado por salisfcclios con que I'/spa na se letirase de la Isla de Cuba, bableudo 
 ellos de abs ■ncrse de lo<la intervencion rn la (irande Antilla. para que ul pueblo que 
 la babita coutinuasc guerreaudo eiitre si y baelendo de si mlsnio y de sus destinos. 
 eii rirtud de su natural derccho. el uso i il abuso que. supuesto que era indepen- 
 dieute. podia baccr sin o contra la voluutad de los Estados Unidos. 
 
 De estos tenninos (-s Indeclinable e iunn'iliata cousccuencla, que los F/stados 
 Unidos tienen que rccibir la Isla de Cuba, no ]iara conservarla para sUenipro. nl si- 
 quiera indetluidainente couio propia, sino [lara I'jercer .su soberania, luleutras la Isla 
 no este pacilicada y para eutregarla al puebln que la iiabita tan uronlo la pacilica- 
 cion se haya realizado. 
 
 Esto, pnes, debe coust-.ir en el arti'-ulo prinu-ni del tratado relatlvo a tal rcnuucia 
 si ha de acoiuodar.s" al contrato convenido enlrc las clos Atlas Partes. 
 
 Asl lo comprcndieron los Coniisarios espai.oles. Mas inspirandos' en sus vivos 
 dcseos de traiisaceion y de pa/., se prostaban a que los Estados I'nidos quedaseu en 
 libertad de transniitir al pueblo cubano la si>lM'nuiia de la isla. suando ellos y solo 
 ellos, con.-iderasen que habia llegado la i!portu:>idad de hacerlo. 
 
 rroponiendolo asl los Coniisarios espanolcs. reuunciaban en obseq'iio de los E<ta- 
 dos Unidos el importantisinio derecho que tiene Espan.i para exiglrles, cuando la 
 pacifieacion de la isla so realiee, que no retengan dicha soberania y la entregui-n a 
 aquel pueblo. 
 
 La Comision americana persiste en aflrniar que tal cs el proposito do los Estados 
 Unidos. pero no quiere que eonste en el tratr.do el no'.orio derecho de Espana para 
 exiglr su ouniplimiento a su debido tlempo. 
 
 Mas una vcz que los Sonores Comis;ir\os aniericauos ■■:<• oponen teiniin.inlcniente a 
 la aeeptacion del artieulo propuesto por entender que iio se acomoda al prinioro del 
 Protocolo, los espauoles lo sustituyen con i.U't que no selaniente se aooniodara de an 
 modo estriejo al rector .^entido de aquel artieulo priniero. sino quo apareccra redae- 
 tado con sus propias palabras pero tanibicn con las frases lUerahncMte copiadas de 
 los despachos que precedieron a su redaci ion y fijaron su sentido. 
 
 He aqul la nueva redaecion que proponen en sustitu-non de la anterior: 
 
 "Su Majestad Catolica la Reina Kegmte de Espana, en nombre de su augusto nijo 
 Don Alfonso XIII, Key de Espana. constitucionalniente autorizada por las Cortes del 
 Reino. renuncia a su soberania y a toiio derecho sobre Cuba. 
 
 "Los Estados Unidos de America, .iceptaud-j esta renuncia, recibon de Espana la 
 Isla de Cuba para prestarl'^ ayuda y diroecion y tenerla en su doniinio y gobierno 
 hasta que. una vez reallzada su pacili<acicn. ilejen dicho dominio y gobierno al pue- 
 blo cubano." 
 
 FCNnAMEXTO DE ESTE ARTICULO. 
 
 El parrafo 1 es la transcripciou did artieulo 1 d( 1 I'rotocolo. con las variaciones 
 de oancilloria. 
 
 El sentl'lo y las frases del parrafo 2 estan t<imados del ultimatum dirigido por el 
 Gobierao ile Washington a Espana y comunicado en 20 de abril ultimo por aquel 
 Seuor Secretario de Estado al Ministro de Espana en aquella capital. Figuran i'Si 
 mismo en el el pensamiento y las frases del Gobierno americano consignados en la 
 contostaclon del Senor Seeretario de Estados en Washington en 31 de Julio ultimo al 
 meusaje del Gobierno espanol proponieudo la terminacion de la guerra. He aqui dl- 
 chas frases: "el Gobierno de los B-slados Unidos no ha compartido las aprensiones de 
 Espana sobre este punto (el de la falta de actual aptitud del pueblo cubano para su 
 independencia) pero piensa que en las condJciones de perturbaclon y abatinilento en 
 que esta la isla. esta necesita ayuda y direcclon que el Gobierno americano se iiai:a 
 disqueslo a otorgarle." 
 
 Xo hay. oues. en el artieulo nuevamiute redactado otro pensamiento ni otras 
 frases qne las consignada.* en el ulUmamm de los Estados Unidos a Espana. eu el 
 defpacho citado de su Seeretario de Estailo y en el Protocolo redactado accediendo al 
 nltimatun y de acuerdo con la intencion de los Estadoa Unidos consiguada en el des- 
 pacho sobredleho. 
 
 Esto no obstante, ruegan los Comisarlog espanoles de nn modo especial a los Se- 
 nores ComiSarlos americanos. que teugan presente que si la legltima exlgencia por 
 parte de Espana para que en el tnitado se conslgne su derecho para reclamar, a su 
 debido tiempo, a los Estados Unidos de America el cumpUmlento del compromiso qne 
 espontaneamente contrajeron de dejar la Isla de Cuba llbre e Independiente, asl 
 que este paclflcada, no fuse de su agrado. aquellos estan dispuestos a renunciar a tal 
 exlgencia, dejando a la excluslva apreciaclon de los Estados Unidos el resolvcr cuan- 
 do bnyan de cnmpllr tal compromiso, si esta renuncia de la Comision espnnola bu- 
 
biera de servir para la conclusion del tratado pendiente do paz. 
 
 IjOS Senorrs Comisarios americanos rocLazan tanibien los doir.as articnlos ili-l 
 proyecto prcscntado por los espauoles. 
 
 No adinitcii qvie rte la soberania formon parte las cargas y obligaciones del cobei-- 
 ano que jirocedan exclusivamente del servioio publico de la colonia. T sin cntvar 
 In Comision espano-la en la discusion pui-amente tecnica de si forman parte de la 
 soberania estas obligacioies. o son tau solo efecto del ejerclclo de la soberania mis- 
 ma. porquc el resultado de esta discusion seria eompletamente ineflcaz para el puuto 
 sobrc que no convlenen unos y otros Couiisarios. pasan los espanoles a rectiflcar 
 breveniente los hechos y los conceptos que se hallan escritos en el Memorandum 
 americano de 14 del corriente. rara denioslrar aquellos que las obligaciones colou- 
 iales de Espauo an Cuba no deben quedar a cargo de esla isla. exponen que tales ob- 
 ligaciones fuoron contraidas por la Corona con intervencion de sus fnncionarios en 
 la colonia pero sin que esta hubicsc int'Tvcnido ni prestado su consentimiento para 
 contraerlas. En efecto; el regimen colonial entonces vigente en Espana no daba a 
 sn.- colonias la facnltad de tener Camaras eleotivas que ejerciesen con el soberano el 
 poder supremo. En los- ultimos veintc luos ya no sucedia asi. Las Antillas tenian su 
 rcpresetn<-ion en ambas Camaras. la i ii.i!. por cierto, iniorvino en todos los actos leg- 
 islativos sobrc obligaciones colonialcs. siii que nunca hubicsc protestado contra j'U 
 legitimidad y fuerza obligatoria. Mas, apart:' de csto. no se puedo Tiegar que mie.i- 
 tras aquel regimen subsistio conservando todos los caracteres de la legalidad a la sa- 
 zon establecida. los actos que la soberania i-olonial cjercicra dentero de las attribu- 
 eiones quo las Icyes le conferlan. fucron pcrfectamcnte legitimos y produjeron lo que 
 no podian menos de producir todas Justas consecuencias. Esta en una maxima funda- 
 mental en el derecbo publico, sin la cual scria iniposiblc el credito de un Estado. 
 perqne la validez de todos sus actos cstaria siempre a merced de oulquiera causa rev- 
 olucionaria triunfante. Puede discutirsc el acierto de los actos del soberano, pero no 
 oabe discuit su legitimidad y caractcr ohiigatorio, snando ban side ejecutados eu 
 Tirtud de atribuciones y eon las solemuldades reconocidas y estableeidas por la ley. 
 
 Este principio fue rccouocido por el Primer Consul, cuando otorgo con Baviera 
 su tratado de 2-1 de Agosto de 1801. En su articulo 5 se acordo aplicar lo dispuesto 
 eu el tratardo de paz de Luneville refcrentc a las deudns bipotecarias de los pais'-s 
 de la orilla izquierda del RMii. En estos territorios habia Dietas que intervenian "l 
 poder del soberano y por esto eu dicho Tratado de Luneville se habia exigido que 
 tales deudas hubiesen sido por ellas coiisentldas. Mas en el Ducado de Devix-Ponts 
 y en la parte del Palatinado del Rliin que adquiria la Francia por el tratado con Be.- 
 viera, no habia cquella institncion de CcWemo, y por es'to convino el Primer Consul 
 er el tratado de l.SOl que las deudas de estos paises pesarian con elles. con tal que 
 hubiesen sido registradas en su origcn por sus autoridades admiuistrativas superi- 
 
 ores. 
 
 Segun la tesis contrarla a esta doctrina. si llegara a desaparecer el regimen auio- 
 cratieo de la Rusla actual, el pueblo ruso pouria dejar de cumplir todas las obliga- 
 ciones que sus Emperadores. mientras ;:quel regimen subsista. hayan contraido y .■•m 
 traigan para el regimen y gobierno de su Imperio. Los mlsmos Estados Unidos, que. 
 de seguro continuaron obseryando desde su emancipacion muchos de los preceptos 
 legislativoK acordados antes sin su intervencion. por el poder de su Metro- 
 pcii, tendri.ui que devolver a la Rusia el Alaska que les yendlo el Emperador en 1S07 
 sin haber inteivenido en la venta los :inbitantes de la region yendida; como l.oi- 
 drian que devolver a Espana la Florida, por identica razon, etc. 
 
 Si para que sea legitima una deuda es n(M-esario que al crcu-la intervenga por si 
 m.ifmo el pueblo que la ha de pagar. cuando las leyes no le dan tal intervencion, run 
 mncha mas razon habia de ser necesaria la Intervencion de un pueblo cuando su 
 soberano vendiese el terrirorio que equ^'l babita. 
 
 La propia actual cesiou de la sober.mia de las Antillas estaria viciada de nulidad 
 ya que los pueblos cubano y puertoriqueiio mi fueron eonsultados ni prestaron liasia 
 abora su expreso y formal asentimiento al Protocolo de Washington. He ahi lus 
 consecuencias de ia teoria o.ue bajo el ralor de la discusion se halla expuesta en .•! 
 Memorandum de los Senores Couiisarios americanos. 
 
 Precisamente el punto que limita mas la libertad de contratacion de los sobera-i- 
 os, en la celebracion de los tratados. es el relative a las deudas de sus Estados. yo- 
 br'e la integridad de su territorio y ,auu sobre su proplo honor pueden Ubre y valida- 
 mente contratar porque eontratan sobre lo que es suyo. Pero carecen de esta liber- 
 tad cuando sus actos repercntcn iiimedi.it aniente en los legitimos d»rechos privados 
 de equellos particnlares que, al amparo de las li yes los h.ibian legitiniamente adqnir- 
 ido. sin que despues bayan tenido int-rveneioii alung.i en los conllictos que en ios 
 tratados se resnelveu. ni tengaii pur lo facto que indebidaraente sufrir sus consecuen- 
 cias en perincio de sus privados y legitimos intereses. 
 
 Los acreedores de un Estado. cnando con el eontr.atan tionen siempre niuy en 
 cuenta las conditiones de solvencia del Estado a qnien prestan su fortuna. Por esto, 
 cuando estas condiciones de soberania decrecen por efecto de ccslones territoriales, 
 
 62. 
 
las Atlas Paitcs entio quieiics median isias. asi las que haeen la cesion oomo las que 
 adquieivn lo cedido. procm-an siempre ri-s polar en sn inloErridad aqnollos deree'ios 
 poi- medio del reparte do las ol)li;;apionfs. onire el territorlo ponservado por el sobe- 
 rann cedent? y el territ'U-io adqnirido poi' el Seberano cesionaiio. Estn es lo qne Ua 
 venido hactendose en los Iratados de ocsion territorial. 
 
 Mas euando los acreedores han adn'Jiridn por el propio titulo de su eonlrato tn 
 dereeliodlreeto sobre cierios p determiuailos bienes o clertas y delenninadas rentas 
 para relntesrarse con ellos del capital preslndo y de sns legitimos Intereses. el sobe- 
 rano no puede despues. sin contaro previa niente con su asentimiento. coder ni dis- 
 Joner librcmente, como si fuenin de iii exclusivo domlnlo. de aquellos bienes y 
 rentes. 
 
 Si un soberano se prestara a cometer r.n atropello siinejante de derecbcs quo no 
 son suyos. no por eso aquellos a quienes tales deredios f orresponrta'i tendran el de- 
 ber de resi^narse y quedaran privadcs de reclamar en nombre de los principios fe.i- 
 grados que amparan la propricdad priv.ida. I'i ii'specto a lo suyo. contra quien quier 
 que sea en cuytt poder so halle e^iueiio ijuc lojjiliniameate les pertenece. 
 
 Y bueno es, con este motivo. hacer fomalmente co:isiar. que aun eu la liipotesis 
 de que no fuese aceptable el principio que sestieno la Comision espanola y qne corn- 
 bate la ameri<-ana. a saber que in deuda colonial no debe quedar a cargo de la Metr-.>- 
 poli, esto nunca podria significar que Kspana hubiese de contraer abora respecto a 
 los lenedores de esa deuda mas obligac'ones que la® que contrajo al crearla. Y por 
 lo tanto, respecto a aquella parte de la deutUi en que no contrajo nia.s que una ob- 
 iij^cion snlxsidiaria de i>ai:o, por baberse oonsignado en su eutision una bipoteca c x- 
 presa sobre ciertas y deternvinadas rentas y product«>s. Espana tendra cl derecho 
 de no considerarse nunca obli^jada por tal contrato, con arre^lo a Derecbo, a pagar tal 
 deuda. siuo euando dt^spues de baberse de.^tlnoda a su gapo en primer termjno 
 las rentes y productos bipoteeados resultarau esros insuficientes. pues basta 
 entonces no sera exigible, segun las regla.- elenientales del Deri'Cho. la obligacion sub- 
 sidiaria que contrajo. 
 
 Sin deteuerse la Comision espanola hoy sobre las noticias muchas Inexactas, 
 que sobre ia deuda cubana se leen en el Memorandum araericano. se lintitara a 
 atiriitar que .a Isla de Cuba no cubrio. por regla gericral. desde su descubrimiento, 
 sus iiropios gastos. 
 
 Mientras Espana conserve las eolonias amerieanas, vino la Isla sostenieudose con 
 los auxilios pecuniarios de sus rermanas, y senaladaraente de los del irrcinato de 
 MeJ'Co. En este siglo. durante niuy poos anos tuvo sobrantes, nn'rced al desarrollo 
 de su natural riqueza obtenida al fin con aquellos resursos. y estos sobrantes es 
 cierto que entraron en el Tesoru de la t'eninsuta. Mas apesar de eHos es lo cierto 
 que eu la cuenta general del Estado I'spanol. de LSOfi a 07 aparece el Tesoro de la 
 perinsula coa anticipos a Cuba en los anos anteriores de la epoca moderna. por 
 valor de 429.n()2.01.'!.0S pesetas, asi emmi . parccen tambien adelantados a Puerto Rico 
 .'!.22ii.4.<S.67 pesetas y a Saaro nonungi i.3'.i7.1G1.69 pesetas. 
 
 La prosperidad d" Cuba fite i!e er "t i drracion, durante la mayor parte del tient- 
 po transcurrido desde ios lienipos de rolon, ya por la esoasez de sus habitantes, ya 
 por la servidumbre de la raza nagra que formaba la mayoria. y ya. en fin. jiorque 1< « 
 espanoles prefirleran colonizar otras partes de America, no pudo la isla desaroliar sus 
 riquezas na'urales. y. sin embargo, hubo que venir gastando constantemente en <*lla 
 las grandes suntas qne exigia el planteaniienlo de las reformas y la creacion de los 
 estnblecimientos que son coudicion eseucial de la vida moderna. 
 
 La Comi.5ion espanola r.o puede menos de protestar contra la afirmaclon que en el 
 niemorand\irn americano ':e hace. de que la insurreccion de los diez anos fue produc- 
 to de causas justas. Y lamenta que sin uha necesidad que lo reclaniara de un moJo 
 Indeclinable tal afirmaclon se baya consignado. como la Comision americana. sagura- 
 mente .v con razon lamentaria que la espanola conslgnase aqul sin necesidad quo lo 
 exiglera. la Justicia de las rebeliones de los aborigenes del inmenso territorlo ameri- 
 cano que los Estados Unidos tuvieron que sofoear tanias veees con mauo £errea. y 
 que asimismo conslgnase el derecbo a cuno amparo los Estados del Sur habian querido 
 ronjper por las annas el 'azo federal. 
 
 Es Inutll. por lo que Inego se dira. que la Comision espanola se ocupe concreta- 
 mente de los eapitulos de la deuda cui>ana a quet se refiere el Memorandum anie..-i- 
 cano. Comprenden los errires que hayau podido cometerse eu est docunicuto. 
 porque es mny natural qne los Senores Comisarios americanos no conozcan 
 contoda la precision qui- se requi(>re para juzgarlos con acierto. ios actos de l-i 
 Administracion espanola. ni en la Peninsula, ni en sua eolonias. 
 Y esto aparece ademas contirinado por los hechos. 
 
 Sobre la razon que se cree que hay contra parte de la deuda cubana en la pr- 
 tendida justica de la rebelnm dc una minoria de aquel pueblo reclamando su ind.> 
 ptiidencla. solo haremos la observacion signienie: 
 
 La mlnorla Insnrrecta, as verdad, se kvanto en arnias en demauda de la mde- 
 pendencia de la Isla. Los Rsiados Tiiidos equiAocadamente creyeron que su causa 
 era Justa y se la Impusieron cnn las armas a Espana. Mas ahora rosulta que Es- 
 
 63. 
 
pano teuia razon, porque los propios Es tados Unldos reeonoceu que aquel pueblo 
 uo tieue aun las condiciones necarias para gozar desde luego de su plena liberatad 
 y soberauia, y por esta estau resultos a uu otorjrasela y a retener en ella su dom- 
 ino, iiasta que el pueblo cubano puedo gozar de esa libertad prematurameute re- 
 claniada. 
 
 La (_'(inii,--,()ii r^piiiinl 1 .-sln ;idriii;i>. t-ii <■' .mso de il.iiiiai' la atenoion sulin- l:is i.lt- 
 ligaciones tlr i'uerto Kiuu. I'M Mt'nioi-;uulnii' u qui- ciiiiiosta. se retiiTe uuicauit-iitt' a 
 las do Cuba. Es que ^e oi-ee que a pes.ii- d que la ociberauia de la pekueua Autilla 
 nc es renuuoiada. siuo cedida por lO.spaaa a los Estados L'nldos, debo tamljieii pasnr 
 lihrr (le toda earga a su poderV Es (jue sc a^U'uta el princiiili.i de que las resinuo di- 
 lerrit'-rii), rualqiuera que s'-a la eausa que las produzea. aunque est.i liu-ra la eon- 
 quisia. y uniclio luas sieudo esta eausa purameute eonveneioual. uu lle\'an ipso faelD 
 en si misuias las eargas que afeeteu al territoiio ccdido? 
 
 En la diseusiou oral, los Senores Ceiiijsarios anierieauos indicaron que el (lobieruo 
 esi-ianol babia <le(darado que solire la peqneua Antilla no existia deuda alguua. I^us 
 Coniisarios espanoles ban registradu eaidador,!iniente lodas las negoeiaeioues eseritas 
 que inediarou eutre las dos Atlas I'arles. desde el ultimatum del 8enor I'resid.'nle 
 de la yniini de 20 Abril de este ano, liasta la tiiuui del rrotoeolo en Wasbiugton, eJi 
 12 de Agosto dt-i niismn. K\\ niii^uiia d<' ella,- liallarna iudieaeioues ni vestigins d<-' 
 tai deelaraeiou. Y iliilm se:i de pasu, iMitre iiiras iibligaeioues, pesa desde Ine-e 
 niuerisiuu)S anus sijbre la pequeua Aiiiilla. an i iiaite qiK- aunque exigua. \\<> i-s nu-uis 
 sagrada. de Ui earga perp-^tua y ^■evda^^■^illliente di' justieia, eon que Espana mas que 
 en su uonibre en el de Ameriea. ha venido diuiiiuistraudo su gratitud al iumorial 
 Colon que la descubrio y a sus Icgitinios d cFeeedic-ntes. y que la logiea llevarla a los 
 Eslados Unldos a repudiar para que ■ujitinuara pagandola Espana. si liubieran de 
 prevakH'er las eonelusioues de la f'nmision de aquidlus. 
 
 Mas es el easo que la diseusiou siiliie la deuda llani.ida de Cuba uJ paicci' tejier 
 oportunidad eu estos moiueutos. 
 
 1.0S Senores Comisarios amerie.iuo.^ al ut-uparse de lus eapitulos prineipales de tal 
 deuda. ereyerou sin duda, que la tloaiisiou e.^'auola proponia en su proyeeto que 
 de.sde luego fuesen aqutdlos admitidos eomo ueuda eolouial. para pasar cou la sobe- 
 r.-^-uia a Cuba, o a los Bstados Unidos. i" este es el eapital error sobre que desean-a 
 su Memorandum, bos Cloniisarios espanoles no jtroponeu siuo que se consigue en el 
 tratado un prineipio basta aiir)ra sJempre reeouueido, a saber, que eon una, eolonia 
 pasa la deuda que le es peeuliar y afecta a su territoria. Coutra este priuelpiii. nada 
 se diee eu el Jlemuranduui auierieano. Ni espera la Comision espanola, que se diga 
 a lo menus por los .Estados Iniibis. ruyu terrltorla lue por ellos adquirido. no solo 
 con su sangie. siuo tambieu eon el diuero lii' sus eajas. Hoy no faltan publieislas 
 que alirnien que por los treee primeros Kst.idos siilistieiernn a su Metropoli qumee 
 nulliones de libnis esterliuas. Y .son beebus utieiales que por la Louisiana, por la 
 Florida, por los Estados iudios, por Texas, por Califoniia y por el Alaska .se paga- 
 ron a Franeia. Espana. India, Uusia y M e.xice fuertes sumas. Esta vez seria la 
 primera eu que los Estados ruidos. roi:tra sus propias tradieioues, adquirierau 
 gratuitameuie territories que anexiouar pronto o tarde a la Union, 
 
 El ejiso de la adquisiciou de Texas, lau identieo eu su origen. en , sus prooedimieii- 
 tos y eu su termiuo al aetual de la Isia ile Ci'ba, prueba de un moilo barto elo- 
 cuente cuau distlnta es la politica que entonces sigulo el Gobierno de Wasbington 
 con Mexico, de la que ahora qulere seguir eon el Gabinete de Madrid. Entonces sus 
 armas euqdeadas tambien en apoyo de los iusurrectos de Texas, se extendieron por 
 la Republiea mexicana, Uegando a apoderarse de la propia capital, lo que no, ha su- 
 cedido aliora; entonces exigieron de Mexico la independencia de Texas, como abora 
 de Espana la de Cuba, y ademas la secioii del Xuevo Mexico y de California eumo 
 abora exigierou la de Puerto Rico y demas Antillas espanolas. Pero entonces pagaron 
 a Mexico sin exlgirle Indemniz.aciou de guerra, el valor de los territorios que se 
 anexionaban, y tomaron ademas a su cargo la iudemnizacion de los eiudadanos 
 americanos por aquella republiea perjudieadas. Hoy ban exigido a Espana por 
 una indeuud/.acHui alauoga y por gastos de guera. la cesion de las islas sobredicbas. 
 y ciuiereii ademas (jue las cargas de estas islas y de su li.erniana la drande iutilla 
 queden a cargo di- la metro]ioli. que las intrmlujo pen- su mano lui el niundo civili- 
 zado. 
 
 Lo que propouen los Comisarios enpauoles es uuicaniente el recouociniiento de 
 este prineipio, porque su ejucucion enlieuden que debe quedar despues a cargo de 
 una Comision de personas rectas e imparciales. Si esta, reconociendo la ceunta 
 que Espana presente de las obligaeiones que entieude que debeu ser a cargo de Cuba 
 y de Puerto Rico, declaran que debeu sera cargo de la Aletropfili, Espana se confni- 
 mara. Pero si declaran que todas o algunas deben ser a cargo do la colonia. im bay 
 razon jiara que los Estados Unldos no presten eu tal easo tambien su aseutimiento. 
 Si tan seguros estan de su derecho, uo ])ueden rebusar lo que la Comision espanola 
 propone, ya <iue ningun peligro les ofrece. Y" si no lo estauvieran, su alta justificacion 
 
 64, 
 
y vl ri'SptH'io que se tienen a si iiiisinos, Irs intjutiifu i>I ilrliiT ile suburflinar un In- 
 teres pci-imlnrio a la causa sajtriuia de la justlcia. 
 
 Y jmia demostrar la Comislon I'spaiiola » la niinTifiuiM quo el pensanilento solire- 
 (IU'Ikj cs el uuioo que ahriga. y que pur <i tautn lut iulenta ahora que se rocouoza el 
 pago de cantldad alguna detonninada conm oliliKaoion eoloulal de cuakjulera de las 
 AntUIas, no tiene reparo eu sustltulr el ariieulo 'J que lialiia preseiiiadu y en supiiiiiii- 
 el -i y 5 reempl.izaudo los tres por el slgriiente. 
 
 "Artieulo 2.— I^a renunela y transfereueia ipie liace Su Majestail Catollea y que 
 aeepiau los Kstados I'liidtis de America, eoniorende: 
 
 "1. Cuantas preroj-'aIi\'as. aliibueioues y 4l4'i-ecli.is eon-i'spnndan a Su Majestad 
 Calollea. <'oiuo parte de su s(dieraula sohre la Isla de Cuba y sus habltantes. 
 
 "2. Cuantas cargas y obligaelones pecuiiiarlas pendlentes al ratiflcarso este tra- 
 tado de paz, que prevlo un miuucloso exanien de su oilgen, objeto y oondloiones de su 
 ereaelon, dcbau reputai'se. seguii dereoho i-slrii'to e iuiiegal)le equidad. distinlas ili' 
 las que sini propias y pecullarcs del Tesoro de la Peninsula por ser y liaher sido 
 sieliipre pi-opias y peeuliares de Cuba. 
 
 "I'ara haeer el riguroso examen que se pi-esiTihe en el parrafo antei'ior. se ncirn- 
 brara por las dos Altas Partes contratantes una Comlsion de personas eompetentes 
 e Iniparelales segun se delenninara en el artieulo eorrespondlente de este tratado." 
 
 Uespoeto del 2 parrafo del artieulo 3 del proyecto espauol, a los Senores Comi- 
 sarios ainerieauos no les jiareee aeeprable la e.xcepeion de los hienes iiatriinonlales di?I 
 Esiado line en el se estableeia. Segun el Dereeho administratiro espanol. id Kstado 
 ejerce las facultades del dominio sobre todos los blenes que la ley espanola doclara de 
 donunio publico. Estos claro es que yan eomprendidos en la eesion de la soherania. 
 Mas en Espana el Estado puede tamblen adquirrlr y consen-ar eomo persona jurldlea 
 bieues inniuebles por .os uiisnms iltiros ipie el Uereeho eivil est.-ibleee para los parti- 
 culates. Estos eran los que se excejituaban en la eesion. No obstante lo que se aeal)a- 
 de deeir. para demostrar una vez mas la Comlsion estianola su deseo de transaeeion 
 y de paz. renuncia a esta excepcion y paea porque sean tamblen eomprendidos diehos 
 bienes patrimoniales del Estado eu la cesi(.in y reunni-ia tie su soberania en las .-Xn- 
 tillas. 
 
 Las deuias e.Keepeiones etuisignadas en equel artieulo no puede ereer la Comlsion 
 espanida que de.1en de ser aeepladas por la anierieaua. Esta en su proyeeto liablaba 
 solo de la propiedad individual. I'ero no ignoran eiertanu-nte los liouor.ables linlivid- 
 uos de la Comlsion amerlean.a. y liasta seria ofeinlei- su grande ilustraeion el supon- 
 erlo. c|ue adenias del indlviduo hay otras personas juridicas en el seno de todas las 
 soeiedades civlles, que sou capaees, per la le.ie^. ,!e .eiquirir y eouservar la propiedad 
 mueble. e lumueble. Las soeiedades mercantiles e Industrlales, las de Dereeho eomun 
 eivil. los eslablecimientos publicos como os de benetieeneia o ensenauza. etc., ptieden 
 en Es])ana y sus colonlas adqulrir y couscrv.ir la proidedad ■<obredieha. que esta al 
 anq)aro de las mismas Icyes que rigen y protegeii la propiedad individtial. Pnes a 
 la propiedad de estas personas juridicas. conocida vulgarmente con el nombre de 
 propiedad eorporatlva, porque no es un Indlviduo slno una corporacion el dueno, se 
 retieri'n lodas las excepeiones couiprendidas en el segun<lo parrafo del artieulo ii del 
 proyeeto espanol. 
 
 En el euarto parrafo del mismo artieulo tamblen han llamado la atenclon de los 
 Senores Comisarios amerieanos respeeto a la entri-gade los Areliivos. las frases que 
 tienen por objeto manifestar que los Estados Dnldos dlspondran de ellos con los mis- 
 mos dereehos y obligaelones eon que basta ahora han estado a disposieiou del Go- 
 bernio espanol. La explicaelon de estas frases es muy obvla. El Estado mas que 
 dueno absoluto de los Arcbivos publicos, es su depositario y conservador, asl es que 
 no puede ilestruirlos ni enajeiiarlos. ni prlvar a los eiudadanos del uso que neee- 
 siten hacer de los documentos en ellos contenidos para la defensa de sus dereebos. 
 Ptiede el Estado destruir el regis! ro eivil (londe eonsta el estado civil de eada enida- 
 dano? Puede destruir el registro de la propiedad donde constan los tltulos de do- 
 minio del patrlmonio de eada cual? Clertamente no; pues eso es lo nuleo que se 
 dice en tales frases. I^os TCstaclos Cniilos podran ilisponer de los Areliivos eomo podrla 
 disponer el Goblerno espanol. pero nada mas que este dertn-ho puede este Oohierno 
 traosiuitirles. porqm.' niiigun otro mas [ie.ie sobre ellos. 
 
 A mayor abundemieuto y para que no ofrezea a la Comlsion amerir-ana duda al- 
 guna el sentldo del pcnsamlento de la espanola. esta sustltnye el artieulo 3 que tenia 
 presentado eon el que presenta ahora, en el que, ademas de suprimir la excepelon de 
 los blenes patrimoniales del Eiit.'ido. aelara los eoneeplos que pareeleron dudosos a la 
 Comlsion amerleana sobre los .\rehivos y sus p.-ipeles. He aqiii su texto: 
 
 •■.U! Ticri.o .-{. 
 
 "En ( unipUiniento de lo conveuido en los dos artieulos anteriores, Su Mn.iestad 
 i'atoliea. en la representaelon con que Celebru este tratado, renuncia y transliere a 
 
 65 
 
los Estados Unidos todos los ediflcdos, muelles, cuarteles. fortalezas. establecl- 
 mientos, vias publicas y demas bienes iiunnebles que con arreglo a Derecho son de 
 dDLuinlo publico, y que como de tal doujiaio iiublico coripspondeu a la Corona de 
 Kspana en la Isla de Cuba. 
 
 ■ 'iui-dan por lo tanto except^adoK de csta rcir'uiiMa y transferencia todos los 
 dercchos y bienes de cnalquiera clase que sea ouc. basta la ratificacion del presente 
 tra.tado, bayan veuido paciflcamente poseyeudo. en oonoepto de duenos, las Provin- 
 'Oias, ^Iiinioipios, EstabU'cimieiitos publicos o privados, (^crporaciones eclesiasticas 
 ■0 cix'iles y cualesqniera otras <.'oleoti\idades que teujraii le^almente personalidad 
 jui-idica para adquirir y poseer bienes en la Isle de ruha, y los particulares. eual- 
 quiera que sea su nacionalidad. 
 
 "Su iMajestad Catolica renuncia tambii-n y translierc a los Estados Cnidos. a 
 qnien so le entreg'aran por el Gobierno Esiianol, todos los documentos y titulos 
 que se reflerau exolusivameute a la soberauia transferida y aceptada. y a todos sus 
 dere<-hos. quo ixistan en los Arebivos de la Peninsula, Habjeudo de facilitarle coplas 
 <'uaud(» los Estados Unidos las reolainasen, de la parte eorrespoudienie a dieba so- 
 berauia que contengaii los demas documentos y titulos que se retieran ademas a 
 otros asuntos distinlos de la Isla de Cuba y de su soberauia y derefbos, que existan 
 en los meneionados .\rebivos. Una regla analogs babra reciprocamente de observarse 
 a favor de Espaua respecto a los doeumentos y titulos agenos en todo o en parte a 
 la Isla <le Cuba, que se b.illen aetualmeute en sus Arebivos y que intersen al 
 Gobierno espanol. 
 
 "Todos los ArehiA'os y registros oticiales. asi adniinistrati\-os eouio judiciales, 
 que estiin a disposicion del Gobierno de Espana y de sus autoridades en la Isia de 
 Cuba, y que se refieran a la ralsma Isla o a sus habitantes y a sus dereehos y bienes, 
 ■qued.irnn sin reserva de niiiguuo de esta clase a disposicion de los Estados Unidos 
 para que los eonserven o dispongan de ellos con las mismas facultades que basta 
 abora ban tenido sobre los mismos el Gobierno espanol y sus autoridades. 
 
 "I-os particulares. asi espanoles como cubanos, tendran dereebo a saf-ar, con arre- 
 glo. a las leyes. las copias autorizadas de los contratos, teslanientos y demas docu- 
 uientcs que forman parte de los protocol os uotariales o que se custodien en los Ar- 
 ebivos adininistrati\os y judiciales, bien cstos se ballen en Espana o eu la Isla de 
 Cuba." 
 
 En el articulo 6 del proyecto espanol i;o .';!■ couslgnaba la enusa de la cesion que 
 bace Espana a los Estados Unidos de la Isla de Puerto Rico y demas Antillas y de 
 la de Guam en las Marianas. Y siu embargo, csta causa esta expresaniente con- 
 signada en el ya citado despacbo del Secrelario de Estado en Wasbington, contes- 
 tando al Meusaje del Gobierno espanol. Eu el despues de manifestarse que el Seuor 
 President e de la Republica uo reclamaba una Indemnizacion pecuelaria por la guerra 
 para dar prueba de una senalada generosldad. se lee el slguiente parrafo: "Sin em- 
 bargo no puede i>ermaneoer Insensible a las perdidas y a los gastos ocasionados por 
 la guerra, ni a las reclamaeioues de ntiestros conciudadanos con niotivo de los dauos 
 y periudicios que ban sufrido en sus personas y bienes durante la ultima insurrec- 
 cion de Cuba. 
 
 "En consecuencia esta obligado a pedir la cusion a los Estados Unidos y la evae- 
 iiacion inmediata por Espana de Puerto Rico v de las demas islas que se ballan ac- 
 tuiilmente bajo la soberania de Espana en Lis ludias occidentale.s. asi como la cesion 
 en las Ladrones de una isla designada por los Estados Unidos." 
 
 Estos desjgnaron la Isla de Guam. 
 
 Eos Gomisarios espanoles sustituyen el articulo 6 de su anterior proyecto con el 
 qu? abora prosentan. baciendo constar la ( ausa de la cesion. La Comision ameri- 
 cana es bien segnro que en este punto estara conforme con la espanola para que en 
 el tratado no aparezcan los Estados Unidos adquiriendo gratnitamente aquellas islas. 
 
 He aqui el articulo: 
 
 "AKTTCrLO 4. 
 
 "En compensaclon de las perdidas y gastos ocasionados a los Estados Unidos 
 por la guerra. y a las reclamaclones de sus conciudadanos con motivo de los danos 
 y perjuicios que hubiesen sufrido en sus personas y bienes durante la ultima insu- 
 reccion de Cuba, Su Majestad Catolica, en nombre y representacion de Espana, y 
 constitucionalmente autorizada por las Oortes del Keino, cede a los Estados Unidos 
 de America y estos aceptan para si mismos, la Isla de Puerto Rico y las otras Islas 
 <5ue actualmonte estan bajo la soberania espanola en las Indias occideutales, asi 
 como la Isla de Guam en el Arcbipielago de las Marianas o Ladrones. que fue ele- 
 gida por los Estados Unidos de America en virtud de lo convenldo en el articulo 2 
 del Protocolo firmado en Wasbington el 12 de Agosto ultimo." 
 
 Respecto al articulo 7 del pro.vecto, la (.'omision espanola entiende por cuanto va 
 dicho eu este Memorandum, que debe sostenerlo sin otra variante que la Indispens- 
 able para ponerlo en relacion con los nuevos artlcules que se presentam. 
 Quedara pues redactndo en la forma siguieute 
 
 66 
 
■AUllCULiO 5. 
 
 •Esta eesioa de lii soberania sobre el tirnldi-io y liabitantes dc Pucrlo Rko y 
 las domas islas moucioiuulas se ontleude que consiste en la cesiou de los derechos y 
 obligacioiies, bieiics y docuuieuiDS relativos a la soberania de dichas Islas. Iguales a 
 los QiK' I'l'sp'Cto a la renuucia y Iransfereiicla de la soberania de la Isla de Cuba, se 
 definon on los arueulos anterlores." 
 
 En resuiuen de tedo, resulta que la unlca cuestlon quo hasta aliom oxisto y 
 aguai'da nnft rosulucion de anibas Comisi oaos osia rcducida a una cuestlon pecual- 
 aria. de iniportancia relativameute seeund;ni:i paia una de las Altas Partes contra- 
 tantes, la de la deuda colonial. 
 
 Y entlenden los Coinisarios espandles qne no es posible que una cuestlon de esta 
 Indole pueda dejar de tener ima solucion satisiatioi-ia, ya que media entre partes, la 
 una el nuis ffrande Estado del Xuevo Muiido. iiuuciisanu'nte rico y prospero. eon 
 inasotables reoursos con que lo dota la n.um-alc;:a y la prodigiosa acliridad de sus 
 habilantes. y el cual adquiere ailemas por csi^ li.iiado lorritorios do gi-ande inipor- 
 tancia. realizaudo nsi una aspiraciou de Sii politica en America, y la otra una grande 
 y noble nacion del antlguo. cordial auiigii dt auuel en dias para ella mas prosperos, 
 pcro enipobrecida lioj- por las desgracias que sobre ella ha acuniulado el sigio que 
 terniina. con ur Tesoro cargado de oblig;icinnes y a la cual este tratado le reserva 
 la ci.niirniacion solemne dc la perdida de los ullimcs restos del imperio americano, 
 cuyo dcscubrimiento hizo posible la existeucia dc -iquella gran Repubiica y que 
 adenias con el tanto enriquccio ai uiundo modcrno. :i costa quizas de su propio bien- 
 estar y del desarroUo que tenia dereclio n esperar de sus tjrandes clcnientos de rl- 
 queza acumuiados y no explotados en su scny. por dedicar preferente su ateneiou a 
 colonias. que coroo otros seres en el ordeu dc la naturaleza a quiches .su madre 
 dedica sus desvelos. ba criado y sostendio a cosla de su propio bieuestar. 
 
 i;st:i confjrme: E.MIIJO DE UJEDA. 
 
 TRANSLATION, 
 (Annex to Protocol No. 9.) 
 
 MEMORANDUM, 
 
 It Is with deep regret that the Spanish Commissioners have thoroughly ac- 
 quainted themselves with the memonindnni presented by the American Commis- 
 sioners at the last session, held on the 17th instant. In this document the said 
 gentlemen, relying upon assertions and views to the accuracy of which the Span- 
 ish Commission cannot subscribe, despite the uxjright intention with which it doubts 
 not they were expressed, and by saying that tliey sul>stitute for tlie draft of the 
 two articles relating to Cuba and tlie other islands, which the.v presented at the 
 session of the .Srd instant, two other articles which are limited to literally copying 
 the two first articles of the Protocol of Washington, alleging in this behalf that 
 they understand that the treaty of peace, so far as it refers to the sovereignly of 
 the West Indies and the Island of Guam, in the Marianas, should contain neither 
 more nor less than a literal reproduction of those two articles. 
 
 But as these alread.v form a part of a binding agreement, which the Protocol 
 of Washington is, it seems useless merely to reproduce them in the treaty which 
 is to be elaborated in the conference. Contracts, private as well as international, 
 are perfect and produce all their effects for the parties executing them without 
 the uecesslt.v of any subsequent confirmation, which can in nowise increase their 
 efTicacy. Therefore, this reproduction, if the treaty of peace relating to the West 
 Indies Is to be thus limited, as the American Commissioners desire, seems to be 
 redundant. 
 
 If this consideration is pure reason, f>r even mere common sense, the priqjosal 
 of the American Commissioners can only be comprehended on the supposition that 
 the latter understand that the treaty, apart from any provision of a secondary 
 character that may be included therein, should relate only to the Philippine Archi- 
 pelago. 
 
 If such is the thought of the American Commission, the Spanish Commission 
 cannot assent thereto, because It understands that Its execution would be an in- 
 fraction of the Protocol. 
 
 67 
 
After the three couditinns which the Seeretary of State at Washinfcton. re- 
 plying on July ;iO last to the message of the Government of Her Catholie Majesty 
 of the 22nil uf the saifl month, proposed to Spain for the termination of the war. 
 he said: '"If tlie terms hereb.y offered are accepted in their entirety <-oniniission- 
 ers will be named by the United States to meet similarly authorized commissioners 
 on the part of Spain for the purpose of settling the details of the treaty of peace 
 and siffuing and delivering it under the terms above imlicated." These iletails 
 do not appear to be circumscribed to the archipelago. 
 
 The very President of the American Republic, in the conference be held on 
 August 10 with the Ambassador of France, representing Spain for the time be- 
 ing, made au absolute distinction between the Protocol and the treaty of peace, 
 stating that the former should only be a mere preliminary document which should 
 have no object or effect other than to record without any delay the agreement ot 
 the two Governments upon the principles themselves of the peace, and that, there- 
 fore, it would not be necessary to reserve therein either the rights of the Cortes 
 or those of the Federal Senate, who were charged only with the ratitication of the 
 tinal treaty. 
 
 The President, it is true, siioUe of the Philippine yuestiou to state that it was 
 reserved for the Paris conference; but he never said. <»■ even intimated, that this 
 subject should be the onl.v one to be treated by this conference. 
 
 And. finally, in Article V of the Protocol, framed in harmony with all tliese 
 antecedents, it is said that the Commissioners named by both High Parties were 
 to proceed to Paris to negotiate and conclude a treaty of peace, without limiting 
 or restricting their object, and, on the contrary, employing a phrase the evident 
 meaning of which is that the treat.v of peace to be elaborated by the Commis- 
 sion shoulil settle all questions at the time pending between the two states which 
 were not nlread.v settled in the preliminary agreement of the Protocol. 
 
 It is true that the American Commissioners base their last draft on the ground 
 that everything relating to the Spanish Antilles is already settled in the Protocol. 
 But this argument is precisely the one to which the Spanish Commis-sioners fronj 
 the very first conference have not been able and are now unable to assent. 
 
 The Americans in their memorandum of the 11th of this month stated that 
 the Spanish Commissioners placed conditions to the relinquishment of sovereignty 
 over Cuba in their proposal. A very serious error. In that proposal the absolute 
 and unconditional character of such relinquishment is not disregarded: all that is 
 done therein is to lay down what this relinquishment consists of. And this is 
 essentially different from what the American Commissioners understand. 
 
 And that, in fact, the articles of the draft of the Spaniards have for sole object 
 the establishing of the meaning of the relinquishment, but not to subject it to eon. 
 ditions. is demonstrated by the very object of the oral and written discussions 
 which have been taking place between the two sides. 
 
 The -\meriean Commissioners understand that the only meaning which can be 
 giveu lo the relinquishment of the sovereignty agreed upon in the Protocol is that 
 of the abandonment of this sovereignty, to deduce therefrom that Spain should 
 abandon the Island of Cuba just as any power may abandon a desert territory in 
 Africa which it might formerly have possessed. 
 
 -\Ithough the Sp.anlsh Commission distinguishes bclwecn the legal mr'ariing of 
 the woril "abandonment" and that of the word "relinquishment," it would not en- 
 gage in this technical discussion (improper in ;i diplomatic conference! were it 
 not for th.' fact that the American Commission urges its opinion as the principal 
 ground for its cl.iim that through such supposed abandonment all legal bond is 
 severed and iio iii'w mic. gniws out of the act. as between Spain and tin- rniti-d 
 States, up. in the latter t.iking possession of the island either in their own name and 
 for themsidves or in the name of and for the Cuban people. 
 
 Knt this claim, unexampled in the diplomatic anmils of the world, caniini be 
 adndttcd by the Spanish Commissioners, who make a part hereof of all that they 
 Set forth in the first section of the memorandum they presented in reply to the 
 draft of articles of the American Commi.ssion. and they add the following brief 
 observations which are suggested to them by the two memoranda lately presented 
 by the latter Commission: 
 
 The Spanish Commission pa.sses over the citation made in support of its opinion 
 by the American Commission from tlie Diceionario de Bscriche. which is certainly 
 a very respectable work, but whose only object is the exposition of the practical 
 principles of private municipal law. a very popular expositiim in Spain, it is true, 
 fls it serves as a mentor for young lawyers in the early period of their profes- 
 sional life, but which is alisohitcdy foreign to the science of international and 
 public law. 
 
 Cases of abandonment in the sense claimed are mit recorded in the modern 
 history of peoples save those of desert territories, or at best, populated by the 
 barbarous tribes of Africa. An abandonment of a tine state already formed, ex- 
 isting for centuries, witb a complete social and political organization and peopled 
 
 68 
 
wiUi iiiliabltants \vhi> ciiJi'V anil Iimvc thr liL-lil t" iMijn.v all tlic ben«'ms i>f niDdriii 
 (•ivillzatloii, has never heen known np tu the present time, and the Spanish ('om- 
 mlssioiiers do not Ijelieve tiiere Is sni'h n ease In tlie world. Al)andi)neil territories 
 are lef.'itlmatel.v oceupled li.v the state desiring to establish its sovereijint.v therein. 
 But this merely de facto oeeupation does not Impose upon the oeeupant dnties other 
 than those performed in tlie regions of .\friea by the European powers wltli regard 
 to barbarons tribes peopllni; or overrnniiing them. Hoes t'lc American Commis- 
 sion lielieve that the I'nited States, as o<-cnpants of the Island of Cuba (since tills 
 is the only condition upon which. ac<'ordinf; to (he view tliey defend, they are to 
 take possession of iti are to have no duties with respect to the Inhabliants of the 
 Creat Antllllan Isle other than those pcrl'ornii'd with ri'ganl to those degraded 
 linman beings? 
 
 We are fully satislied that such is not the tlKoight of the .\mcrican ConLiuis- 
 sioners. but their insisteuce in denying all iiiUcrence In law between the effects of 
 abainlonment and the elTects of relhiiinishmcnt inevitably leads to this conclusion. 
 And this. notwithstandliLg the asserticui of tlu' .\merlcan Commissioners in their 
 last inemoranduin to the elTcct tliat the I'nited States will atTord the iubabitants 
 of Cuba and flu'ir property all the protection they may need, as they have beiMi 
 doing in tlic small portion of ti'rritiM'y of (he islaml occupied by fm-ce of arms. I>o 
 the I'nited Stales believe that tliey ought not to recognize more rights in Spain 
 upon her relimiuishing her sovereignty over the Island of Cuba and its inhabitants 
 than they or any other power would hasten to recognize in the luost unforiuuate 
 of the African tribes whose territory tliey are ta.kiug'j But aside from the fact 
 that they theiuselves do not atlribnte to this obligation, which they say they have, 
 more than the right to be possessors of the island, it is also true tlnit the said 
 Commissioners do not lend themselves to this or any other obligation of the I'uited 
 States being recorded In tlie treaty, which, as they ilcmand. must be limited to 
 the reproduction of the two tirst articles of the Protocol. Therefore, this obliga 
 tloii. which in the uiemoraiidum tliey .say tliey contract, will not be enforceable, as 
 it is not ill the treaty: and witiioui any iiiteiition to offend tlie United Statis. logic 
 absolutely precludes the denial of the possibility of there happeniug. more or less. 
 la this connection that which happened with respect to the obligations which tlie 
 United States spontaneously ciuitracted in ihc iicgotiati(His leading up to the Pro- 
 tocol, ami which, notwithstanding this, i he .\nicric.in Comniissicuiers decline to have 
 apiiear in the treat.v. 
 
 The Congress of the United St.iies. in its joint resolution, and the President of 
 the Union, in his nitimatnm i.i Spain, could have demanded of the latter nation 
 (although it. is usele.ss to state lliat Spain would not have acceded to so liarsli a 
 deniaudl the ab.s(dute abandoiinieiil id' her sovereignty over Cuba in the sense in 
 which it is now demanded by the American Conimissiouers. as he cou'd have also 
 demanded its full ccssinn to the United Stales free of all burdens. Hut tlie trutli 
 is that he did not demand it bi'caiise he liiuited himself to claiming tlie relm- 
 quishnient of the sovereignty in order mat the Cuban people luigiit become free and 
 independent, or. what is the s.nue thing, the rcliininishment of the sovereignty 
 in favor of the Cuban peoiile. that they might bcciniie free and independent, al 
 though at the same lime be demanded that this reliniiUishment should be at the 
 outset made in favor of the United States for tliat people to whom tlie United 
 States were to give aid and guidance, as it was not otherwise possible for the 
 Island of Cuba to pass directly and immediately from the possession of Spain to 
 that of the Cuban people, as it was to remain in tlie control of the United States 
 until the paclHcation of the islaml. it seems to us that the American Commission- 
 er.- cannot fail to recognize this as strictly correct. 
 
 .\nd if such were the terms in which the Uiii'cd States expressed their de- 
 iiiand. to which Spain Anally acceded without the former having previously modi 
 ■ fled them, it is as clear as the light of day that the agreement which is fornmlaled 
 in Article I of the Protocol (for no other was concluded between the two High 
 Parties! must necessarily be taken in the scii.se of tlie terms in which it was |iro- 
 posi'd bv one of the parties and accepted by tlie otlier. and that it is not lawful 
 for cltlii".r of the parties m.w to alter those terms for the purpose of converting 
 thai reliiKinishmeut. demanded for a determinate purpose and following a proced- 
 ure agreed upon, into an absolute abamlonment. without the object and iiroceiliire 
 stipulated, as the .\merican Commission now contends should be done. 
 
 Therefore, what is to be set forth in tli- treaty is not the abandonment which 
 
 the American C.nnmlssion demands, but rather the relimiuishment agr I upon. 
 
 whl.h the Spanish Commission upholds. The case Is analogous to many oth.'rs 
 which colonial powers have had to meet when they los, their sovereignty over a I 
 or a part of their colonies. N.'vcr did a colonial power abandon, in the sense it is 
 now sought to urge, a colony that it might be converted into a new state, free iiiid 
 independent. When such a case arose the mother country ceded or ivliiuinisbed her 
 sovereignty if the colony had no, coiuincr.d it previously by force of arms, but 
 
 69 
 
she neviT abandoneil it iu the sense referred to. If the American Commissioners 
 are not in accord with this categorical assertion, we beg them to cite one case that 
 will contradict it. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners also beg the American Commissioners to direct 
 their calm and enlightened attention to the flagrant contradiction which stands 
 out between their theor.v and the acts which the United States have been carry- 
 ing into effect. .According to the American c'omnii^ision the onl.T legal situation 
 possible over the Island of Cuba between Spain un the one part and the United 
 States for themselves or in the name of the Cuban people on the other Is the fol- 
 lowing: Spain must abandon the Island of Cuba. The United States after the 
 ambandonment are to take possession of the island for the Cuban people. And 
 consequentl.v the transit of the island from one situation to another must be made 
 without establishing an.v legal bond between Spain and her former colonies and, 
 for the latter, the United States. Very well; the forces of the United States con- 
 quered Santiago de Cuba and signed a c.ipitulation with the Spanish military an- 
 thorities. In this they did not demand that the forces of the mother country 
 should abandon Santiago de Cuba, but that it should be delivered to the American 
 authorities, an inventory being made which was signed b.y both parties, in which 
 is recorded how much the one delivered and the other received. The .American 
 Commission which is in Havana, having been appointed pursuant to the provisions 
 of Article IV. of the Protocol, demands that the Spanish Commission deliver over 
 to it all that belongs to Spain in the exercise of her sovereignty, as well in the 
 civil branch as in the military; and this pursuant to the express Instructions of its 
 Government; and it is unnecessary to state that this delivery must also be made 
 with an inventory. 
 
 In view of these facts is it possible to deny to Spain, upon relinquishing her 
 sovereignty over" Cuba( the right to demand that the United States have it deliv- 
 ered to themselves? 
 
 But there is more than this: The American Commission, in spite of the the- 
 ory it Is urging, has accommodated its tirst steps to the theory urged by the 
 Spanish Commission. In the second paragraph of Aritcle I. which the former 
 Commission presented on October 3, It calls the relinquishment of the sovereign- 
 ty of Spain iu Cuba a cession, not an abandonment. And this cannot be explained 
 as a simple inaccuracy in language, because in Article II it establishes what are 
 to be the effects of the cession of the sovereignty of Porto Eico. and employs in 
 establishing these effects the same, exactly the same, phrases which it had just 
 employed in Article I to establish the effects of the relinquishment of the sover- 
 eignty in Cuba. A complete proof that the American Commission, notwithstand- 
 ing the opinion it sustained in the heat of the debate with the Spanish Commis- 
 sion on framing its tirst draft, understood that the effects of the relinquishment 
 of sovereignty were the same, exactly the same, as those of a cession. 
 
 And if it is argued that, although the effects are the same, the relinquishment, 
 which the American Commission called abandonment, is distingnished from the 
 cession in that the former is not made to any one who is to acquire the aban- 
 doned territory, whereas, on the contrar.v. cession is made in favor of some one 
 who is to acquire ceded territor.v, the American Commissioners also failed to mark 
 this difference in their draft, for. speaking iu both articles of the archives and 
 other papers whlcl- were to be the object of the relinquishment or cession, they 
 say the same thing 't both, employing the same phrases, that every certified copy 
 of said document that might be requested by an officer of the Spanish Govern- 
 ment should be issued to him at all times, and this is unintelligible save in the 
 sense that there must be some one to issue such copy. And it will be impossible 
 to issue it save b.v the one having in his possession the document to be copied. 
 And he who has not received it cannot have it in his possession. Consequently, 
 when the American Commissioners established in Article I the rules relating to 
 the delivery of the archives of the Island of Cuba, they acted on the supposition 
 that such deliver.v had to be made to some one. And this, and nothing more than 
 this, is what they set down in Article II relating to the delivery of the archives 
 of the Island of Porto Rico. 
 
 The American Commission, in order to sustain its inadmissible opinion regard- 
 ing the abandonment by Spain of the Island of Cuba, relies on the difference which 
 appears in the Protocol itself. They say that Spain agreed to cede only Porto 
 Rico to the United States, while she bound herself to relinquish the Island of 
 Cuba. From this they deduce that the effects of the obligation of Spain with re- 
 spect to one are broader than with respect to the other. We have already proved 
 by the very text of the draft of articles presented by the said gentlemen that 
 when they drew it up they did not even perceive this difference iu the effects 
 with respect to Spain. The difference, nevertheless, is well understood under an- 
 other aspect. The United States made a demand on Spain and afterwards declared 
 war on her that Cuba might become free :ind independent. And It is clear that, 
 having conquered, they could not demand that the island be ceded to them, ignor- 
 
 70 
 
•" Tr-Zl ?:; ,.r ..: n,o .-.n,.. ..o,„„„a ro^nnUn. Porto R.oo. and did s„b- 
 conHH-t '"' ''■'^ ';^,.,",.„^,„. „f tue in,„M- inland nnd of the others surrounding 
 rr''lwMeL wl. re,X .n"ssime its i„d.,,..„don<-o without tho will and .racious 
 Cuba ^'"•-•'^J' „ ;,,"tat.-V which will always hav it at their morny. owinfT to 
 Pons.-nt of the I nlteri . u _. ,„.,. „ „,,„,, „f ir„n) m the way of In- 
 
 thelr control over the '^'""''^ '■"■^'™^"*';^,-, '„V ,„„ „„,„„,,,, ^,„oh they said Amerl- 
 
 "•'"T^r u„a whiel S. n bound hevse.f in the artie.e of the ITotocol must 
 eiirnty m I uba to n mi n .| , «overei"ntv in the sense uiveii to the 
 
 '"■ ""'^r'r rX.n';-:;:::X-butX'Vi:;t"of a reiiu.uish .,. ..ropeny 
 
 pnrasebytheAnKilcan MM. ^_^^_^^^_ ^^^^.^l^ ^j_^_ A.neriean Gov- 
 
 speakius. as '^^^'^^'^'^j'^^^^'^ this reason it cannot do less than accept as an 
 enunent also ^'^-;;^;'^^^"^;^ ,*' bound to relin,p,ish the total sovereignty over 
 ofTieuil t"^'"'- ^""^f'J"'^"' f:,. ti^n ,„av bl.nl the United States, which is that of re- 
 ''?"• ":/'';i^^.;;rm he a of' ^a 'or ..,c Cuban people, for who,,,, aside from 
 celvmg the ,sland i° "'^ "" "^ i^j, ^„ ,.,,, ,„.,.,,. inspired their action (although 
 the biffh .'>""^"""" ^'° " 1 tbey freely and of their own motion constituted them- 
 
 Spam ca,,not assent J^ , ,^^,f« ,^„^,„,. „ „„. .,.,«„tiorum «estor- (although 
 
 selves a!:e,its. ^^ <' " J' „;,. ^^e not such -in ,-.„i sna,n"). as the law designates 
 
 tPey P>-'-'^: '";;'■ ;^^^';, ^,,^ managing and d._.fe:.ding the interests of another, al- 
 """ " , , tt r ma^ not have conferred upon him exnress and official power, 
 though the '"" •^"'.^f "^' „„";' „>erefo,.,. believe that tbe counterdraft of the Hrsl 
 ■rue ^J';'"-; ";™~:a'is fra,.,cd in ,.„. strict sense of Article I of the 
 
 article wh.ch the.> P" ^" . ' .„, ,, „i,|, ,|,e Spanish C<.n,missioue.-s p.-oceed to 
 
 Protocol, save ,n one mipo, t.,,ir j, n . 
 
 take up. , -, , , ,„,,.ric-i denial' l.'.l ..f Spain, as has been said, the re- 
 
 The ^•'"•'-\\';^fV;',,.,i„,„v over mbt in the terms set forth in this memo- 
 linqu,sb,nent of tne so\eiei,.iii,> 
 
 i-andum. r ,mniissi,.„ in its last mcmo,-andum but one says that, if Spain 
 
 . The •Y"f';''" ^„ted in he u imatum to the abandonment of the Island of 
 l,ad acceded as requ red ,„t ^^^^ everybody would have thought 
 
 Cuba wtthout delivering It to the U ^^ ^^^_ Everybody perhaps would 
 
 that Spain had '.".^''""'f'™"^ states, because it does not seem to tbe Spanish 
 have ^.'<'""" so e.eept the U ted S^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^.^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ .^ ^^ ^_^^ ^.^^^^ 
 
 Commission that '. '^ """,., \.,, „„„ t^e United States would have been sati^ 
 in Kurope or America «hKlo- abstaining fro,,, all 
 
 fled with ^^P-" -'^;'',;.1J,X rthat the people inhabiting It should continue 
 intervcnt,o„ „, the Ureatt. Anjine^ s nntUT!i\ right, making of 
 
 n..,ingan,ong,hen.se.ve^^^^^^^^^^ ^^.,_.,.,^^ .„ ^..^.„. „f ,„,,, „„,. 
 
 IS::^-;;:':^ mrwlt^orwit, ,-eference to the will of ,he United 
 
 *'"tf '■. the undeniable and immediate result of these terms tha, the United 
 It IS the uudenlaniL . u ^^^^._^ .^ ^^^^. ^^^^ _.^^_, __,,^. ^^.^^ ,„. 
 
 treaty relative to such relin.,uishment ,.„n,„,issi„ners. But, animated by 
 
 doing so had co,,,e. . ,i,.fei-ence to the 
 
 Bv this proposition the Spanish Com n„ss,one,-s '-: ^ "■,^,„" ;*:,,„ „,e paci- 
 U,.it«l States, the most important right he d by Sp„>. " ' ; '•„ "^,,„ J,,,,. 
 flcation of the island shall be ..ITected. that ,he> d,, not ,.ta,n 
 eignty. and that they pass it o^",'" ^^ •''' P;;';^ .^ „,„ „„, „ ,, ,i,e intent of the 
 The American Com,niss,on pcr>is,s ,„ "'"""-''■''"„,„ („ demand that It 
 united States, but does not want the notorious nght of Spain to 
 be carried out in due time to be of reco,-d in t.;<"V;^" .■„,„, ,„ „.,.epting the 
 
 But since the American Commissioners are dec,de,II.% opposKi to ' 
 
 proX. -ticle because of their constructio,, tha, ^[^ ";;^X"7ZZ^^y^'^ 
 article of the Protocol, the Spanish '■"■''""7';'"'';;;,,:'''./;U' ,.',.,. hut will 
 will m.t only strictly ag,-ee with the c:,r,vc, „,ean„.g "I Ib.,i nr. , 
 
 71. 
 
be seen to be worded imt only in its very terms bnt also in tlie seurenres literally 
 eopied from tbe notes wliieli |>reee(kMl its draftinfr and determined its imijoi-t. 
 
 Here is the new i)I)rasi'olo;;y whieli is proposed in snbstitution for tbe previons 
 one: 
 
 "Her t'atholie Majesty, the giieeii lieneTit .if Spain, in the name of her Ansinst 
 son. Don Alfon/.o XIII. Kin;; of Spain, thereniito eonstitntionally authorized by 
 the Cortes of the Klnjtdoni. reliniiuislirs her so\ treii^nt.v over anil title to i'ut)a. 
 
 "The United S.tates of Anierlea. areeptin^' said relincpilshmeut. reeeive tbe 
 Island of I'nba from Spain to lend it aid and fsiiidam-e ami Indd it nnder their con- 
 trol and soverumeut UTitil the p.ieiiiiMtion tliereof rcalizeil. they leave said eontrol 
 and i.'overnment to ihe I'ulian ipei.ple," 
 
 Basis of This Article. 
 
 l-ara^rapb one is I lu trans.-ript i>t Aiii,!c> I ..f ilie I'roioi-ol with the ihauaes 
 of diplomatie form. 
 
 The import and phraseology of par.r.; rapli two are taken from the nliimatum 
 addressed tcj Si)ain b.\- the (itpvernnient of Washington and efminiunieated on the 
 20th of April last by the Secretary of State to the Minister of Spain at Washing- 
 ton. There also appear therein the view.s and the sentences i)f tbe Anierii'.an 
 Government set forth in the reply of the Secretary of State of Washington of the 
 31st of Jul.v last ti> the messa.ire of tbe Spaitish Government proposing to termin- 
 ate the war. Here are the said sentences: 
 
 "The Government of the United Stall's lias not shared the apprehensions of 
 Spain (that of the lack of present aptitnde of the Cuban people for iudepeudeuee) 
 bnt thinks that in the perturbed and prostrate conditions of the island the said 
 Island needs aid and KUidauce. which the .\merican Government is iireparcd to 
 grant to it." 
 
 There is, therefore, in the new drafting of the article, no other import nor 
 other phra.ses than those set forth in tbe ultimatum of the United States to Spain 
 in the aforementioned note of their Secretary of State and in the Protocol worded 
 in compliance with the ultimatum aud in accordance with the intent of the United 
 States, as set forth in the aforesaid not e. 
 
 Notwithstanding that, the Spanish Commissioners especially request the Amer- 
 ican Commissioners to bear in mind that, if the legitimate demands on the part of 
 Siiaiu that the tieaty mention lier riglit to ask in due time of the ITnited States of 
 America the fulfilment of the engagement spontaneousl.v undertaken by them, to 
 leave the Island of Cuba free and independent whenever jn'ace is restored, be 
 distasteful to them, the former are reail,v to forego this demand, leaving it ex- 
 clusively to the determination of the United States to decide at what time this 
 engagement .should be fultilled. if the conclusion of the pending treaty of pe:ice 
 can be snltserved by sucli renunciarion 1).\- the Spanish Commissioners. 
 
 The American Commissioners also reject Hie other articles of the draft sub- 
 mitted by the Spaniards. 
 
 They do not admit that the charges and obligations of the sovereign which 
 proceed exclusively from the public ser\ici. of the cidon.v are part of the sover- 
 eignty. The Spanish Commission, without entering upon a purely technical dis- 
 ctis.siou of the question as to whether sucli obligations form part of the sovereignty 
 or are merely an effect of the exercise of the sovereignty itself, for tbe result of 
 such a discussion would be absolutely without eft'ect upon the point on vi'hich 
 the Commissioners ou both parts do not agree, will simply proceed briefly to set 
 riglit the facts and the opinions which are set forth in the American memorandum 
 of the 14th instant. In order to demonstrate that the colonial obligations of .Sjiain 
 iu Cuba must not remain a charge upon that isl.-ind. the American Commissioners 
 state that these obligations were contracted by tlie Crown through the medium of 
 its officials in the colony, but without an.v intervention or consent towards sucli 
 obligations on the part of the colony. 
 
 It is true, the colonial .system then prevailing in Spain did not confer upon its 
 colonies the right of having elected Chambers which would administer the .su- 
 preme powers in con.innction with the so^'ereign. In the last twenty years, how- 
 ever, it was not thus. Tbe .\ntilles bad representalives in both Chambers who 
 surely intervened in all the li'gislative acts bearing upon colonial obligations witli- 
 out ever protesting against their lawfulness or binding force. Moreover, besides 
 this, ir cannot be denied that so long as this system iirevailed. maiiitainiiig all 
 the cliaracteristics of le,galit.v established .it the time, tbe acts which the colonial 
 sovereignty performed witliin the powers witli which it was invested by law, were 
 perfectly lawful, .■iiid carried, as tlicy ciild not fail to do, all their rightful con- 
 sequences. It is a fundainciital maxiiii of public law, without whicll the credit of 
 a state could not exist. Imm.ius,. the v.Uiility of all Its acts uoiild always be at the 
 merc.\ uf any l riiiiiiphanl i-i.\-olutioiiar.\' nio\ (-aieiit wh.i lsoe\ er. 'Pbe wisdom of 
 
the ac-ls of tho s(ivi>ri'i«ii iiim.v Ih' iHsiiiss.mI. Inn n lu-n Ihi-.v liavi' lirrii cxi'i-iilcil 
 by virtue r>f his attributes ami in Ilie s.ilenm form reeojiiiized and <-slahllslieil by 
 law. their lawfulness anil liluilin;.' iharai-tin- are uol a matter tor (llsi'ussloii. 
 
 This principle was recognized by the First Consul when he concluded his first 
 treaty of August 'J-l. I.SOI. witli Havana. In its fifth article be agreed to ai)ply lb.' 
 provision of the Luneville treaty of peace with regard to the mortgage debts (jf 
 the country on the left bank of the Rhine, In those territories there were Diets 
 which participated in the p.vwer of tho sovereign, and for this reastm the said 
 treaty of I.uneville demanded that such debts should have been agrecil to by thcni. 
 But in the Puchy of Deux-I'onts and In that i)art of tlie Palatinate of the Uliini- 
 which France acquired by the treaty with Havaria there was no sui-li a govern- 
 mental institution, and. therefore, the First Consul agreed in the treaty of 18(11 
 that tlie debts should follow the countries, provideil they had been registered at 
 their origin by the supreme adinlnlstrative authority. 
 
 If tile position opposed to this doctrine were luaintained. the Uussian people 
 might lH> exempted from meeting all the obligafous thai may have been or may 
 be contracte<l by Its Emperors while thl.s system should i>btain. for the administra- 
 tion and government of their Empire, iu the event of tlie abolition of the auto- 
 cratic system now prevailing in Russia. The United States themselves, who as a 
 matter of fact coutinued to obseiwe after their emancipation many of the provis- 
 ions of law enacted previously without their intervention by the |io\vcr of the 
 mother country, would have to return to Russia Alaska, which the Kiuperor sold 
 to them in 18C7 without the interveutiou in such sale of the inhabitants of the 
 country thus sold; lilcewis.' tlii^y sliould return to Spain Flori.la, for tlic same 
 reason, etc. 
 
 If in order that a debt be lawful it be iu»ccssary that the people wliich has 
 to pay the same should intervene when it is incurred, when the law does not con- 
 fer such intervention, how much more neees.sary must the iutervention of a peo- 
 ple be when its sovereign sells the territory wbicli it inhabits. 
 
 The very act of cession of sovereignty over the Antilles would be tainleil with 
 nullity, since the Cuban and Porto Ricaii peoples have uot been consulted and 
 have not e.^pressed their formal as,sent to the Protocol of Washington. Such are 
 the consequences of a theory which in the heat of discussion has been advanced 
 in the memorandum of the .\meri<-an Coiiiinissioners. 
 
 Tlie very point which most limits the frei'doin of action of sovereigns in tlie 
 conclusion of their treaties is that relative to the debts of their states. As to the 
 integrity of their territory and even as to their own honor they may bind them- 
 selves freely and validly becjiiise they dispose of what is their own. But this lib- 
 erty is curtailed when their acts immediately reflect on the lawful riglits of those 
 private parties who lawfully acquired said rights under the protection of the laws 
 and have thereafter liad no part whatsoever in the conflicts which are solveil by 
 treaties, and should consequently not suffer unduly from the con.seciueni'cs of sueh 
 treaties to the prejudice of their private and legitimate interesls. 
 
 When the creditors of a state make a i-ontract with the same, they always take 
 Into earnest account the conditions of solvency of the state to which tliey lend 
 their property. Hence, when these conditions of solvency are impaired in couse- 
 queiice of territorial cessions, tlie High Contracting Parties between whom these 
 cessions are effected, that which makes the ce.s.sion as well as that wliicli acquires 
 the ceded territory, always endeavor wholly to respcet such riglits by means of a 
 partition of the obligation between the territory kejil by the ceding sovereign and 
 the territory acquired Iiy the sovereign to whom it is eedeil. This is what has been 
 done in the treaties of ti'rritori.al ce:isi, n. 
 
 But when the creditors have been granted by the very certificate of tlieir con- 
 tract a direct lien on certain defined property or I'ertain defined inccune. in order 
 thus to recover the loaned capital and its legitimate interest, the sovereign caiiUiit 
 then, 'vithont first reckoning with their consent, cede or freely dispose of such prop- 
 erty and incomes as if they were his full and exclusive property. 
 
 If a sovi reign should consent thus to trample upon rights which are not his 
 own. those to whom such riglits appertain would not bo bound to submit and re- 
 main without appeal, in the name of the sacred principles which protect private 
 Iiroperty. to the respect of what belongs to him. whoevir be may be who has In 
 his power that which lawfully belongs to him. 
 
 And it were well in this connection formally to record that even granting that 
 the principle sustained by the Spanish and contested by the -American Commission, 
 to wit, that the colonial debt should not be chargeable to the mother country. Is 
 Inadmissible, this could never mean that Si>nin should now assume, with resiieet 
 to the holders of that d bt. more obligations than she contracted upon creating It, 
 And. therefore, with respi.<t to th.-it part of the debt where she contracted only j 
 subsidiary obligntiou to jiay (since at Issne It was expressly scured by i'ertain and 
 determinaie revenues and reieiiits). Spain will have the right, under the law. to 
 
 73. 
 
consider that she is not lyound to pay such debt sjive in the fvpnt of the revenucB 
 and receipts primarily hyiiotheej^ted to the payment thereof proving: ins^iffioient. 
 for not until then, according to the elementary rules of law, will the subsidiary 
 obIi^^^tion siie contracted be enforceable. 
 
 Without expatiating to-day (\pn the information, very incorrect, whicli is set 
 forth in the American memorandum concerning the Cuban debt, the Spanish Com- 
 mission would confine itself to assertinj; that as a general rule the Island of Cuba 
 has not since its discovery covered its own expenses. 
 
 As long as Spain kept the American colonies the island was sustained b.v the 
 pecuniary aid of her sisters and sptcially by that of the Vice-Royalty of Mexico. In 
 this century, for a very few years, she had a surplus, thanks to the development of 
 her natural resources, at last ol)tained through this assLstance, and it is true that 
 this surplus was turned over to the treasury of the Peninsula. But with this excep- 
 tion it is patent that the general accounts of the Spanish state from 1.S9G-1807 show 
 that the treasury of the Peninsula advanced to Cuba, in the years preceding that 
 recent peiiod, a sum amounting to 429,602,013.08 pesetas. There also appears an ad- 
 vance to Porto Rico of .S,22n,4SS.r>7 pesetas, and to Santo Domingo 1.397,161.69 pe- 
 setas. 
 
 The prosperity of Cuba was ot short duration; for the greater part of the tlmefrom 
 the days of Columbus, by reason either of tlie scarcity of its Inhabitants or of the 
 slavery of the black race which formed the majority, or lastly because Spaniards 
 preferred to coloni/.e other parts of Am'Tica. the island was unable to develop 
 its natural resources; and it was nevei-thcless constantly necessary to expend in the 
 Island the large sums which were required for the establishment of reform and the 
 creation of the institutions which are the essential conditions of modern life. 
 
 The Spanish Commission cannot "but protest against the assertion made in the 
 American memorandum that the ten years insurrection was the outcome of just 
 grievances, and it regrets that such an assertion should have been made without a 
 necessit.v which would have required it unavoidably, in the same way as the 
 American Commission would surel.v. and with good reason, regret that the Spanish 
 Commission should say anything here without an imperative necessity of the jus- 
 tice of the rebellions of the natives of the immense American territory which the 
 United States had so often to suppress with an iron hand, and if it should also say 
 an.vthing of the right by which the Soutnern States attempted to break tlie federal 
 ■bond by the force of arms. 
 
 It is useless, for reasons that will hereinafter be stated, for the Spanish Com- 
 missioners to take up the concrete discussion of the divisions of the Cuban debt to 
 which reference is made in the American memorandum. They understand the errors 
 that may have found their way into that document, because it is very natural that 
 the American Commissioners should niit have- such accurate knowledge as is requi- 
 site for precise judgment of the acts of tlie Spanish administration in the Penin- 
 sula or in its colonies. 
 
 And we find a confirmation nf this in the facts. 
 
 In regard to the argument against the recognition of a certain part of the Cuban 
 debt, on the ground that the rebellion ot a minority of the Cuban people to obtain 
 their independence was just, we have only to make the following remark; 
 
 The insurgent minority, it is true, rose up in arms to secure 'the independence 
 of the island. The Unite<l States erroneousl.v believed that their cause was just, and 
 by force of arms caused it to prevail against Spain. But now the facts have 
 shown that Spain was right, as the United States themselves have had to recognize 
 that the Cuban people are not as yet in such conditions as are necessary to entitle 
 them to the enjoyment of full liberty and sovereignty. It is upon this ground thai 
 the United States have decided to withhold from that people the said privileges 
 and to hold them under American control until they become able to enjoy that lib- 
 erty prematurely demanded by them. 
 
 The Spanish Commission feels bound, furthermore, to call the attention of the 
 American Commission to the obligations of Porto Rico. 
 
 The American '^memorandum" which is now answered refers exclusively to the 
 obligations of Cuba. Is this omission due to the belief that as the sovereignty over 
 Porto Rico was not relinquished but cedeii by Spain to the United States, it must 
 be conveyed to the latter free from burdens of all kinds? Is the principal main- 
 tained that cessions of territory, for whatever causes, whether conquest, or a mere 
 agreement, do not carry witli them ispo facto all the burdens which encumber the 
 ceded territory? 
 
 In the oral discussion the American Commissioners stated that the Spanish Gov- 
 ernment had declared that no debt rested on the smaller .\ntille. The Spanish 
 Commissioners have carefully gone over all the written communications that have 
 passed between the two High Parties, from the ultimatum of the President of the 
 Union of April 20 of this year to the signing of the Protocol in Washington on 
 August 12 of the same. In none of them have they found a suggestion or trace of 
 such a declaration. And, be it said in passing, tliat among other obligations, the 
 
 74. 
 
smiilhr Antille has bw.'n Imnli'iiril Inr vi-ry many years witli a part, whldi tbi>ii!;li 
 small Is no less sacred, of the iHTiiottial and truly Just eharge through which Spain, 
 In the name of America rather than her oa^ti. has been showing her gratitude to the 
 Immortal Columbus, who discovered It, and his legitimate descendants, and, should 
 the conclusions of the .\nierican Commissioners prevail and Spain continue paying 
 it, logic would place the United States in the position of repudiating it. 
 
 But the fact is that the discussion upon the so-called Cuban debt seems to lack 
 opportunity at the present. 
 
 Tlie American Commissioners, when referring to tiie principal items of the said 
 debt, doubtless believed that the Spanish Commission had suggested in its draft the 
 si^id items to he at once admitted as colonial debt to be transferred together with 
 the sovi relgnty cither to Cuba or to tbo rnitcd States: and this is tile capital error 
 upon which the American memorandum is l)ased. The Spanish Commissioners only 
 wish that the principle, np to this time always admitted, to wit: that a debt t>eiug 
 exclusively the debt of a colony and afiftrctlng its territory, goes with the colony Itself, 
 be also recognized in this treaty. The American memorandum says notlilng in con- 
 tradictUm of this [)riuciple. nor do the SiKtnish Commissioners expect that anything 
 be now said against it. h ast of all by I lie I'nitid States, whose territory was 
 acquired by them not only with their l)iood but aI>o with the inone.v of their treas- 
 ury. There are pul>liclsls wiio maintain tiiat the thirteen original States paid over 
 to their mother country fifteen million pounds sterling l£15.uOO,0iK)i: and the facts 
 are official that the United states paid to I''r;ince, Spain, the Indian nations and 
 Rtissia respectively considerable sums of mttney for Lotusi-ana, Florida, the Indian 
 States. Texas, California and .\laska. This instance would he the first one in the 
 hlstor.v of the United States, in wlilch the.v, acting at variance with their own tra- 
 ditions, should have gratuitously acquired a territory which sooner or later will be 
 annexed to the Union. 
 
 The case of the acquisition of Texas, identical as to its origin, its process and its 
 end with that of the Island of Cuba, eloquently shows that the policy then pursued 
 with Mexico by the United States is different from the one now pursued with Spain. 
 In the case of Mexico the American arm'es, also in support of insurgents, the Texan 
 Insurgents, spread themselves over the territory of the whole Mexican Uepubllc, 
 and went as far (a fact which has not talien place in Cuba) as to capture the na- 
 tional capital. The United States demauded then from Mexico the independence of 
 Texas as they now demand from Spain the indeiiendence of Cuba, and furthermore 
 they caused Mexico to cede to them New Mexico and California, as now they caude 
 Spain to cede to them Porto Itico and the other Spanish islands in the West Indies. 
 But in the case of Mexico they did not ask from her CJovernmcnt any war indem- 
 nity, and consented not only to pay her the value of the territories ceded and an- 
 nexed to the American Empire, hut also to assume tlic payment of thn American 
 claims then standing agjiinst Mexico. 
 
 In the case of Spain, however, they have demanded from her, in the way of war 
 indemnity, the cession of the Islands above mentioned, and ask now, additionally, 
 that the burdens which encuml>er those islands as well as their sister Cuba be 
 thrown on the mother country, who with her own hands introduced them into the 
 life of the civilized world. 
 
 The only wish of tiie Spanish Commissioners is that the principle above referred 
 to be admitted and recognized. Its practical application may. according to their 
 understanding of the subject, he afterwards entrusted to a Commission of righteous 
 and impartial persons. If this Commission upon examination of the 1)111 of items to 
 be tiled by Spain, showing wiiat obligations ouglit in her opinion to be paid by either 
 Cuba or Porto Kicii siiould th'<-ide tiia tiiose obligations must fail on the mother 
 country, Spain shall submit to its decision. But if the Commission decides that the 
 whole or a part of the said debts ought to be paid by the colony, there is no reason 
 why tlie United States in their turn should not also submit to the award. If the 
 United States feel so sure, as they seem, in thiir position, they cannot sec any 
 danger In assenting to the proposition herein made by tiio Spanish Comndsslon. But 
 if Uiey are not so sure, their high sense of Justice and the duty of respect which 
 they owe to thems Ives impose upou them the obligation of causing a matter of 
 mere pecuniary interest to be made subordinate to the sacred cause of Justice. 
 
 And in order to show to the Americ.in Commission that the Spanisli Commis- 
 sioners have no other wish than the one stated, and that their purpose is nut by 
 any means to have a fixed sum adjudged at this time, as a colonial debt to be paid 
 by the Spanish Antilles, they have decided to withdraw Articles II, IV and V, as 
 drawn up by them in their former draft, and offer as a sitbstitute for the thn-e, a 
 single article reading as follows; 
 
"AUTICLE II. 
 
 "The i-eliiKiuisbim-nt and traiisfi-r m.iae by Her Catholic Majesty and accepted 
 by the United States of America embrace: _ 
 
 "1. All the prerogatives, pon-ers and rights belonging to her Catholic Majesty 
 as a part of her sovereignty over the Island of Cuba and its inhabitants. 
 
 "2. All the Charges and pecuniary obligations, outstanding at the date of the 
 ratification of this treaty, which upon cartful examination of their origin, their pur- 
 'poses and the conditions of their creation, should be adjudged according to strict law 
 and undeniable equity to be different from the charges and obligations which prop- 
 erly and specifically belong to the Peninsular treasury, owing to their having been 
 at all times properly and specifically belonging to Cuba. 
 
 "To secure the careful examination provided for in the foregoing paragraph, a 
 Conmiission consisting of competent and impartial persons shall be appointed by 
 the two Higli Contracting Parties. The manner of this appointment shall be deter- 
 mined in this treaty by a separate article." 
 
 The American Commissioners do not feel disposed to concur with the Spanish 
 Commissioners in the exception made bv the latter in the second paragraph of Ar- 
 ticle III. of their draft, regarding what is called p.atrimonlal property of the state. 
 The state, under the Spanish laws, exercises all rights of o^vnership over the prop- 
 erty declared by law to be public property, .and it is plain that in this case the 
 cession of the sovereignt.v carries with 't the cession of all those rights. But the 
 state in Spnin can also, in the capacity of a body politic, or corporation, acquire and 
 hold real property, b.v the same means and through the same processes as private per- 
 sons can do under civil mimlclpal la^^'. This peculiar kind of property was the on& 
 referred to in the exception suggested by tlie Spanish Commissioners. Notwith- 
 standing tills fact, and in order to show once more that they feel disposed to com- 
 promise differences, and to promote peace, the Spanish Commissioners do hereby 
 waive the said exception, and acce|it that the patrimonial property of the state be 
 also included in the cession and tran.sfer of the sovereignty of Spain over tbe An- 
 tilles. 
 
 As to the other exceptions which were then suggested, the Spanls^li Commission 
 cannot believe that the American Commission will ever refuse to accept them. The 
 American Commission in its draft refers onl.v to individual property. But the Honor- 
 able Commissioners of the United States are not ignorant of the fact, and the mere 
 suggestion of it would involve an offense to their great learning, that in addition 
 to individual persons there are other persons, capable In all civil societies, of law- 
 fully acquiring and holding property both real and personal. Commercial and in- 
 dustrial firms, ordinary co-partnerships, ptiblic establishments, whether charitable 
 institutions, schools, or others, can in Spain and her colonies acquire and hold prop- 
 erty and enjoy the same protection as is given under the laws to the propert.v of 
 Individual persons. All the exceptions suggested in the second paragraph of Article 
 III. of the Spanish draft, refer to the property belonging to the said coi-porate enti- 
 ties, which cannot be considered as individual persons. 
 
 Certain phrases to be found in the fourth paragraph of the same article, relating 
 to the delivery of imblic archives, and stating that the United States shall exercise 
 over them the same rights and be subject to the same obligations as Spain, have 
 attracted the attention of the American Commission. The explanation of the reason 
 Tvhy these phrases were used is easy to be made. Properl.v speaking, the state is 
 not the absolute owner of the public archives, but rather the keeper or depositor.v of 
 the same. It Is for this reason that it cannot destroy the documents which belong 
 to them, or dispose of them by sale or otherwise, and also, that no citizen can be 
 deprived of the right to make use of those documents in defense of his rights. Can 
 It be In the power of the state to destroy the Registries of the Etat-civil and with 
 them all the evidence as to the civil condition or status of all its citizens? Can 
 'it be in its power to destroy the property registries, wherein the title deeds and the 
 proofs of the ownership of ail property are kept and preseiwed? Certainly not. But 
 this is precisely what is meant by the plirases above mentioned. The United States 
 shall have the same rights as far as their archives aii^ concerned as .Spain used to 
 have; — and those rights, the only ones vested in Spain, are also the only ones which 
 She can transfer to the United States. 
 
 Nevertheless, and in order to remove from tile minds of the Ami-rican Commis- 
 sioners any possible doubt as to the real intention of the Spanish Commissioners, 
 in framing as they did the aforesaid Article III, they have decided to consent to 
 modify that article and word It in a different way, omitting to except from the 
 operation of the cession the patrimonial property of the statL\ and explaining the 
 points which the American Commissioners deemed to be doubtful. Here Is the text 
 of the article as amended: 
 
•Ai;Tiri,K 111 
 
 •In i.ursuiiuv of the agrefmont contalneil in the two prwedini; articles. He.- 
 Cntholk- Maie-ity aotins In the same repres(.ntatlve capacity in which this treaty ■« 
 entered into rc'linaulsl.es and transfers t.. the fnite,! .Statts all the hnlidin^.^. 
 wharves ha'rracks. fortresses, establishments, pnbllc highu-ays, and all other real 
 propert.v' which a.>pertaln under the law to the i.ublic domain, and «-liich as such 
 belons to the Crown of Spain In the Island of Cuba. 
 
 'The rights and the property of all kinds whatsoever wMch up to the date of 
 the ratification of this treatv have been either p,.ae<.fully exercised, or possessed or 
 held by the provinces, municipalities, public or private Institutions, civil or ecclesi- 
 astical corpoRitlons. or any other collective entities having legal c;.pacity to a.qulre 
 and hold prepertv in the Island of Cuba, and by private individuals of whatsoever 
 nationality shall not lie included In the relinquishmrnt and transfer above made. 
 
 "Her (itholie Majesty al.so relinquishes and transfers to the United States a'l 
 the documents and title papers exclusively relating to the sovereignty tniusfirre.t 
 and accepted and to all rights thereof, which may be found in the archives of the 
 Peninsula. Copies shall also be given to the IJnlted States whenever they may ask 
 for them, of the passages concerning the said sovereignty and riglits. which may 
 occur in other documents not relating to the Island of Cuba, but to other subjecls 
 foreign to it, which may exist in the said archives. And the same shall be ob- 
 served recipi-ocally in favor of Spain regarding documents and papc-rs. haviti.- 
 nothing to do. either in whole or in part, with the Island of Cuba, now to be found 
 in the Cuban archives, which may be of interest to the Spanish Government. 
 
 •'All th • official archives and registries, whether belonging to the judicial or t.i 
 the executive ilepartmeiits of the Government, now al the disposal of the Spanish 
 Government and its authorities in the Island of Cuba, and relating to the sa'd 
 island or its inhabitants, and to their rights and property, shall be left without re- 
 striction of anv kind at the disposal of the United States, in order that the latter 
 may keep thmi with the same powers whieh were heretofore vested in the Spanlsn 
 Government and authorities. 
 
 ••Private indiviiluals. whether Spaniards or Cuban.s. shall have the right to ask 
 for and obtain, in the niannir provided by law, authenticated copies of all co.i- 
 tracts. last wills and testaments, and other documents to be found in the notarial 
 archives, which are deemed to form piirt of the judicial or executive archives either 
 in Spain or in Cuba." 
 
 Article VI of the Spanish draft did not set forth the reason of the cession made 
 by Spain in favor of the Unite<l States of the Island of Porto Rico, the other Span- 
 ish Antilles, and of the Island of Guam 'n the Marianas. That reason nevertheless 
 was explained in the despatch of the Secretary of State of the United States in his 
 answer to the message transmitted to him by the Spanish Government. Said des- 
 patch states that the President of the Republic did not demand the payment of any 
 war indemnity, owing to his desire to give testimony of signal gmerosity. and then 
 it says: 
 
 "Nevertheless he cannot be Insensible to the losses and expenses of the United 
 States Incident to the war or to the claims of our citizens for injuries to their per- 
 sons and property during the late insurrection in Cuba. He must, therefore, re- 
 quire the cession to the United Statts and the immediate evacuation by Spain of 
 the Island of Porto Rico and other islands now under the sovereignty of Spain in the 
 West Indies, and also the cession of an island in tho Ladrones, to be selected by 
 the I'nited States." 
 
 The island designated by them was the Island of Guam. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners have now decided to change the text of the article 
 as formerly framed by thim and oiler as a substitute another article which wi'l 
 leave on record the rea.son of the cession. It is quite certain that the American Com- 
 mission will agree with the Spanish Cmii mission In the advisability of pnn-enting 
 the United States from being shown in the treaty as acquiring gratuitously the said 
 islands. Here is the nuw text "f the articl": 
 
 "ARTICT.E IV. 
 
 •■In comi)ensation for the loss and xpenses incurred by the United States on 
 account of the war and for the elaims of their citizens for damages done to their 
 persons or property during the last insurrection In Cuba, Her Catholic Majesty. In 
 Ihe name and in representation of Spain, and constitutionally authorized to do so 
 by the Cortes of the Kingdom, cedes to the UnitMl States of America, and the latter 
 accept for themselves the Island of Porto Rico and all other islands in the West In- 
 dies which are now under the sovereignty of Spain, and also the Island of Guam In 
 the Marianas or I/adrones .\rchipehigo. .vhlch was chosen by the United States by 
 virtue of .\rtlcle II of the Protocol signed at Washington on August 12 ultimo." 
 
 In regard to Article VII In the draft of the Spanish Commission, the latter under- 
 
 77 
 
stands that it is its duty, for the reasons stated in this memorandum, to leave it as 
 it is, with no other change than that which is required indispensably to put it iu 
 harmony with the new ^^tiei^s now introiluced. In eonsequenee thereof, it wiil read 
 as foilows: 
 
 "ARTICLE V. 
 
 "This cession of sovereiRnty ipver the territory and inhabitants of Porto Rieo 
 and the other islands mentioned is understood to consist in the transfer of the 
 rlirhts and obligations, propert.v and documents relating to the sovereignty over said 
 islands, in the same way as was provided in the preceding articles in reference to 
 the relinquishnu nt and transfer of the sovereisnty over the Island of Cuba." 
 
 It results, iu recapitulation, that the only question up to now in existence be- 
 tween the two Commissions and awaiting their decision is a question of raonfy, 
 which as far as one of the High Contracting! Parties is concerned is relatively of 
 secondary importance. Thnt question is the one which relates to the colonial debt. 
 
 The Spanish Comm-is.sioni rs understand that a question of such a nature as this 
 cannot fail to be solved, satisfactorily between two parties, one of which is the 
 greatest nation of the new world, immensely rich aud prosperous, blessed with Inex- 
 haustible resources, whether due to nature or to the prodigious activity of Its in- 
 habitants, which on the other hand acquires by this treaty territories of great im- 
 portance, and thfreby tulflls an aspiration of its iiolicy in America, while the other 
 party is a great and noble nation of the old world, a cordial friend of her late an- 
 tagonist in days for her more prosperous, but now impoverished through the misfor- 
 tunes heaped upon her during the century which is about to terminate; whose tre.is- 
 ury is overburdened b.v obligations, and for whom the present treaty will mean the 
 solemn conlirmatiou of the loss of the last remnants of her American empire, al- 
 though through her discovery of the new world she was instrumental in the very ex- 
 istence of the Great American Republic, and to the enriohment of the modern na- 
 tions, perhaps at the expense of her own welfare and to the detriment of the full 
 development of the great elements of wealth accumulated in lier own bosom but 
 neglected through iier desire preferentially to attend to her colonies, creatures who 
 bke all others in the order of nature enli-Jt the utmost solicitude on the part of their 
 mother, who feeds and supports them at the sacrifice of her own welfare. 
 
 True copy: 
 
 EMILIO DE OJEPA. 
 
 78 
 
Protocol No. 10. 
 
 Protocolo No. 10. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 27. 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 27 de Octubre de 1898. 
 
 Present— 
 On the part of tlip I'nitpil Statps: 
 
 ilossrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FUYK. 
 
 i;i!AY, 
 
 i:i:ii). 
 
 .MOOHK. 
 KKKCtSSO.N. 
 Ou I lip part of Spain: 
 Mpssi-s. .MONTKKO RIOS. 
 ABAKZUZA. 
 (lARMCA. 
 VlLLAIItlU TTA. 
 CEKEUO. 
 OJEPA. 
 
 The protocol of the preppdiiiff session was 
 rp.id and approved. 
 
 The Amprican Coniniissionprs prpsputpd 
 their written reply, oopy of which i.s hereto 
 annexed, to the meiuarandum filed by the 
 Spani.*?h Coniiniissionprs at thp last session 
 in supptirt of tlip articles which they pre- 
 sented on the 21st instant, and which were 
 afterwards rejected by the American Com- 
 missioners. 
 
 The American Commissioners, referring 
 to the acceptance by the Spanish Commis- 
 sioners, in the terms expressed in the pro- 
 tocol of the last session, of the artic'lps 
 presented by the American Commissinnprs. 
 said that they were uncertain wliplher thi- 
 acceptance was intpndpil lo apply h. tin 
 articles first or to those last i)rpspnicil by 
 them, and suggested that, if it was Imma- 
 terial lo the Spanish Commissioners, the 
 American Commissioners preferred that the 
 acceptance should tx' taken to refer to the 
 articles first presented oy them, as those 
 articles contained provisions as to public 
 archives and records. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT of the Spanish Com- 
 mission replieil that, as his acceptance of 
 the articles was conditional upon the ap- 
 proval of the treaty of peace, he had no ob- 
 jection to accepting these or any other ar- 
 ticles, and especially as the first article of 
 the American project was the same, saving 
 differences in diplomatic form, as the first 
 paragraph of the first Spanish articles; but 
 that he did not mean that he renounced the 
 second paragraph of that article, and that 
 with respect to this part and to the other 
 articles presented by Spain, he reserved, as 
 provided in the protocol of the fifth ses- 
 sion, ail the rights theri'in contained. If 
 there was no ultimate agreement upon the 
 wliole. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT of the American Com- 
 mission replied that the American Coinmis- 
 e'oners were content to take the acceptance 
 
 I'resentes 
 
 Por parte de los Sstados Unidos de .Vmel- 
 ,ca,' 
 Ins Spnores DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAV. 
 
 REID. 
 
 M()t>RE. 
 
 I'EUGIISON. 
 i'nr |iarte de Espana: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZIIZA. 
 
 CAliXlGA. 
 
 VILLA-rliKll'IA. 
 
 CERERd, 
 
 O.IEDA. 
 
 Fue leida y a[irobada el acta dp la seslon 
 anterior. 
 
 Los Coinisarios americanas hacen entrega 
 de su pontpstaeion escrita que es anpxa aX 
 acta presente. ai Memorandum presentado 
 por los espanoles en apoyo de los articulos 
 presentados por ellos en la sesion del 21 del 
 corriente. que fueron rechazados por los 
 Comisarios ampricanos. 
 
 I. OS Comisarios americunos reflrieudose a 
 ia aceptacinn por los Comisarios espanoles, 
 i*n his tprminos expresados pn el actu de la 
 ultima sesion. de los articulos presentados 
 por los Comisarios americanos, manifesta- 
 ron hallarse inciertos sobre si dicha acep- 
 I a clou se referia a los articulos prlmera- 
 mente presentados por ellos o a los ultl- 
 Dios. .v sugirieron que si a los Comisarios 
 pspaniilps les era indifereute. los Comisari- 
 os americanos preferirian que la acepta- 
 pion recaye.se sobre los artlcnjios primera- 
 mente presentados por ellos. por contener 
 estos dlsposiciones relativas a los Arciiivos 
 publicos y expedientes. 
 
 E; Presidente de la Comlsiou eS)Miuola 
 pontesta que siendo su aceptaciou de dichos 
 articulos condicional de la aprobaeion del 
 tratado de paz, no tiene inponvenieute en 
 acpptar estos u otros articulos, tanto mas 
 puanto que el articulo lo del proyecto 
 americano, es Igual, salvo las diferenclas 
 de canclllerla, al primer parrafo del ar- 
 tipido tspanol: pero que esto no significa 
 que renuncle a la sesunda. parte de dlcho 
 articulo lo presentado por Espana, y que 
 en cnanto a esta parte del articulo y a los 
 deiuas presentados por Espana, se reserva 
 1 0lios los deechos que coni.ienen, como se 
 ponvlno eti el acta de la 5a. .sesion, si no 
 liubiese acuerdo ulterior subre la totalidad. 
 
 i;i I'rpsidpnie de la Comlslon americaua 
 (oiitesto que la.s Comisarios americanos se 
 avenian a que la acept-iclon de los Comisa' 
 
 79 
 
of the Spanish Commissioners, as expressed 
 in their paper, and entered in tlje protoeol 
 of the last conference, as applying to the 
 articles last snbmitted, which were ex- 
 pressed in the words of the Protocol of 
 August 1-2. ISyS. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT of the Spanish Com- 
 mission repeated that the form and word- 
 ing of tliose or of the other articles was a 
 matter of indifference to him; and he asked 
 whether the American Commissioners wiiuid 
 object to inserting in the article in which 
 the cession of i'orto Rico and the other 
 islands in the West Indies and tin- Island 
 of Guam was made, or in any of tin- ntlii'r 
 articles of the treaty, a statement that ilic 
 cession was made as indemnity for tlie ex- 
 penses of the war, and thi' injuries suffered 
 during it by American citizens. 
 
 THE I'KESIliENT of the American <'om- 
 niission replied that the articles slicmld 
 stand as wio'n they were accepted, and. he 
 considered, as disposed of for tlie present; 
 adding further that the American Commis- 
 sioners did not mean to be understood that 
 it should not appear in some proper fco-m 
 in the treaty that the cession of Porto Kico 
 and rhe idlier islands above referred to 
 was on account of indemnity for the losses 
 and in,iuries of American citizens and the 
 cost of the war. This view had been ex- 
 pressed in the note addressed to tJie Spanish 
 Government containing the demand of the 
 President of llie United Stales, and the 
 American Commissioners rei*(»gnized the 
 force and meaning of that demand. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT of the Spanisli Com- 
 mis.sion said that it was not ais intention 
 Dnw to discuss this point, loit to state his 
 desire tliat the question and tlie answer 
 to it shoulii be entered in the prutocol, 
 
 THE PRESIDENT of the Spanish Com- 
 mission then iminired whether the Ameri- 
 can Commissioners were ready to answer 
 the Avritteu proposal presented by the Span- 
 ish Commissioners at the last session, in 
 which the.y accejil ed conditionally the two 
 arti<*Ies of thi* American draft. 
 
 THE PRESIDENT of the American Com- 
 mlssirui said tliat he un<lerstood that in the 
 said proposal the American Commissioners 
 were invited to present their propositions 
 in regard to the Philippine Tslands. tind 
 said that as tliis matter was of c.ipital im- 
 portance, and as the American Commission- 
 ers were not yet ready to submit a pro|)osaI 
 ill ri'gard tn it. he would pr-'pns" iUl ail- 
 jnnriijoeiit in nrrler th.it they might have 
 ati ..ppoitunity tci lo so, and w<oild suggest 
 tliat ill the mean time the Secretaries sJnjuld 
 emleavor to agree on the terms of the arti- 
 cle relating to public property, archives and 
 rei-ords. in Cub.a. I'orto Rico and other 
 islands in the West Indl.'S. and Gnain, for 
 submission to the Joint Commission. 
 
 This suggestion was adopted, as well as 
 the proposal for an adjournment; and it w*;s 
 agreed, on motion of the American Com- 
 missiouers. that the Joint Commission 
 shioild meet ag.-iin on Momlay. the 31st of 
 
 rios espanoles. tal cual la expresaba el 
 escrito cousignado en el acta de la ultima 
 conferencia, se reflese a los articulos ul- 
 timameute presentaAlos. expresados en las 
 palalii-.is led J'rotocolo de 12 de Agosto de 
 
 E- IMesidcnte de la t omision espanola 
 repite ijui- le es in.liferente la forma y re- 
 ilaccion de uni;s n otros articulo.s. y pre- 
 gunta a la (_!omision americana si esta teu- 
 dria inconvcniente en que en el articnio en 
 que se tra.ta de la crsion de Puerto Rico, 
 "tras j'slas de las Antillas y la de Guam, 
 ft ■■0 otro cualquiera de los articulos del 
 trat.-ido se exprese que esta cesion es en 
 concepto de indemnizacion por los gjtstos 
 tie la gticrra y los perjueios sufridos du- 
 rante clla [lor Ins cjudadanos a.tuericanos. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 contesto que los articulos lE'bian iiermane- 
 cer como estaban cuaudo fueron aceptados, 
 •'ebiei'do por ahora considerarse coiufi ter- 
 'iiinad'xs. y .ajiadio que los Comisarios 
 anu-ricanos no querian signitica que se en- 
 tendiese que no liabria de fignrar en forma 
 adecuaiia en el tratado que la cesion de 
 i'uerto Rico 3' las demas islas anteriormente 
 nieu'icionadas. era a cnentadeiudemnizaci'>n 
 |ior perdidas y agravios de los eiudadanos 
 .nnericanos y gastos de la guerra. Este puu- 
 10 de vista habia sido expresado en la nota 
 dirigida al Gobieruo espanol en que se con- 
 sigiKi.ban las demandas del Presidente de 
 los Estados Unidos y los Comisarios de los 
 Estados Unidos reconocian la fuerzo y el 
 siguiticado de esta demanda. 
 
 El Presidente de la (.'omjsion espanola 
 dice que in) era su intencion el debatir 
 ahura este punto. sino el de hacer constar 
 su deseo que tiguren en el iwotocolo su 
 |o-cgniita y la contostacion dada. 
 
 EI Prt'sidente de la Comision espanola 
 liide entoncesi a la Comision americana que 
 ctiiiteste a la proiiosiciou escrita hecha eu 
 la se.sion anterior 7>or los Comisarios es- 
 jianoles. al ;o-eptar condicionalmente los 
 dr>s articulos del proyecto aremicano. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 manifesta que entiend',' qne en dicha pro- 
 Iiosicion se les invita a presentar svis pro- 
 posiciones relativas a Filipinas, y dice que 
 sieiido este punto de importancia tan capi- 
 tal, y no hallandosc la Comision americana 
 en disposici<m de formular aqi^ellas toda- 
 via. propone un aplazamiento para hacerlo 
 y siigiere qne entre tanto los Secretaries 
 (i.'iierales de amlias ConiLsiones .se pongan 
 lie .icurrdo para I'edactar un articuio rela- 
 tivi :i la priqiiedad pnblica. a los \rchivos, 
 expedientes y documentos notariales eu 
 Culia. Puerto P.ico. otras islas de las An- 
 tillas y Guam que sera snmetido a la Co. 
 iiiision en pleiin. 
 
 Sc .iprneba e.sta suggestion asi como el 
 .ipl izamlento ]iedido por la Comision amerl. 
 cana. y se conviene que los Comisarios se 
 reuniran el lunes ."!! de Octubre a las 2 
 p. m.. ^?n que la Comision anierioana presen- 
 
 SO 
 
Octolicr. nt two o'clock p. m.. when the lara sns proposiojones sobre Fillplnas, sin 
 
 Amoricnn Commissioners should present a porjnlclo do que si para entonces no hubl- 
 
 proposiil on the subject of the Philippines; ese nun [jodlilo elaborar ens proposlclones 
 
 anil that it by that time the American la Comlslon amerlcana. se acuerde un nu- 
 
 Commissloners were not prepared to do so evo aplazamlento. 
 the meeting should be postponed to a later 
 day. 
 
 Slpned: WII.LIAM R DAY. Fiiiiia.l..: K. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 (tSHMAN K. n.WlP. B. DE ABARZUZA, 
 
 WM. P. FRYE. J. T>K GARNICA. 
 
 riKO. GRAY. \V. R. r>E VILLA-URRUTIA. 
 
 WHITELAW REID. RAFAEL CERRERO, 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. EMir>in DE OJEDA. 
 
 81 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 10. 
 
 To the nu'inoraiulum submit led li.v the S|i:misli C'Dimnisslonin's in support of the 
 articles [iresented by tbem dm tbe 'Jlst instiint. Mini rejeotecl liy the Aiiiericaii Cdiii- 
 inlssioiiers on tlie IMIli inst:nit. tile iatter snlmiil nniicM- liic rnies the foliiiwin;; re- 
 ply: 
 
 'I''he nienii'raniluni opens wilii an expression of ilie liei-p rejiret Willi \\iiieh tbe 
 Spanish Coniniissioners have aeqiiainteil i heniselves Willi Ibe paper in whii'h the 
 Ameriean (.'nniniissioners, «i the session of the 17th Instant proposed to suiislltnte 
 for the artieles previonsly pri'sented by lliem, in relation lo Cuba. Porto Uieo and 
 other islands in the West Indies, and the Island of <?nani in tlie Ladrones. the precise 
 stipulations of the first and second articles o( the Protocol of August 12, 1898, neither 
 addinj; thereto nor subtracting therefrom. 
 
 The American Commissioners on their pan feel eiiiial rei;iet that in the memo- 
 randum now under consideration the Sjianish Commissioners slioiild have seen tit to 
 reject that proposal on grounds whicli disclose a misconstruction both of the proposal 
 Itself and of tbe stipulations of tbe Trotncol on which it was based. 
 
 The American Commissioners in their proposal of the ITlh instant st.ited that 
 they were prepared, for the purpose of disposing of the question of Cuba. Porto 
 Rico and Guam, simply to embody in the treaty the precise stipulations of the Pro- 
 tocol on those subjects." The American Commissioners are still prepared to take 
 this step, believing that the stipulations in question would suffice for the accomplish- 
 ment of the puriKises to which they relate. But they have never asserted that the 
 treaty of peace should be limited, in respect of Cuba. Porto Uieo, and Guam, to the 
 repetition of the precise terms of the Protocol and those subje<'ts. Their position Is, 
 however, that any clauses that may be added must be devoted to the execution of the 
 stipulations of the Protocol, and must n"t impair tliem or affix conditions to what 
 was unconditional. 
 
 Having adverted to the misconstruction of their proposal, tbe Ameriean Commis- 
 sioners will point out the misconstruction by the Spanish Commissioners of the Pro- 
 tocol. The Spanish Commissioners observe that as the stipulations of the Protocol 
 form part of a binding agreement, which they properly declare tbe Protocol to be, it 
 is useless merely to reproduce them In the treaty that is to be elaborated in the con- 
 ference. The Spanish Commissioners, however, seem to forget that the Protocol was 
 an executory agreement, and that it cannot be assumed to be useless to ask either 
 party now to do what in that agreement it promised to do. "Spain will." so reads 
 Article I. of the Protocol, "relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title to 
 Cuba." This is the promise. The American Commissioners, having come hither to 
 claim the fulfllment of that promise, ask the Spanish Commissioners, clothed with 
 full powers to conclude a treaty of peace, to say in that treaty: "Spain hereby re- 
 linquishes all claim, of sovereignty over and title to Cuba." 
 
 Upon what theory can this be deemed a "useless" or "redundant" stipulation? 
 Is it not, on the contrary, manifest that the treaty of peace, no matter what else it 
 may include, must contain a stipulation t" this effect ? 
 
 "indeed, in offering the precise stipulations of the Protocol, the American Com- 
 missioners sought to put aside the controversy raised by the Spanish proposals as 
 to the relinquishment of sovereignty and the assumption of the CulKin debt, and to 
 afford the Spanish Commissioners an opportunity to meet them on ttie common 
 ground of what the two- Governments had unmistakably agreed to. It was and is 
 now apparent that on the composite subject, as the Spanish Commissioners consid- 
 er it to be, of the relinquishment of sovereignty over Cuba and the assumption of the 
 CulKin debt, the views expressed on tbe one side and on the other are irreconcilable, 
 and that, unless some common ground is found, the conference is at an end. In this 
 crisis the American Commissioners conceived that both sides might, without any 
 compromise of princiiile or of opinion, agree that, instead of amplifying the words of 
 the Protocol, or substituting for them argumentative stipulations, they would execute 
 the promise In the words In which It was made. They regret that the Spanish Com- 
 missioners rejected this conciliatory proposition. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners, in the memorandum now under consideration, recur 
 to tbe distinction which they have sought to make between the words "abandon" 
 and "relinquish." On this verbal question, which was raised by the Spanish Com- 
 missioners in their memorandum of tbe 11th of October, the American Commission- 
 ers find no occasion to add anything to what tliey have already said; but they feel 
 called upon to repel the Imputation that they have sought either to leave Cuba in a 
 derelict condition or to evade any responsibility to which their Government is by Its 
 declarations or its course of conduct committed. 
 
 83 
 
In their prci|ios.il oi the ITtli iiisi;iiit. tlir' Aiiicricaii Cominissioiu'rs iikuIu the fnl- 
 Juwinj^ deolaratirm: 
 
 ••The Unitpfl States re<-rjguixes in the fullest measure that in reiiuiriu!,- tlie relin- 
 quishment of all claim of Spanish sovereignt.v anil the evaeuation of the Island of 
 Cuha it has assnmecl all the obligations imposed by the canons of international law 
 anil flowing from its occupation. The United States, so far as it has obtained pos- 
 session, has enforced obedience to law and preservation of order by all persons. It 
 is not disposed to leare the island a prey to anarchy or misrule." 
 
 By this declaration it is manifest tliat the American Commissioners have not 
 contemplated the reduction of Cuba to the condition of a derelict and abandoned 
 territory. Tiiey concede, however, the .iustice of the Spanish contention that the 
 obligations which the United States have assumed with respect to Cuba should be 
 acknowledged in the treaty, and they stand ready to make such acknowledgment. 
 They are ready to insert proiier stipulatiuns as to the protection of life and property 
 in Cuba during its occupation liy the United States, and as to the aid and guidance 
 wbicli it ma.v be necessary for the United States, in the present distracted condition 
 of the island, to give. 
 
 The Spanish menmrandum refers to the capitnlatiou of Santiago de Cuba, as 
 well as to the evacuation of Cuba under Arlii'le IV. of the Protocol of August 12, 
 18'JS. as proof that the island is to be delivered to the United States. So tar as this 
 argument goes it is perfectly souml. By the evacuation of Cuba the island is to pass 
 for the time being into the possession of the United States, and the United States 
 will, for the time being, occupy it. Tlie Spanish memorandum, however, inquires 
 whetlier. in view of these facts, it is possilde to deny that Spain, in relinquishing 
 her "sovereignty" over rnb.-i. lias the riglit tu demand tliat it shall be neeivert by tlie 
 United States. 
 
 This argument begs llie question. The American Commissioners have never de- 
 nied that the Island of Cub.i will, upon its evacuation by the Spanish forces, come 
 into the possession of the authorities of the United States; but this possession is by 
 no means to be confounded with the sovereignty of the island, which the United 
 States has long since declared to Spain an intention not to assume. The United 
 States will take po.sse.ssion of the island for the purpose of pacifying it, but not as 
 titular sovereign; and it is not to be charged with proposing to reduce it to the con- 
 dition of a "desert territory in Africa," merely because it declines to assume the 
 character of such sovereign. 
 
 As to the statement of the Spanisli memorandum that Spain's relinquishment of 
 sovereignty over Cuba was described by the American Commissioners, in the second 
 paragraph of the first article presented by them on October 3. as a cession, they 
 have only to say that they have searched the paragraph and the whole article for the 
 word in question, and that they are forced to the conclusion that an error in trans- 
 lation has misied the Spanish Commissioners. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners, adverting to the citation by the American Commis- 
 sioners of the dictionary of Escriche, seek to minimize the importance of that cita- 
 tiou by saying that the dictionary serves as a mentor for young lawyers in the early 
 period of their professional life. The American Commissioners, however, can do no 
 less tlian infer from this statement that the work in question is recognized in Spain 
 as being tlie highest authority. 
 
 The American Commissioners are at a loss to conjecture what more they can say 
 to render tlieir position clear as to the pui^pose and meaning of the relinquishment 
 by Spain of all claim of sovereignty over Cuba as stipulated in Article I. of the 
 I'ndocol. The various forms which tlie argnnieiit of tlie Spani.sh Commissioners on 
 this subiect assumes are nothing but variations of their misconstruction of the Amer- 
 ican Commissioners' position. For example: The Spanish memorandum argues that 
 tile stipulatiuns in the Protocol In regarrt to the relinquishment of sovereignty over 
 Cuba and the cession of Porto Kico are, in spite of a total difference in language, to 
 be considered as the same in effect, because the .\iiieriean Commissioners, in the 
 articles presented by them on the 3rd instant, seemed to contemplate that the ar- 
 chives in Culia, as well as those in Porto Rico, shall be in the possession of some 
 one to whom application for copies may be made. The Siiauish memorandum de- 
 clares that this would be impossible unless some one has the documents in bis pos- 
 session. This is quite true; but the observation would be meaningless if it were not 
 for the fact that the Spanish Commissioners insist upon saying that the American 
 Commissioners, because tiiey decline to .iccept for their Government the sovereignty 
 of Culia, have contended that tlie isl.ind must be abandoned liy Spain in the sense 
 of being left derelict. 
 
 It is perfectly manilest that the contracting parties in deliberately employing 
 dilTcrent stipulations with respect to Cuba and Porto Kico neither expressed nor 
 intended to express the same idea. This difference is so clearly and fully explained 
 in the memorandum of the American Commissioners of the 14th of October that it 
 seems to be idle to enlarge upon it. 
 
 84 
 
I'lii- AhiiTicaii Commissioners linvc iumt 1imm'<1 ilnir |iosllion as to Spain's ii'lln- 
 ijnishnu'nt nf all i-lnlm of sovereignly over Cuba npon the Rngllsh text of the I'ro- 
 topol as (UstinKnlsheil from the l-'reni,-li teNt. as the Spanish niemoranjum stisgests. 
 On the contrary, lu their memoraiulnni of the 14th of Octoher. the Anier.lean Com- 
 missioners illstinetly ileeiared that the wonls nsed wltli ri fei re lo Cuba in the 
 
 Freneh text ^vero precisely the same In nicaiiiii.;; as lliose iiseil in ilie Kn^'lisli text. 
 
 In their memorandum of the Hth of Oetolier. the American Commissioners ap- 
 plli'ii to their position as to Spain's relliiqnlshnient of all claim of sovereignty over 
 Cnlia a simple test. If Spain, they said. had. in reply to the demands of the United 
 Slates, declared that she relinquished lier sovereisnty over Cuba, but did imt relin- 
 quish It to the I'nited States, no oni> conld liave imagined that the demand of 
 the United States would not have been satlslied. The Spanish memorandum inti- 
 mates that everybody would have tliousbt so except the United Stales, and di'clares 
 that tliere is no one either in Europe or In America who believes that the TTnited 
 States would have been content with Spain's willidrawing from the island aiui would 
 have al)stalned from all intervention therein, leaving the Inhabitants to contlniu' to 
 fijllit anionR themselves. It Is obvious, however, tliat Spain's relinquishment of sov- 
 ereignty over Cuba and the .subsequent Intervention of the 'United States for the pur- 
 pose of establishing order there are dilTerent matters. Whatever the United States 
 miirhl in certain eontiUKeneles have done with respect to Cuba, Spain would have sat- 
 isfied the demands of that Government by withdrawing from the island. Tlie ques- 
 tion of subsequent iutcrveution in its affairs would then have lain between the 
 United States and the people of the Island themselves. The United States certain- 
 ly could not have complained if Spain, wldle relinquishing her sovereignty, had re- 
 fused to aid in or be a party to this inti'rvcnlion. 
 
 In the Spanish memorandum an effort is made to answer that part of the argu- 
 ment submitted by the American Commissioners on the 14th instant in which it i^ 
 maintained that the so-ealled Cuban debt is not in any sense a debt of Cuba, luu 
 that It Is in reality a part of the national ilebt of Spain. The American Commission- 
 ers were able to show that the debt was contracted by Spain for uational purposes, 
 whieli in some cases were alien and in otliers actually adverse to the interests of 
 Ciil)a: that in reality the greater part of t was ci>ntracted for the purpose of support- 
 ing a Spanish army in Cuba; and that, while the interest on it has been collected by 
 a Spanish bani; from the revenues of Cuba, the bonds bear upon their face, even 
 where those revenues arc pledged for th^ir payment, tlie guarantee of the Spanish 
 nation. As a national debt of Spain, the Ani(<rican Commissioners have never (pies- 
 tioued its validity. 
 
 The American Comiuissioners. tlierefore. are not required to maintain, in oriier 
 that they may be consistent, the position that the power of a nation to contract debts 
 ortl bligation of a nation to pay its debts depends upon the more or less pop- 
 ular form of its government. They would not question the validity of the national 
 debt of Russia, because, as the Spanish memorandum states, an autocratic system 
 prevails in that country. Much less do the American Commissioners maintalu that a 
 nation cannot cede or relinquish sovereignty over a p.irt of its territory without llie 
 consent of the inliabitants thereof, or that it impairs tlic natiiuial obligation of 
 its debt liy such cession or relinquishment. 
 
 Into tliese ipiestions they do not tliink it necessary to enter. 
 
 As to the rights, expectations, or calculations of creditors, to which the Spanish 
 memorandum adverts, the American Commissioni-rs have only to say that as regards 
 the so-called Cuban debt, as explained in their memorandum of the 14th instant. 
 the creditors, from the beginning, tool; the cliances of the investment. The very 
 pledge of the national credit, while it demonstratps on the one hand the national 
 character of the debt, on the other hand iiroclaims the notorious risl< that attended 
 the debt in its origin, and has attended it ever since. 
 
 The Spanish memorandum obsi rves that in the last twenty years the Antilles 
 have been represented in the Spanish Cortes arul declares that their representa- 
 tives have participated in all legislative acts bearing upon colonial obligations with- 
 out ever protesting against their lawfulness or binding force. The information In 
 the posses.sion of the American Commissioners leads to a different conclusion. 
 
 The American Commissioners liave in their liands tlie Diarlo de las Sesiones de 
 Cortes, for Thursday, tlie 'Jinh of .luly, IS.SC, wh( n tbi' Cuban budget for 1.S8C-1SS7 
 was introduced and discussed. By this record it appears that on the day named 
 Senor Ki-rnandez de Castro, a Semitor from Cuba, referring to the budgets of 1880, 
 18.S2. 18.S:i, 1884, and 188C, declared lliat he bad olijected to all of them, and that no 
 Cuban debt ought to be created, since the obligations embraced lu it were national 
 and not local. He entered Into a brief examination of the items which constituteil 
 the debt, and created soniethlug of a sensation by pointing out that quinine bad 
 been consumed In Cuba, during tlie war of l.sdK-lsTs, at the rate of .$.-i,tWO a week. 
 
 Anot.her Cuban Senator, Senor Morelos. supp.>rtcd tlie views of Senor Fernandez 
 
 de Castro. 
 
 So . 
 
Senator Carbonell. representing the UBlverslty of Havana, In a speech of great 
 power, continued the argument, saying; "Hnve the people involved in this matter 
 ever been consulted? The country has not been heard, and now for the first time 
 has become acquainted with the fact that It has to pay such debts." 
 
 The Cuban and Porto Rican Senators. SiTiort^s Pnrtnondo. Ortiz. Labia. Xlon- 
 toro, Fernandez de Castro, Pigneras and Vlzcarrondo, went further, and introduced a 
 bill to provide for the paymeut by Spain ..f the so-called Cuban debt In proportion 
 to the productive capacity of the various provinces. 
 
 The protests of the colonial Senators were not heeded, bat their justice was rec- 
 ognized by no less a Spanish statesman than Senor Sagasta. the present Premier of 
 Spain, then in the opposition, who said: 
 
 "Our treasury is not now sufficiently provided with funds to aid Cuba in the 
 way and to the extent that we should like to do; but I say the Peninsula must give 
 all that it can. and we must do without hi-sitatiou all that we can." 
 
 "Was not this a clear acknowledgment of the national character of the debt? 
 Perhaps not so clear as that made in the decree of autonomy for Cuba and Porto 
 Rico, signed by the Queen Regent of Spain on the 2oth of November. 1897, and coun- 
 tersigned by Senor Sagasta, as President of the Council of Ministers. In Article II. 
 of the "Transient Articles" of the decree, Wf and the following declaration: 
 
 "Article II. The manner of meeting th'- expenditures occasioned by the debt 
 which now burdens the Cuban and Spanish treasury, and that which shall have 
 been contracted tmtil the termination of the war. shall form the subject of a law 
 wherein shall be determined the part payal-.Ie by each of the treasuries and the 
 special means of paying the interest thereon, and of the amortization thereof, and, 
 if necessary, of paying the principal. 
 
 "Until the Cortes of the Kingdom shall decide this point, there shall be no 
 change In the conditions on which the aforesaid debts have been contracted, or In 
 the payment of the Interest and amortization, or in the guarantee of said debts, or 
 In the manner In which the payments are now made. 
 
 "When the apportionment shall have been made by the Cortes it shall he for 
 each one of the treasuries to make payment of the part assigned to it. 
 
 "Engagements contracted with credit.irs under the pledge of the good faith of 
 the Spanish nation shall in all cases be scrupulously respected." 
 
 In these declarations we find a clear assertion not only of the power of the Gov- 
 ernment of Spain to deal with the so-called Cuban debt as a national debt, but 
 also a clear admission that the pledge of the revenues of Cuba was wholly within 
 the control of that Government, and could be modified or withdrawn by it at will 
 without affecting the obligation of the debt. 
 
 As to what is stated in the Spanish unuiorandum touching the aid given to 
 Cuba iu the last century or the early par of the present eenturj- by the Vice-Roy- 
 alty of Mexico, the American Commission-rs might offer certalu pertinent historical 
 observations: but they deem it necessary now to .say only that Mexico is not mak- 
 ing any claim before this Joint Commission, either directly or indirectly. 
 
 As to the statement that Cuba has pr duced during a very few years in the pres- 
 ent century a surplus which was turned "ver to the treasury of the Peninsula, the 
 American Commissioni rs will cite the justly celebrated "Diccionario Geografico-Es- 
 tadistlco-Historico de la Isla de Cuba," liy Senor Don Jacobo de la Pezueia. by 
 which (see article on Senor Don Claudio Martinez de PiniUos) it appears that after 
 1825 not only were all the expenses of th- island paid out of its revenues, but sur- 
 pluses were sent, annually and regularly, to the mother country. These surpluses 
 from 1S50 to 1860 amounted to $34,416,83ij. .\nd it is to be observed that in addi- 
 tion to the regular annual surpluses ttiriud over after 1825. extraordinary subsi- 
 dies were from time to time granted to the Home Government. It was for services 
 rendered in matters such as these that S -nor PiniUos received the title of Count of 
 Villanueva. 
 
 As to the recent "advances" to Cuba, referred to in the Spanish memorandum, 
 it is to be regretted that details were not given. But, by the very term "advances," 
 it is evident that the Spanish memoranduui does not refer to gifts, but to expendi- 
 tures for the reimbursement of which Cuba was expected ultimately to provide; 
 and the American Commissioners do not doubt that these expenditures were made 
 for the carrying on of the war. or the paymeut of war expenses, in Cuba. 
 
 When the American Commissioners, in their memorandum of the 14th instant, 
 refei-red to the Cuban insurrection of 186S as the product of just grievances, it was 
 not their intention to offend the sensibilities of the Spanish Commissioners, but to 
 state a fact which they supposed to be generally admitted. They might, if they saw 
 fit to do so. cite the authority of many eminent Spanish statesmen in support of 
 their remark. They will content themselves with mentioning only one. On Febru- 
 ary 11, 1860. Marshal Serrano. President of the Provisional Government at Madrid, 
 in his speech at the opening of the Oonstitueut Cones, referred t" the revolution in 
 
Spnio anil tliv insurn-otion In Cuba In the following terms: "The Revolution Is not 
 responsilile for tlii» rising, vvliioh Is due lo the errors of past Governments: and we 
 hope tliiu it will lie speedily put down and thai tranquillity, based upon liberal re- 
 forms, will tlien he durable." (Annual Ilej-'ister, isii'.l. p:i;;e L>."i.j.) 
 
 The American Commissioners linve rend witliont offence the refer- 
 ence in the SpnnlHli nieuiorniiiliiin to the Indiiiti rebellioni* ivliich It 
 has been necessary I'or the I iiiled States to snpiiress, for they are 
 niinhl«- to see any parallel between the nprlsiims of those barhnrons 
 and often »aviM?e tribes, which lin^e <lisii|ipenred before the march of 
 ci vilir.ntlon be4Minsc they were nnnbW" !<» Miibiiiit lo it, and tin- insui — 
 recti«ni.s iiK'ainst Spanish rnl«' in Cuba. iiiMiirriM-t ions in ^vliieli nijiiiy 
 of the iKiblest men of Spniilsb bli»od in the i^tliiiiil )ia\c purl i(*ipiite<l. 
 
 Xor are the .\merieiin Coininissi^jiiers olTen«led by the reference of 
 the Spanish memoriiiiilniii ti» tb*- attempt tt( the Sontliern States to 
 secede. The .SpaiiiHli I 'onimission ers exiilently niiNConeeive the na- 
 ture and the object o*" that nio\einent. The i^nr i»f sei'ession was 
 foug-bt and concluded upon a iiae.stion of <*onst i t at ional |»rineiple, as- 
 serted by one party to the contli**t and deaie<I b> the other. It ivas a 
 contlict in no resnect to be lilvencfl to tli«' npriNill^^H aprainst Spanish 
 rule in Cuba. 
 
 THE VMBRICiAX COMMIS-SlIOVERS ARE ITVAWARE OF THE fJROl'ND 
 OX ■WHICH IT IS ASSERTED IX THE SPAMSH ME^IOR VXDI'M THAT 
 THE l"VITED ST.ITES HAS BEEX C01IPEI.I.EI> TO VOMIT TII.VT THE 
 CliBAN PEOPLE ARE AS YET UXFIT FOR THE EXJOVMEXT OF Fl LI. 
 LIBERT!' AXB SOVEREJIGXTY. It Is true that an Intimation of such nnflt- 
 ness was made In the note of the Spanish Government on the 22d of July last. 
 The Government of the United States, In its reply of the 30th of July, declared 
 that it did not share the apprehensions of .'Spain in this regard, but that It recog- 
 nized that in the present distracted and prostrate condition of the island, brought 
 about by the wars that had raged there, aid and guidance would be necessary. 
 
 The reference In the Spanish memornndum to the obligations of Porto Rico Is 
 not understood by the American Commissioners, who had been led to believe that 
 there was no Porto Rican debt. On June MO. 1806. Senor Castellano. Colonial Min- 
 ister of Spain, in submitting to the Cortes the budget of Porto Rico for 1896-97, 
 the last one. as it is understood, ever framed, said: 
 
 "The duty to report to the National re|ireseutatiou the financial condition of 
 Porto Rico is exceedingly gratifying. It shows the ever growing prosperity of the 
 Lesser Antllle. which, through the multiplicity of its production and the activity 
 of its industry, has succeeded in securln,:; markets for its surpluses in the whole 
 world. 
 
 "It being without any public debt (sin deuda publieai. all its necessities being 
 covered, its treasury being full to repletion, its public services being fulfilled with 
 regularity, with economy in the expenses, and with a constant development of the 
 revenues of the state, the spectacle afforded by Porto Rico is worthy of attention." 
 The Gaceta de Madrid of July 1, 1801. which published this budget, published 
 also a law. approved June 29. 1896, providing for the disposition to be made of the 
 surplus of $1.7.50.009 in the treasury of Porto Rico at the expiration of the fiscal 
 year l.S0,=i-96. 
 
 Xo Porto Uican loan was ever contraeted or floated before 1896. 
 Xo Porto Rican bonds are quoted in the markets of Europe or .\merlca. 
 It is possible that the Governor-General of Porto Rico may have borrowed 
 mone.v from a bank or from private persons in order to meet in advance expenses 
 authorized b.v the budget, and that he may have given promissory notes for the 
 amount borrowed, hut these notes, paid on maturity, do not constitute a Porto 
 Rican debt, in the sense claimed by the Spanish Commission. 
 
 Xor Is it to be supposed, in view of the flourishing condition of the colonial 
 finances, as explained by the Spanish Minister of ilie Ccdonies. that any note of the 
 kind referred to remains unpaid. 
 
 The American Commissioners are nol acquainted with the works of the publi- 
 cists who maintain that the thirteen original tinited States paid to Great Britain 
 15.fKX>.0tt0 pounds sterling, presumably for the extinguishment of colonial debts. 
 The American rommissiomrs. however, feel no Interest in the matter, since the 
 statement Is entirely erroneous. The preliminary and definitive treaties of peace be- 
 tween tJie United Slates and Great Britain of 17S2 and 1783 were published soon 
 after their conclusion, and have since ben republished in many forms. They are 
 the only treaties made between the two countries as to American Independence, 
 and they contain no stipulation of the kind referred to. 
 
 Xor do the American Commissioners pereeive the relevancy of the citation In 
 the Spanish memorandum of the sums paid tiy the United States to France. Spain, 
 Russia and various Indian nations for territory acquired from them. In none of 
 
 87 
 
these cases does it appear tUat tlie United States assumed auy debts. The money 
 paid by the United States was paid for the territoir. 
 
 As to the case of Texas, the American Commissioners have oniy to observe that 
 Texas was an independent State which yielded up its independence to the United 
 States and became a part of the Amerlian Republic. In view ot this extinction of 
 the national sovereignty, the United States discharged the Texan debt. Indeea. '■he 
 whole reference made in the Spanish memorandum to the case of Texas Is quite In- 
 accurate. The United States did not demand of Mexico the independence of 
 Texas. That Independence was establlshi'd liy the inhabitants of Texas themselves, 
 and had long been acknowledged, both by the United States and by other powers, 
 before the voluntary annexation of Texas to the United States. 
 
 The payments of money made by the United States to Mexico for territory ob- 
 tained b.v the former from the latter at the close of the Mexican war are referred 
 to in the Spanish memorandum, but these payments established no principle. They 
 were made by the United States as a p.irt of the general settlement with Mexico, 
 anil it will hardly be argued that If the treaty of peace had contained no stipula- 
 tion in the subject, anything would have been due from the United States. 
 
 The Spanish memorandum, however, refers to these transactions as if they con- 
 stituted precedents for the proposal put t irw.ird liy the Spanish Commissioners for 
 the arbitration by the United States and Spain of the question whether the whole 
 or any part of the alleged Cuban and Por'o Eioan debts should be assumed or guar- 
 anteed b.v the United States. The Americ-in Commissioners are compelled to take 
 a different view of the subject. They have no doubt that if during the negotia- 
 tions with Mexico a proposal had been put forward b.v either party for the arbitra- 
 tion of the question whether Mexico should cede the territories demanded by the 
 United States, or whether if they were ceded the United States should pay for 
 them, and if so how much, such proposal would have been re,1ected by the other 
 party as entirely Inapplicable to the transaction. 
 
 So it is in the present case. The Commissioners of the United States and of 
 Spain have met for the purpose of concluding a treaty which is to terminate a war. 
 The matters involved in the transaction are matters for mutual adjustment and a 
 definitive settlement. They are matters to be determined by the parties them- 
 selves, and not by any third party. Arbitration comes before war, to avert its evils; 
 not after war to escape its results. 
 
 As was shown l>y the American Commissioners in their memorandum of the 14th 
 of October, the burdens imposed by Spain upon Cuba in the form of the so-called 
 Cuban debt have been the fruitful sourc;' of Cuban insurrections. In the opinion of 
 the .\merioan Commissioners the time has come for the lifting of this burden, and 
 not for the submission to a third part.v of the question whether it shall be lifted 
 at ail. 
 
 Having answered so much of the Spanisli memorandum as relates to the vit«l 
 articles of the Spanish proposals and exp mnds the Spanish views regarding them, 
 the American Commissioners do not thini; il necessary to discuss the remaining 
 articles, which ma.v be, for the purpose of tliis discussion, regarded as merely sub- 
 sidiary, and as to which they make all necessary reservations. 
 
 Near the close of their memorandum, the Spanish Commissioners say: 
 '"It appears by this recapitulation that the only question now pending between 
 the two Commissions and awaiting their decision is a question of money, which, so 
 far as one of the High Contracting Parties is concerned, is relatively of secondary 
 importance. That question is the one which relates to the colonial debt." 
 In this conclusion the American Comniissioners concur. 
 
 The American Commissioners have m lintained that the proposal by the Spanish 
 Commissioners that the United States shall assume the so-called Cuban debt is in 
 reality a proposal to affix a condition to the unconditional promise made by Spain 
 in the Protocol of Augu.st 12, 189S. to "relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and 
 title to Cuba"; and they have further miintained that the abstention of Spain from 
 proposing such a condition at that time precludes her from proposing it now. The 
 American Commissioners have declared, and now repeat, that if such a proposal had 
 been made during the negotiations that r 'sultcil in the conclusion of the Protocol It 
 would have terminated them, unless it had been withdrawn. 
 
 In confirmation of the position that the Spanish Commission is now precluded 
 from proposing the assumption by the United States of the so-called Cuban debt, 
 the .\merican Commissioners, besides invniung the unconditional stipulation of the 
 Protocol, are able to point to the fact that the Sjianish Government. In the corre- 
 spondence that resulted in the conclusion of tliat instrument, took the precaution, 
 in replying to the demand of the United States for the relinquishment by Spain of 
 all claim of sovereignty over Cuba, and her immediate evacuation of the island, to 
 refer to the duty which in her opinion rested upon the United States under the cir- 
 cumstances to provide for the protection of life and property in the island until it 
 
slioiilil havi- rwu-bi'd tbi- stagi' nf si-lf-g.ivi'riiiiii'iit. In his miti' of August 7. 1898. 
 the Duko of Almodovar. replying to tlio d ■niMiul of tlie I'liilea Slates. sal'I: 
 
 •"riie necessity of witlulrnwing from tlii' territory of Culwi being linpeiative, tlie 
 nation assuming Spain's piaee must, as iong as this territory shall not have fully 
 reaehed the condition required to take rani; among other sovereign powers, provide 
 for rules which will insure order and protect against ail risks the Spanish residents, 
 as well as the Cuban natives still loyal t > the mother countiT-" 
 
 If to this reservation, which tlie Ameri<-an Commissioners have declared their 
 readiness to recognize in the treaty, the Spanish (Juvernment had desired to add 
 another on the .subject of the Cuban debt, the opportunity then existed and should 
 have been seized. Indeed, the insertion of a few words in the reservation actually 
 made would have rendered it applicable to tin- so-ciilleil Cuban debt as well as to 
 the protection of life and property. 
 
 A labored argument is made in the meinonniiinin submitted by the Spanish Com- 
 missioners to prove that the Government of llie Cnited States in declining to take 
 upon Itself the so-called Cuban debt is acling in violation of all principles of Inter- 
 national law and assumes an attitude hi'herto unknown in the history of civilized 
 nations. Oases supposed to be apposite are cited, showing the assumption of na- 
 tional debts where one sovereignty is absorbeil by another, or a division of national 
 indebtedness where a nation is deprived .)f an integnil part of its domain, either 
 by cession, or the attainment of independence by a colony theretofore^ cliaig'd with 
 raising a part of the national revenue. Elsewhere we have pointed out tlic differ- 
 ences manifestly existing between the cases cited and the one in iiand. 
 
 The United States may well rest its case njion this point upon the plain terms 
 of tlie Protocol, which, as the memorandum submitted by the Spanish Commission- 
 ers well say.s. contains the agreement between the parties "for no other was 
 
 formulated between the two parties." and which is executed when Spain relin- 
 quishes all claim of sovereignty over anl title to Cuba. If the question were still 
 open the Unitetl States might w-ell chal'enge the fullest Inquiry into the equity of 
 this demand. 
 
 It is urged in the Sp.anish Commissionrrs' memorandum that the T'nitcii State.s. 
 erroneously believing In the justice of the cause of Cuban independence, made It Its 
 own. and took up arms in Its behalf. "The fnited Stales." so declares the Spanish 
 memorandum, "made a demand on Spain, and afterwards declared w'ar rm her, that 
 Cuba might become free and independen:." The causes of the demand of the 
 Vnited Stales for the termination of Spanish sovereignty in Cuba are amply shown 
 In the history of the events wliich preceded it. 
 
 l-'or many years the United States patiently endure<i a condition of affairs in 
 Cuba whiiJi gravely affected the Interests i>f the nation. As early as ISTo Tresideut 
 Grant called attention to all its dread h irrors and the consequent injuries to the 
 Inti'rests of the Unitetl States and other nations, and also to the fact that the 
 agency of others, either by mediation or i)y intervention, seemed to be tlie only 
 alternative which must sooner or later be invoked feu- the termination of the strife. 
 
 During that administration, notwithstanding tliat it was clearly intimated to 
 Spain that the United States could no longer endure the situation— whicii had be- 
 come intolerable— no unfriendly aition was taken, and for ten yi-ars it suffered 
 all tlie inconvenience and deprivation, destruction of trade and injury to its citi- 
 zens incident to the struggle, whicli was ei'ded by the I'eace of Zatijon, only to 
 break out again and to be waged with every feature of horror and desolation and 
 protitless strife which had characterizeii tlie former struggle. President Cleve- 
 land, in his Annual lles.sage ot 1896. was constrained to say to the Congress of the 
 United States: "When the inability of Spain to deal successfully with the Insur- 
 rection has become manifest, and It is dc-monstrated that her sovereignty is extinct 
 In Cuba for ail purposes of its rightful existence, and when a hopeless struggle for 
 Its re-establishment has degenerated iu'o a strife which means nothing more than 
 the useless sacrifice of human life and the utter destruction of the very subject- 
 matter of the contlict. a situation will b" presented in which our obligations to the 
 sovercignt,v of Spain will be sujierst'deil by higher obligations, whicli we can 
 hardly hesitate to recognize and discharge." 
 
 Throughout President Cleveland's admiiiistraiiun this situation was patiently en- 
 dured, at great loss and expense to the Uiiiti'<l States, which then and at all 
 times was diligent in maintaining the higliest obligations of neutrality, through the 
 vigilance of its navy and its executive and judicial departments. The present Chief 
 Exeiutlve of the United States. In his ti'st .\iinual Message. In ISO", again called 
 attention to the disastrous effects upon oour interests of the warfare still being 
 waged in Cuba. The patient waiting of the people of the United States for the 
 terinination of these conditions culminated In the .Mes.sage of April 2. 1898. of the 
 President to Congress, in whicli he sale": "The long trial has prove<l that the 
 
 sn 
 
object for which' Spain has wagefl the w;ir cannot be attained. The fire of insur- 
 rection may flame or may smoulder wltli varying seasons, but it has not been and 
 it is plain ttiat it cannot be extinguished by present methods. The only hope of 
 relief and repose from a condition wliich can no longer be endured is tlie enforced 
 pacification of Cuba. In the name of humanity, in the name of civilization, in be- 
 half of endangered American interests which give us the right and. the duty to speals 
 and to act, the war in Cuba must stop." 
 
 Acting upon this Message the Congress of the United States, in the Resolution 
 approved by the President April 20, 1898. which has been so often referred to In 
 the memorandum submitted l>y the Spanish Commissioners, based its demand that 
 the Government of Spain relinquish Its authority and government in the Island of 
 Cuba, and withdraw its forces from Cnba and Cuban waters, upon conditions in 
 Cuba (so near the United States) which were declared to be such that they could no 
 longer be endured. 
 
 It is not necessary to recite the reeoni of the events which followed that de- 
 mand, well known to the members of this Conimissicm. and which are now a part 
 of the history of the world. It is true that the enforced relinquishment of Spanish 
 so\-ereignty will result in the freedom and independence of the Island of Cuba and 
 not in the agrgandizement of the United States. This resume of events which led 
 to the United States taking up arms is not made to wound the susceptibilities of 
 the Spanish nation, or its distinguished representatives upon this Commission, but, 
 in view of the truth of history and the stjitements made in the memorandum sub- 
 mitted by the Spanish Commissioners, less could not be said by the representa- 
 tives of the United States. Not having taken up arms for its own advancement, 
 having refrained from acquiring sovereignty over Cnba, the United States now 
 seeks to attain a peace consistent with Its ends and purposes in waging war. In 
 asking, as a victorious nation, for some measure of i-eparation. It has not emulated 
 the examples of other nations and demanded reparation in money for the many 
 millions spent and the sufferings, privations and 'osses endured by Its people. Its 
 relations to Cuba have been those of a people suffer'ng witliout reward or the bope 
 thereof. 
 
 The American Commissioners therefore feel that they are fully Justified both In 
 law and in morals In refusing to take upon themselves in addition to the burdens 
 already Incurred the obligation of discharging the so-called colonial debts o£ 
 Spain — debts, as heretofore shown, chiefly incurred in opposing the object for the 
 attainment of which the resolution of Intervention was adopted by the Congress 
 and sanctioned by tlie President of the Diiited States. If it could be admitted, as 
 argued in the memorandum submitted by the Spanish Commissioners, that the 
 United States iu this connection stands as the agent of the Cuban people, the duty 
 to resist the assumption of these heavy obligations would be equally imperative. 
 The decrees of the Spanish Government itself show that these debts were incurred 
 in the fruitless endeavors of that Government to suppress the aspirations of the 
 Cuban people for greater liberty and freer government. 
 
 True copy: JOHN B. MOORE. 
 
 SO. 
 
Protocol No. 11. 
 
 Protocol No. 11. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of October 31, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 31 Octubre de 1898. 
 
 Present— 
 On the part of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS. 
 FRYE. 
 GRAY, 
 RBID, 
 MOORE. 
 FERGUSSON. 
 On the paJt ol Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIGS, 
 ABARZDZA. 
 GARXICA, 
 VILLA-TJRRDTTA. 
 CERERO. 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The American Commissioners stated that, 
 In accordance with the understanding ex- 
 pressed In the protocol which had Just been 
 read, the.v were prepared to present their 
 proposal on the subject of the Philippines. 
 The proposal was read In English and 
 translated Into Spanish and delivered to 
 the Spanish Commissioners. It was as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 "The American Commissioners, having 
 been Invited by the Spanish Commissioners 
 at the last conference to present a propo- 
 sition In regard to the Philippine Islands, 
 beg to submit the following article on that 
 subject : 
 
 " 'Spain hereby cedes to the United 
 States the archipelago known as the Philip- 
 pine Islands, and lying within the follow- 
 ing line: A line running along the parallel 
 of latitude 21° 30' North from the 118th to 
 the 127th degree meridian of longitude East 
 or Greenwich, thence along the 127th de- 
 gree meridian of longitude East of Green- 
 wich to the parallel of 4° 45' North lati- 
 tude, thence along the parallel of 4° 45' 
 North latitude to Its Intersection with the 
 meridian of longitude 119" 35' East of 
 Greenwich, thence along the meridian of 
 longitude 119° 35' East of Greenwich to the 
 parallel of latitude 7° 40' North, th.ence 
 along the parallel of latitude of 7° 40' North 
 to Its Intersection with the 116th degree 
 meridian of longitude East of Greenwich, 
 thence by a direct line to the intersection 
 of the 10th degree parallel of North lati- 
 tude with the 118th degree meridian of 
 longitude East of Greenwich, and thence 
 along the 118th degree meridian of langl- 
 
 Presentes— 
 For parte de los Estados Ilnldos de 
 America: 
 los Senores D.A.Y, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FURGUSSON. 
 For parte de Espana: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZCZA, 
 
 GARNICA. 
 
 VILLA-FRRUTIA. 
 OBBBRO, 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 Fue lelda y aprobada el acta de la seslon 
 anterior. 
 
 EI Presidente de la Comlslon amerlcana 
 maniflesta que, conforme al acuerdo que 
 conslgna el acta que acaba de leerse, los 
 Coraisarlos ameiicanos estan dispuestos a 
 presentar su proposiclon relatlva a PlUpln- 
 as. La proposiclon es lelda en Ingles, de- 
 spues en espanol, y entregada a los Com- 
 Isarios espanoles. Su contenido es el sl- 
 guiente: 
 
 "Los Comlsarlo amerlcanos hablendo 
 sido Invitados por los Comlsarios espanoles 
 en la ultima conferencia a presentar una 
 proposiclon respecto de las Islas Fillplnas, 
 se permiten someter sobro esta cuestlon el 
 articulo siguknte: 
 
 "Espana por este articulo cede a los Es- 
 tados Unidos el archipielago conocldo por 
 Tslas Fillpmas. situado dentro de las lineas 
 aguentes: una liena que corre a lo largo 
 del paralelo 21 degrees 30 minutes de latl- 
 tud Norte desde el grade 118 hasta el grado 
 127 del meridlano de longltud Este de Green- 
 wich: y de aqui a lo largo del grado 127 
 mer'diauo de longitud Este de Greenwich 
 hasta el paralelo 4 degrees 45 minutes de 
 latitud Norte; y de aqui a lo largo del para- 
 lelo 4 degrees 45 minutes latitud Norte 
 hasta su •ntcrsecelon con el meridlano de 
 l.ingitud 110 degrees 35 minutes Este de 
 Greenwich; de aqui a lo largo del meridlano 
 de loug'tud ll'.> degrees 30 minutes Este de 
 Greenwich, al paralelo de latitud 7 degrees 
 40 minutes Norte: de aqui a lo largo del 
 paralelo de latitud 7 degrees 40 minutes 
 -Norte hasta su intersecclon con el grado 
 lit) del meridlano de longltud Este de 
 Greenwich: de aqui por una Ilnea directa a 
 la Intersecclon del 10 degrees grado para- 
 
 91 
 
tnde East of Greenwich to the parallel of 
 latitude 21° 30' North." 
 
 "A proper reference to the cession thus 
 proprvsed may be inserted in the article of 
 the treaty relating to public property, ar- 
 chives and records in territory wlilch Spain 
 cedes or over which she relinquishes her 
 sovereignty. 
 
 "The American Commissioners beg fur- 
 ther to state that they are prepared to in- 
 sert in the treaty a stipulation for the as- 
 sumption by the United States of any ex- 
 isting indebtedness of Spain incurred for 
 public works and improvements of a pacific 
 character in the Philippines." 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners asljed for an 
 ."-djournment in order that they might ex- 
 amine the proposal, and either accept It or 
 present a counter-proposal, and suggested 
 that the Commission should meet again on 
 Friday, the 4th of November, at two 
 o'clock, p. m.. without prejudice to asliing 
 for a postponement, if it should be neces- 
 sary. 
 
 This suggestion was accepted, and the 
 conference was accordingly adjourned. 
 
 Signed : WILLIAM R. DAY. 
 
 CtrSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 WM. P. FRTE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITELAW REID. 
 ,70HN B. MOORE. 
 
 lelo de latitud Norte con el 118 grado merl- 
 diano de 'ongltud Este de Greenwich; y 
 de aqui a lo largo del grado 118 meridlano 
 de longitud Este de Greenwich al paraielo 
 de latitud 21 degrees 30 minutes Norte. 
 
 "Una mencion oportuna de la cesion asl 
 propuesta puede ser insertada en el artl- 
 culo del tratado relativo a la propledad pub- 
 lica. Archives y actas notariales en los 
 territories que Espana cede o a cuya so- 
 berania renuncia. 
 
 "Lo.s Couiisaricis americanos se permiten 
 ademas manifestar que estan dispuestos a 
 insertar en el tratado una estipulacion por 
 la que asumiran los Estados Unidos cual- 
 qiiiera deuda de Espana contraida para 
 obras publlcas o mejoras de earacter pacl- 
 tico en Fillpiuas." 
 
 Los Con-.isarios espanoles piden un aplaza- 
 niiento para estudiar d'cha proposcion y 
 sugieren que ambas Comisiones se reunan 
 do nuevo el viernes proximo a las 2 p. m., 
 sin perjuicio de pedir un uuevo plazo si 
 fuese nesesario. 
 
 Aceptada esta indicaeion, se levanto la 
 ses'on. 
 
 Flrmado: E. MOXTERO RIOS, 
 B. DE ABARZUZA, 
 J. DE GARNIGA, 
 W. R. DE VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 EMILIO DE O.TEDA. 
 
 92 
 
Protorol No. 12. 
 
 Protocolo No. 12. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 Of November 4, 1898. 
 
 Present- 
 On the part of the United .States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FUYE. 
 
 OKAY. 
 
 liini). 
 
 .MooIiK. 
 
 FKI!<;I'SS(>N. 
 On the pai-t (if Spain: 
 M<'ssis. Ntd.NTKHO lUOS. 
 
 AHAKZTZA. 
 
 GAUNlfA. 
 
 VILLA-rUKUTIA. 
 
 CEUKISO. 
 
 0.7i;i>A. 
 
 Tne protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 staleti that, havi-ig carefnlly examined the 
 proposal of the American Commissioners in 
 relation to the rnilippines. he presented a 
 counter-proposal on that subject, which 
 oonnte'--proposal he delivered to the Sec- 
 retary of tlie Spanish Commission, who 
 handed it to the Secretary of the Ameri- 
 can Commission. 
 
 The American Comndssioners desiring to 
 have the eountcr-propo.sal translated to 
 them immedi:itelv. it was read in English 
 by their mterprcter: and it is annexed to 
 the protocol. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion then stated that as they understood 
 from the reading of the paper that their 
 proposal was rejected, they had under the 
 rules a right to file a memorandum in 
 writing in support thereof, and that, un- 
 der the circumstances, and in order that 
 the paper presented by the Spanish Com- 
 missioner.? might be carefully translated 
 and considered, the American Commission- 
 ers desired an adjournment till Tuesday, 
 the Sth of Xovember, at 2 o'clock p. m. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners agreed to the 
 adjournment, hut stated that, as their pa- 
 per, besides rejecting the American pro- 
 posal, also put forward a counter-proposal, 
 they underst(]od that they would have the 
 right to SHliniit a memorandum in writing 
 In support of such counter-proposal. If the 
 Anerlean Commissioners should reject It. 
 
 The Commissioners concurring in opinion 
 upon these matters, tJie conference was ad- 
 journed to the day previously fixed. 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY, 
 
 CISHMAN K. DAVIS, 
 WILLIAM P. FRYE. 
 GEORGE GR.1Y, 
 WniTELAW REID. 
 JOHN P.. MOriRK. 
 
 CONEERENCIA 
 Del 4 de Noviembre de 1898. 
 
 Presentes — 
 Por parte de los Estados Unidos do 
 .\nierlcn: 
 
 los Senores DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 li-KYE. 
 GRAY. 
 REID. 
 MOORE. 
 FERGCSSOX. 
 Por parte ile Es[v;ina: 
 
 los Senores MO.VTERO RIOS. 
 ARARZUZA, 
 (iARxN'ICA, 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 CEREHO, 
 OJEDA. 
 Fne leida y aprobada el ;ict;i de la sesion 
 anterior. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 manifiesta que despues <le haber examinado 
 atentamente ia proposi(Mon de los Comi- 
 sarios americanos relatlva a Fillpinas. pre- 
 senta una contraproposiclon sobre ei mismo 
 asunto. que entrega al .Secretario de la 
 Comision esT^anola, quien a su vez la pone 
 en manos del Secretario de la Comision 
 americana. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos deseando que 
 fuese inmedlatamente traducida dicba con- 
 traproposiclon, file leida en ingles por su 
 Interprete y anadidtji en caliiind de anexo 
 al presente protocolo. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 manlliesta que entiende que de la lectnra 
 del anterior documento se desprende ser 
 rechazada la proposicion de la Comision 
 americana, y que segun el reglamento tiene 
 esta el dereeho de presentar nn Memo- 
 randum escrito en apoyo de aquella: que 
 en vista de ello y a tin do que pmlier.a ser 
 traducido cuidadosamente y examinado el 
 documento presentado. los Comisarios 
 americanos deseaban aplazar la conferencla 
 hasta el inartei? 8 de Noviembre a las 2 
 p. m. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles asientcn al apla- 
 zaniieiito. pero anaden que el documento 
 por I'Mos iiresentado ailemas de rechazar 
 la proposicion americana contlene una con- 
 traproposiclon y que p<ir tanto entienden 
 que asimlsmo tcndrian el dereeho de pre- 
 sentar nn .Memorandum por escrito en 
 apoyo de su contrapn>po.sieion, si esta 
 fuese rechazada por los Comisarios ameri- 
 canos. 
 
 Slendo esto acor dado por los Comisarios, 
 Se apiaza la conferencia hasta el dia y 
 hora anteriorraente citados. 
 Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS, 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARXTCA, 
 W. R. DE VILLA limUTIA. 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 BMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
Annex to Protocol No 12. 
 
 COMISION 
 
 Para La Negociacion de la Paz Con Los Estados Unidos. 
 
 PROPOSICION. 
 
 I>a Comision espanola hji elido con viva yorpr^sa la proposicion que la amorl- 
 cana ha pros ntado en la seslon del 31 del ultimo mes de Ootubre. 
 
 El unioo artlculo que en ella se eontleno esta reducldo a que Ksi)ana ceda a log 
 Estados r'nidos el archlplelaio eoinH-ido imr Ishis Piliplnas. sltuado en el perimctro 
 alii g^osraflcamente detemiinado. 
 
 Contiene ademas dioha proposiclon. auntiue no para que fortneii parte del artlculo, 
 dos parrafos de los euales el segundo es de una importaneia tal. que exige que la 
 Comision espanola haya de oeupars" en este escrlto espeeialmente de su contenldo. 
 
 Ixis Comisarlos espanoles afaban de deelr que les ha oausado viva sorpresa esta 
 proposirion. y es de su dtber exponer las razones que tal sentiraiento expHean. 
 
 Desde la primera conferencia hasta la ultima, los Senores Comisarlos americanos 
 sostiivierou constantemente, y alegaron ciimo principal fundam^nto de los proyectos 
 sobre Tuba y Puerto Rico, que en estas confereneias, ambas Comisiones tenian que 
 atenerse a las bases establecidas en los preliminares de paz que habian sido con- 
 venidos y flrmados el 12 de Agosto ultimo. Lo mismo deolan y contlnunn diciendo 
 los Conii.sarios espanoles. La unlco diferencia entre los unos y los otros conslstio en 
 que Ins americanos sostenian que aquel doeum'nto habla de ser entendldo estrlcta- 
 mente en su sentido literal, sin querer tomar en eonsideracion para fl.1ar este sentldo 
 ningun otro dato. antecedente nl dooumento. Y eomo en el Protocolo no se habla 
 fscrito la frase "Deuda de Cuba o de Puerto Rico." entendian que por esta razon 
 Espana debia transmitir o ceder su soberanla sobre aqnellas Islas. quedandose con 
 sus obllgaciones. Los Comisarios espanoles. por la inversa. entendian que fl sentldo 
 literal del Protocolo debia fljarse tenlendo presentes no solo las reglas generales del 
 Depfcho internacional sobre Interpretaclon de los tratados. sino tambien las nego- 
 ciaclones en que ambas partes lo habian preparado y en que de anteniano lo habiau 
 oficialmente interpretado. 
 
 Pues bien. la proposiclon pref ndlemlo la eesi(m por Espana 3e las Islas Fili- 
 pinas a los Estados Unidos. no solamente no cabe dentro de los artlculos del Proto- 
 colo. sino que esta en notoria contr:id'<tioii eon el, y es, en opinion de la C^mislon 
 espanola. sn flagrante infracclon 
 
 Contiene aquel eonvenio seis arricnlns y de ellos solamente el tercero se refiere 
 al Archipleiapo Filipino. Dice asi liter.i'mente traducido del texto oflcial frances: 
 
 "Los Estados Unidos ocuparan y tendran la cludad. la bahia y el puerto de 
 Manila, esperando la conclusion de nn tratado de paz que debera determinar la In- 
 specclon (controle). la di.sposicion y el gobierno de las Filipinas. " Esto es Jo unlco 
 que hay en el Protocolo sobre el archip'clago. 
 
 Aunque la Comislon espanola adoptase para la interpretaclon de este artlculo, e' 
 estrecho criterio del sentldo literal que la amerieana sostiene (por estrano que sea 
 este sostenlmiento) que debe aplicarse. no se podria decir otra cosa sino que eQ 
 aquella disposiclon se aeordo la ocupacion nieramente temporal o provisional de 
 Manila y su puerto y bahia por los Estados Unidos hasta que se hiciese el tratado 
 de paz en que se habia de determinar o eonvenir scbre la inspecclon, la disposicioo 
 y el gobierno de Piliplnas. 
 
 Que tiene esto que rer con un cambio o cesion de soberanla? 
 
 La primera parte del artlculo es completamente clara. No ofreci- la menor duda 
 de que alii lo unieo que se consigno sobre Manila, su bahia y puerto. fue su ocu- 
 pacion, no definitlva, sino provisional, por los Estados Unidos. ocupacion que no 
 habla de dnrar mas que hasta la celebricion del tratado de paz. No net^sita el 
 sentido literal del texto comprobacion alRuna. Mas si la necesitara, pueden los 
 Senores Comisarlos americanos registrar el numero 19 del Llbro amarillo que acaba 
 de publlcar rl Ooblerno de la Republlca francesa. Dlcho numero contiene la circu- 
 lar que a los tres dias de firmado el l'rot<x*ol. dirlgio el Senor .Mlnlstro de negoclos 
 extrangeros de Francia a sus Embjadorea en Europa. dandoles cuenta de la nilslon 
 a que el Oobierno de la Republlca se habia prestado que desempenara sn Embajador 
 en Washington para ofreoer la paz al Oi'bierno d-- los Estados Unidos en nombre 
 del de Su Majestad Catolica. Y en esta circular dice el Senor .Ministro que su Em- 
 bajador en aquella capital habia finnado <'n nombre de Espana. y a su ruego, nn 
 Protocolo que contenia las exig neias de los Est,ados Unidos para la paz. Enumera 
 el Senor Ministro tales exigencias y respecto a Filipinas conslgna, como la unica que 
 contenla aquel documento. la ocupacion prOTlsional de Manila por las fuerzas ameri- 
 canas, 
 
 95 
 
Los Si nores romisarios ameriranos i.o descouoceran la inooutrastahle fuerza 
 moral del testimonio del Senor Miuistro de la Kcpubliea francesa, arniga per igual 
 dp los dos Estados beligerantes. y cnyo Senor Miulstro no podia saber el cou- 
 tenido del Protocolo. sino pur el autorizadUinio iniiduftii de su Euibajador. que lo 
 Labia diseiitido, i-<>nvenido y tinnadn en uonibre de Espaua enn el Gobieruu amer-- 
 cano. 
 
 El earaeter merameute prnvisional de tal ni'iipaeiou subsistio aim despues de fir- 
 niado el ProtiK'olo. euando. rontia lo couvi nido en su articulo (!0. el General ilerrtt 
 se apodero de la plaza i>or la fuerza. En el ultimo parrafo del numero 5 de las 
 reglas convenidas i)ara la capitulaeiou y que fueroii Armadas en 14 de Agosto en 
 nonibre del Ejereito ami;ricauo por el Brigadier General de vohmtarios Mr. F. V. 
 Greene, por el Capitan de la marina amerieana Mr. Lamberton. por el Teuienle Coro- 
 n' 1 e Inspector General Mr. Wbittier y por el Teiiiente (^'<»ronel y Juez Ab<»g;ido Mr. 
 Crotwder, se lee lo S'guiente: "Lu deyolueion de las armas depositadas por las 
 fuerzas espanolas tendra lugar euando s evarue la plaza por las mismas o por el 
 Ejereito amerieano.'" 
 
 Entendian. pues, los que esto t1rmab;n que las fuerzas amerioanas no ocupaban 
 delinitivaniente la plaza poniue snpi)nian que podia llegar el tvjso de que bubiisen 
 de evaeuarla. Y si suponian esto, elaro es que entendian que era merameute pro- 
 visional la ocupaeion. 
 
 Es verdad: las frases "iiisp e<-inu, disp<isi<-iun \- giibiern<i de las Fillpinas" no 
 tiene un sentido elaro. El Gidiierno espanol y sii representarite en Wasliington ya 
 lo hicieron notar reolamando su explicaeiou ;il Gobierno aiuerieano ique m> la die) 
 anti-S de firmarse el Protocolo. Pero cualqutera que sea la que aliora intente dar. 
 no puede Ilegarse, en nlngun caso, a pretender qu? tales frases eucierren el pensa- 
 mieiito de la cesion de la soberauia de Espaua en el archipielago. Esta cesion. alii 
 ciinveuida. o sea la adquisieion a perpetuidad del archipielago por los Estados Tni- 
 dos. estaria en contradiccion con la ocupaeion exclusivainente temporal de Manila, 
 tambien alii acordada, ya que esta expresamente conslgnada en el mismo parrafo. 
 No podrlau nunca tampoco admitirse con arreglo a las maximas de interprftaciou 
 de los tratados, porque tal supuesta cesion serio un beneficio a favor de quienes se 
 uegaron a aclarar, sin alegar para ello razou alguna valedera. euando oportuna- 
 m'nte se les pidio. el concepto que ya entonr-es ajiarecia ambiguo e indeterminado 
 de tales frases: y porque. aun sin tal razon, habria lugar a palicar a los Senores 
 Comisarios amerioanos. con el fundamento que ellos no tuvieron para apli<'arla a 
 los espanoles (s gun estos entienden), la razon que consignaron en su ultimo Memo- 
 randum, y segun la eual, "la abstenclon de Espana de proponer en el I*rotocolo la 
 condicion del tras aso de la deuda. la iucapaeitaba para proponeria ahora." Los 
 Estados Unidos se abstuvieron de pmpon r ;i Espana en el Protocolo. franca y 
 abiertamente. como franca y abiertamcute ilebe I'onsignarse todo en los tratados, 
 que siempre se otorgan para ser entendidos y ciiniplidos de buena tv. la cesion de su 
 soberania en el archipielago. Xo lo hicieron. y por eso estan incapacitados de pro- 
 poneria abora. 
 
 Cuanto precede realmente sobra, porque existe la prueba, irrefutable para los 
 Senores Comisarios amerioanos. de que al lirmarse el Protocolo de Washington el 
 dignisimo Senor Presidente de la Union no solo no abrigaha el pensamiento ds que 
 Esi)ana hubiese cle ceder el Archipielago Filipino a los Estados Unidos, sino que 
 abrigaba el pensamiento contrario. o sea el ile que Espana habra de conservar alii 
 su soberania. 
 
 En la conferencia que el Emba,iador de Francia Senor I'ambon tuvo en 4 de 
 agosto ultimo con Mr. McKinley. a presencia de su Seeretario d'e Estado. hac''- 
 endole observacMones sobre la cesion de la Isla de Puerto Rico en compensacion de 
 los gastos de la guerra, el Si nor Presidente le contesto mostrandose inflexible en 
 este punto, y le repitio que la cuestion de Fillpinas era la unico que no estaba ya 
 deflnitivamentc resuelta en su pensamiento. Con tal motivo el Senor Cambon le 
 pidio explicaciones sobre el sentido de las sobr dichas frases de la clausula. .3 re 
 lativa al Archiiiielago Pilinpo. porque aparecia redaetada en terminos que podiau 
 prestarse a los teniores de Espana respe'-to a su sol>erania en aquellas islas. El 
 Senor Presid ute le contesto his siguientes ti'Xtuales palahras: "Xo quiero dejat 
 subsistir ningun eiiuivoco sobre este paiticular. Los negociadores de los dos paises 
 seran los que resuelvan cuales sean las ventajas permanentes" ffljese la atencion 
 en la frase: no "derechos") "que pediremos en el archipielago, y en flu los que 
 decidan la iuten-eneion (eontrole), disposicion y goibiemo de Fillpinas" y agrego 
 "El Gnbierno de .Madrid puede tener la seguridad de que. hasta ahora no hay 
 nada resuelto. a priori, en mi pensamiento contra Espana. asi como considero que 
 Tio hay nada decidido contra los Estados Unidos." Gabe en lo posible que nadie 
 dude de que el 12 de Agosto el Senor Presidente de los Estados Unidos al finuar su 
 Seeretario de Estado el Protocolo, no tenia el pensamiento de exigir a Espana la 
 Cesion de su soberania en el archipielago para los Estados Unidos? 
 
 Pero ha.v mas: no solo no tenia ese proposito, sino que sus frases deuiuestran 
 que tenia el de ijue Espana habia de conservar acpieila soberania. Segun ei los 
 Comisionados en Paris hablan de acordar las ventajas permanentes que los Estado.s 
 
 96 
 
sob-nnla. qu. ven.ajas para el porv.M.lr era poslble que puilei«n los Comlslon.dos 
 ,le los Estndo. miaos a Espana y qn. esta habla .U- po.l-r ™°'"<'''"^"' ' „":' '"' 
 Esta.los rnidos se bal.Inn de qvudar co„ la s„b,M~a..l... .on.,, se expllca '1"^ ^us 
 Comisio..ndos en Paris hubi-ran de ped'.r a Espana ventajas o.i un ...vbipiebigo 
 que al iiiismo tlempo babbin de reehimar y re(-lbir como suyor 
 
 Mas aun hav ot.a prueba. tan In-efuiable como la anterior, de que .1 Uobleruo 
 de Washington" no solan.ont,. entun.-es .slaba a^-eno a todo pensaa.leuto y proposlto 
 sobr.. la soberania cb 1 A.^-bipUla^-n Kil-pi..o. slno .p.e .onsintlo que . sta bublera 
 
 de eonlinnar en Espana. exeluyeudo e.. su pr pe..san.lento toda n»idani-,a sobre 
 
 este punto al redaetar ],ri.i.er„ y al lir.nar despn.s la <-lansula :i del I'rotoeolo. 
 
 Conleslando al (;obl..r..o <h- Espana. por su despaeho de 7 do Agosto, el H"..or- 
 able Senor Sc<-.-etario ,le Esta.l,, en Washington, que le Uabia hecho saber en el snyo 
 del SI d« Julio las eondielones. tales eon.o aparecen redactadas e ineluidas en el 
 I'lvtooolo, iKiJo las enales el (ioblerno americauo estaba dispuesto a poner t,.r...l...> a 
 la snerra, le rtwia el Mii.istio < spanol sobre la base S lo que slgue: 
 
 •T.a base referente a las Islas Filipnas pareee a nuestra inteligeueia dein.isiado 
 ind.Iermlnada. En primer terniino el titulo invoeado por los Bstados U.iidos para 
 la o<-up«eion de la balila. puert,> y eiudad de Manila, esperando la comlusion di- un 
 ti-atado de paz. no puede ser el de conquista, porque la ciudud de Manila se .letiende 
 ann: a pesar d,l bloqueo por mar y el asedio por ticrra, aquel por la llota auier'- 
 eai.a. y este por las fnerzas qu,' acandilla un indij-'ena alentado y pei-trecbad.i por 
 el Alinlrante, la bandera espanola no ha sido arriada. En segnudo lugar el Arclii- 
 pielago Filipino se halla intaeto en poder y bajo la soberania de Espana. Eu- 
 tienile pues el Gobierno espanol que la oeupaeion temporal de Manila liabra de 
 wnstitnir una garantia. I>ieese <iue en el ti^iitada de paz s: determiiiara la in- 
 terveneion. la disposieion y el gobierno de Eilipinas, y como la inti-nc-ion del 
 Gobierno federal queda por deinas velada en esta clausula interesa a este Gobii.rno 
 eonsignar que acepUi.ido la base tercera no rcnnneia a priori a la soberani.-. tota' 
 del Arcl.ipielago Filipino, dejando a los negociadores el cuidado d e estipular 
 ae ra de las refor.nas acimsejables por la situacion de aquellas posesiones y el 
 uivel de culiura de sus naturales. El Gobierno de Su Majestad acepta la base 3- 
 acompanada por la declaracion supradicha." 
 
 Bleu daro jiparece qtie el Gobierno espanol no acepto la unica base que en cL 
 Protocol hay sol>re FiUpiuas. sino en cuanto en ella se quisiera decir que Manila no 
 habla de ser mas que temporalmente ocupada, como garantia, y que la inter- 
 vencion. la disposieion y el gobierno de que en la base se hablaba, tendrian por 
 unico objeto el regimen y gobierno interior dc aquellas islas, pero no su soberania 
 total que Espana expresameute se reservaba y habia de conservar. 
 
 Contra esta interpretaeion dada de antemano por el Gobierno de Su Majestad 
 Catolica a la base tereera del I'rotoeolo, y en cuyo unico sentido la aeeptaba, nada 
 dijo. nada indico el Gobierno de Washington antes de flrmarlo. Por la inversa el 
 Senor Secretario de Estado al remitlr al Senor Embajador de Francia la minuta 
 del Protocol que habia dt- firmarse le decia en una cart;i. que la nota del Gobierno 
 espauol (que era la en que se hallaban las frases antei-iormente transcritas) contenia 
 en su espiritu la aeeptaeion por Espana de las condiciones propuestas por los 
 Estados Fnidos. Por consiguiente la condiciou tercera habia sido redactada por el 
 Gobierno aniericjino en el niismo sentido en que la entrndia el Gobierno espanol, 
 porque no podia decir. en otro caso, el Senor Secretario de Estado. con vista de la 
 nota en que constaba el unico sentido aceptable para el Gobi rno espanol, que este 
 la aeeptaba. 
 
 Asi pues: los E.stados Unidos podran reelamar hoy tal soberauia. uias para 
 esta reclamacion no pueden fundarso en el Protocolo. 
 
 Y que otro titulo que no sea este puiden alegar contra la volimtad de Espana? 
 
 Vki el Protocol se fljaron las bases que los Estados Unidos exigian a Espana 
 para la paz, o lo que es lo mismo todas las condiciones que los Estados fnldos 
 Imponion a Espana para que pudiera aquella restablecersc entre los dos paises. A 
 la vez se acordo alii la inmedi.-ita suspension de las hostilldades, suspension qne 
 por parte de Espana fue religiosameute observada hasta el prcsente. Por 'o 
 tanto los Estados Inidos no pui di'U ni tienen decrecho para exigir hoy a Espana 
 mas condiciones onerosas. que las contenidas en el Protocol, por causas anteriores 
 a su fecha, una vez que entonces no impusieron mas que las que alii estan e&Tltas, 
 dandose con su aeeptaeion por satlsfechns; ni por causas posteriores ya que dtsde 
 entonces Espana no ejecuto aeto alguno de agresion ul dio inotlvo a nuevas exi- 
 gen<-ias ni reclamacionts de los Estados I'nidos. 
 
 Si f-or inotivos que no estan en la esfera de la eompetencia de la Comlsiou espa- 
 nola, el Gobierno amerlcano desea ahora adqiiirir la soberania del Archipklago 
 Fili]iliio, no es ciertamente el medio adecuado para el logro de sn proposilo una 
 reclamacion heeha al amiiaro de los preliminares de paz eonvenidos en .I Pro- 
 tocolo firmado en Washington en 12 de Agosto i)or ambas .\ltas I'artes. 
 
Los Comisarios espanoles iudicaron al principio de I'Sff csfritn que el 20 parrafo 
 que despues del proyectado artlculo contenia la proposieion americana era de tal 
 importancia que les imponia la necesidad de oeuparse espeeialmeiite de su coa- 
 tenido. 
 
 Dichos Senons Comisarios maniflestan en el que estan dispuestos a iusertar eu 
 <?1 tratado una estipulacion par la que asuniiran los Estados Unidos rualquiera 
 <ieuda de Espana contraida para obras publicas o mejoras de earacter pacitico ea 
 Filipiuas. 
 
 El Arcbipiela^o t^sta efeotivamente gravado cou una deuda de 200 millones de 
 pesetas, garantizada eon la bipoteea de los productos y redimientos de la Aduana 
 ■de Manila; y pesan ademas sobre la Corona obligacimies. eargas de justicia y otras , 
 pensiones de menor importancia. del servicio exclusivo de aquella eolonia. 
 
 Por lo que bace a la deuda bipotecaria, ya ban cousignado los Comisarioi 
 espanoles con ocasion de la deuda de la misma clase que pesa hipotecariamente ■ 
 sohrf la renta de las Aduanas y sobre todos ios impuestos. directos o indirectos de 
 la Isla de Cuba, que no queden siquiera admitir discusion acerca ilel valor y 
 4?Iicacia de talcs bipotecas. 
 
 Constituidas legalmente por uu Soberano h/gitinnj y legitimameute adquiridas 
 por los particulares de diversas uacion alidades que se interesaron en aquellas 
 ■operaciones de credito. Esj)ana no es duena de ios derecbos de estas terceras per- 
 •sonas que estan al amparo de las leyes que protegen la propiedad privada, para que 
 ■en un tratado con los Estados Unidos ni con otra Poteneia alguna, pueda consentlr 
 en nada que siguifique o implique una lesion de derecbos que no son suyos. Se lo 
 vedan Ios deberes mas elementales de la probidad publica y privada. 
 
 Espana no reclama el r>-cour.cimiento de esas dcudas bipi>tecarias para su pro- 
 pio bencBcio. quosto que su tesoro no se ba obUsado a pagar tales deudas sino subs - 
 diariamente. esto es, solamente en el caso en que no fueran suflcicntes las rentas c 
 impuestos bipotecados. Si bace tal reelamacion es solamente tn cumplimieuto de 
 un debet* moral que pesa sobre todo deudor bonrado. y ademas en beneficio de los 
 tenedores de su deuda propia, los cuaU's no podian meuos de ver un peligro para sus 
 intereses en el b'ecbo de que Espana, sin estar a ello obligada. rrcargase las obli- 
 gaciones de su tesoro con otras cuantiosas a que bubiera de atender juiitamente 
 que a las suyas propias y corriendo el peligro de que sus recursos no bastast-n para 
 atender a todas. La deuda y obiigacioues de las colouias que a ella directamente 
 interesan son las que uo gozau del priviiegio dv una bipoteea. porque respeeto a 
 elias esta principalmente obligada al pago. y entiende que no es justo que cuando 
 las ba coutraido por y para sus eolonias, baya de continuar despues de perderlas. 
 gravada con tales cargas. que son, dtspues de todo, una pequena parte del inmenso 
 capital que en aquellas se invirtio y que ba cubierto con sus propios recursos. 
 
 (iuede dicbo, por lo tanto, y esptran los Comisarios espanoles que uo babran de 
 tener la necesidad de repetirlo, que Espana no puede ni debe. porquf el resjieto a lo 
 ageno se lo veda, convenir eu este tratado, ni eu uinguno. sobre nada que implique 
 la lesion o la suspension o siquiera descouocimituto de derecbos privados y agenos 
 contra la voluntad de sus legitimes y particulares duenos. 
 
 Mas aun por lo que toca a la deuda colonial no priviiegiada. su dignidad y el res- 
 peto que se debe a si misma, le vedan igualmeute admitir las bases que resaltan en 
 el parrafo de la proposiciou de que se esta ocupando y que cousiste en el examen de 
 la inversion que Espana baya podido dar a los productos obtenidos por la creaciou 
 de dicbas deudas. Esto equivalia a somoter al criterio de una poteneia extrana los 
 actos de su gobierno interior. Acertados o uo (acertados entiende que ban sido 
 todos) fueron perfectamente legitimos y estan al amparo de su soberania. 
 
 Y aun en la inadmisible bipotesis de que tal acierto no bubiera babido en ellos, 
 no saben los Comisarios espanoles que baya nailie que pueda hacer depender la legl- 
 timidad de una deuda legalmente eontra'da, de la inversion buena o mala, que, des- 
 pues de constituida, baya dado el deudor a sus productos. 
 
 No ban de poner termino los Comisarios espanoles a este escrito sin ilamar la 
 atencion de los bonorables Comisarios americauos sobre un punto que no puede 
 menos de ser resuelto en el tratado, en cumplimiento de lo conveuido en la base 
 ■6a del Protocolo: dice esta asl: "Una vez terminado y flrmado este Protoeolo, de- 
 beran suspendtrse las bostilidades en los dos praises, y a este efecto se deberau 
 dar ordenes por cada uno de los dos Gooiernos a los Jefes de sus fuerzas de mar y 
 tierra, tan pronto couio sea posible." 
 
 Ya antes de la flrma del Protocolo, al Senor Presidente de la Union, despues de 
 enterar al Senor Embajador de Francia el dia 30 de Julio ultimo, de las cond'- 
 ciones que los Estados Unidos imponlan a Espana para restablecer con ella la paz. 
 le manifesto que consentia en conceder la suspension de bostilidades en seguida 
 que el Senor Ministro de Estado espauol biciera saber al Embajador de Francia. 
 sa representante en Wasbington, que aeeptaba las negociaciones sobre las bases 
 Indicadas por el Gobierno federal, y que autorizaba a dicbo Emba.1ador para firmar 
 en su nombre el acta prelimiuar que punla termino a las bostilidades. 
 
 El Gobierno espauol manifesto su conformidad con tales bases, y autorizo al 
 Embajador de Francia para aceptarlas y flrmarlas en su nombre, por su despacho 
 
 SS 
 
de 7 de Agosto. que fue iiiiniHlhUameiite commiii-ailo al Gobieruo de Wasbiugton. 
 Apesar de esto. las hostilidadcs no se suspopilieinii entonws. Mas al (In s'' acordo 
 su suspension pooos ilias rtespues. o sea el 12. por el nipnelonado artliulo (i del I'ro- 
 toeolu. 
 
 Esto no obstante el dia 13. el General .Mei-rilt. .lefe do las fuerzas auiericaiias 
 eu Manila, y el Adniiranie do la tlota en aquella l>alila. exisleron la rendlclon de 
 la plaza, .v por no prestarsc a ella sus autorldades. rompleron el fuego diolias 
 furrzas contra el polvorin de San .Vntouio -Miad. .v eontra las trineheras que de- 
 fendlan la eiudad del lado de tierra. causando inuwpsariaiuente nn iinniero eon- 
 siderahle de bajas a las fuerzas espanolas. que liubieran cntreorado paclBcaniente 'a 
 cludad a los amerk-anos. en eunipllmlento de la base ft del I'rotoeol. para que la 
 conservasen en garantia basla la eeleliraeion del tratado de paz. 
 
 i:i General Merritt entro por la fuerza en Manila, hlzo prisonera de suerra su 
 guarnieion eiinipuesta de 8 a 9.()IH) honibres. se apoilero de los fondus publieos y dc 
 la reeaudaoion de los impuestos. inelusos los de .\duanas. nombro Intend nte Gen- 
 eral y Admhilstrador de la naeienda publiea y reeoltector de diehos impuestos a los 
 ofieiales de su ejercito que tuvo por eonvepiente. deslitu.vendo por esto a los funclon- 
 arios espanoles; rel'vo al Comniandante espanol de la guanlia eivil enear^ada del 
 orden publleo: eonstituyo trihunales miiltares: abrio el puerto de Manila, y todos 
 los demas. de Filipinas que .se hallaban I'U poseslon d" sus fuerzas de mar y tierra, 
 al eomereio de su nacion y al de los nioitrales. previo el nago de los derechos que 
 rlglesen al tleiupo de su iutroduceion y que sus funeionarios pereibierou. Todo (slo 
 consta en el aeta iireliminar de eapilulaeion del V\ de .\gnsto. en la capilulaeion 
 misuia <lel 14. en el bando del General Merritt de ipual fe<-lia. m sus ordenes de 
 22 y 2;) del propio mes, y en las denias dietadas per las autorldades y funeionarios 
 americanos en Manila. 
 
 El Gobiemo espanol reelamo al de Washington, contra todo lo alii ix!urrido. por 
 conducto de la Embajada francesa. en 29 de Agosto. 3 y 11 de Septienibre ultimo. 
 Insistiendo despues hasta el presente eu las misnias reelamaciones, y senaladamente 
 en al Inmedlafci libertad de la guarnieion prisionfra en Manila y en la devolur-ion de 
 sus armas. questo que por una parte no podia enviar refviorzos desde la Peninsula al 
 arcbipielago. euyo envio tampoco velan con buenos ojos ]os Estados Unidos, y por la 
 otra, neeesitaba aquellas fuerzas para Pbertar a mlllares de espanoles prisoneros de 
 los insurreetos tagalos y victimas de sus males tratamientos. y para combatir y do- 
 minar aquella insurreecion de sus propios subditos. Las reelamaciones del Goblerno 
 espanol fueron hasta ahora Inutiles. Estos heehos continuan cada dia tomando peer 
 aspecto. El 21 de Septiembre el Capitan W. P. Moffatt. nombrado por el Prevoste 
 GObernador americano, encargado de las prisones de la plaza de Bilibld. con facul- 
 tad de disponer la entrada y libertad de toda clase de presos. se la dio a dos Ila- 
 mados Sih-estre Lacoy y Marcos Alarcon. que estaban procesados por el delito de 
 robo en cuadrilla. a otros dos que lo estaban por desereion. a seis que lo estaban 
 por desaeato, a otro que lo estaba por asalto y robo y a otros tres que lo estaban 
 por homicldlo. Como se ve, todos estos presos estaban en la carcel por delitos 
 comunes. Este hecho inandito fue comunlcado al Goblerno de Su Majestad Cato- 
 lica por la Comandancian General del Apostadero de Manila. 
 
 Ahora bien. se hace precise examinar todos estos bechos desde el punto de visto 
 de su legalidad y eon relacion a lo que en la clausula 6 del Protoeolo se babia 
 convenido. ,t constituia una formal obllgacion para ambos Gobiernos. 
 
 Desde cuando debio comenzar a producir sus efectos la suspension de las hos- 
 tilidadcs acordada en dicha clausula 6? La contestaciou no es dudosa. El texto 
 es clar.:) y explicito: las hostilidadcs habian de snspenderse desde la conclusion y 
 firma del Protoeolo. 
 
 Esto ocurrio en la tarde del 12 de Agosto. For lo tanto. desde dicba tarde los 
 actos de guerra que cualquiera de los beligerantes ejeeutara. habian de tenerse 
 como no heehos para el efecto de restablecer el "statu quo ante" el motnento de 
 la firma del Protoeolo. 
 
 Es ocloso y hasta seria ofensivo para la alta ilustracion de la Comision amerl- 
 cana exponer aqui la doctrina, no solo admitida desde los tiempos de Grotius sin 
 contradiecion en el Dereoho y en las practicas internaclotiales. y a que prestan sii 
 asentimiento y su apoyo todos los ilustres tratadistas anglo-americ-anos que de 
 la materia se hau ocupado, sine que ademas csta eleyada en los Estados Unidos a 
 la categorla de Derecho cstableeido. en el artieulo 140 de sus Instrucciones para los 
 Ejeroitos en campana, que dice asi: "El armisticio liga a los beligerantes a partlr 
 del dia convenido entre ellos para su ejecucion, pero los otieiales de los dos ejercltos 
 no son responsables de esta ejecucion. mas que desde el dia en que el armislic'o 
 les ha sido oficlalmente notiflcado." 
 
 El dia de la ejecucion fljado en el artieulo seis del Protoeolo fue el en que se 
 concluyese y firmase: asl textualmente se dice alll: "A la conclusion y flrma de 
 este Protoeolo las hostllidadis entre los dos paises deberan ser suspendidas." 
 
 El General Merritt y el Almlrante de la escuadra no seran personalmente re- 
 sponsables de la sangre que innecesariamente dcrraniarou el dia 13. si entonces no 
 tenian notlcla oficlal del Protoeolo que s^' babia flrmado cl dia anterior en Wash- 
 
 99 
 
injrton. pero csto no ubsta para que. romo dice uno de los mas ilustres tratadistas 
 del Derecho internacional. v\ honor milltar exije abstenerse escrupiilosamente de 
 aprovecbarse de toda ventaja que podria saearse do la iguoraucia de las tropas 
 que uo bubieran sido todavia Infonuadas del armistieio. En cases como este la 
 Potencia beligerante cuyas fuerzas. per igrioraucia, ejecutaron uu aeto de guerra, 
 no puede aprovecbarse do sus ventajas y debe reponer las cosas el "statu quo ante" 
 indemuizamlo al beligerante perjudicado de los danos y perjui<*ios que por aquel acto 
 de gnerra se le bubieran inferido, y restituyendo, oonio dice el ilustre publicist a 
 anglo-american Dudley Field, todas las presas becbas en contravencion del armistieio. 
 
 Rsto es tan elemental y vulgar en los Estados Unidos, que en sus colegios sirve 
 d** texto la obra titulada "Elementos dp Derecbo internacional y Lcyes de Guer- 
 ra" escrita por el Mayor General Halleck y en cuya edicion de Filadelfia. pagina 
 28.T. se !ee lo siguiente: 
 
 *'La tregua liga a las partes contratautcs desde el momento de su conclusion a 
 nienos que no se estipule especialamente otra cosa, pevo no liga a los individuos 
 de una naciou hasta el punto de bacerles personalmeute responsables de su ruptura 
 mieutras no tengen noticia actual y positiva d(* ella. 
 
 "Tor consiguiente, si los individuos sin conocimlento de la suspension de hostili- 
 dades. raalan uii enemigo o destruyen su propiedad, nu cometen por tales actos un 
 crimen ni estan obligados a iudemnizacion pecuniaria. poro si bacen prisoneros o 
 prosos. el soberano esta en la obligaciou (b' poner a aquellos inmediatamente en 
 libertad y de restltuir las presas." 
 
 El Gobii-rno americano no ba puesto. basta abora. en libertad a la guaniicion 
 prisonera dv Manila, ni ba reducido su ocupacion belica de la plaza a los limites de 
 uu simple derecbo de guarniciou en ella. que es, segun el artioulo 80 del Proto- 
 eob), 1q unico a que tenian derecbo como garantiu basta el tratado de paz. 
 
 Les Coniisionadas espanoles. por lo tanto, en complimento de lo expresamente 
 convenido en el Protocolo, entienden que en el tratado de paz debe consiguarse: 
 
 1. La entrega iuiuediata de la piaza al Gobieruo espanol. 
 
 2. La liliertad inmediata de la guarniciou de la m'.sma. 
 
 3. La ilevolucion al Gobierno espanol de todas los fondos y propriedades pub- 
 licas de que se todas clases que Ua venido percibiendo y que perciba basta su dev- 
 olucion: y 
 
 4. El (junipromiso por parte de los Estados Unidos de indemuizar a Espana de 
 los gravisimos perjuicios que le ba ocasiouado con la reteneion de aquellas tropas 
 prisioneras. porque a esto fue debido que impunemente se propagase la insurreclon 
 tagala in la Isla de Luzon y sn invasion en ias Islas Visayas, y porque tambien a 
 esto mismo ba sido debida la continuacion de l.»s malos treatmientos de bjs millares 
 de prisioneros espanoles civiles y militaires a que impuncmente continuan sometien- 
 doles las fuerzas insurrectas tagalas. 
 
 En vlrtud de cuantit precede la Comision espauola tiene el honor de bacer a la 
 Coniisiou americana la siguiente proposicion: 
 
 Pnniero. Que no puede acepter la proposicion que ba presentado pidiendo 1& 
 cesion de la soherania del Arcbipielago Filipino a los Estados T'uidos por entender 
 que es coniraria a los preliminaries de paz eonvenidos en e! Protocolo de Washing- 
 Ion; y 
 
 Segundo. Que en su cimsecuencia la invitn a que. de acuerdo con lo convenido 
 en los meiicionados articnios 3 y 6 de! Protocolo. .-^e sirva presentar una i)ropnsi- 
 cion sobre la inten-encion. disposicion y gobierno del Arcbipiela^gv* Filipino y sobre 
 el comprouHso que. segun lo que se aeaba de docir. deben contraer los Estados Uni- 
 dos por efecto del becho de guerra ejectuado pur sus Iropas despues de firmado el 
 Ib'otocolo. apoderandose a viva fuerza de la eiudad de Manila y ejecutando los actos 
 que estan fuera de his umius derecbo s que los Estados Unidos podian ejercer 
 en aquePa tiudad y su bahia y pn'tto. con arreulo a la convenido en la ffcjnrionada 
 base 3 del Protocolo. 
 
 Esta <-niifoi'pie: EMILin HE O.IKKA. 
 
 100 
 
ANNEX TO PROTOCOL NO. 12. 
 
 I'Kiii'd.'^i-no.N, 
 
 Tlic Siiiuilsh ('"niiiiissi.iii hns n-!iil witli t:ii.Ml .^miirisi^ tlw proipiisll l.m iiri'sciitca 
 bj- tilt' AnuTlcaii ('oiiiiiils..ii<m at the mi'i'Iiii.' lu-lil <in ihc Hist of Octolior. uUliii.i. 
 
 Thf only article wliieli said proposition lonlains is reducea to provldlnj; for the 
 cession by Spain to the Tnitert States of tlie areliipelasro known as thi' I'liilipiilne 
 Islands, situated wltliln tlie perimeter Ki'ouranliiealiy deterniineil In Its texl. 
 
 Hut Ml ..dclition tliereto the proposition eoiilains two paraaraplis. not intenileil to 
 form a part of tlie artiele. the seeoiul of wliich is of siic-li importance as to il.'niami 
 from the Spanisli Commission to deal with it specially in tills paper. 
 
 The Spanis'i Coniniissioners have stat I'd that tin- American proposition excited In 
 them preat surprise, and it la their duty to set fortii the reasons which explain that 
 feellnj,'. 
 
 From the tirst to 'he List conference, tlie .Vmcrir'an Commissioners liave been 
 allegiiij? eonstimtiy— and that alieKation was tlie princiiiai finnind upon wliii-li tiieir 
 drafts relating to Cuba and Porto Kico were liased— that in their conferences tile 
 two Commissions have to aliidc liy tile basics I'stalitisiieil in the preliminaries of 
 peace asrecd upon and sijined ■>n the 12th of Aufrnst ultimo. The same was said 
 and eoutinnes to be said by the Spanish Commissioners. One difference, however. 
 has existed lu this respect between the two Commissions, and this has been that 
 the American Commissioners understand tli.ii tlie Vrolocol should be construed ac- 
 cording to 'ts letter, strictly, and witliou t t.iiiiiij; into consideration any data, ante- 
 cedent or document. For this reason, as tlie %Vords •■Deiit of Cuba, or of I'orto 
 Kico" were not written on the Protoi-ol. thev have deemed that Spain should trans- 
 mit or cede lier sovcreiiinty over the islands, but should retain the tatter's i>blit;a- 
 tions The S|ianisli Commissioners understand, on the contrary, that for deterniin- 
 Mis the literal meaniiiK of tlie I'roti>col it is pece^sary not only to bear iu niiml the 
 seneral rules of international law as to tlie interpretation of treaties, but also the 
 negotiations carried imi between the two parties wlii<-h cnlmimited in this agreement, 
 and Ml which the Interpretation of the lain-r had been given beforehand and of- 
 ieially. 
 
 Therefore the proposition relating t" tlu' cession by SiKiiii to the Cnlted States 
 06 the rhilippi'ie Islands, besides not be ing included in or covered by the articles of 
 the I'rotoi-oi. appears to be in open contra diction of its terms. In the. , .pinion of the 
 Spanish Commissiiui It is a tlagr.ii.r vicdatiop of the agreement. 
 
 The I'rolocol contains six articles, and only (Uie. tlie third, refers to the IMiilip- 
 pine Archipelago. Literally trauslateil lin to Spanish! from the official Frem-h text, 
 it reads as follows: 
 
 '■The United States shall occupy and III Id the city, the bay and tin- liarb.>r of 
 Manila iiending the eoncluslcm of a treaty of pi'aci. which shall determini- the iu. 
 spectiim icontrolei. the disposition, and the government of the Philippine islands. 
 
 This is all that tlie Protocol says about tin- arch.pelago. 
 
 I'lveii accepting as a projier standard for the interpretation of tliis article the 
 n:>rrow one of the literal meaning, as claimed Ino matter how strange it may ap- 
 peari by the American Commission, the Spiiiisli Coniinis.<ion would have only to re- 
 ply that the text of the Protocol refers to nothing else than the temporary or pro- 
 visional occ-upation by tlie United States of .Miinra. its harbor, and its l>ay. until the 
 treaty of peace, deterniining or agreeing upon the inspection, disposition and gov- 
 erninelil of the Pliili|ipine Islands, should be concluded. 
 
 ■\Vliat has this to do with any cliaiig e or cession of sovereignty? 
 
 The tirst part of the article is pco-fei-t ly clear. Not even the slightest doubt can 
 exist as to the fact that the only agreement as to Manila, its bay and its harbor, re- 
 ferred to the occupation Uiereof, not final but provisional, by the I'uited States: 
 said occupation to last only until the conclu.<ion of the tr.'aty of peace. No proof is 
 necessary to corrotiorate this Mteral constru'-tion of tlie text. But shmild it bo re- 
 quired, the American Commission would tind it in doi iineiit number 11) lu the Yellow 
 Book just published by the Government of tni' French Bepublic. Said document 
 contains the idrcuiar addressed by the French Minister of Foreign .\tTairs to the 
 Fremh ..Vmbassailors iu Kurjipe. three days .after tile signing of the Protoiid, ac- 
 qu.linting tliein witli the mission wliicli the (iovernmout of tlie Republic had allowed 
 to be entrusted to the Frendi Ambassador at Wasliing'on, to offer peace to the (Jov- 
 ernment of the United States in behalf of the (iovernmeut of Her Catholic Majesty. 
 This circular states that the French Ambassador at Washington had signed, iu the 
 name of Spain and at her request, a Protocid setting forth the demands of the 
 Uuiled Stalls, and after enumerating those demands, and iu referring to the I'hlllp. 
 pine Islands, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs .says that the only one con- 
 
 101 
 
talned in that document was the provisional occupation of Manila by the American 
 forces. 
 
 Toe American Commission will not disres-'.-ird the unquestionable moral weight of 
 the testimony of the Minister of Foreign" Affairs of the French Republic, equally 
 fnendly to the two belligerent states, who could know nothing about the Protocol 
 except thrciuffh the most authoritative channel of the French Ambassador who had 
 discussed it with the American iJovernim iit. and ajjreed to it and signed it, in 
 the name of Spain. 
 
 The mere provisional character of that occupation remained even after the Pro- 
 tocol was signed, when Genera! Merritt, contrary to what had been agreed upon in 
 Article VI. of the same, forcibly took possession of Manila, In the last paragraph 
 of Xo. o in the rules for capitulation agreed upon and signed on August 15, on the 
 part of the United States, by Brigadier-General of Volunteers E. V. Greene, by Cap- 
 tain Lamberton of the United States Navy; by Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector- 
 General Whittier, and by Lieutenant-Colonel Judge-Advocate Crowder, the following 
 was said: 
 
 "The return of the arms surrendered liy the Spanish forces shall take place 
 when they evacuate the city or when the American army evacuates." 
 
 Therefore it was understood by those who signed this agreement that the 
 Americau forces did not permanently occupy the place, as they anticipated the 
 case that they would have to evacuate it. And if they anticipated this, it is cleat 
 that they understood their occupation of the place to be merely provisional. 
 
 True, It is, that the words "inspection, disposition and government of the Philip 
 pine Islands" have not a clear meaning. The Spanish Government and its represen- 
 tative at Washington had noticed this fact and asked tor the proper explanation 
 thereof (which was not given) by the American Government, before the Protocol 
 was signed. But whatever construction m.^.y now be placed upon these words, the 
 fact is that m no case can their meaning be .so stretched as to involve in any way 
 the idea of ces.sion of the sovereignty of Spain over the archipelago. Such a ces- 
 sion or acquisition in perpetuum of the archipelago by the United States, had it 
 been agreed upon in the Protocol, would have been in contradiction with the mere 
 temporary occupation of Manila, which at the same time was agreed upon in the 
 same clause of that instrument. 
 
 Xor could the said construction ever be admitted as valid, under the rules of in- 
 terpretation of treaties, because the said admission would result in benefiting a 
 party who refused to explain, when asked at th« proper time to do so, the meaning 
 of the words which even then were considered ambiguous and indeterminate. Even 
 if this were not the case, the rule which the Spanish Commission understand to have 
 been applied to them without reason, set forth by the American Commissioners in 
 their last "memorandum," namely, that "the abstention of Spain from proposing in 
 the Protocol the condition of the transfer of the debt precluded her from proposing 
 it now," would be applicable to the case. The United States abstained from propos- 
 ing to Spain in the Protocol, frankly and ope'ilv, as frankly and openly as all 
 things must be set forth in all treaties, which must never be concluded unless to be 
 understood and complied with in good faith, the cession of her sovereignty over the 
 archipelago. They did not do it, and they became thereby precluded from proposing 
 it now. 
 
 Ali the foregoing statements must really be considered in excess of necessity, as 
 it is a fact, perfectly well known to the American Commissioners, that when the Pro- 
 tocol was signed at Washington the most worthy President of the Union not only 
 had no idea that Spain would have to cede the Philippine Archipelago to the United 
 States, but entertained, on the contrary, an opposite idea, namely, that Spain would 
 retain her sovereignty over it. 
 
 In the conference held on August 4 last, between .Mr. Cambon, Ambassador from 
 France, and President McKinley, in the presence of the United States Secretary of 
 State. Mr. Cambon made some remarks as to the cession of Porto Rico in compensa- 
 tion for the expenses of the war, and the President, showing himself inflexible upon 
 that point, repeated his assertion that the Philippine question was the only one not 
 finall.v sefthd in his mind. It was then that Mr Cambon asked for an explanation 
 about the meaning of the above cited phrases in Article III. of the Protocol, relating 
 to the Philippine Archipelago, as the language of said article might lend itself to 
 inspire fear in Spain in regard to her sovereignty over those islands. President Mc- 
 Kinley answered him, verbatim, as follows: 
 
 "I do not want any ambiguity to be allowed to remain on this point. The iiego- 
 tifitors of both countries are the ones who shall resolve upon the permanent advan- 
 tages (notice that he said 'advantages' and not Tights') which we shall ask in the 
 archipelago, and decide upon the intervention (controle), disposition and government 
 of the Philippine Islands." ' 
 
 He further said: "The Madrid Government can rest assured that up to now 
 nothing is decided a priori, in my own mind, against Spain, nor do I consider any- 
 thing decided by it against the United States." 
 
 Is it therefore doubtful that on the 12th of .\ugust. when the Secretary of State 
 
 102 
 
of till' liiiti'il Slali's ■-iu-iiril Tin- rrciliicc.l. tlir rri'sldiMil nf tlic I'liitiMl Stilti's Iniil no 
 ideii of (li-iiiiiiuiiu;.' frniii S|i:ihi tlir crsslnii ic. thv r?iiii-(l stales of liiM- soviTeismy over 
 tl;o archi'pt'UijroV 
 
 Km lUui-o is soiin'i!iiii« more. Tlio I'rcsiili'ni nf Uii- I'liilcil States, far from eii- 
 t<_'riaiiiin;; tliat jiurposo, cleai-ly sliowfd by his laiijrua;;r tliat lie desired tliat Spain 
 sboiiid preserve tier sovereignty. lie said tliat tlie ( 'otninissioners at I'arls would 
 bave to eonie to an agreement as to the permanent advantaRcs to be demanded by 
 the United States in the I'hilippine Arebipeiaj;o. If Siiain was to be deprived of her 
 sovereignty, what future advantages eould imssibly oe asked from Spain by the 
 United States Commissioner.'!, or granted them by Spain? How would it be possible 
 for the Ameriean Comniissioners at Tails to ask Sp^ in for advantages in an archipel- 
 ago which tliey at the same time h.nd to deiiuind and receive as their own property? 
 There is still an^ither pro.if. as irrefiit abli. as the above, that the Washington 
 Government, far fr.oii liaving at that time any idea or intention to acquire sovereign- 
 ty over the I'liilippine -Vrchipclago. consenleil tliat saiil sovereignty continue to be 
 Tested in Si>ain. liy renuiving from its own mind all id. 'a of eliange in this respect. 
 either when framing or signing Article IK. uf the rrotoeol. 
 
 When the Spanisli Government, by its disjiatch of tlie 7tli of -Vugust. answered 
 the note of the Honorable Secretary of State of the United States of the 31st of 
 July, wherein he informed Spain of the conditions, sncli as set forth in the Protocol, 
 upon which the American Government was disposed to pur an end to the war. the 
 Spanish Si-cretary of State used in regard t.i liasis 3 the following language: 
 
 ••The basis ridating to tlie Thiliiiiiiiie Islands seems, according to our under- 
 standing, to be too indeterminate. In the tirsi place, the title invoked by the United 
 State.s for the occupation of the bay. harbor and city of Manila, pending the concln- 
 sion of a treaty of peace, cannot be conquesi. as the city of Manila is still defending 
 itself. In spite of the blockade by sea and -lie siege liy land, the former i.r th* 
 American fleet, the latter by forces commanded by a native encouraged and assisted 
 by the American Admiral, the Spanish flag has not been lowered. In tlie second 
 place, the I'hilippine Archipelago is whidly In the power and under the sovereignty 
 of Spain. The Spanish GoviMiimenI understauds. therefore, that the temporary occu- 
 pation of Man^'a must ei.iistitute a guar.intee. 
 
 "The treaty of peace, it is said, shall di'termine the intervention, disposition and 
 government of the Philippine Islands, and as the intention of the Federal Govern- 
 ment is too much veiled in this clause, it is important for this Government to state 
 that while accepting the 3d basis, it does not relinquish a priori the entire sover- 
 eignty over the Philippine Archipelago, and leaves to the negotiators the care to 
 stipulate in regaril to such reforms as it may be advisable to introduce there— in 
 view of the situation of those possessions and the degree of cultivation of their in- 
 habitants. The Government of Her Majesty a<-cepts the .3d clause as supplemented 
 by the aforesaid declaration." 
 
 It appears very plainly that the Spanish Government did not accept the only 
 item of the Protocol which relates to the IMiilippine Islands, except in so far as it 
 meant that the occupation of Manila siiould 'ue only temporary and in the nature of 
 a guarantee, and that the intervention, disposition and government spoken of in the 
 item should refer to the interior regime and administration of the government of the 
 .said islands.' and not to the entire soverevgiity. wliieh Spain expressly reserved and 
 was entitled to retain. 
 
 Against this construction iilaced lieforeliand by the ijiivi-rmnent of Her Catholic 
 Majesty upon the 3d basis of the I'rotoco'.-a construction noon which exclusively it 
 was accepted— the Washington Government said or suggested nothing, before sign- 
 ing the instrument. On the contrary, the Secretary of State of tiie linked States. 
 when sending to the French Ambassador the draft of the Protocol whicii was to be 
 signed, said to him in a letter that the note of llic> Spanish (iovernment (the one in 
 which the ahove cinoied phrases appeari contained in its spirit the acceptance by 
 Spain of the conditions proposed by the Ci.i'ed States. Therefore, the third condi- 
 tion had been frauieu by the American Government in tiie same sense in which It 
 had beiMi nndel-stood by the Spanish Government, otherwise it would have been ini- 
 possil-le fnr the Secretary of State of the United States to say. upon examination of 
 the note in which the Spanish Governineni explained tne only meaning of the article 
 which would be acceptable to it. that tlie Spanish (Jovernnient did accept it. 
 
 The result Is that while the United States may now come and claim the saiil 
 sovereignty, the claim can never be founded upon the Protocol. 
 
 And what other title, different from that agreement, can they allege, against the 
 will of Spain, to be vested in tliein? 
 
 The ba.ses upon which the United States agreed to make peace with Spain, or in 
 other words, the conditions whicii the Uniteil States imposed upon Spain for the re- 
 establisnmeiit of peace between the two countries, were set forth in tlie Protocol. 
 .4n immediate suspension of hostilities was also agreed upon in that instranient; and 
 Spain up to the present time has scrupulously kepi the agreement. Therefore the 
 United Slates can have no right to demand now from Sjialn any onerous conditions 
 
 103 
 
not contained in the Protocol, either because of events prior to its date-since when 
 the Protocol was sifrucd the I'liiteil States did not make more demands than are 
 written therein, and were satisfied with their aece;itance bv Spain— or liecause of 
 suljseqnent events, since Spain, after the instrument was signed, did not commit any 
 aegression or give the United States any occasion to make further complaints or de- 
 mands. 
 
 If for reasons which are beyond the sphere of jurisdiction of the Spanish Com- 
 mission, the American Government wishes now to acquire sovereignty over tie Phil- 
 ippine Archipelago, the proper way to accomplish that purpose is certainly not a 
 claim based upon the preliminaries of peace agi-eed upon between the two High Con- 
 tracting I'arties and set forth in the Protocol signed at Washington on the 12th of 
 August. 
 
 The Spanisli Commissioners stated at the beginning of this paper that the second 
 pi.ragraph which the American proposition contained after the proposal article was 
 of siich importance that it imposed on them the necessity of dwelling especially upon 
 
 its import. ' 
 
 The Commissioners assert therein that they are disposed to insert in the treaty a 
 stipulation whereliy the United States will assume any debt of Spain contracted for 
 pnlilie works or improvements of a pacitti- character in the I'Uilippines. 
 
 The arch-pelago is in fact burdened with a debt of HW billions of pesatas. secured 
 bv mortgage on the proceeds and revenues of the Manila custom house; and there 
 further rest upon the Crown obligations, just charges and other pensions of lesser 
 importance, exclusively connected with the service of that colony. 
 
 With respect to the mortgage debt, the Spanish Commissioners have already stat- 
 ed with relation to the debt of a like nature which by way of mortgage Ijurdens the 
 revenues of the custom houses and all the taxes, direct and indirect, of the Island of 
 Cuba, that they cannot even admit any discussion relalive to the validity and effi- 
 cacy of such mortgages. 
 
 Legally created by a legitimate sovereign, and legally acquired by the individ- 
 uais of various nationalities who intereste.d themselves in tliose provincial operations, 
 Spain is not the proprietor of the rights of these third parties, who are under the 
 aegis of the laws protecting private property, so as to consent in a treaty with the 
 United States or any other power in any way to anything which means or implies an 
 impairment of rights which are not hers. The most elemental duties of public and 
 private probity forbid tills. 
 
 Spain does not demand the recognition of these secured debts for her own benetit, 
 since her treasury has not bound itself to pay the same, save subsidiarily, that is. 
 only n the event that the revenues and taxes mortgaged are insufticient to meet 
 them. If she makes the demand it is onl.v in obedience to a moral duty resting upon 
 every honest debtor, and. further. In behalf of the holders of her own debt, who 
 could not but see a danger to their interests in the fact that Spain, without being 
 bound thereto, should overburden her treasuiy wdth other heavy obligatioois ftor 
 wnich it would be liable jointly with her own. and running the risk of her resources 
 being insufticient to meet them all. The debt and obligations of the colonies which 
 directly interest her are those not enjoying the privilege of security, because with 
 respect to these she is primarily bound, and she understands that it is not just that 
 when she has contracted them for her colonies she shouhi continue, after losing 
 them, burdeneii with such charges, which are. after all. a small part of the immense 
 capital invested in those colonies which was furnished from her own resources. 
 
 Let it be understood, therefore, and the Spanish Commissioners hope there will be 
 no necessity to repeat it. that Spain cannot and ought not, since respect for the rights 
 of others forbids it. to agree in this treaty or in any to anything implying the im- 
 pairment or suppression or even disregard of the private rights of others against the 
 will of their legitimate and special proprietors. 
 
 Still more w-ith respect to the unprivileged (unsecured) colonial debt, their dig- 
 nity and the respect due to their own selves likewise forbid them accepting the bases 
 which stand out in the paragraph of tlie proposition under consideration, which con- 
 sists of the looking into the investment Spain may nave made of the proceeds result- 
 ing from the creating of such debts. This would be equivalent to submitting to the 
 judgment of a foreign power the acts of her internal government. Judicious or not 
 (and the Commissioners understand they liave all been judicious) they were perfectly 
 legitimate acts and they are protected by aer sovereignty. 
 
 And even in the inadmissible hypothesis that such judiciousness were wanting in 
 them, the Siianish Commissioners do not know that there is any one who can cause 
 the legitimacy of a legally contracted debt to depend upon the investment, good or 
 bad. which after its creation the ilebtor may have made of its proceeds. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners cannot close this paper without calling the attention 
 of the honorable Aniericau ('ommi.ssioiiers to a point which cannot but be resolved In 
 the treaty, in obedience to the stipulations of the tjth basis of the Protocol, which 
 is as follows: "Upon the conclusion and signing of this Protocol, hostilities between 
 the two countries shall be suspended, and notice to that effect shall be given as soon 
 
 104 
 
jis [Mtssibic by each Govcniiin'iii \n ilic rimiumiul-rs of its iiiUitiiry ainl uuval forces." 
 
 Kven before the si;:nin;r >if tb.> rmtocnl the rroslileiu of tbc Uribm. nfter nppris- 
 luR the Ambassador of Fraiiri- .m the ."•(> li .if July hist of th.^ ronditions ilie riiited 
 Suites ii.iposed on Spain for restcirinj,' peace tlierewith. said to him tliat he ronsented 
 to jjrantinjr the *iuspension of hostilities as soon as the "Spanish Minister of State 
 shoulil n>ake itnown to the Ainbassatbir of France, l>is representative in Wash.''i;;tou. 
 that he accepted the nes<>tiations npon the bases sassested by the Federal iiovern- 
 ment: and anthori/.ed tlie said Anibassa lor to si^n !n his name tlif preliminary 
 minute which put an end to the hostilitb*;*. 
 
 The Spanisli Government make known Its a'^^'fement to such bases, ami autho- 
 rized tlie Ambassador of Friini-e to accept an,] sijjn them in its name through its 
 dispatch of August 7. which was iiumcdlatcly communicated to tbo Government at 
 Washintflori. Xot withstamiiiis this, the h stilities were not then suspended. Hut 
 finally the suspension thereof was aitnved to a few days later, that is on the TJtli. in 
 the said (Ith article of the rrotoeoi. 
 
 lu spite of this, on the 13th. General Merritt. commander of the American forces 
 In Manila, and the Admiral of the fleet in that hay. demanded the surrender of the 
 place, and as its authorities did not agree thereto, the said forces opened fire on the 
 San Antonio Abad powder nia;;azine and on the trenches which defended the city on 
 t!»e land side, unnecessarily causing a considerable number of losses to tlie Spanisli 
 forces, who would have peacefully delivered tlie city over to the Americans in obedi- 
 ence to the third basis of the Protocol that they might h.dd it as a guaranty pend- 
 ing the eonclusion of the treaty of peace. 
 
 General Merritt etitered Manila by force, he made prisoners of war of its garrison 
 made up of eigiit or nine thousand men, he took posse&sion of the public funds and 
 tiie collection of taxes, including customs receipts; he named as Intendant General 
 and Administrator of the I'uhlic Treasury, and Tux Gollector. the oft'icers of his army 
 he saw fit. there-by displacing the Spanish ull'iciais. He relieved the Spanish Com- 
 mander of the »;ivii Guarcl charged with the maii.teaauee of public order: he consti- 
 tuted military courts: be opened the port of Manila and a!] Ibe other ports of the 
 Philippines in the posj>ession of his land and naval forces to the commerce of his 
 nation and of neutral nations, conditioned on the payment of the dues in force at 
 the time of his arrival, which were collected by his officials. 
 
 All of this i.s recorded in the preliminary minute of the capituhitinn *>\' August lo. 
 In the capitulation of the 14th itself, in the proclamation of General Merritt <)f llise 
 date, in his orders of the 22d and 2.'?d of the same numth, and in the others dictated 
 by the American authorities and officials in Manila. 
 
 The Spanish Government reimmstrated to that rif Washington through the French 
 Kml)assy against everything that occurred there on August 20 and the 3il an<i 11th 
 of September last, repeating such remonstrances since and down to the present time. 
 signally insisting up. n the iminediato r'le ise of the garrison held prisoners in Manila 
 and upon the return of their arms, since, on tlie one naud. it could not send rein- 
 forcements from the Peninsula to the archipelago, nor would the Tnitcd States look 
 favorably upon such an action, and, on the other hand, it needed those forces to lib- 
 erate the thousands of Spanish prisoners of the Tagalo insurgents, victims i>f their 
 il:-treatnient. and to combat and dominate tliat insurrection of its own subjects. 
 
 The remonstrances uf the Spanish Goveri'ment have been up to the present fruit- 
 less. These acts are daily assuming a worse phase. On September 21 Captain W, P. 
 Moft'att. appointed l>y the American Provost-Marshai in charge of the Uilibid prisons 
 with authority to regulate tlie entrance and release (»f all kinds of prisoners, re- 
 leased two named Silvestre Lacoy and Marcos Alarcon. charged with the offence of 
 highway rolibery; two others charged with desertion: six charged with contempt of 
 authority; another charged with assault and robbery, and three others charged with 
 homicide. As Is seen, all thesi* prisoners were in jail for common crimes. This un- 
 heard of act was communicated, to tlie (ioierntnent of Her CathoUc Majesty by the 
 Commandant General's Office of the station of Manila. 
 
 W'ry well: it becomes necessary to exaniiee all liiese acts from the standpoint of 
 their legality and with relation to what was agreed on in Article VI. ..f the Protocol. 
 which constituted a formal obligation for lK)th Governments. 
 
 When was the suspension ot f.ostilities airreed on in said Article VI. l<i go Into 
 effectV The answer is not douldful. The text is clenr and explicit: the hostilities 
 were to be suspended upiui the c..nclusI<»M and signing of the I'rotoei)!. This (w- 
 curred on the afternoon i.f August 12. Therefore fmm that afternoon tlie warlike 
 acts which either of the belligerents shouhl commit were to be helii as not done in 
 order to restore the statu <ino ante at the moment of signing the Protoc()I. 
 
 It IS idle, and may even be an Insult to the great learning of the American Com- 
 udssion, to expound here the doctrine, not only .idn.itted without contrarlictlon since 
 the time of Grotlus in international law ami usagi'. and to which all the learned An- 
 glo-American treatise-writers have given tlieir assent and support, but which is fur- 
 thermore raised In the I'nlted States to the category of establislied law in article 140 
 of the Iiistruction'i to Armies in tlie Field, which reads as follows: '■Tlie armistice 
 
 10". 
 
biuds til. lielliti'ieuts from the day agreed upon between them for its going into ef- 
 fect: but the officers of the two armies are not responsible for this except from the 
 day upon which they are officially notified of the armistice." 
 
 The day when it was to go into effect determined in Article VI. of the Protocol 
 was that on which it should be concluded and signed. There it says verbatim: 
 ■•Upon the tou.'lusion and signing of this Protocol, hostilities between the two 
 countries shall be suspended." 
 
 General Merritt and the Admiral of the squadron may not be personally respon- 
 sible for the blood they unnecessarily shed on the 13th If they had no official notice 
 then of the Protocol which had been signed on the previous day in Washington: but 
 tills does not coL'fliet. as one of the most learned writers on intprnational law says, 
 with military honor, demanding that they scrupulously abstain from profiting by any 
 advantage that may be gained through the Ignorance of troops who may not yet have 
 been informed of the armistice. In cases like this the belligerent power whose forces 
 through iguorance commit a warlike act, cannot profit by its advantages, and should 
 restore things to the statu quo ante, indemnifying the belligerent injured for the 
 damages and injuries he may have suffered through said warlike act, and restoring, 
 as is said by the learned Anglo-American publicist, Dudley Field, all prizes taken In 
 violation of the armistice. 
 
 This is so elementary and common in the United States that in their colleges the 
 work entitled "Elements of International Law and Laws of War." written by Major 
 General Halleck, serves as a text-book, and In tJie Philadelphia edition thereof, page 
 2S.3, appears the following: 
 
 "The truce binds the contracting parties from the moment of its conclusion un- 
 less other\vi.se specially stipulated; hut it does not bind the individuals of a nation 
 to the e:;tent of making them personally responsible for its rupture until they have 
 actual and positive notice thereof. 
 
 "Consequently, if individuals with knowledge of the suspension of hostilities, 
 kill an enemy or destroy his property, they do not by such acts commit a crime, nor 
 are they bound to pecuniary indemnity, but if prisoners or prizes are taken the 
 sovereign is bound to immediately release the former and to restore the prizes. ' 
 
 The American Government has not released, up to this time, the imprisoned gar- 
 rison of Manila, nor has it reduced its military occupation to the limits of a simple 
 right to garrison it, which is. according to Article III. of the Protocol, the only thing 
 it had a right to do as a guaranty until the signing of the treaty of peace. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners, therefore, in obedience to what was expressly agreed 
 to in the Protocol, understand that the treaty of peace ought to embody: 
 
 1. The immediate delivery of the place to the Spanish Government. 
 
 2. The Immediate release of the garrison of the same. 
 
 3. The return to the Spanish Government of all the funds and public property 
 taken by the American army since its occupation of the place, and of the taxes of 
 every kind collected or to be collected up to the time of returning the same. 
 
 4. The obligation on the part of the United States to indemnify Spain for the 
 serious damage occasioned her by the detention as pr'soners of the said troops, to 
 which detention is due the spreading with impunity of the Tagalo insurrection in the 
 island of Luzon and its invasion of the VIsayas Islands, and because, moreover, to 
 this same cause has been due the ill-treatmeut of thousands of Spanish prisoners, 
 civil and military: treatment to which the Tagalo insurgents have continued to sub- 
 ject them with impunity. > 
 
 In virtue of what has been said the .Spanish Commission has the honor to make 
 to the -\merican Commission the following proposition: 
 
 1. That it cannot accept the propositions it has presented asking for the cession 
 of the sovereignty of the Philippine -irchipeiago to the United States, as it .under- 
 stands that this is contrary to the preliminaries of peace .igreed upon in the Proto- 
 col of Washington. 
 
 2. In consequence of this it invites the American Commission to present, n ac- 
 cordance with the stipulations cf Articles III. and VI. of the Protocol, a proposition 
 concerning the control, disposition -nd government of the Philippine Arc'uriJeiago and 
 concerning the obligation which, as has just been said, it is the duty of the United 
 States to contract because of the acts of war committed by its troops after the 
 signing of the Protocol in forcibly seizing the city of Manila and performing acts be- 
 yond the scope of the only rights the United States could exercise in that city, its 
 bay and harbor, pursuant to the stipulations of the said Article II. of the Protocol. 
 
 True Copy: 
 
 1 BMILaO DE OJEDA. 
 
 106 
 
Protocol No. 13. 
 
 Protocolo No. 13. 
 
 CONFERENCE, 
 of November 9. 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 9 de Noviembre de 1898. 
 
 On the 8th instant, the day to whioh 
 the conference was adjonrnod, the Amer- 
 ican Commissioners requested a postpone- 
 ment of tlie meeting from 2 to 4 o'clock. 
 In order that an opportunity might be giyen 
 for the completion of the copying of their 
 answer to the counter-proposition presentefi 
 by the Spanish Commli?sloners at the last 
 session. The Spanish Commissioners being 
 nnable to be present at the latter hour, 
 the session was, on ihelr soggestlon. post- 
 poned till the 9th of November, at 2 
 o'clcek p. m., at whiei hour there were 
 Present— 
 
 On the behalf of the Tluitod States: 
 Messrs. D.iY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FEUGUSSOX. 
 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZDZA. 
 
 GARNICA, 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The American Commissioners presented 
 an answer to the counter-proposition sub- 
 mitted by the Spanish Commissioners on 
 the 4th instant in relation to the Phil- 
 ippines. A copy of the answer is hereto 
 annexed. 
 
 The Spanisli Commissioners stated that 
 tbey would examine the answer, but that 
 Its length and the necessity of having it 
 carefully translated ,iade it impossible for 
 them at the moment definitely to state 
 what time would be needed for a reply; 
 and they proposed either to advise the 
 American Commissioners later in the day 
 when the Commission might meet again, 
 or at once to designate a day without 
 prejudice to asking for a postponement, 
 should it be necessary, and should the 
 nature of the document require it- 
 
 The American Commissioners preferring 
 the latter course, the conference was •ad- 
 journed till Saturday, the 12th of Novem- 
 ber, at 2 o'clock, p. m., with the under- 
 standing that the Spanish Commissioners 
 might if necessary ask for a postponement. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 \\M. P. FRYE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITELAW REID. 
 JOH.N" B. MOORE. 
 
 El 8 del corrlente, dla senalado para la 
 reunion de las Comisiones, sollcitaron loa 
 Comisarlos americanos que en vez de cele- 
 hrarse a las dos tuvlese lugnr a las cuatro 
 de aquella tarde. a flu de completar la 
 copia de su respuesta a la contraproposlclon 
 presentada por los Comisarlos espanoles en 
 la ultima seslon. No pudlendo concnrlr a 
 dicha hora los Comisarlos espanoles, so 
 aplazo a propnesta suya hasta hoy 9 de 
 Noviembre a las 2 p. m. en cuya hora se 
 hallan 
 
 Presentes— 
 Por parte de los Estados Dnldos de 
 America: 
 los Senores DAT, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 FRYE. 
 GRAY, 
 REID. 
 MOORE. 
 FERGDSSON. 
 Por parte de Espana: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS, 
 ABARZDZA, 
 GARNICA. 
 VILLA-DRRDTIA, 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 
 Fue leida y aprobada el acta de la seslon 
 anterior. 
 
 Los Comisarlos americanos presentan una 
 contestacion a la contraproposlclon presen- 
 tada en la seslon del 4 del corrlente por los 
 Comisarlos espanoles relativa a las Islaa 
 Filiplnas y se une dicho documento a esta 
 acta. 
 
 Los Comisarlos espanoles manlfestaron 
 que examinarian dicha contestacion y que 
 en vista de su extension y de la necesldad 
 de traducirla con esmero. que hacla Impos- 
 Ible el saber a punto fljo el tiempo que se 
 necesltarla para contestarla. proponlan, ya 
 sea dar aviso a la Comlslon americana 
 aquella noche mlsma, del dla en que podia 
 rennirse la Comlsion, ya sea fljar en aquel 
 momento an dia sin perjuicio de pedlr tin 
 aplazamiento si fuese necesario y resultase 
 de la naturaleza del documento. 
 
 Los Comisarlos americanos hablendo dado 
 la preferencia a la segunda de estas prop- 
 oslciones, se aplazo la conferencla hasta el 
 sabado 12 del corrlente a las 2 p. m. en la 
 intellgencia de que los Comisarlos espanoles 
 tendrian la faeultad de pedlr un aplaza- 
 miento si lo conslderasen necesario. 
 
 Flrmado: E. MONTERO RIOS, 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA, 
 W. R. DE VILLA-URRDTIA, 
 RAFAEL CERKRO, 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 107 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 13. 
 
 ANSWER OF THE AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS 
 TO THE PROPOSITION OF THE SPANISH COMMISSIONERS 
 
 of November 3,, 1898. 
 
 Til.. MiuTioan Conimissiioners. replying tg the S|>:Hiisli prnii„sition of the 411i 
 instant, will prof-eotl at ones to the examination of the grounds on which the Span- 
 ish rommlssioners endeavoi- to .Instity their expression of surprise at the Amer- 
 ican proposiils of the Slst of October on the suhjcvt of the I'lilllpplnes. 
 
 The Spanish argument sets out with the erroneous assumption that the United 
 States based Its deniands In resiiect of the I'hlllppines upon the terms of the Proto- 
 col in llie same sense sis it bases Its demands in regard to Cuba and Porto Itico 
 upon the terms of the same instmmeut: and. proceeding upon this assumption, it 
 finds in the position of the United States on the two subjects an inconsisteuey. 
 The United States, it declares, adhered. I u the respect of Cuba and Porto Rico, to 
 the "letter" of the Protocol, while in the case of the Philippines, it has presented 
 a demand "not included in or covered by the articles" of that agreement. 
 
 The American Commissioners are not disturbed by this charge of Inconsist- 
 ency, since they deem it obviously groundless. They based their demands in re- 
 gard to Cuba and Porto Ulco upon the precise terms of the Protocol, because it 
 was in those very terms that the United States had made its demands and Spain 
 had conceded them, by promising to "relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and 
 title to Cuba." and to "cede" to the Un Ited States Porto Rico and certain other 
 islands. The United States, in insisting upon the words of the Protocol on these 
 subjects merely asked tliat the precise concessions of Spain be made good. 
 
 In the case of the Philippines, the United States, except .is to the bay, city, 
 and harbor of Manila, confined itself to demanding that the subject should be left 
 In the widest and fullest sense for fuiure negotiations. While it did not, with the 
 exception referred to, demand specific concessions, it reserved and secured the right 
 to demand them. Its position, therefore. Is. not that its present demands in respect 
 of the Philippines were specifically set out in the Protocol, but that they are justi- 
 fied by and included in the right which it therein expressly reserved and secured 
 to make deniands in the future. 
 
 Putting aside, however, the erroneous assumption of which notice has just been 
 taken it appears' that the Spanish Commissioners differ with the American Commis- 
 sioners as to the scope and meaning of the third article of the Protocol signed Ly 
 the representatives of -the two Governments at Washington on the 12th of August, 
 1898. This article is as follows: 
 
 "ARTICLE .3.— The United States will occupy and hold the city, bay and harl)or 
 of Manila, pending the conclusion of a t reaty of peace, which shall determine the 
 control, disposition and government of the Philippines." 
 
 The Spanish Commissrouers contend that in the negotiation and settlement of a 
 treaty under this article nothing can b<- demanded by the United States •which im- 
 pairs the sovereignty of Spain over the islands, and that a fair construction of 
 the terms of 'the article can require only such changes In the government of the 
 Islands, reforms in administration and kindred changes, as do not affect ultimate 
 
 Spanish sovereignty. ..,■„.„- ,„ 
 
 It is the contention on the part of ihe United States that this arUcle lea^ e.. to 
 the determination of the treaty of peace the entire subject of the future gove.-n- 
 ment and sovereignty of the Philippines necessiirily embraced in the terms used 
 In the Protocol. ^ , „,„, 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners support their contention upon two grounds, i Irst, 
 that the meaning of the words is not such as to include the sovereignty of Spain 
 in the Philiprilnes. Second, that the history of the negotiations, and the reserva- 
 tions made by Spain in the course thereof, preclude the United States from making 
 
 Its claim. . X 
 
 It Is a principle of law no less applicable to international dtrrerenees than to 
 private controversies that where the result of negotlntlons has been embodied In 
 a written compact, the terms of such agiecment shall settle the rights of the 
 parties Th° reasons upon wUch this doctrine rests are too well known to need 
 recapitulation here. Wlille the United States might well rest its case upon a con- 
 struction of the terms used. It has no disposition to avoid the fullest examination 
 
 109. 
 
and the most seai-ohing sciutiuy of tlie negotiations which preceded the malsing of 
 the Protocol, as they but serve to make clear the purpose of the parties to leave 
 to the treaty now in process of negotiation the fullest opportunity to dispose of 
 the governiufut and sovereignty of the I'hilippine Islands in such a manner as mig'it 
 be recorded in the treaty. 
 
 The tw) (.icveruments teing at war. negotiations with a view of obtaining a 
 treaty of peace were opened by the Ooveriim€nt of Spain through the Minister of 
 State addressing to the President of the "United States, in the name of the Gov- 
 ernment of Her Majesty the Queen Regent, a note dated the 22d of July, 189S, 
 which it is not necessary to set out in full here. It is sufficient to say that 
 therein the I'resideut of the United States is asked to name the terms upon whi.^'a 
 peace may be had between the two countries. This note was presented to the Pres- 
 ident of the United States on the i;flth dav of July. 1898. by Mr. Cambou. Ambassa- 
 dor of the Freuch Republic at Washington, authorized to make the applicaticoi, 
 and represent the Spanish Government in the subsequent negotiations which h d 
 up to the execution of the Protocol. At that meeting the President received the 
 note of July 22 from the Spanisli Government .ind advised Mr. Uambon that after 
 consultati'iii with his Cabinet he would prepare au answer which could be trans- 
 mitted to the Spanlsih Government. On July 30, following, the terms of peace 
 having be^n i-arefully considered and agreed upon by the President and his Cabi- 
 net, the President received Mr. Cambon at the Execu-live Mansion in Washing- 
 ton, at whi'-li meeting were also present Mr. Tbiebant, Secretary of the French 
 Eoibassy in Wasbington. and the then Secretary of State of the United States. 
 The answer of the President to the communication of the Spanish Government, 
 dated July 30, 180.S. was then read to Mr. Oambon. This note was in the e.xacit 
 form in "wiiich it was afterward signed and delivered to Mr. Cambon to be sent 
 to the Spanish Government, with a single exception. After some discussion of the 
 terms of the note as to Cuba, and Ponn Rico and other West Indian islands, Mr, 
 Camlion said he did not know what tin- Spanish Government would desire as to the 
 Philippines, and no matter n-lint the note mislil say as to the Commis- 
 sion, the SiiMiiish (;ovor«iin-nt Moaltl r«'Bar<l the purpose of the 
 I niteil Stales as lieinK tixeil to ac<|iiirc not only Cmha and Porto 
 Hieo. hul (In- IMi il ii>i>iaes as Hell. The President said that as to the Phil- 
 ippines the note expressed the imrpcisi's of this Government and their liiinl dis- 
 position wonUl depend upon the treaty to he neg-otiated hy the Coni- 
 mlssionei\s and ratifled hy the interested Goyernnients. 
 
 After further discussion, in which the President reiterated that the treaty unist 
 determine the faite of the Philippines, and the note of the President on that snb- 
 ject reading then as now with the single exception that the word "iiossessiou" was 
 then in Articie III., so that it read ■'eontrol, possession and government of the Phil- 
 ippines" where it now reads "control, dispos'ition and government of the Philip- 
 pines." Mr. Cambon said that the word "possession" translated into Spanish in such 
 a way as to be regarded of a severe and threateningi nature, and suggested a 
 change in that word. He suggested the word ".-nnditioa." The President declined 
 to change the word except for a word of similar import or meaning. "The word 
 "disposition" being suggested, after consideraible talk tlie President consented that 
 that word, not changing the meaning, being indeed a broader one and including 
 pos.session, might be substituted. Thereupon the note at the close of the interview 
 of July 30, in exactly the form it was originally cast with the single change of the 
 word "disposition" for "possession," v,as delivered to Mr. Cambon to be communi- 
 cated to the Spanish Government. 
 
 On Wedn.?sday, August 3, in the affemoou, Mr. Cambon having intimated a de- 
 sire for a further interview with the President, another meeting between the same 
 persons was held at the Executive Mansion. Mr. Cambon said the Spanish Govern- 
 ment had received the answer of the ['resident, and that it was regarded by Spain as 
 very severe. After asking a modification as to Porto Rico, to which the President 
 promptly answered that he could not consent, Mr. Cambon said there was a disposi- 
 tion to believe in Spain that the United States intended to take the Philippine group; 
 that the Spanish Government appreciated that reforms were necessary in the gov- 
 ernment; that American privileges should be granted; but that Spanish sovereignty 
 should not be interfered with was a matter which Spain w-ould insist upon. The Prej- 
 "ident answered that the question of Cub.i, Porto Rico and other West India Islands, 
 and the Ladrones, adniitt.?d of no negotiation; that the disposition of the Philippine 
 Islaiids, as he had already said to Jlr. Cambon, must depend upon the treaty which 
 might be negotiated, and that he could not make any change in the terms theret.->- 
 fore submitted. Mr. Canibjn called atleation to the wording of the note as to the 
 possession of the city, bay and hai'bor of Manila to be retained during the pendency 
 of the treaty, and .asked what was to be done with them afterward. The President 
 said that must depend upon the terois of the treaty. 
 
 This is the same interview alluded to in the inemoraudura of the Spanish Commis- 
 sioners as having occurred on the 4th of August. It in fact occurred on the afternoon 
 
 no. 
 
4»f Aiiiiust li. the iiilTt'ri'n''f iu dale arisiii;^ I'r.jin ilic fa.-t. uo iitiubt. that it wiiti re- 
 |)(irlo(l on the 4tb of Au;,'iist. Tliis can make but little diilereiiop, as tlu-n- was I)Ut 
 one interview at that time. 
 
 In reportini? the c<)n versa! ions, ami ;-nniparin<; the memoranda made b}' Mr. Cam- 
 bon witli those made by llie representative of tbe American Government then pres- 
 ent, it mnst be borne in mind that Mr. Cambou did no't spealj or understand EiiKll.'ii. 
 but communicated willi the President Ihroush the medium of an interpreter, his Sec- 
 retory, and that neither of tlie Ainerkan representatives understood or spolse the 
 Frefch language. Making ilds allowaiu-<'. It is jierfectly apparent that the American 
 Fiesldent. even in the version reported and transcribed In the memorandum of the 
 Spanish Commission, at all limes mainlainod that the treaty of peace should deter- 
 mine the control, disposition and governni I'j't of ilie I'liiiippines. The I'residenl did 
 say that the Philippine (juestion was the only one left open for neL'oti:il ion anrl 
 settlement in the treaty. It is iiiiiloiiliti-ill.'i' true tliut it ivus luit tlieii fully 
 Mottled in Iiis ii^vii iiiii'.fl iim t(» \^hat lE is|»<>.st t icm .slKiiilil lit- iiuKic of 
 the l*liili |»piiieN. Hllil it been, tliei-e tvoiiiil lia\'e been iKltlliilK' to 
 leave to iieu'otiiitioii niiil Mettleiiient in the treaty. It was t lie pur- 
 pose of the I'resideiit in everything written and spolceJi to leave to the negotiations 
 of the treaty the most ample freedom witli reference to the Philippines, and to settle, 
 if tlieir negotiations shoul.l result in an :!greement, the control, disposition .and gov- 
 eritnu nt of those islands in tlie treaty 'vf peace. When Mr. Cambon spoke of Spain's 
 purpose to retain sovereignty over those Islands, the President did say he wauled it 
 c-learly understood that no . ambiguity should remain upon that point, but that the 
 whole inatt.n- should be decided as set forth ir the treaty of peace, which should de- 
 termine the control, disposition and governmc nl of the Pliilippine Islands. He cer- 
 tainly diJ tiot use the word "intervention" nor limil the subject of negotiation to 
 "advantages" in the Philippines; nor can it be claimed that any report was made to 
 the Spanish Government of the precise English words used by the President. In the 
 SKint paragraph quoted in the memorandum of the Spanish Commission iu which it 
 is said he csed the words above quoted, it is added th.Tt the President also said the 
 negotiators should decide up the "intervention"" (controle), disposition and govn-n 
 menl of the Philippine Islands. Even this version of the conversation is ample proof 
 that the President showed no unceprainty as to the scope and moaning of the terms 
 useii. He did say in substance, in reply to the inquiry of Mr. Cambon as to whether 
 the United States had prejudged the matter of the Philippine Islands and the rights 
 to be acquired therein by tlie United States, that the case had not been prejudged 
 ettber as to the United Stales or as to Spain. The whole matter would be left to the 
 Comiui.».sIon for negotiation, and to be si>ttled by the treaty of peace- In the meautlme 
 the United States would insist upon holding Manila as laid down in the note, and its 
 disposition thereafter would depe:'d n|ica the terms of the treaty. This Is reported 
 In the quotation in the Spanish n.)le a- liie utterance of the President that "the Mad- 
 rid Oevernmcnt can rest .i-sanal tinit ii|i t.i now iiotliiug is decided a priori in my own 
 mind against Spain, nor do 1 consider a.iything decided by I't against the United 
 States."" This may not be an unfair interpretation, though not tile exact words used 
 by the President. It shows clearly that he did i-.ot regard the United States as limit^'d 
 to "advantages in the PhUippincs." but tlie vhcle matter, being undecided in the 
 rresident's mind, was left open in accordance with the terms of tlie note. The case 
 was not decided in advance in any of itsasrecLs either for or against either govern- 
 ment. 
 
 Great stress is laid in the Spanish me moranilum aiion the alleg.iniou that tlio 
 President had not then determined to take the Philippine group, and indeed did not 
 intend to do so. It Is utterly Immateilal. to inquire as to what either Government 
 would then have insisted upon. There was a mutual agreement that the question 
 should not then be decided. Opportunity for full Investigation was re.served. the tinal 
 conclusion to tie arrived at as the result of the negotiations now in progress, in the 
 treaty of peace to be here concluded. 
 
 Further conversation as to the number of Commissioners, the place of meeting. 
 et cetera, terminated the iinterview. 
 
 On the afternoon of August n, Mr. Cambon, having received the note of Au- 
 gust 7 sent by the Duke of Almodovar, called by appointment at the B.xecutive 
 Mansion in Washington, at which interview were present the same parties as at the 
 last meeting. That part of that note which relates to the Philippines, in the exact 
 terms in which i't was then presented in Kiiglish text by the French .Vnibass.uhir 
 to the President of the United States is as follows: 
 
 •' "The terms relating t" tlie Philippines seem, to our understanding, to be quite 
 indefinite. 0;i the onf- hand, the ground on which the Unitetl States believe them- 
 selves entitled to occupy the bay. the harbor and the oily of Manila, pending the 
 conclusion of a treaty of peace, cannot be tliat of. conquest, since in spite of the 
 Mockade maintained on sea hy the .Vmcrlcan licet, in spite of the siege established 
 on land by a native supportiHl and provided for by the .American .\dniiral. Manila 
 still holds" its own. and the Spaiiisli standard still waves over the city. On the other 
 
 111. 
 
l.illid, tile wli.iU' At-chipelu;;ti of the i'liili piiiiiess is in tlit- power anil under tlJe sovor- 
 eigiily of Spain. Tlierefore tlie Government or" Spain tbinlis tiiat tbe temporary oe- 
 enpation of .Manila should eonstitute a guaranty. It is stated tliat Uie treaty of 
 peace shall deteruiine the eoni.rol. disposition, and g()verniiient of the Pliilippiiies; 
 but as the intentions of the Federal (Jovernment by regression reniai.T veiled, there- 
 fore the Spanish (lovernment must deelare that, while aeeeptiULr the third condition, 
 the.v do not a priori renorince the sovereignty of Siialu over the archipelago, leaving 
 it to the negotiators to agree as to snob reforms as tne condition of these posses- 
 sions and level of cul'ture of their natives luiiy render desirable. 
 
 ••'The Government of Her Majesty accepts the third condition, with the above- 
 mo ntione<l declarations.' 
 
 "Sucli are the statements and observations which tbe Spanish Government has the 
 honor to submit in reply to your Kxccilivicy's commuiiication. The.v accept the prof- 
 fered terms, subject to the approval ..f th? Cortes of the Kingdom, as required by 
 their cons'titutionai duties. 
 
 "The agreement between the two go\errnienls implies tlie ii-reiueaiilc susi)ension 
 of hostilities and the designation of Commissioners for the purpose of settling the 
 detail- of the treaty of peace and of .signing 11. under ;he terms above indicated." 
 
 It is translated in the memorandum of the Spanish Commissioners in language 
 differing somewhat from the teruvs of the note as presented to the president. In tli" 
 translation in ithe memorandum it is said that the treaty shall determine "the inter- 
 vention, disposition and government of the Pliilippine I.slands." In tlie note as iire- 
 stnted to the President it reads "it is stated that the treaty of pe.ice shall deter- 
 n".ii!e tbe control, disposition and govci-nnient of the I'hilippines." The word "entire" 
 precedes "sovereignty" in the translation eml'odied in tlie Spanish note. 
 
 It is true that, talking these words of the IiuUe of Almodovar eitlier as they wore 
 conveyed to the President of the Uniitcd States, or as they are now quoted iu the 
 Spanish proposition, it may be argtied that they do no more than reserve to Spain the 
 right 'to maintain that she did not in advance of the negotiations for peace renounce 
 her sovereignty over the archipelago, fjhe did this, liy her own declaration, for ihe 
 reason that the intentions of tbe United States were "veiled;" clearly perceiving 
 that by the terms of the demand the United Slates would have the right, if it saw fit 
 to exercise it. to aslv that .she yield her sovereignty over tbe group, and that her 
 sovereignty was tlius put :u jeopardy, slie 'took the ftrecjiution to say that she did not 
 intend, in assuming tbe chance of such a demand, to concede it in advance. 
 
 The American Commissioners do not deny that this may be a fair construction of 
 this particular paragraph of the Duke's note. The representatives of the United 
 States were not williug, however, to leave anything to construction. When therefore 
 tbe Duke's answer was read to tbe President it was immediately objected to by bim 
 and the Secretary of State, in that it was v^.gue and indefinite, pupporring to accept 
 the terms laid down in the note of the United States, while requiring some modifica- 
 tion. In referring 'to the Philippines, wliile in one paragraph it stated the acceptance 
 of the terms, in another it seemed to retain the full right of sovereignty, with such 
 reforms, etc., as tha't Government might see tit to grant. The unsatisfactory char- 
 acter of this answer is more clearly shown when in the subsequent pa"t of the same 
 note, not quoted in the memorandum of tbe Spanish Commissioners, i't was said with- 
 out qualification that they (the Spanish Government) accept the proffered terms, sub- 
 .1ect to tbe approval of tbe Cortes of ibe Kingdom, as required by their constitu- 
 tii nal duties. In the part of the note referred to above it is said •'the Spanish (iov- 
 ernment must declare that, while accepting the said condition, ithey do not a priori 
 renounce the sovereignty of Spain over the archipelago, leaviiig it to the negotiators, 
 etc." These eontradictoir statements were called to the attention of Mr. Cam.bon, 
 and made the note, as was said to him, unsatisfactory to the United States. 
 
 It is to be observed, as has already in effect been pointed out. that even the terms 
 of this note are inconsistent with tbe claim now put forward that Spa lish sovereign- 
 ty sliall not lie interfri-ed with, for the length to which the statement goes in the 
 note is that tlie Spanish Government (hie~ i of a priori rellnqui.sh entire sovere'guty 
 i.vri the Pliilippine Archipelago, tints I 'a ving it clearly to be inferred that the Spnn- 
 isli Government recognized that Hie itcg itiations resulting in a treaty iniglit require 
 a relinquishment of Spanish sovereignty eonsi»qnent upon suc-h negotiations. 
 
 5Ir. Caiubon, liaviiig heard the objections raised liy the Americiu repres^'utatives 
 tc the note, assertiMl that allowance must be made for lilfferent translations which 
 the note had undergone in course of transmission, and to tbe desire of tbe Spanish 
 Government to express regret at Ihe loss of its colonies: and he was very conadeiit 
 that it was the intention to accept tbe teims of the United States- It was then sug- 
 gested by the American represenativcs that if 'this be true, and the note was to be 
 regtirde,! as a full aeeeptaiice. tbe best w.iy t.i settle the matter was to put the terms 
 in the shape of a definite Pi-otoeol, whirli the President would authorize the Se<'retary 
 of State to sign for the United States, Mr. Cambon to submit to the Spanish Gov- 
 cmment the rxai-t terms of the Protocol, to which an an.siwer Yes or No could be 
 
 112. 
 
hiui; and If the Spanlsli Governmeut iicci'pKHl Uic Protocol, that \\ ould end the 
 conlrov-ersy. Mr. Oambon eoncuired in this view, and said if the Protocol was 
 drawn up in proper form he would sulisnit It to the Spanish Government, and If 
 authorized would exeoiite It on its part. 
 
 On that evening. Augii.st 0, the Prolocoi was prepared in the State Department 
 at Washington, and taken to the Executive Mansion, where it was submitted to the 
 Prcsiilcut .and members of the Cabinet there present. On the morning of August 10, 
 Mr. Cambnn called at the State Deparlment at Washington, a draft of the Protocol 
 was submittal to and .'ipproved by him, and put into French by Mr. Thiebaut. Secre- 
 tary of the French Eml)as-'y at Washington, and experts in the State Department. 
 It was carefully compared with the En;.'ilsh text, and then telegraphed by Mr. Gam- 
 bon to the Spanish flovernment. On the same day, August 10, the note of the Sec- 
 retary of State enclosing the Protocol wai sent to Mr. Cambon In Washington. Thi.> 
 nolo, it is said, contains the admission of the Secretary of State of the Uniti"! 
 States that the note of the Dute of Almodovar of August 7 "contained in its spirit 
 the acceptance by Spain of the couditions proposed by the United States." The 
 b» St answer to this obvious misccinstrurtion of the terms of the note of the Secre- 
 tary of State is in the text of the nole itself, which is as follows; 
 
 "Department of State, 
 
 Washington, August 10, 1S9S. 
 "EXCELLENCY, 
 
 "Although it Is your understanding that the note of the Duka of Almodovar, 
 ■which you left with the President on yesterday afternoon, is intended to convey an 
 acceptance by the Spanish Government of the terms set forth in my note of the oOth 
 ultimo as the bisis on which the President would appoint Commi.^sioners to nego- 
 tiate and conclude with Commissioners on the part of Spain a treaty of peace. I un- 
 derstand that we concur in the opinion that the Duke's note, doubtless owing to the 
 various transformations which it has undergone in the course of its circuitous trans- 
 mission by telegraph and in cipher, is not, in the form in which it has reached tlie 
 hands of the President, entirely explicit. 
 
 "Under these circumstances, it is thought that the most direct and certain way 
 of avoiding misunderstanding is to embody in a Protocol to be signed by us as the 
 representatives, respectively, of the United States and Spain, the terms on -whicli 
 the negotiations for peace are to be undertaken, 
 
 "I tiiercfore enclose herewith a draft of stch a Protocol In which you will hii'l 
 that I have embodied the precise terms tendered to Spain in my note of ihe *itli 
 ultimo, together with appropriate stipulations for the appointment of Commissioners 
 to arrange the details of the immediate evicuation of Cuba, Porto Pico, anu ether 
 islands vnder Spanish soverii-pity in the West Indus, as well as for the appoint- 
 ment of Commissioners to treat of peace. 
 
 "Accept, Excellency, thu' renewed assr.ranr.e of :ny highest consideration. 
 
 ••(S'fened:) WILLIAM R. DAY 
 
 "His Extellcncy M. Jules Cambon, etc." 
 
 In thii note, so far from say'ug tnat the Secretary of State of the Uuiri'd States 
 undii stands that the note of the S-panish Goveri/nient of August 7 accepts tne Amer- 
 hai; terms. :t is distinctly said "aith'i'.gli It Is your (Mr. Cambon'.s) understanding 
 tiiar the ncre of the Duke -if Aluudevar is Intended -o convey the acceptance by the 
 Spanish Government of the terms set forth in my note of the 30th ultimo, • ♦ * I un- 
 derstand that we concur in the opinion that the Duke's note, doubtless owing to the 
 various transformations which it has undergone In the course of Its circuitous traus>- 
 mission by telegraph and in cipher, is not, in the form In which ic reached the 
 hands of the President, entirely explicit." 
 
 Here it is distlnotly stated that the Secretary of State and Mr. Cambon concur 
 that the note is not entirely explicit. Was it then to be expected after all this care- 
 ful negotiation that a note wliich the .\merican representatives contended did not 
 accept the terms of the United States, and which both negotiators agreed was not 
 explicit, was to be received as a sali-^factory answer to the American demand? 
 Not so. 
 
 "Under these circumstances it is tlioiight that the most direct and certain way of 
 avoiding misunderstanding is to embody in a Protocol, to be signed by u.s as the 
 representatives, respectively, of the United States and Spain, the terms on whi.-li 
 the negotiations for peace are to be undertaken." 
 
 This Is a most emphatic and definite declaration that the note of .\ugust 7 was 
 not satisfactory, and that It was the purpose of the United States to leave nothing 
 open o misunderstanding, but to embody, lu a contract so plain that dispute would be 
 forever foreclosed, the exact terms up'm which negotl.itlons for peace woidd bo 
 undertaken. The note goes on to say "I therefore enclose herewith a draft of such 
 a I'rotocol, iu which you will find tliat I have embodied the precise terms tendered 
 
 113 
 
to Spain iu my iii>ti- of tlic :ji>tli ultunu, Logetlier witli aiipropriatc stipnl.itimis fm- 
 the appointment of Commissioners, etc." 'What does tbis not mean? Does it admit 
 tlie construftion tliat tlie proposal was intended to embody tlie aoceptanc-e of Au- 
 gust 7, reserying Spanisli soyerelgnty? Itis dfflniteiy settled, as a perusal of tlie 
 documents will sliow, that the rvotoiol emUrMlied. not the uncertain and equivocal 
 terms of the note of August 7, but the precise terms stated in the note i,f the Aui<h' 
 .ican Government of July 30. Tills note to Mr. Cambon enclosed the Protocol .iust 
 as it was written and just as it was signed by the parties. It would seem, if ever 
 au attempt was made to have a clear understanding, if ever all pre<'autions werc- 
 takeu which could leave no rCK>m tor misunderstanding, such was the course pur- 
 sued in the present case. 
 
 It is thus seen how utterly groundless is the declaration in the Spanish •■prop..- 
 sition""that, in order to determine the meaning of the Protocol, it is necessary to 
 "bear in mind » • • the negotiations -arrled on between the two parties which '-ul- 
 minated in this agreement, and in which the interpretation of the latter had been 
 given beforehand and officially:" In the correspondence thus involved by tlie Span- 
 ish Commissioners as an iulerpretatiou of the Protocol, the two Governmeut> did 
 not contemplate the execution of snci an instrument; and if the respon.se of the 
 Spanish Government to the Aincrican demands had taljen the form of a sin.|)ie 
 acceptance, no Protocol would have been made. The first .suggestion of such i!n 
 instrument was that made in 'the interview iu which the Spanish response was de- 
 clared to be unsatisfactory. la was because the Spanish response was unacceptable 
 that the United States demanded a Protocol, And it is upon this rejected resp.m-ie 
 that the Spanish argument for the limitation of the clear scope and meaning of the 
 Protocol is built. 
 
 If further proof of the soundness of ihe position of the United States were need- 
 ed, it would be found in a most convincing form iu the telegram sent by Mr. Cam- 
 boii to the French Minister of Foreign AfTairs, See the' French •■Yellow Book" le- 
 fcrred to in the Spani.sh memorandum, telegram number '.>. Mr. Cambon to me 
 Feneh Minister of l-"oreign Affairs. 
 
 ■■.No. 'J 
 
 •■M. .JULES C.^Ml'.oN. .\mbassador of the French Itepublic al Washington, 
 to :m. PEIyCASSE. Minister of I'oreign Aflairs. 
 
 Washington. August In, l.S'.LS. 
 ■•The Federal Goverament has decid'-d to slate precisely (preciser). in a Protocol, 
 the bases upon which the peace negotiations must, iu its judgment, be enlcred 
 
 I'I'on. 
 
 ••I send you berrwiih this document, which I shall thank you to tr.insmit to .iie 
 
 >5paiiish (jovernment. ,. i -vtri, .v ■• 
 
 ' "(Signed:) J. (.'AMBO-N. 
 
 In this telegram, which was immediately c<unmunicated to the Spanish (Joyern- 
 ment and which led to the telegram to Mr. Cambon authorizing him to sign the 
 Protocol, followed by full power from the (Jm-en Itegenl to Mr. Cambon to that 
 effect, Mr. Cambon distinctly ^i.vs, not that the Amencan Government has accepted 
 the note of August 7, or in any wise agreed to such reservations as are contained 
 therein, but that "the Federal Government has decided to sitate precisely ipreciseri, 
 in a Protocol, the bases upon which the peace negotiations must, iu its judgment, 
 be entereti upon. I send you this document, etc." 
 
 It thus clearly appears that tlie bases of peace negotiations were to be deter- 
 mined b.v the iustrument which was enclosed, and which it was understooil put in 
 definite terms the ultimaite agreement of the parties. 
 
 It was because the answer made in the note of August i was rejected by ihe 
 United States, and for this reason alone, that hostilities were not upon the receipt 
 of that note declared to be suspended; and it has remained for the Spanish Com- 
 missioners in their ••proposition" to advance for the first time m behalf of their 
 Government the snggestion that such a declaration should then have been made. 
 It was not so made"becau-3e that note was not received as au acceptance of the 
 American demands. Hostilities were declared to be suspended only upon the sig- 
 nature of the Protocol- 
 
 The correspondence quoted in the French ■•Yellow Book," no less than the sub- 
 sequent communications from Mr. Cambon to the American Government, shows 
 distinctly that with the exact terms of this Protocol before it, the Spanish Govern- 
 ment on the 11th Instant, and subsequently by full power of the yueen Regent, 
 authorized Mr. Cambon to eseeme the Protocol iu behalf of Spain. Observe the 
 language of the note of Mr. Cambon to the American Secretary of State of August 
 12. 1S98; 
 
 •■Kmbassy of the French Kepublic in the United States. 
 •■Washington, .\usust TJ. ISOS. 
 
 114 
 
"Mlt. SKCUKTAUY OK .STATK: 
 
 "I have the honor to inform you Unit [ liiive Just received, through the Inter- 
 mediation of the department of foreign alTalrs at Paris, a telesrani. daled Madrid. 
 August 11, in which the Dulie of .Vimodovar del I{lo announces to nie that, b.v order 
 of Her Majesty the Queen Iti'sii'nt. ihe Spanish (Joverninent eonfei-s upon me full 
 powers in order that I may sisin. without other formality .and without delay, the 
 rrotocol whereof the terms liave been drawn up by common accord between you and 
 me. The Instrument destinecl to make refndar the powers which are thus k1v<.mi to 
 me by telegraph vrill be subsequently addressed to me by the post. 
 
 "His Excellency the Minister of Slate adds that in ncceptinj; this I'rotocol, :.ud 
 by reason of the suspension of Imstilitles which will be the immediate consequence 
 of that acceivtauce. the Spanish (Joverninent has pleasure in hoplnj; that the Govern- 
 ment of tlie United States will take the necessary measures with a view to re- 
 strain (empecher) all agsresslon on the par; I'f the Cuban separatist forces. 
 
 "The fiovernment of the Republic having, on the other hand, authorized me to 
 accept the powers wdiich are ccniferred upon me by the Spanish Government. I siiall 
 hold myself at your disposition to sign the Protocol at the hour yon may be plc.isod 
 to designate. 
 
 "Congratulating myself upon thus co-operr.ting with you toward the restoration 
 of peace between tho two nations, both friend^, of France. I beg you to accept, 
 Mr. Secretary of State, the fresh assurances of my very high eonsideraition. 
 
 "(Signed:) JULES CAMBON," 
 
 In the light of these facts, it appears there is absolutely no foundation for the 
 claim that the American (JovcM-nment accepted the Spanish reservations so far as 
 they are contained in the note of the Duke of Ahnodovar of August 7. Had that 
 note been only a distinct and unqualided acceptance of the terms as contained in 
 the .\inerlcan note of Augu-st SO, It would have been tmneC'es.sary to require that 
 all uncertainty and doubt should be removed by reducing into few and simple terms, 
 which it was believed could never be misunderstocd, the final agreement of the 
 parlies. So far from remaining unanswered, the note of August 7 was d(>claied un- 
 satisfactory when presented to the President. Thus ended the attempt to come to 
 an agreement by correspondence; and It was decided that a Protocol .should cm- 
 body the ultimate term^. 
 
 The Spanish Government telegraphed the amplest authority to Mr. Camiion to 
 e^e^ute it. We are then remitted to the terms of the Protocol itself. 
 
 The American Government is at a loss u, know huw stronger terms lould have 
 been used to evidence the purpose of the Presidetit to keep open the most full and 
 absolute right to deal with and determine the dominion over the Philippine Isl- 
 ands. This was the purpose of inserting the third article of the Protocol, which 
 embodied the terms of the third demand of the United States, as set forth in the 
 note of July 30 of the American Government to the Duke of Almodorar, wherein 
 it is said: "Third. On similar grounds the United States is entitled to occupy and 
 hold the city, bay, and harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of 
 peace which shall determine the control, disposition and government of the Phil- 
 ippines." 
 
 What are these .similar grounds? They are to be fcniiid in the next preceding 
 paragraph of the note of July 30, in \\ hich the President .says that, though not then 
 making any demand fctr pecuniary indemnit.v. neverthvMess he cannot be insensblle 
 to the 10SS.-S and expenses of the United Stales incident to the war, or to the 
 claims of our citizens for injuries to their persons and property during the late in- 
 surrection in Cuba. He must. Therefore, require the cession to the Uniti'd States, 
 and the immediate evacuation by Spain, of the Island of Porto Rico, etc. On similar 
 grotmds, to wiit, among others the right of the tJnitcM States to have indemnity 
 for its losses, the T'nited States wii) licild the city, bay and harlior of Manila 
 pending the oonclnsnon of a treaty of peace, whi<-h shall determine the conirol, 
 disposition and government of the Philippines. 
 
 How could the United States riH-eive indemnity in whole or in part from the 
 control, disposition and governmen't of the Philippines, if Spanish sovereignty was 
 not to be touched? It Is difficult to conceive what terms could have been used 
 which would more clearly have evidenced the purpose of the parties to afford the 
 fullest latitude in dealing with the Philippine question. The treaty was to deter- 
 mine not alone the control. disiHjsitlou and gcvemmeul, but at the sjime time had 
 full power to determine all that is implied in control, disposition and goveniment. 
 Certainly the word "control" was not used here In the sense of "register" or "In- 
 spection," but In its broader sense of "authority or command; authority over; power 
 over; the regulaticm or rule of." 
 
 What word could be broader than "disposi'tlon," which has practically the same 
 meaning in both the French and EnglUh lai:gu.ages? "The disposal of; distribution 
 of; alienation of; definite settlement of; ultimate destination." We have In these two 
 words, then, authority over, dominion of, final and ultimate destination of the sub- 
 
 115 
 
]ect matter. What is ■■govenuuei.f but the right of administnition, or exercising 
 sovereignty, the direotiou. the political management of a state? Either of these 
 terms implies power of interfering with sovereignty. Taken together, they give 
 the fullest scope in dealing with all power, governmemtal, territorial and admin- 
 istrative. 
 
 It is not argued in the Spanish ■■piuposiUon" that these words should have a 
 narrow meaning so far as disposition and government are concerned, but trans- 
 scribed into the French language }t is sought to give a narrower meaning to the 
 word "control." It must be construed in the connection in which it is found in 
 the Protocol, in Its broader sense of po.ver or dominion. Noscitur a sociis is a 
 legal maxim which applies to the discussion or determination of the meaning of 
 phrases. "Control" .associated with disposition and government of territory migut 
 have a very different significance when used in another relation in its less familiar 
 meaning of "inspection or register." The word "disposition" used in another as- 
 sociation might have an entirely ditt'eremtmeanirg, and a meaning which, in ronuec- 
 tion with government and control, would deprive it of all sense. 
 
 The American Government, then, feels itself amply supported in its right to de- 
 mand the cession of the Philippines with or without concessions, relying upon 
 either the exact terms of the Protocol or those terms interpreted in the light of 
 the negotiations, oral and written, which led to its execution. 
 
 Tlie Commissioners of the United States notice with regret that an attempt 
 has been made in the memorandum of the S<ranish Comiaissioners Ho invoke the high 
 authority of the French Minister for i'^oreig-n Affairs in the interpretation of the 
 Protocol, so as to exclude therefrom all mention of the right of the treaty to deal 
 with the control, disposition and government of the Philippines. In the French 
 "Yellow Book" cited by the Spanish Commissioners, it is apparent th.it as early 
 as the 10th of August the French Government was in possession of the exact terms 
 of the Protocol, transmitted in the note of that date of its Ambassador, Mr. Cam- 
 hou. Would anybody believe that in summing up this note the Minister would in 
 tentionally omit one of the most essential parts of the Protocol? 
 
 The note numher 19 referreil to is no part of the negotiations; its pm-prs.' was 
 merely to advise the Amba.-;.sadors of the French Republic at London, St. Pe- 
 tersburg, neriin, Vieima, etc., of tiie result of the acticn of the repres.'utativo of 
 France in bringing about a suspension of hostilities, and the preliminary agreenieat 
 as to peace, between two nations tonard which the French Government w;is actu- 
 ated by feelings of humanity and mutual friendship. In this note it is said tli.-it 
 the points upon which both parties have reached an agreement were set forth 
 in a protocol. In stating the contents of th.-u instrument, doubtless through inad- 
 vertence, it is not stated that the treaty shall determine the control, disposition and 
 government of the Philippines. 
 
 The attention of the Minister being called to this n,atler by the American Am- 
 bassador in Paris, he very pr.iiiiptly c .irrected any misapprehension whicii might 
 fxist as to his dispatch. This appears in the following letter from tha American 
 Amba.-sador, which has jusit been received by the American Commissioners- 
 
 "Ambassade des Etats-Unls, IS, Avenue Kleber. 
 
 Paris, Xoveniber .", is^^s 
 "Dear Sir; 
 
 "T beg 1(1 inform you that I saw the French Minister of Foreign Affairs u, re- 
 g.-ird to that portion of the reply of the Spanish Peace CommissioTiers in v M( h 
 tb-y lefer to a letter sent by him to the French Ambassadors dated August i.". 
 IRDS. which appears in the French "Y -How Book," and nttempt to construe the 
 langu.age used therein as an interpretation of the French Minister of the meaning 
 of the Protocol, and speak of the unquestionable moral weight of the testimony 
 therein given by him regarding that instrument. He assured me emphatically and 
 unreservedly that the letter referred to was intended to be simply a brief resume of 
 the general features of the preliminary peace negotiations carried on between the 
 two belligerents, and th.at he did not attempt to quote the precise language of the 
 Protocol. He disclaimed any intention of giving any views of his own ^reganUng it. 
 having no authority for so doing, and declared that the brief mention contained 'n 
 his letter could in no wise be construed as an Interpretation by him of the terms 
 or meaning of that Insitrument. He promised that he would at once send to th" 
 French Ambassadors the full text of tlie Protocol in order that thoy might be in- 
 formed of its conditions In extenso and that there might be no ground for misap- 
 prehension as to its terms. 
 
 "The Minister repeated what he had said several times before, and which I know 
 to he true, that he and his Government had all along observed a strict and imjiar- 
 tial neutrality between the two powers which were negotiating, being equally friend- 
 ly to both, and that he intended to eontinue the observance of such neutrality. 
 
 "Very truly yonrs, "(Signed;) HORACE PORTEr! 
 
 116. 
 
"Hon. Wllliiiiii IJ. liMv. l'ii>i.liin i>( ilic AiKii-i<'aii I'rafe ('oniniissli)ii. Paris." 
 
 It Is stated that tlu^ oi'iMipatliMi of .Maitila was to hp only ii'inporary. This is nn- 
 iloi:htc(lly triip. The Pi-itocol, .so far as it vfhitcs to tho Pliiliiiplnes. i.s I'l.sflf pnivis- 
 lor.al. It expressly provides for the dt)ing of certain things pending the conclusion nf 
 n treaty which is in this particniar to snpersinle It. Had it provided for the perma- 
 nent occupation of Manila hy the I'niled Slates, it womd have wiMcdrawn the Pldl- 
 ippines to that extent from the sphere of fuliire ncioiiation. 
 
 While the terms of isnrrender <ited in 1'if Sj)ai!isli nienioranduni. negotiated 
 after the execution of the I"roto<'ol and having iiothlnj; to do with the negi>liatlons 
 for peoee. sho.v the character of this occupation. It is to be noticed tluit the very 
 parafjiaiih elt(Hl from tiie terms of that deeumcnt shows lh:it it was e(iually con- 
 tentijlated that conditions niiijht arise which would require the evacuation hy the 
 Spanish forces of the city. In if il i!» said "the return of the arms surrendered hy 
 tile Spanish forces shall take place when they evacuate the city or when the Amer- 
 ican army evacuates it. The eom.manders of the Ameriean and Spanish forces .lid 
 not undertake to determine the right of either party permanently to hold Xlaiuia. 
 hut contemplated conditions wliicli niight re(iuire its evacuation tiy the forces <'f 
 either country- ' 
 
 lUit It is as idle to cite the stipulations of tlie capitulation for the purpose of de- 
 •erminins the nieaning of the Protocol as it would he to cite the stipnlath.ns of ihe 
 Pnitocol for the purpose of determining the meaning of the capitulation. It is uo- 
 teri(u:s tliat. owing to the interruption of teiegraiyhic cominunieatioii. Manila was 
 capture<l and the capitulation arranged and tonclnded hy the comniandei- of the 
 American fon-es in the Philippines without communlcatio-n with his Governmciu. 
 which was at the moment as uninformed of what was taking place at Manila as was 
 Its commander of what was taking place at Washinirton. It is superfluous. tiie|;e- 
 forc, to arane, even if it were material to do so, that the stipulations of the caplt'i- 
 latlon cann.tt be Invoked in explanation or limitation of the stipulatiors of the I'ro- 
 tocol. For the same reason It is perhaps ur.necessary to comment rpon the state- 
 ment that "General Merritt. contrary to what had li"en agreed uiku; In Artiide VI. 
 of the same (Protocoii. forcibly took possession of Manila." The American (.'oui- 
 mi.>?roners are lotb to assume that the Spanish "proposition" emphiys these words 
 for the purpo.se of intimating that f;<>neitil Merritt could at the time of the cap- 
 ture of Manila have had knowledge of the Protocol. It is a fact doublle^.- well 
 known to the Spanish Government that on the 16th of August last, four days 
 after the signature of the Protocol, and four days before the re<'eipt at Wash- 
 ington of the news of the capture and capitulation of Manila, the Depaitnu nt of 
 State addressed to the Krench Amhass.idi>r a note soliciting the consent of the 
 Spanish iJovernment to the restoration of "able communication T)etween Manila and 
 Ilcng Kong, in order that continuous telciirajihic connection with tlie Philipiiines 
 might be re-established. 
 
 I't is ob.s)^-^!^! that the Spanish Coininissioners in their "proposition' say tliat the 
 words of the Protocol in relation to tlie Philippines "have not a clear meaning." 
 but that no matter what ccn'struc<tlon may be placefl upon them, "in no ca.se can 
 their mea.uing be so stretched as to invol\c in any way the irlea of cession of the 
 sovereignty of Spain over the arehipeligo," si. ice "such a cession or acquisition in 
 l>erpetuum of the archipelago by the United States, had It been agreed upon In the 
 I'rotocol, would have been in contr.idlclion with the mere temporary (x-cuiiatlon of 
 Manila, which at the same time was agreed upon in the same clause of that instru- 
 niei.t." This statement, as well as the pan. graph that Immediately follows it. mere- 
 ly reiterates the errone<>us nssnniiition. to wriich \>'e ha\'e alread.v a.iverte<l. that the 
 r.ltiii.ate demands of th<' fnlted States In ri'spect to the Philippines were embodied 
 in the Protocol, while, as a matter of fa.-t. the instrument shows upon Its face that ;t 
 was agreed that the formulation of those demands should l>e postponed till the ne- 
 gotiations for a treaty of peace shoulri be nndertaken. 
 
 How. theii, stands the demand of the Government of Ihe rnitert States f.ir the 
 cession of the Philippine Islands with the concessions which it is will'tig to make, as 
 sot forth in Its proposition of the .'ilst ultimo'' This demand miglit be limited to the 
 single gniund of Indi^niiiity, but this limitation the American ronimissiouers d.i not 
 herein concede. The United States does not now put forward any claiin for pecuniary 
 indemnity to cover the enormous cost .if tin war. It does not take the sovereignty of 
 (^(■ba : US has been shown in former memoranda submitted b.v the Ameiican Coiiimis- 
 sioi.ers. it assumes only burdens there. It does demand, and Sp.ain has agreed to 
 cede, the Island of Porto Rico and the small Island of Guam In the Ladroues. Wliit 
 is Spain a.sked to give up In the Phillppiu.'s'/ A country constantly in rebellion 
 against its sovereignty, so that If the United States were to withdraw theiefrom to- 
 day. Spain would immediately have to rosort to arms to overcome a rebellious and 
 discontented ix-ople. 
 
 This situation could no! be more vivicliy portrayed than to use the wf>r.ls of the 
 Spanish tnemorandum in which, after s|ieaking of Spain's neglect of her own wel- 
 
 117. 
 
faip to tup iletrimeut o( her full devciopment, this coadition is attributed to "her 
 desire to preferentially attend to her colonies, creatures who, like all others in the 
 (.rder of nature, enlist the utmost solicitude on the p«rt of their mother, who feels 
 and supp'irts them at the sacrifice of her welfare." 
 
 The American Commis.>5ioners note, with some surprise, that the Spanish Com- 
 missioners, so soon after buviug provisionally accepted the American articles as to 
 Cuba and Porto Rico, now return to the question of the so-called Cuban debt. They 
 regret to find a position whieh, under certain reserves, had been di«;tinctly waived, 
 immediately resumed, and now expressed in language rarely employed in diplomacy, 
 unless to convey a deliberate ultimatum. The Spanish Commissioners assume that 
 this debt, for the most part incurred by Spain (not Cuba) In the effort first to sub- 
 .iugate the Cuban insurgents, and subsequently to overcome the United States, has 
 the binding tffect of a mortgage upon the very land wrested from Spain through 
 the defeat of this effort. They then say that they cannot even admit any discussion 
 as to the validity and efficacy of sucii mortgages. In language equally unusual, they 
 ccEtinue: "Let it be understood, therefore, and the Spanisih Commissioners hope 
 there will be no necessity to repeat it, that .Spain cannot and ought not to agree in 
 this treaty," etc. Now, since Spain, as lately as in the next to the last paper filed 
 here by her Commissioners did, under reserve, agree in this treaty to waive objec- 
 tions to our articles containing no reference to the so-called Cuban debt, the Amer- 
 ican Commissioners feel themselves .justified in inquiring dlstinctl.v whether this sud- 
 den change of position is finalV Do the Spanish Commissioners wisli it to be un- 
 derstood now, without any necessity for repetition, that they will accept no treaty 
 which does not provide for an assumption of this so-called Cuban debt, or for some 
 part of it, by the United States, for itself or for Cuba? 
 
 The American Commissioners observe also the declaration that the dignity and 
 self-reapeot of Spain forbid an inquiry into the use Spain may have made of the 
 proceeds of these loans. Now — to consider only a single aspect of the issue thus 
 raised — it is i^ot denied that the proceeds of a part of these loans were employed di- 
 reotl.v in maliing war upon the United States. Is it to be understood that the 
 United States, after succeeding in the war. is forbidden to take notice even of thia 
 fact'.' That would be to require the successful nation to pay the war expenses of the 
 defeated nation. Is it an acceptance, withi.nt inquir.v. of this part of the so-called 
 Cuban debt, that the .Spanish Commissioners declare is demanded b.v the dignity and 
 self-respect of Spain — which the.y wish therefore to have now understood, and 
 which they hope ttfere will be no necessity to repeat? 
 
 The American Commissioners do not here examine the statements that these debts 
 were legally created, that they may have been legally acquired by individuals of va- 
 rious nationalities, or that Spain is not tse revenues, and is bound to the third par- 
 ties. They do question the statement that Spain does not demand the recognition of 
 these so-called "secured debts" for her nvji benefit. The.v are bonds of the SiKtulsh 
 nation, guarauteed by the faith of the Spanish nation, with another guarantee (which 
 might more properly have been called :i "subKidiary" one), pledging Spanish sover- 
 eignty and control over certain Spanish colonial revenues. Spain has failed to main- 
 tain her sovereignty and control over these revenues, and is bound to the third •jii'- 
 ticS' with ^'hom she dealt for that failurs to make good her title to the security she 
 pledged. The third parties knew what it was pledged for— the continuous effort to 
 put down a people struggling for freedom from the Spanish rule. They took the ob- 
 vious chances of their investment on so precarious a security, but they must have re- 
 lied on the broad guarantee of the Spanish nation. It is not for us to deny that "the 
 most elementary duties of public and private probity" justify that reliance, but ws 
 do deny emphatically that they require th freed people, or any one acting for them 
 to pay the cost of all the efforts for their subjugation. To admit that such costs could 
 be attached ineradicably to the soil they lived on is to put it in the power of any un- 
 just ruler to condemn a, colony to perpetual subjugation and mlsgovernment by simply 
 loading it with so-called "mortgages" for loans effected without their consent by 
 their oppressors, till it can neither bear them itself nor find anyone else to assume 
 them. That ^\ould be a conclusion alike repugnant to common sense aud menacing 
 to libert.v aud civilizatiou. 
 
 .\fter reviewing in their "proposition" the provisions of the Protocol, the Spanish 
 (Jommissioners proceed to inquire whether there is anjr other "title," not founded 
 on that agreement, upon which the demand for the cession of the group can be 
 siipported. Under this head they discuss the capture of Manila by the Americ.in 
 forces, and. after concluding that the capitulation was invalid, they declare that the 
 treaty of peace should proWde for the immediate delivery of the place to the Spanish 
 Government, the immediate release of the Spanish garrison, and the performance of 
 various acts which imply that the military occupation and government of the city by 
 the United States has been illegal. 
 
 These startling pretensions require at the hands of the American rommis-sionera 
 a <.iimprehi'nsive examination. 
 
 118. 
 
Oil tile '^nil "1 .Inly. INjiN. the Oovernranit of Spaiu, Impelled by ami adiiiitliii^ 
 the .iilvi-ise icsiiUs of the war, made repn-scntntlons to the Presidem of the United 
 t>tates by written ci'uiniuiiii-ation of its Minister of Foreign Affairs, traii.sniUie>l 
 througli the Ambassador of France at Washington, to I he expressed ind that "the 
 cfaiaraitles already so great" and "evils still fireater" to the two cotintrles misht "be 
 terminated otherwise than by force of arms." The response of the President, thron^'h 
 Mr. Day, Secretary of State, to this eommiini(:.1ion was iiiade ,Tvily :^0, ISOs, and was 
 lu pai^ as follows: 
 
 The President, therefore, responding lo your Excellency's request, will state the 
 t^einis of pence which will ov accepted l,y him at the present time, subject to the 
 approval of the Senate of the United States hereafter. 
 
 "Your Kxcellency in discnssiug the subject of <"nba intimates- that Spain has de- 
 sired to spare the island ilie dangers rf pronialure independence. The Government 
 of the United States has i,<il shared tiie appreliensions of .'•pain in this repird, bnt 
 It recognizes the fai't that in the distratted and prostrate condition of tlie island :vd 
 and guidance will 'be nei'essary, and tliese it is prepared to give. 
 
 "The United States will require: 
 
 "FIRST. ITie relinquishment by Spain of all claim of sovereignty over or title to 
 Cuba and her immediate evacuation of the island. 
 
 "SECOND. The President, desirous of exhibiting signal generosity, will not now 
 put forward any demand for pecuniary indemnity. Nevertheless, he eannot be insensi- 
 ble to the losses ami expenses of the United States incident to the war or to the claims 
 of our citixens for injuries to their persona and property during the late insurrection 
 in Cuba. He must, therefore, require the cession to the United States and the imme- 
 diate evacuation by Spain of the Island of Porto Rico and other islands now under 
 the sovereignty of Spain in the West Indies and also the cession of an island in the 
 I.adrones, to be selected by the United States. 
 
 "TH-IRD. On similar grotmds, the United States is entitled to occupy and will 
 hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace 
 which shall determine the control, disposition and goyernment of the Philippines. 
 
 "If the terms hereby offered are accepted in their entirety. Cominissioners will 
 be named by the United States to meet similarly authorized Commissioners on the 
 part of Spain for the purpose of settling the details of the treaty of peace and 
 signing and delivecing it under the terms above indicated." 
 
 The negotiations thus entered into were followed by the Protoeol of agreement 
 between the United States and Spain signed at Washington August 12, 189,S, by 
 which it was provided: 
 
 "ARTICLE I. 
 
 "Spain will relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba. 
 
 "ARTICLE II. 
 "Spain will cede to the United States the Island of Porto Rico and other islands 
 now under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indies, and also .nn island in the La- 
 drones to be selected by the United States. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 "The United States will occupy and hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila, 
 pending a conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall determine the control, disposi- 
 tion and government of the Philippines." 
 
 '•ARTICLE VI. 
 :'of that instrument obligated Spain to the immediate evacuation of Cuba, Porto 
 Rico and the other islands under Sl)anisii sovereignty in the West Indies, and provid- 
 ed for the appointment by each Govern-iient, within ten days of the above d.Tte, of 
 Commissioners who should meet at Havana in Cuba and at S.in Juan iu Porto Rico 
 within thirty days after such date for the pui-pose of arranging and carrying out 
 the det.oils of such evacuation. By 
 
 "ARTICLE V. 
 
 "of the Protocol, the Contr.acting Parties agreed to appoint each not more than 
 Ave Commissioners to treat of peace. •> ho should meet at Paris not later than Octo- 
 ber 1, 1898, and proceed to the negotiation and conclu.sion of a treaty of peace. 
 
 "Article \'I. of the Protocol is as follows: 
 
 "Upon the conclusion and signing of this Protocol, hostilities between the two 
 countries shall be suspended, and notice to that effe<-t shall be given as soon as pos- 
 sible by each Government to the commander? of Its military and naval forces," 
 
 Etfore the notice provided for in Article VI. could possibly be given, and on the 
 
 119 
 
13tu day uf August, 18!I.S. Ilie uext day after its signature, the American land and 
 naval forces at Manila attacked that city ami. upon the 14th of August. 1898. com- 
 pelled its surrender under the terms of a military capitulation, which comprehended 
 rot only the surrender and occupation of the city, but also the surrender of its g.ar. 
 rison. beine from 9.000 to ll.CtM troops in number, and comprisinK substantially 
 the entire Spanish milit.n-y force in the I'hiiippine Islands. The United States there- 
 upon, having previou.sly for a long iinie heei. in possession of the bay and harbor 
 of Manila, took military possession of that city, and has ever since been in military 
 occupation thereof, administering its gnernment concerns in the manner usual in 
 such cases. In .^ui doing, the T'nited States took po.ssession of the pnDlic property of 
 Spain situate in Manila, including cenain moneys due to that Government which had 
 beon collect -d as revenues; proceeded to administer, collect and expend the taxes, 
 and customs of that port, and also to r ikc ciiarge of and administer the police gov- 
 ernment of the city; and generally continued to exercise over the city, harbor and 
 bay the rights and powers of a belligerent in rightful military occupancy. 
 
 It is noiv contended by Spain, who also, as a part of that contention, rejects th»i 
 articles tendered by the United States for the cession to that Government of the 
 Philippine Archipelago, that such occupation and acts were in violation of the Proto- 
 col, and that, for that reason, she is en titled: 
 
 1. To the immedi.aite delivery of the place (Manila) to the Spanish Government. 
 
 2. The immediate release of tlie garrisoii of the same. 
 
 :'.. The return to the Spaui.sh Government of all the funds and public property 
 taken by the American army since its occipation of the place, and all the taxes ol' 
 every kind collected or to be collected up to the time of returning the same. 
 
 4. The recognition of the obligation on the part of the United States to indem- 
 nify Spain for alleged serious damage oc-casioned by the detention as prisoners of 
 her troops, to which detention it is alleged is due the spread with impunity of tie 
 Tagalo insurrection in Luzon and its invasion of the Vizalan islands, and. more- 
 over, because to the same has been due the alleged ill-treatment of thousands of 
 Spanish prisoners, military and civil. 
 
 In the dilatory assertion of these extraordinary claims the Spanish Commission- 
 ers have at times repudiated and at other times have appealed to and eiai'iied 
 rights under the stipulations of a convention entered into between Spain and the 
 United States, by and under which the rights, dulies. liabilities and status of tlae 
 contracting parties were explicitly settled. That convi^ntion is the Protocol tf 
 August 12. 189S. 
 
 It is contended by the American Commissioners that an estnhlishmenrt of Ihe 
 statu quo provided for oy that Protocol, and comprehended within its intent and 
 meaning upon a fair constniction of its terms. Is the only demand that Spain can, 
 upon her own theory, make in the premises, even if it is hypothetically conceded, 
 for the mere purposes of this branch of the discussion, that the legal propositions 
 which she advances are at all applicable to the alleged breach of the armistice. For 
 the United States insists and has always insisted (except hyimtheticaiiy as stated 
 above and nn>rely for purposes of this argument) that the military operations by 
 which Manila was captured were .instiliable fnd lawful. The statu quo is the rigiit 
 of the United States to occupy and hold the city, harbor and bay of JIanila pending 
 the conc!n,sion of a treaty of peace whi-ni shall determine the control, disposition 
 and government of the Philippines. That condition exists. The United States does 
 so hold .such territory. It has been so confede<l and insisted by Spain in corre- 
 spondence which will be particularly considered in another portion of this paper. 
 That occupancy is referable to. and is justified by. the Protocol, and cannot he de- 
 feated by the alleged illegality of hostiMtie.s. To so invalidate it. it will be neces- 
 sary for Spiiin to denounce and repinliole the Protocol In al! Its parts, including, of 
 course, the authority nnder which this Commi.i-sion is proceeding and the stipulation 
 for an armistice, and thus produce a renewal of active war. as we shall elsewhere 
 more fully demonstrate. 
 
 It is maintained by the American Commis.'iioners th:it all and singular the acts 
 done after the surrender of Manila and complained of by Spain were and are right- 
 ful acts under the Protocol itself; that they would have been rightful if no naval or 
 military operations whatever had been Condrcted against that city after the signa- 
 ture thereof, and that the^r rightfidne.^s is not impaired by such liostile operations. 
 
 The Prctocol presents two features: One. general in its character-, pertaining to 
 negotiations for peace: the other, subordinate and special in its provisions, pertain- 
 ing to the capitulation of the city of Manila and its bay and harlio>-. but which is 
 also an inseparable part and parcel of the stiinilations and processes by which a 
 treaty of peace is to be etfected. 
 
 Tlie second of these features presents a e.ise of the military cipitulation of a 
 certain defined territory, to be occupied and lu-ld by the United States "pending the 
 conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall determine the control, dispo.^jition and 
 government of the Philippines." This stipr.lation is sometimes ignored and some- 
 
 120 
 
tiIln'^■ rfliiHl iiinin I>\- llu- ^^)l;llli>ll * 'I'Uiinistjioi.tM's to iiif't the v;iri.nis «-xim'lii'ic s (if 
 thfir jir^uniont. 
 
 'l*ho Spnnish ('oiiiinKss'.niM-i-s jirc ciiiircly cHri-cl in troaliiif: this lurlicuiai' stipu- 
 Imlou of the Protocol (as thoy ilo in one bnMii-li of tlu'ir argunicnti as a niiluaiy 
 convf-ntion provldiug for a papltnlation. and In citing (as they do) the laws of war 
 applicable to military occupancy of a c-jncjiKM-cd or snrrendcrt tl pi»ition of the terri- 
 tory of one of the belliir-'rcnts. If, tlu'rcfi>rc. as the American Commissiiinei-s con- 
 tend, the acts complained of. and for which Spain now deinamls reparation, were 
 ri^'hlfnl acts nnder the Protocol, and conld rij-'htfnlly have been done by that Cov- 
 eri'ijient if no hostilities whatever hail b*'en ( (tndiicted ajrain^ Manila after its -sig- 
 ualnre. the entire contention of Spaiiv for reparation on acconnt of tnt)se acts fails. 
 The Protocol, as respects ■the occnp^ition by the I'nitcd States of the city of ^[anila 
 and its bay and harbor, was, as we have observed, a military convention for the ca- 
 pitulation of certain territory therein sptcilically dclincd. When executed by the 
 United States taking possession it presented a case of inllitary occupation of that 
 certain defined territory, and vested in that Government all the rights which the 
 laws of war give to a military occupancy. This capitulation was general in its char- 
 acter and terms. It comprelieuded the detiiied territory and all that it contained, in- 
 cluding the forts, the munitions of war, the barracks. It included everything aud 
 every person left in the city by Spain. It included the garrison for that reason. 
 Under the special circumstances of the case the surrender of the garrison was neces- 
 sarily contemplated by the Protocol. The city was closely besieged on the land side 
 by the insurgents. It was in extremity tor provisions and the insurgents controlled 
 the w"ater supply. The Spanish forces had been unable to raise the siege, and there- 
 fore could not escape from the city on the land side. The city was blockaded by the 
 American fleet; the fleet of Spain had been destroyed and there was no escape for her 
 troops by water. The coiiditions were such that even if an escape could have been 
 effected by land or sea. the forces of Spain would have had no base whatever for any 
 militar.v operations. So clearl.v was this the situation that the Spanish Commander- 
 in-Chief fled from the city shortly before it was attacked, took refuge on a neutral 
 man-of-war. and was conveyed by it to Ilong Kong. Had it been intended that the 
 garrison siiould be permitted to depart from the capitulated city, the usual provision 
 would have been made that it should march out with its arms and with the honors 
 of war. Containing no sucli provision, the exaction that the Spanish troops should 
 surrender to the occupying power was as Justitiable and legal under the Protocol as 
 was the taking possession by that power of the forts, barracks and munitions of war. 
 Consequently, no rightful claim whatever against the United States can be made that 
 afterward it refused to permit the capituuUed artn.v to resume its arms and proceed 
 be.vond the limits of the capitulated terriior.v as an organized military force for the 
 purpose of suppressing the Tagalo insurrection, or for any militar.v purpose what- 
 soever. That this has alwa.vs been tlie position of the United States upon this ques- 
 tion plainl.v appears from the diplomatic correspondence between the two Govern- 
 ments, and particularly in the letter of the Secretary of State to Mr. Cambon dated 
 September 16. 189S. The argument which would sustain the right of Spain to the re- 
 lease of her array would, with equal cogeiic.v. support a claim on her part to have de- 
 livered up to her for the same imrpose a ship of war that might have been included In 
 the capitulation, and all the munitions of war which came Into the possession of the 
 United States under and b.v virtue of its stipulated right of occupancy. In all cases 
 where, pending war. a certain defined part of the territory of one of the belligerents 
 is by the terms of a military convention, agreed to be put in the military occupa- 
 tion and possession of the other belligerent, the sovereignt.v of the occup.ving party 
 <the United States in the present instan?e1 displaces or suspends the sovereignty of 
 the other belligerent and becomes for the purposes of the military occupation a 
 substitute for it. 
 
 It is not necessary to multiply citations of the many authorities which sustain 
 this proposition. General Tlallcck's work on International Uaw has been invoked by 
 the Spanish Commissioners and the citations in tills paper will be limited to that 
 work, observing that they .arc made from the chapter which treats of the rights of 
 military occupation during war as contradistinguished from the rights of a complete 
 conquest, 
 
 "Capltnlations are agreements entereii Into by a commanding officer for the sur- 
 render of his army, or b.v the governor of a town, or a fortress, or particular dis- 
 trict of country, to surrender It into the hands of the enemy." 
 (Halleck. vol. IT., p. 310.1 
 
 "It follows, then, that the rights of military occupation extend over the enemy's 
 terrltor.v onl.v so far as the Inhabitants are vanquished or reduced to submission to 
 the rule of the conqueror. Thus. If a fort, town. city, harbor. Island, province, or 
 particular section of country belong Ing fo one belligerent. Is forced to submit to the 
 arpis of the other, snch place or territory Instantly becomes a conquest, and Is sub- 
 
 121 
 
jeet to the laws which the conqueror may iiui>ose on it: although he has not yet ac- 
 quired the plenum dominium et utile, he has the teinporary right of possession and 
 government." 
 
 (Hallecli. vol. II.. p. 434.) 
 To consider more specifically the claims advanced by the Spanish Commission- 
 ers: 
 
 The first is. that Spain "is entitled to the immediate delivery of the place {Manila) 
 to the Spanish Government." 
 
 To do this would contravene the provisions of the Protocol by which it is agreed 
 that ''the United States will occupy and hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila 
 pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace," which treaty the two Commissions have 
 been negotiating ever since October 1, 189ts. They are negotiating under the Pro- 
 tocol. That instrument is an entirety. Neither party, having entered into it and con- 
 tinued the uegotiations for which it provides to a date more than two months after 
 the acts were done of which Spain now complains, can now allege such acts as 
 grounds for the rejection of the obligations of that instrument. 
 
 If any right of repudiation ever existed, it should have been asserted in due time 
 as against the entire instrument and all of its provisions. This has never been at- 
 tempted. On the contrary, the contracting parties have proceeded to negotiate, agree 
 and perform under the requirements of that instrument. 
 
 By so doing Spain has waived the alleged breaches of the Protocol wh"ich she now 
 advances. 
 
 The second demand is for the immediate release of the garrison of Manila. We 
 show in another place that this garrison was, under the facts and circumstances, 
 necessarily included in the capitulation provided for by the Protocol. 
 
 The third demand is for the return to the Spanish Government of all funds and 
 public property taken by the American army since its occupation of the place (Ma- 
 nila) and all taxes of every kind collected or to be collected. ' 
 
 We have maintained in another portion of this paper that the occupation of 
 Manila is justly referable to the Protocol: that that instrument is a military capitula- 
 tion: that the effect of the occupancy by the United States was to suspend the sov- 
 ereignty of Spain in the territory so occupied, and to substitute for the purposes 
 of military occupation the sovereignty of the United States. It follows upon prin- 
 ciple and authority from these considerations that the United States had the right 
 to take the public property, and to collect the taxes demanded, and has the right to 
 retain the same. 
 
 •'Political laws, as a general rule, are suspended during the military occupation 
 of a conquered territory. The political, connection between the people of such terri- 
 tory and the State to which they belong Is not entirely severed, but is interrupted or 
 suspended so long as the occupation continues. Their lands and immovable property 
 are, therefore, not subject to the taxes, rents, etc., usually paid to the former sover- 
 eign. These, as we have said elsewhere, belong of right to the conqueror, and he 
 may demand and receive their payment to himself. They are a part of the spoils of 
 war, and the people of the captured province or town can no more pay them to the 
 former government than they can contribute funds or military munitions to assist 
 that government to prosecute the war. To do so would be a breach of the implied 
 conditions under which the people of a conquered territory are allowed to enjoy 
 their private property, and to pursue their ordinary occupations, and would rende 
 the offender liable to punishment. They are subject to the laws of the conqueror, and 
 not to the orders of the displaced government. Of lands and immovable property 
 belonging to the conquered state, the conqueror has, by the rights of war, acquired 
 the use so long as he holds them. The fruits, rents and profits are therefore his, 
 and he may lawfully claim and receive them. Any contracts or agreements, however, 
 which he may make with individuals farming out such property, will continue only 
 so long as he retains control of them, and will cease on their restoration to, or 
 recovery by, their former owner." 
 
 (Halleck, vol. II.. p. 437.) 
 ••During the war of 1S12 the city and harbor of Castine, a port of the United 
 States, was taken and occupied by the British forces: their commander proceeded to 
 levy and collect customs duties. The question of his right to do so and the suspension 
 of the sovereignty of the United States was afterward adjudicated by the Supreme 
 Court. 
 
 •■ 'By the conquest and military occupation of Castine," says the Supreme Court, 
 •the enemy acquired that firm possession which enabled him to exercise the fullest 
 rights of sovereignty over that place. The sovereignty of the United States over the 
 territory was, of course, suspended, and the laws of the United States could no longer 
 be rightfully enforced there, or be obi gatory upon the inhabitants who remained and 
 submitted to the conquerors. By the surrender, the inhabitants passed under a tem- 
 porary allegiance to the British Government, and were bound by such laws, and such 
 
 122 
 
only, as It chose to recofc-nlze and impose. From the nature of the case, no other laws 
 could be obligatory upon them; for where there Is no protection or allegiance or 
 sovereignty there "can be no claim to obedience. Castlne was. therefore, during this 
 period, so far as respected our revenue laws, to be deemed a foreign port, and goods 
 Imported into it by the inhabitants were subject to such duties only as the British 
 Government chose to require. Such goods were In no correct sense Imported Into the 
 United States.' " 
 
 (Halleck, vol. II., p. 446-447.) 
 
 • 'The moneys derived from these sources may be used for the support of the gov- 
 ernment of the conquered territory, or for the expenses of the war." 
 
 (Halleck, vol. II., p. 447.) 
 
 ■•Those who are permitted to hold commercial intercourse with such territory, 
 whether thev be subjects of the conqueror, or of foreign States, must conform to the 
 regulations, and pay the duties established by the conquering power; and, in case of 
 conquest by the United States, the President, in the absence of legislative enact- 
 ments, exercises this power." 
 
 ^Hallecli, vot. II., p. 446.) 
 
 '•We win next consider the effect of a military occupation of a State upon debts 
 owing to Its government. Does such conquest of the State carry with it the Incorpo- 
 real rights of the State, such as debts, etc.? In other words, do these rights so attach 
 themselves to the territory that the military possession of the latter carries with t 
 the right to possess the former? There are two distinct cases here to be considered. 
 First, where the Imperium of the conqueror is established over the whole State (vic- 
 toria universalis); and, second, where it is established over only a part, as the cap - 
 tal, a province, or a colony (victoria parti cularis). As has already been stated, all 
 rights of milltarv occupation arise from actual possession, and not from constructive 
 conquests; they are de facto, and not de jure rights. Hence, by conquest of a part 
 of a country, the government of that country, or the State, is not in the possession of 
 the conqueror, and he. therefore, cannot .•Inim the incorporeal rights which attach 
 to the whole country as a State. But, by the military possession of a part, he will 
 acquire the same claim to the incorporeal rights which attach to that part, as he 
 would, bv the military- occupation of the whole, acquire to those which attach to the 
 whole. We must also distinguish with respect to the situations of the debts, or rather 
 the locality of the debtors from whom they are owing, whether in the conquered 
 country, in ttat of the conqueror, or in that of a neutral. If situated In the con- 
 quered territory, or in that of the con queror, there is no doubt but that t'l*' <=°°- 
 qneror may, by the rights of military occupation, enforce the collection of debts 
 actually due to the displaced government, for the de facto government has. in this 
 respect, all the powers of that which preceded It." 
 
 (Halleck, vol. II., p. 461.) 
 
 In other particulars Spain has not only waived any right to Insist that the hostil- 
 ities at Manila were in violation of the Protocol, but has acted upon the assumption 
 that they were not such acts of violation. 
 
 On August 13, 1898. the French Ambassador, acting for Spain, in a letter of thai 
 date, addressed to the Secretary of State, inquired as follows; "May the postal serv- 
 ice by Spanish steamers be re-established between Spain and Cnba. Porto K co, 
 Philippines?" 
 
 "Will Spanish merchants be permitted to send supplies in Spanish bottoms to 
 Cuba. Porto Kico, Philippines?" 
 
 To these Inquiries the Department of State answered by letter dated August if, 
 1898. that; 
 
 "1. This Government will interpose no obstacle to the re-establlshment of toe 
 postal service by Spanish steamers between Spain on the one side and Cuba. Porto 
 Rico and the Philippines on the other. 
 
 "2. The United States will not object to the Importation of supplies In Spanlsn 
 bottoms to Cuba and the Philippines, but It has been decided to reserve the Importa 
 tion of supplies from the United States to Porio Itico to American vessels.'^ 
 
 Though it is probable that both of these communications were written before no- 
 tice of the capture of Manila had been received, yet It Is believed that Spa'n has, 
 down to the present time, availed herself of the privileges thus solicited and granted. 
 
 On August 29, 1898, the French Ambassador, acting for Spain, by letter of that 
 date, addressed to the Secretary of State, suggested that "the Spanish troops, whom 
 the capitulation of the city of Manila has reduced to inaction, might be placed at once 
 at the disposal of Spain, who would use them for the defence of the islands against 
 the insurgents. 
 
 12S 
 
"The Minister of State at Madrid tliinks that, if the United States Govermneat 
 sees any objection to this arrangement, It will, at least, have no reason to oppose 
 the dispatch of troops directly from the Peninsula to the Philippines." 
 
 To this letter the Department of State made answer under date of September 5, 
 1S98, and observed, among other things: 
 
 "In your Informal note of the 29th ultimo it Is stated that the Spanish Govern- 
 ment suggests that, for the purpose of checking insurgent hostilities, the Spanish 
 troops now held as prisoners of war by the American forces may be placed at the dis- 
 posal of Spain, to be used against the Insusgents: or. If this be objected to, that the 
 Spanish Government may be allowed to send troops from the Penlnsala to the Phil- 
 ippines. It can scarcely be expected that this Government would even consider the 
 question of adopting the first alternative, m view of the fact that for some time be- 
 fore the surrender of Manila the Spanish forces In that city were besieged by the 
 insurgents by land, while the port was blockaded by the forces of the United States 
 by sea." 
 
 It seems impossible to conceive that the correspondence from which the above 
 quotations have been made could have taken place except upon the basis of the 
 opinion then entertained both by the United States and Spain, that the possess'on 
 by the former power of the City of Manila, and the surrender to it of the Spanish 
 forces were either lawful ab initio, or hao become lawful by acquiescence and waiver 
 by Spain, and that nothing had been done or required by the United States that waa 
 not warranted by the terms of the Protocol respecting the occupation by that Gov- 
 ernment of the city, harbor and bay of Manila. 
 
 And on the 11th day of September, 1898, the Ambassador of France, acting for 
 Spain. In a letter of that date to the Secretary of State, distinctly stated that "the 
 Spanish Government Is of opinion that the occupation by the American forces of the 
 city, bay and harbor of Manila must be considered in virtue of the Protocol of August 
 12, and not in virtue of what was agreed to in the capitulation of the 14th of the 
 same month, which is absolutely null by reason of its having been concluded after 
 the belligerents had signed an agreement declaring the hostilities to be suspended." 
 
 Considering together these requests and concessions, and particularly the explicit 
 admission above quoted, it seems a feat of forensic and dialectic hardihood to assert 
 now that the military occupation by the United States of the City of Manila is void 
 under the Protocol, and that, for that reason, the city ought to be delivered up to 
 Spain. Its garrison liberated, its forts, barracks and munitions returned, the moneys 
 collected paid back to Spain, and the United States to be mulcted in damages for the 
 militar.v operations of the insurgents. 
 
 And. considering from altogether another point of view the claim that, since 
 Manila was actually captured a few hours after the Protocol was signed on the other 
 side of the globe instead of a few hours before. It should be returned, the thonght 
 might occur to a ,1ust and impartial m'nd to remember why it was not captured ear- 
 lier. The world knows that the attack was only dela.ved to protect the city and Its 
 Spanish inhabitants from the dreaded vengeance of the Insurgents. It would bt 
 extraordinary If this act of humanity should now be claimed by the beneficiary as 
 the sole reason for depriving the benefactor of his victory. 
 
 It might ftirther occur to a just and impartial mind that the General and the 
 Admiral commanding, to whom that humane delay was due, were entitled to a more 
 generous recognition of perfectly well known facts than is Implied In the statements 
 of the Spanish Commissioners that "in spite of this (the signature of the Protocol) 
 General Merritt and the Admiral of the fleet demanded the surrender of the place, 
 etc. • • * opened fire. * * * unnecessarily causing a considerable number of losses to 
 the Spanish forces;" and again that "General Merritt and the Admiral of the squad- 
 ron may not he personall.v responsible for the blood they unnecessarily shed on the 
 13th. If they had no otticial notice then of the Protocol which had been signed on the 
 previous day In Washington." The American Commissioners have too high an esti- 
 mate of the chlvalrlc honor of the Spanish people to accept that as the final record 
 Spain would wish to make of this incident. 
 
 The American Commissioners for the various reasons hereinbefore stated are 
 constrained to reject the several demands embodied In the "proposition" to which 
 the present paper Is an answer. 
 
 True copy : 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. 
 
 124. 
 
Protocol No. 14. 
 
 Protocolo No. 14. 
 
 CONFEEENCE 
 of November 16, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 16 de Noviembre de 1898. 
 
 The conference having been postponed 
 at the reqnest of the Spanish Commis- 
 sioners, in order that they might have an 
 opportunity to prepare a reply to the 
 paper presented by the American Com- 
 missioners at the last session. It was de- 
 cided to meet on the 16th of November, at 
 two o'eloclJ p. m., at which hour there 
 were 
 
 Present— 
 On the part of the United States: 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FUYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 UEID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON, 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIOS, 
 
 ABARZUZA, 
 
 GARXICA, 
 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session 
 was read and approved. 
 
 The Spanish Comraissiouer presented 
 their answer, copy and translation of 
 which are annexed to this protocol, to 
 the American memorandum relating to 
 the Philippine Islands, and in so doing 
 the President of the Spanish Commission 
 stated that the document, besides being 
 an answer to the American memorandum, 
 was also a memorandum in support of 
 the last proposition presented by the 
 Spanish Commissioners; and he called at- 
 tention to the concluding part, wherein 
 a motion or proposition wias made with 
 reference to the contingency that the 
 American Commissioners should think 
 that they must Insist upon their former 
 proposal on the Philippines. 
 
 The American Commissioners asked 
 that the final part of the memorandum, 
 to which the President of the Spanish 
 Commission referred, be read, and it was 
 orally translated Into English by their in- 
 terpreter. 
 
 The American Commissioners moved 
 that, in order that the whole paper might 
 be carefully translated and attentively 
 
 Iios Comlsarlos espanoles en virtud de lo 
 acordado en la seslon anterior respecto del 
 aplazanileuto de la proxima conferencia 
 para una fecha posterior a la fijada, solicl- 
 taron une prorroga para presentar su con- 
 testacion al Memorandum que en la ultima 
 seslon presentaron los Comlsarlos ameri- 
 canos y hablendose tijado de comua acnerdo 
 el dla 16 a las 2 p. m. para la reunion de 
 ambas Comlsiones. se hallen en dlcho dla 
 y hora. 
 
 Presentes— 
 parte de 
 
 los Estados Dnidos de 
 
 Por 
 America: 
 los Senores DAT, 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 Por parte de-Espana: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZUZA. 
 
 GARNICA. 
 
 VILLA-URRUTIA. 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 Fue leida y aprobada el acta de la seslon 
 anterior. 
 
 Los Comlsarlos espanoles presentan la 
 contestacion al Memorandum amerlcano, 
 que es anexa al acta presente. relative a 
 las Islas Filipinas, y al hacerlo, el Presl- 
 dente de la Comision espanola, manifiesta 
 que dioho documento a la vez que contesta 
 al americano, es asimismo un Memorandum 
 en apoyo de la ultima proposlclon presen- 
 tada por los Comlsarlos espanoles, y llama 
 la atenclon sobre su ultima parte en ';ue 
 se hace una mocion o proposlclon para el 
 caso en que los Comlsarlos amerlcanos crean 
 deber insistir en su anterior proposlclon 
 sobre Filipinas. 
 
 Los Comlsarlos amerlcanos plden que sea 
 leida la ultima parte del Memorandum a 
 que se reflere el Presldente de la Comision 
 espanola. y sta es vertida verbalment al 
 ingles por su Inierprete. 
 
 Los Comlsarlos amerlcanos manlflestan 
 que conslderando pue es nccesarlo tradiiclr 
 con esmero y enterarse atenlameute Ue 
 
 125. 
 
examined, the eoiifereiice be adjcnirned diclio documeiito, iiroponen el aplazamleulo 
 
 till Saturday, November 19, at two de la sesion basta el s^bado a las 2 de la 
 
 o'clock p. m., without prejudice to asking tarde, sin perjuicio de pedir una prorroga 
 
 for a postponement if necessar.v, si lo estimasen neeessario. 
 
 The Spanisb Commissioners expressed Los Comisarios espanoles manlflestan su 
 
 their assent to tliis motion, and it was asentimiento, y queda por tanto fljada la 
 
 tlierefore decided that the next confer- proxima conferencla para el sabado 19 a 
 
 ence should be held on Saturday, the 19th las 2 p. m. 
 instant, at two o'clock p. m. 
 Signed: 
 
 ■WILLIAM R. DAY. Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 
 •WM. P. FRYE. J. DE GARNIOA. 
 
 GEO. GRAY. W. R. DE VILLA-URRDTIA. 
 
 ■WHITELAW REID. RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
 JOHN B. MOOKK. ElIILIO DE 0.7EDA. 
 
 126. 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 14. 
 
 COMISION 
 Paia la Neg-ociacion de la Paz con los Estados Unidos. 
 
 Presentado en la Sesion del Dia 16 De Noviembre de 1898. 
 (14 Conferencia.) 
 
 Kl ultimo cscrito present ;i(lii pm- l:i Comisioii :imorioana tiene un doble objeto. 
 Por una parte es el Memorandum que presenta en apoyo de su proposleion de 3 de 
 Octubre ultimo, pidiendo la eeslon de las Has Fllipinas a los Elados X'nidos. Y por 
 la oira es la expnsieinn tie las razimes que tiene la Comision amerleiinn para nn ad- 
 mitir la inoposieion espanola de 4 de este mes. en que la Invitaha a que presentase 
 una euya olijeto fnera el pomplimlento de lo eunvenido en los Artieulos -t y G del 
 Protocolo de Washington. 
 
 Por lo que liace al primer objeto sobre que versa el Memorandum araericano. la 
 Comision espannla se dedicara prlmerameiite en este a repllear a su euntenido. Y por 
 in (|ue liiic-e a la seirnnda parte, aquella inslstira en la forma de Memorandum regla- 
 mentario en la exposicion de las razones que abonan su proposleion recliazada. 
 
 Replica al Memorandum americano. 
 
 Kazones de metodo y el deseo de reducir las proporcioues de este escrito inclinan a 
 los Comisarios espanole,s a ocuparse primnramente del punta relative a las deudas 
 hipotecarias de las colonias de Espana, que. aimque de capital Lmportanela. no hu- 
 bieran vuelto a controvertlr en esta parte de la di.scusiou del tratado. si no apare- 
 oiera nuevameute promovido por la Comision amerieatm en el ultimo parrafo de su 
 proposleion. pidiendo la eeslon del Archip ielagu Filipino. 
 
 Reeonoee la Comision espanola la difleultad que siente para contestar a esta parte 
 del Minioranrtum americ-ano. debida esta diflcultad a los graves errores de' becho de 
 que aquella esta sembrada. y tambien a las extranas dootrinas Juridieas que alii 
 campean. 
 
 Ante to do necesita la romisiou i-spanola hacer eonstar que en su dnoumento ;io 
 entiende haber emplcado lancua;:e. ni s quiera f rases improplas de una diseuslon 
 diplomatiea. Celosa de las cnnsideraciones a que tiene derecho empieza por guardar 
 rellglosaniente las que corresiMind.'n a Ins demas, y. en sus doeumentos evita eon el 
 mayor cuidado toda frase que pueda ser personalmente desagradable a quien vaya 
 diri'gida. y eon inueha uias razon. las que pudieran repularse ofensivas a quienes 
 estan, y tienen dereflio a estar. :il .-nnparo de las personas eon quienes los Comisarios 
 espanoles tengan que dis<?utir'. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos dieen que nolaron con sorpresa que los espanoles, 
 despues de haber aceptado provisionalmente los artieulos que aquellos habian pro- 
 puesto sobre Cuba y Puerto Rico, vnelven ahoran a suseitar la cue.stion de la deuda 
 cubana. planteando de uuevo uii tema que bajo cierlas reservas habia sido termi- 
 nanteniente abandonado. Y no satisfechos con tan retnndas aflrmacione.s anandieron 
 que la Comision espanola en su eontestacion escrita presentada en la sesion de 20 de 
 Octubre. habia retirado sus observaciones anteiiores a los artlcule.s de la Comisioa 
 amerleana. 
 
 Por lo que hace a esta suquesta retirada. invitamos a nuestros dignos colegas rte 
 America a que. buseaudo con todo detenimiento las frases de nuestra eontestacion 
 escrita, en que aquella constc, se slrvan <-itarlas. pues entre tanto y siempre nosotros 
 hemes de afirmar de un mode rotundo. que en nuestro doeumento no existen tales 
 frases, resultando de el por lo contrario que nada tenlamos que retirar. pueslo que 
 sostenlamoa nuestras aflrmaciones, aunqn? subordlnando su aostenlmlento en lo futuro 
 a las eonvi-nieneias de Espana. En efeetn. como prueba de lo que acabamos de deeir 
 y romo sutieieiiie eontestacion a las frases de la Comision auiericana. basta Iran- 
 scriliir aqnilas en que einista aquella supufsta aeeplaeion provi.<lonal y aquel teriniuan- 
 te ali.indon del tenia sobre la niencionda dueda. "Los Comisarios espanoles eontestan 
 "a la sobredicha pregunta (que es la qne por esiiilo les habia becho la Comision 
 ••araerleaua en la reunion del dia 24 Octubre) y dicen que. alirmando sus eonvicoioues 
 "de que eon arreglo a Derecbo. las obligacioues coloulales de Cuba y Puerto Kico 
 "rteben pasar con estas Islas y su soberania. no rehusau tomar en conslderaeion eual- 
 ••quler otro artieulo relativo a Cuba y Pnert.. Ui.o qne no coatenga la clausula de 
 
 127 
 
"asumir las cargas por los Estados Unid,.s o p.ir Cuba o por aiiibos (estas eran las 
 ■•propias palabras rte la iuPKiiala a ipip (■ontestaban), suborrtinando la deflnltiva 
 "aprobacion de tal artioulo a la de los demas que hayau de formar la totalidnd del 
 "Tratado. etc." Y entre las razones que por eserito eonsignaron para dar esta con- 
 ■'testacion. esta la que alii se expresa cou las siguientes frases: '•Considerando que 
 "no habiendo de elaborarse este tratado eomo nunca se ha elaborado ni puede elabo- 
 "rarse ninguno. eon el uuico crlterio de la risurosa .iustioia que cada uua de las 
 "partes pucda ciiteiider que le asirta, smu taiiibien eon el de la convenieneia de cada 
 "meramente juridieo. y que por consiguieute sobre la cuestion relativa a la deuda de 
 "Cuba los Comisarios espanoles. que entieuden que el rigor del Derecho la resuelve a 
 '^su favor, tienen el deber y estan dispuestos a cumpllrlo. de moderar este rigor por 
 "las conyeniencias que para Espana puedan surgir de otras estipulaclones del tratado. 
 "que sin ser perjudiciales a los Estados Unidos, puedan si'r fav.irahles a Espana." 
 
 Fareee bien claro que el supuesto abandono de que ahora se habla en el Memo- 
 randum americano y la supuesta aeeptacion de los articulos relatives a Cuba y Puerto 
 Rico, estaba limitaiia al case en que la Comision espanola entendiera que en los 
 demas que se (ueran diseutiendo y aprobando. hubiese para Espana ventajas que. a 
 su Juicio. la compensaran de un sacriflcio mayor o menor de su derecho sobre las 
 deudas. puesto que. si tales ventajas no se ofreeian. no tendria la Comision espanola 
 razoii para Ijaei'r iiin.L'uno; y por lo tanto, claro es que podria inslstir en el reconocim- 
 iento de su derecho. 
 
 Pues bien que ventajas rlesdo entonces se han ofrecido a Espana. hasta este 
 momento. en el curso de las coufereucias? 
 
 Desde aquella fecha los trabajos de! tratado no adelantaron mas que un paso, y 
 este ha cousistido en pedir a Espana. sin alegar razon alguna en pro de tal petlciou 
 cuando se hizo. que ceda a los Estados Unidos el ArchipieUiKo de Pilipinas. Entieude 
 la Comision americana que esta cesion es una ventaja para Espana! Sus Comisiona- 
 dos no se sorprenderian al oir una eontestacion en sentido afirmativo. que ya hacen 
 prever ciertas frases eonsignadas en el Memorandum a que contestan. No necesitan 
 deoir que no participan de esa, opinion. 
 
 Hubiera, pues. estado la Comision espanola en su derecho. volviendo a insistir no 
 de un modo incidental, sino direct© y principal, en sus reclamaciones sobre la trans- 
 mision de las deudas y obligaclones colonlales. No lo han hecho. ni se proponen ha- 
 cerlo ahora. mas esto no ha obstado nl obsta a que no deje pasar en silencio supuestos 
 y aflrraaciones, siquiera para que no Ilegue un dia en que se diga que habiau sido por 
 ella oonsentidas. porque no las habia eontrovertido. negandolas expresamente sn 
 asentlmiento. 
 
 Aflrma la Comision americana Espana contrajo (no dice que haya invertido la 
 deuda anteriormente contraida) la mayor parte de la deuda hipotecaria de Cuba "en 
 un esfuerzo. primero para subyugar a los insurrectos cubanos. y luego para oponerse 
 a los Estados Unidos. y discurriendo sobre el mismo tema. anade, que "no se ha ne- 
 "gado que parte del importe de estos emprestitos se invirtio directamente en hacer 
 "la guerra a los Estados Unidos." Para hacer tales aflrmaclones es indispensable su- 
 poner que se ignoran las feehas de la creacion de tales deudas. La una fue emitida 
 por Ileal Decreto de 10 de Mayo de 1SS6. es decir. ocho anas despues de establecida la 
 paz en Cuba, y nueve antes de que. por las sugestiones y medlos que ya son del do- 
 minio publico, hubiera vuelto a perturbarse. La segunda cmision se hizo por Real 
 Decreto de 27 do Setiembre de 1890. es decir. doce anos despues que reinaba una paz 
 completa en Cuba y se hallaba esta isla en el apogeo de su prosperldad. y ciuco anos 
 antes qne hubiese comenzado su desolacion por la nueva rebelion que alll. mas o 
 menos espontaneamente surglo. Y en los dos Decretos se dice ademas cuales eran las 
 causas que provocaban estas emlsiones, y los gastos en cuya satisfaccion se habia de 
 Invertir su importe. figurando entre los prlncipales el pago de los deficit de los pre- 
 supuestos anteriores y posteriores de la Isla, los cuales bien sabido es que eran de- 
 bidos a la gran rebaja que en sus impuestos habia hecho la Metropoli. 
 
 Querra decirse que esta. por un don sobrenatural de advinacion. sabia en 1886 
 y ISfiO que en lSO,"j habia de reproduclrse la Insurrecion de Cuba, y en 1898 los Es- 
 tados I'nidos le liabian de dispensar su proteccion armada? I'ues. solamente en tal 
 hipotesis podria admitirse la exactitud de las frases que se leen en el Memorandum 
 americano. T por lo que hace a los gastos que a Espana ocasiono la guerra de Ins 
 Estados Unidos. sin duda so Comision ignora que en 20 de Abril de este ano. en que 
 eomenzaron las hostilidades. el Tesoro espanol aun estaba reallzando las operaeiones 
 que. en forma de obligaciones con la garautia especial de las Aduanas de la Penin- 
 sula, liabla acordado hacer en l8li(i y 1.S97 por mil millones de pesetas, y otra por dos- 
 cientos veinte y tres millones de pesetas, acordada en - de Abril di- 189S con la ga- 
 rantia especial de las rentas del tabaco y timbre del Estado y la del impuesto de con- 
 snmos de Espana, y que. en fin. para la atencion especial de la guerra con los 
 Estados Unidos. se habia acordado ademas cmitir por Real Decreto de 31 de Ma.vo 
 de este ano. deuda perpetua interior al 4 % por valor de mil millines de pesetas, de 
 las cuales fueron inmediamente negocladas 806.785,000. Despues de estos da'tos. 
 es lie suponer que la Comision americana m. Ii;ilir;i de insistir en la aflrmaeifni tan 
 
 128 
 
sill fmidiiiiu'iua avcnturada i-ii su Mi'iiioramiiiiii. por ciuuprciuU-i' qii*' los pistos do la 
 KiH'rra oou los Estados I'nulns uaila liriirn (iin- v<-r cnii la di-iida liipoteoarla rolonlal 
 lie Cuba. 
 
 Vila vez mils la Comision aiiu'i-ioaua cxpone Pii su ultluio Meuuirandum la cxtruua 
 teoria do quo las colonlas ospaudlas no Ilcnon obllsarioii do paf;ar la douda coutrulda 
 por la Motropoli para soforar la rebolinu do pocos o uuiohos do sus habltaulos. Poro 
 osta vo/. llo;jau hasta el pnnto de poiu-r tau sliijxular tooria al aniparo ilel sontldo 
 coniun. alinuando quo la ooutraria es uua auioua/.n para la HVterlad y la elvllizaclon. 
 
 Ah: si los oolonos y los ciudadanos de su <!rau Itopublioa hubioson nlejrado para 
 justilicar una roboldia. o ou lo futun> ale;;asou i-u oaso i^ual. do quo aquol podoroso 
 Kstado no osta ciortamonto oxonto. uua lomia soiuojauto. la hulilera aduiitido y la 
 adudtira ol Oobioruo aiuorioauoV Ln q.io i.o el sontido oouiuu. slno ol soutidi> moral 
 ropruolia. os quo so Intonio ponor toda relioliou coiiira los podoros legitimos al aui 
 paro do la libortad y do la oiviUzaoion. Era o no Ksjjaua soborana loffitima do Cubii 
 cuando gurjrio In priuiora insurro<'oiou y durante toda la sejruuda? Se ha atrevido 
 nadio a noy:ar ni a p^uier en duda siquiora. la soborania de Kspaua sobre aquid'.-i 
 isla ou el tiompo a tiuo nos ostamos rortrieudoV No fueron los mismos Estados Uuidos 
 y su (jobloruo los que un dia y otro ilia lo roolaniaron <iue la sofooaso. sin oxolnlr ol 
 medio do las armas. restaljieoiondo lo mas pronto posiblo la paz ou ;su eoloida? P\ios 
 acoediondo Espana a estas iustaneias quiou, inoluso los Estados I'nidos. puodo no- 
 gar la loKltlmidad de los gastos <iuo hizo al satisfaoerlas? 
 
 Teoria semejanto que, por los respeto^ que la Comision espauoia, vioiu> ^uardan- 
 do y lieno el deber de guardar. uo calitica, come seguramonte la calificariau todos los 
 Pudoios ooustituidos de la tiorra. no puede sostonerse a la faz de los Iionibros, siuo par 
 tiendo ilol supuesto de qui' ol podor metropolitauo era ilogitimo y su soborania una 
 arbitrariodad del despotisiuo. Y eoucreta y ceuldauionto ge calitica asi a la Corona 
 do Kspaua por su domiuaciou en Cuba hasta la celebraciou del Protocolo de Wash- 
 ington? Puede. sobre todo, ealiUcarla asi ol Esl.ido quo. sin cesar. ha soMcitiido la 
 aeoiou do osa soberania para dominar a los quo ctjntra <-lla so habian levantado ou 
 la isla con las armas en la uianoV 
 
 P.Msaromos a otro asnnto, ya que este es muy delicado para tratarlo con calnia y 
 seronidad ou una discusiou diplomatica en que se iutenta controyertirlo. 
 
 En el Memorandum a que eatamoa contestando, so asieuta la singular ahrtuaciou do 
 que la hipoteea constituida en las dos sobredichas emisiones, puede llamarse mas 
 lu'opiameute una garautia subsidiaria. y quo quieu esta prlucipalmento obligada al 
 pago es Ui uaclou espauoia. Sin duda la Coiulsiou amoricaua, al haeer tal atirma- 
 ciou, no tenia a la vista el articulo 2" del Heal Kecreto de 10 de Marzo de ISSG. 
 acordando la emisjon de 1,240.(KX) bllletes hipotecju'los de la Isla de Cuba, ul el 
 parrafo tambieu seguudo del articulo igualmente sognndo del Real Recreto de 27 de 
 Scliombre de 1890, acordando la emisiou de 1,750,000 billetes hipotecarios tambieu 
 de la uUsma Isla. Los dos dicim Uteralmente lo mismo, y bastara por lo tajito quo 
 trauscribamos uuo de ellos. l-»ico asi: "Los nuevos biilotes toudran la garautia es- 
 pecial do las reutas de Aduauas, sollo y timbre, do la Isla de Cuba, la de las con- 
 tribuclones directas e iudirectas que alii oxistau o quodan e.stablocerso en lo sucesivo, 
 y la general de la nacion espauoia. Estaran exteutos de todo impuesto ordinario ji 
 e.vtraordiuai-io, etc." 
 
 Tampoco ha debido ver la Comision tfmericaua ninguuo do los titulos emltldos de 
 estas deudas, que so hallan por todas partes osparcidos iucluso eu Cuba y en las 
 manos do torcoros y particulares duonos; si ios hubiora vlsto, habria leido en ellos lo 
 si5;nioi.to: "(jarautia ospocial do las reutas do Aduauas. sollo y timbre do la Isla d(? 
 <'uba. la do las contribucionos directas o iudirectas quo alii oxistau o puodau esta- 
 blocorso en lo sucesivo y la gcuoral do la nacion espauoia." "El Banco hispano- 
 colouial porcibira por medio do sus dologados on la Isla do Cuba o roclbira en liar- 
 coloua por conducto del Banco ospauol de la Habana. ol producto do las .\duauas 
 de a ndsmn. retouiondose auticipado y diariameulo lo nocosario. sogun la labia al 
 dorso. para apllcarlo en cada trlmestre al pago de Intoroscs y amortlzaciones." 
 
 Si despues de esto la Comision amoricaua continua outoudloudo quo csi.-i douda 
 uo so euiitio c(jmo hipotocaria y que la hipo'oca no consistio eu Jas rentas do las 
 Aduauas de CuIki y sus domas inipuostos. y uo estas rentas uo fuoron las quo se 
 ■•senalarou principalnicute y on priinor lugar. y por lo tauto autes que >'l 'ros.iro do 
 la Peninsula, para ol pago d, ..s i:iioros,-s y an;;irliz.u-ieu do osta di'Ud.i- ri.ida M:as 
 toneuios quo decir. No sabemos Ooniostrar la cvidoiuia. 
 
 Por lo que hace a los tenedores de eslos riiulos y a la sevoridad iiuo ouloddeuios 
 OS iuJHstllicada, con quo aquellos sou tratados ou el .Memonuidum auiorlcano. no os 
 Espana la que tieno el dehor do dofouderJos. Cuando a su notlcla llogno ol jniio quo 
 s.ibre ellos se omlto. es do supouor ipio por si ndsmos se defenderan. poniuo dospnos 
 do todo. no necesltau hacer graudes osfnorzos para domonstrar la jusllcia do su c:cusa. 
 
 Por lo (luo a Espana toca, y con osto su Cf^itdsiou procodo a contestar catogorioa- 
 uioute a las proguuias (jue so forniulan on id .Mcmorandinu anioricano, lo basta do- 
 fonder la logltimidad de sus actos y ol perf.'i-to din i-ho con qin- on o aquolla douda 
 y establecio su hipoteea; y por couslgulente, el estrieto que tiene para no pagar los 
 
 129 
 
iiitpi-fses y iimiiitiznriim ilo la iiiisma. siur> i-imii,i„ sr Ic pnicbe la ii.sufick'iK-ia de las 
 rpatas hiiioticaila.s cull i]ne aqiieilus dubeii sc-r priimTamcnte sarisfccbcis. 
 
 Si los que tales reutas tengaii en su poder, quieren o no cnmiiliil la nlni-aciun 
 sohre ellas eoustltuifla, es eusa que qucaara bajo su respcnsabiliilail, qursto qiu- Es- 
 pana no tieue nioilios de hacerlos ("lunplir csta nbliKariiui. ui pin- ntra parte tieue ella 
 jiara ri,u Icis ai rcvibins mas d( berrs que Ins que jiuuiadauienle lia veiidu basta 
 -abora euuiplieud... I'er.) Espaua, vuelve a .leeirlo su Couiision (y es lu uuieo que tex- 
 tualmeute Jia dicbu eu su drx-umeuto anieriur. auuque eii otro sentido aparezea eu el 
 lUemorauduui auK-rieano) no quede jirestarse eu e.ste tratado oiin Ins Esladiis Unidos. 
 Hi eu otro alffuuo con eualquier poteucia. a baei'r ui ili'rlarar eu su ]u-npii> uouibie. 
 uada que uiauilieste " siquiera iuqdique ijue eila uiisULa poue eu duda y uiurliu uieuos 
 dc<seouoee. ui aim voluutariauieule luei-iua jioi- lo que a ella toea, los deii-( lius bipote- 
 larios de los t. uedores de aquellas deudas. No tieue uiedios efieaces para que los 
 que hayau de ser tenedores de las hipotecas respeteu tales dereebos. Per esto lo 
 los emplea; si los tuviese. ya que no poi- extrieta justieia a lo menos por uu deber 
 juoral. los euiplearia. ajustamlose asi a los seutiuiieutos de la probidad pubiiea y 
 privada. 
 
 Cl'eeu. pues, los Coaiisarios [■s|iaiu>les baber e.iuti'stado bien eategorieauiriite a las 
 preguutas que sobre este particMilar se les diri;,'eu en el .Memorandum americauo, y 
 <lespues de esto pasan a ocuparse del prineipal puulo tratado en aquol Memorandum 
 y que se retiere a hi soberauia dei Arebipielagc* I-'ilipiuo. 
 
 Seguu el .MeuMiraudum auu'rieano se funda la < esiou ili-l Arebipieiaito qui' se pide 
 A Espaua, mt eu que tal ceslon se baya comenido eu i 1 artioulo .; del Protoeolo. 
 eomo Se couyluo eu el 2 la de la Isla de Puerto Kieo. siuo en que. seguu aquella Com- 
 i.=ion. entre los .isuntos relativos a las jslas Filipiuas (jue eu el artieulo .sobrediebo 
 se deparou a la libre rescduriou de la Confereucia de Paris, esta el que tieue por ub- 
 jeeto la eesion p.ir Es|iaua lie la soberania en aquellas islas a los Estados Unidos de 
 Aineriea. 
 
 La rouiisiou espauola sostiene qiu- bjos de baln>rse eueomeudado tan ;j;raye asuu- 
 to ,a la I'ouferencia de Paris, asuut.i qui siu duda seria_ uias impiu'taute que todos los 
 que esta iiaiiuida a discutir, el artie-iilo 3 del Protoeolo deseansa sobre td supaesto de 
 que la soberania del Arehipielago babia de continuar siendo de Espaua. 
 
 La Courision americana busea el fundamento de su tesis en la interpretaeiou de 
 I. IS frases de la eitada clausula 3, ^ adenas eu las uegociaciones que la jirepararou y 
 leruiinaron eon su aeeptacion. 
 
 E.vainiuareuios eou fria serenidad los razcuuiuiientos de esta tesis. Iiice la Com- 
 isiou auierieaua que eS uu i)i-ineipio de liereeho que "euaudo el resultado de uegocia- 
 ciones se ha eoniprendido en uu escrito cerrado. los teruiiu'os de este acuerdo deben 
 defluir los dereebos de las partes." 
 
 La t'oniision espauola admite esta regia de la iuterpretaeion de los tratados. 5,i 
 tieue eouio funda uieuto indispensable, el de que los terminos del acuerdo sean claros 
 y preeisos y ib' iiuludable y fljo sentido, porque. eu tal easo, debe entenderse que las 
 <Ufereneias ipu' duraute las negociaciones hubiera babido entre los Estados contra- 
 tanteb, (luedaron resueltas por el acuerdo elaro, preeiso, y de fijo sentido en que con- 
 viuieron. Mas es este el caso sobre que uisouten al preseute ambas Comisiones? 
 
 Antes de contestar a esta pregunta. eutienda la Coniision espauola. que es bueno 
 transeribir. una yez mas, el texto del artieulo .'J del Protoeolo, literal ,v fieinu-nte tra- 
 ducido del original franees. Dice asi: "Los Estados Unidos ocuparau la eiudad, puerto 
 y babia de Manila en espera de la conclusion de uu tratado de paz que debera deter- 
 minar la intervencion (controle). la disposieiou y el gobierno de las Filipiuas," 
 
 No sobe la Coniision espanola si la americana iguora que, al recibirse por el Go- 
 bierno de Madrid el despacho del Senor Secretario de Estado de Washington, en 
 feeba .3 de .Tulio. eommunieandole las tres eondii ioues eon cu.va aeeptacion por 
 Espaua, estabnu los Estados Unidos dispiiestos a haeer la paz. y la tereera de las cua- 
 les era la que, siu la menor alteraciou se trauseribio despues eu el Protoeolo. for- 
 inando su clausula .3, dirigio uu despacho telegrafieo al Senor Enibajador de Franeia 
 eu Washington, Mr. Cambon, el 1 de Agosto, en el que sobre este punto le decia 
 literalmente !o siguiente: "El tercer punto en que se detemina la forma de dispo- 
 Ber de las Islas Pilipinas parese falto de precision a este Gobierno, Ha suplido 
 (este Gobierno se entiende) las deficienclas que en el se adyierten, suponieudo que 
 no hay custion respecto de la soberania permaneute de Espaua en aquel Arehi- 
 pielago, y que la ocupacion temporal de Manila, su puerto y su babia, por el 
 Gobierno federal, solamente ba de durar el espacio necesario para un acuerdo 
 entre ambos paises sobre reformas administrativas." Tenemos a disposieiou de la 
 Comision americana este despacho. por si quisiera leerlo y estudiarlo por si mlsma. 
 Mr. C'ambon, recibido que bubo este documeuto, tuva con el Senor I'resldente de 
 la Republlca americana una conferencia. el dla 3, y que, respecto al particular de 
 que la Comisiou espanola se ocupa en este momento, aparece referida en el despacho 
 de dicho Senor Embajador de 4 de Agosto, en los terminos siguientes: "Aproyeche 
 esta declaraclon para rogar al Presidente que tuviera la bondad de precisar sus 
 intenclones en lo posible eu lo que se refiere a Pilipinas. En este punto, le dlje, esta 
 
 130 
 
la contfstncicn, del Gobi>M-no Fodorul redai'tiiilM .-ii Icrniiims ipio inirdcn pi-cstarsc a 
 todas las pretenslones de parte de los Estados tliiidos. y por consigulenti-. a todos 
 los tomoros de Espana respecto do su soberanla." El Presldeiito le coniesto como 
 luego se dlra. Mas el Gobierno espanol, a pesar de las palabras do aquel Alto Magls- 
 trado, luslstio, en su despaoho ile 7 de ARostci. on las diidas quo lo ofroola el sentldo 
 de la clausula 3. luutll Inslstencla. El Goliienio anicrioan<i, lu entonoes, ui antes, nl 
 despues, so presto a manlfestnr coucretamento su pousaiuonto, envuolto en las 
 frasos de eontrole, dispoeion y fiobieruo do I'Mlipluas. do (ino so liahia de ocupar la 
 Coufereneia de Paris. Ahoni es cuando pur pi'lmora voz onlra on osta oxplloaolon. En 
 el Memorandum, a quo osta oimtostando la Ciiiuisicui ospanola. os donde la oonsigna 
 la anierlcaua. Dice: "Ciorlamoute la palabra control (en Ingles) no fue aqui 
 aplieado on el sontido de roglslor (investlL-acion o Inspocciou) sino en su sentldo mas 
 
 ampUo de autoridad o mando quo palabra podia sor mas anipHa Que 
 
 disposiciou. que praciicamouto liono la niisnia sijjniticacion on francos y en In.^les. 
 . . . tenemos por laiiici on ostas dos palabras Ma autoridad sobre' 
 doinlulo de," final y do liniiiv.i oxplicicaelon de la materia on cuestion. V Que es 
 gobierno sino el derocho do .■idminlstracion o de ejorcor soliorania. la dlrossion, 
 el manejo politico de un Estado? Cualquiora de estes torminos inplioa la facultad o 
 poder do intorvonir cou soberanla. Juntos tionen cl mas auiplio aloano,> para 
 trator de todos los podoros. siubernainental, territorial o adniinistratiro." 
 
 La explicacion. si no paroce oportuna por lo tardia, tampoco pareco satisfactorla. 
 Desde luego so ocurre que si con cl proposito de que tal cosa signiflcason aquellas 
 palabras .so empeno el Gobierno americano on sostoncrlas. anuque sin oxplicarlas, a 
 pesar de las divorsas voces en que asi se lo piilio V porque razon no tuvo ontonces 
 la fran queza que ostenta aliora su Comision V porque en vez de decir qtio la 
 conferencia de Paris babia de detorminar la intervencion, la disposicion y el gobierno 
 de las Islas Eilipinas, no dijo (luo dlcba oonforoncia habia de resolver sobre su so- 
 berania, acordando o no, su cosion a los Estados Unidos, como abora la reclaman sus 
 •Comislonados. I'nndandoso en que en aquellas frasos osta lanibien contendia esta 
 cesion? ?Xo hubiera sido osto mas breve, mas oxplicito y do mayor franquezaV 
 
 Pero ?es admisablo la intorpretacion quo ahora fuera do sazon proteudon dar equel- 
 los a las sobriedichas fracosV Dicen que la palabra control (eontrole en francos) no 
 puede tomarse en el sentldo de register (invest gaclon o inspeccion) sino on el de autor- 
 idad o mando. Y ? ponpn'V Porque este es el sentldo mas amplio que tal palabra tlene 
 en ingles. Mas presciudon de fijar su atenciou en que el Protocolo tuo rodactado tam- 
 bien en francos, cuyo ojemplar firmo como oflclal el Senor Secretario de Estado de 
 Washington, y que dicha palabra, en frances, no slgniflca semejante cosa, sino Inves- 
 ligacion o inspeccion, que tambien slgnitica en inglos. Y ? como puedon dejar de 
 reconocer los Comlsarios amoricanos que cuando un tratado so ha redactado oficlal- 
 mente en dos a mas idiomas a sns palabras no so pnodo dar otro sentldo quo el que 
 sea comun a todos olios? 
 
 Sostienon asimlsmo que la palabra disposicion siguiflca ona.1onac on. No lo uega- 
 mos, por mas que cuando so emplea en esto sontido, es para aplicarla a las relaciones 
 jurldicas de la vida civil y privada. puos en francos la signiticaoion mas comun y 
 frecuonte de tal palabra es la de "distribucion sogun un ordon certo y detormi- 
 nado." 
 
 Aflrman que la palabra gobierno slgniflca el derocho do administrar o de ejorcer 
 soberanla, y auncjuo tal .sentido puede admitirse, tampoco puede rechazarse el de 
 la "mauera de gobernar" o la "forma quo tal gobierno ha de tener." Mas se uno 
 u otro el sentido en que aquollas rres palabras fueron empleadas on la clausula 3, 
 si no hubiera en las nogociaciones datos suflcientes para fljar entre tan diversos sen- 
 tidos aquel en quo se emplea ron. os imposihle quo so desconozca, como se acaba de 
 demostrar, que por lo menos no tienen en si mlsmos y por si solas tales palabras un 
 sentido claro, precise, y que no puoda ofrocor motivo a ambiguedados y dudas. Asl 
 lo deniostraron ya ontonces los hechos. 
 
 El Gobierno espanol y su ropresontante en Washington, precisamento porque no 
 teniau esa claridad. roclamaron aunque inutilmente explicaciones. y ? quien se em- 
 peno con verdadera tenacidad en sis ener tan oscuras frases? No se negara que ha 
 sldo el Gobierno do Washington. Pues sirvanse leer los Senores Comlsarios lo que 
 sobre la Intorpretacion do frasos semejantes. dice el inmortal Vattel, una de las mas 
 grandes autoridades on cuanto se reflere a las relaciones Intornacionalos de los pue- 
 blos, en su Derocho de gentos. tomo 3, pagina 197: "La duda debe rosolvecse contra 
 "aquel que ha dado la ley en el tratado, porque es el, en alguna nianera. quion la ha 
 "dlctado, y la falta os suya si no se ha exprosado mas claramente; y entendlendo o 
 "restringiendo la slgniflcaclon de los torminos en el sentldo que el es menos favo- 
 "rable, no se le hacc nlugun agravio o no se le hacc mas que aquel a que ha querldo 
 "exponerse. Mas con una Intorpretacion contrarla se correria el rlesgo de convertir 
 "termlnos vagos o ambiguos en lazos para el mas debll contratante, que ha sido obll- 
 "gado a reciblr lo qne el mas fuerte ha dlctado." 
 
 131 
 
Aciiba ill- iiKlii-ar la Cnmisiiin rsiiauola que I'li Ims upgoi'iai'imies hay ilatos suti- 
 cieiites para fljar el vevdadero seiitiilo tie a(iuellas tiH'S bleu luemorables palabras. Lo 
 mismo por su parte aflrma la Comision aniericaua. Veamos oual (ie los dos eontradie- 
 torios sentidos entiendeii ambas Comisioues que es el que debe preferirse. 
 
 En el Memorandum americano se asieuta eomo base de todo el razonamiento, 
 segun ya se ha dicho, que en la clausula 3 del Prntocolo. se dejo a la llbre resoluclon 
 de la Confereneia de Paris que habia de elaborar el tratado de paz el put" relativo a 
 la solieranui del Archipelago Filiiduo, Pues bien. ha tenido la Comision amerioana en 
 cueuta. i-uando hacia tan graves atirmacioues. que el Senor Secretario de Estado de 
 Washiiit'lon. eu su despacho de 30 de Julio, en iiur comunlco al Gobieruo espanol 
 las tres c'ondlfiones que el de los Estados Tnidos le imponia para la paz y en que la 
 tercera como queda dieho, estada redactada on las niismas palabras eon que se 
 lee en <?! Protocolo, estableela lanibien el nombraniiento de los Comisarios que habiau 
 de redaetar el tratado de paz y tijaba y elicunseribia sns facultades para este objeto? 
 En dieho despacho se lee el parrafo si.L'uiente: "Si las condieiones ofrecldas aqui son 
 ■■ace])tadas en su integridad. los Kstailos fnidos nonibrarau Comisarios que se encon- 
 "traran con los igualmente autorlzados por Espaua con el objeto de arreglar los de- 
 "talles del tratado de paz y de lirmarlo eu las condieiones arriba inilicadas." En- 
 tiende la Comision americana que cs un detalle eu este tratado de paz la inesperada 
 cesion que rcclam.an a Espaiia de un immeuso territorio que tiene mas de :iii(MRKI ki- 
 lonietros cuadrados de superflcle y que cuenta cou mas de W.OIHI.IMJIJ de habitautesV 
 Entiende que es un detalle la art(iniscion de un Ari-hipehiKo que para nadie es UQ 
 secreto que csta llaiuado a ser proximamente \in faitor iniporrante para la paz del 
 mnndii'.' 
 
 I'ero acudamos a los preccdentcs, cipioo hace la c isi.m anooicana. en bnsca de 
 
 ese sentido tan ambiguo. 
 
 Ketiere aquella el princlpio de las negoiiacioncs. Kslanios coutormcs cou su relato 
 hasta que Ilega a la narracion de la primcra conferencia de Mr. Cambon cou el 
 Senor I'resideute de los Estados Uuidos. Se refiere en el Memorandum que. en tal 
 conferencia. el Presidente dijo respeeto a Filipiuas, que la nota lla citada del SO de 
 Julio) expresaba los propositos de su Gobieruo. y la disposiciou tinal de aquellas dc- 
 penderia del tratado que debia negociarse por l..s Coniisionados: que despues de 
 una posterior discusion en que el Presideute rcitcro que el tratado habia de deter- 
 minar el porvenir de las Islas Filipinas, se leyo el articnlo 3 en que .se decia que los 
 Comisionados resolverian sobre el controle. la posesion y el go.bierno de aquellas 
 islas: que Mr Cambon propnso la substitucion de la palbra posesion por la de condi- 
 ciou. pen- netender que aquella podia ser tomadn por el (irdjierno espanol como severa 
 y amenazadora: que el Presidente se nego al cabio propuesto. mas al fln acepto en 
 lu"ar de la palabra posesion la de dispos'cion. que Irefleren los Comisionados ameri- 
 cauos. no .sabemos si como opinion del Presidente o suya propia) no cambiaba el 
 siguiticado, y que siendo muy amplio. podia incluir el de la posesion. 
 
 Veamos ahora como reflere Mr Cambon lo que paso eu esta entrevista. Decia 
 eu su depacho de 31 de Julio al Gobieruo espanol: "Las peticiones forniuladas en el 
 "articnlo 3 (di.1o al Presidente) son a proposito para comprometer eu Madrid el exito 
 -de esta negociacion preliminar, sobre todo si se mantiene entre las palabras controle 
 ••y gobieruo de Filipinas la palabra posesion. que parece poner desde ahora en dudu 
 •■la siihcrania de Espana sobre esta colonia. Observara V, me dijo entonces el Presi- 
 •■dcntc do la Itepublica, que mis peticiones. eu lo que se reflere a los dos primerso 
 "articulos, no admiteu discusion: dejo a las negoeiaciones el cuidado de resolver la 
 "cuesticin de Filipinas. Si las fuerzas americauas "(tijese tuda la atcncioii en estas 
 ■frasesi peruianecent hasta hoy en sus posicioues, es para obedfcer a un deber que 
 ■me impouen respeeto a los residentes y extrangeros los progresos" laqui unas pala- 
 bras que nil pudieron traducirse. pero que bien si. comprende que debiau rcferirse a 
 la iusurreccion tagalai. Vicndo ■'al Senor Presideute de la Repnblica resnelto a no 
 ■■niodlticar los teminos del articnlo 3 hice un llamaiuieuto tan apremlante a su gene- 
 
 •■j^osidad que manda recuiplazar la p ibibia posi'sioii jior la de disposiciou que 
 
 "no prejuzga el resultado de las negociaciniics y inie iki tiene el mismo sentido glo- 
 
 ■■lial." 
 
 Entre una y otra relaciou uotaran se;;uranu'ute los Cdinisarios anicricanos b:is- 
 tantes (liferencias. En la suya nada se lee respeeto a la uuica razon, iiue uianifc>sto 
 el Presidente que tenia, para no retorar <l?sde luego del Archipielago las fuerzas 
 Americauas. lo cnal acusa que enti>nc-es estaba muy lejos de pensar en que hubiera 
 de pedirse la soberania de equel para los Estados Unidos. Segun la relaciou ameri- 
 cana. la palabra disposiciou fue aceptada. porque conteuia el sentido de la palabra 
 posesion: nas, se.u-nn el despai^ho de Mr Cambon, aquella palabra en lugar de la de 
 posesion .■anibiaba el sentido global de la clausula. Y teugan o no razon la Com- 
 ision americana o Mr Cambon. siempre resulta que este acepto el cambio. por(|ne 
 enti'ndio que asi quedaba desi^artada todi cuestion sobre la conservacion de la so- 
 berania de E.spaua sobre Filipinas. 
 
 El vieru<'> 3 de Agosto. volviu a celelii :r el Seiiur Presidente otra conferencia 
 
 132 
 
.-..ii Mr CimbDii. S,- ili.e .-ii ,■. M.- immuii::, mi.-, rii .-Iki. manifi-sto f»te que 
 
 Kspaiiii .usistin subi-f .-l asnnt.) >\r .|iu- sii s,.i.friiiii.i im fm-ia iiuerveniilii; que el 
 I'l-csiil, ii;i- 1.' .■.)iUesto qui' la ili-|)i>slciiiii il • .as Is. as Fillpli'as ilelila depeudi-r del tra- 
 tad., .iiie haliia ilc m-Koc-iai-sc. .v qui' in. p-.'li.^ Ii..<-.'r iilnj-un cabio eii los tenuhios 
 aliteri..lliiente pniquestos. 
 
 Vcaiii.is ali..ni i-ouKi r.'li.'.v .-sta .-..iiv.Tsa. i .1. .\li- (.■:iiiib..u. ... sn .l.'spa.l... .l.-l 
 i d.' AKost.) al .Ministlo de Kstad.. espan ■!. Mi-. .Mai- Klule.v si-- m..sti-., intl.-xlble 
 |s..bi-.- la i-esliiii .U- ruei-t.. Hi.-.ii .v in.- i-ep. i., <iu,- la ciu-sli...! de Killpinas .-ra la 
 Ulii.-a qui- ■li.i estaba .va il.-tililllvanu-iil.- i,.-a. .la .-ii su peasamielU..." IJi-spues di- 
 i-el'erlr su Ins.sti-ui-ia en las fras.-s que j-a .piclaii transriilas en esa- Mein..randuni. 
 Mr l-ainbun .•..ntiiiua : -Mr. Ma<- Kinle.v me .-..niest... ni, .luiero de.iar subsistir 
 ••nin};uii equivm-o sobre este parlli.ilar: 1 -s m-.ai>.-iad.iies de liis dos palses seran los 
 "que resuelvan cuales seran (not.-s.-i las v.-ntajas perniaueiites que pediremi.s eu el 
 -areliipelago v, en Hn. los .pii- .l.-.i.lan 1 i int.-vcn.-ion |c-.jntrole), disposirlim j- 
 "KobieriK. d,- "las Islas Filipinas. Y asre.-... .-1 C.bl.-rn., de Madrid puede teller la 
 -sesuiradad .le que hasta aUoi-a. no ha.v n.,„a r.-sn.-lt.. a priori .-n mi pensainiento 
 --contra Kspana, asi emiio eonsid.-r.. que 11. , lia.v naila .U-i-i.iio contra los Ksla.l.is 
 •'I'nid.is.'" iTe.Mual.l 
 
 Compart-se lamiiien una i-ela.-i..ii .-on h, ..:r.i. 1..- ip-l M.-ni..ran.hini anu-ri.-an.. se 
 limi!a a referir .lue el Sem.r I'r.'si.lent.- h .1.1:1 .l..-li.i .in.- la .lisposicion .le las Islas 
 I--ilipiiias .l.-bia depeuder d.-l trala.la .V qu ■ . in^-nn f-ambi.. p.i.Iia liaeer en l..s ler- 
 miiios. 1-eio ..mite la .seguuda y mas imp..riann- parte de la .-ouversaei..n .ine retiere 
 Mr Caml.on. a pesar de que eonlien.- datos .lui- n.. piieden dejar lug.ir a la nie- 
 n.ir ilu.la sibre le enestion pendii-nti-. Se ..l.si-rv.i .-n primer Iniiar que asi en esta 
 .■..nieslacion. i-oni.i i-n la anterior, ile la m snia nian.-ra iiue i-n las m.las del tJ.v 
 iiienio Americano, se omite con el mayor cnidado la iialabra soberania. al liablar de 
 las Filipinas. entre lauto que, con un cuidado i«ual. se emplea esta palabra por el 
 Gobieruo espauol .v por su rcpresentante en Wasiiington. para decir sin cesar que 
 aquella no quedaba sometida a diseusion. Umise osta obscrvaciou a las .va hecbas 
 siobre la persistente .v elara aunque implic'ta r.-sistencia a expliear las tres palabras 
 sobr.-dicbas. 
 
 -Mas a jiesar de todo esto el Senor Presi.lente ilijo. .v la Comision aniericana eu su 
 .Memorandum no lo iiiega cateKoricamenle. qu.- la C.inrerencia de Paris serin- la que 
 liabia de resolver cuales babian de ser las venta.iae permanentes que los Estados 
 rnidos habian. de pedir eu el Arcliipielago. adenias de i-ual habia de ser el controle. la 
 disposi(-ioii .V el ^oblerno de las islas. 
 
 Se di.-e en el Memorandum que el Presideute no se limito a hablar de las ventajas 
 permanentes. Es verdad que la Comision espanola no ha dicbo. ni dice que .se haya 
 limitado a eso. porque anaiiio lo que se acaba de decir. I'era que tiene esto que vei 
 para descouocer el sentido que de las palabras del PresidiMite resultan? Si era su 
 |.en.samb-nt... ya perfet-tamentc formado a la sazou. el pedir en la confereni-iii no una 
 sola ventaja sino veutajas permanentes en i-l ar.-hipieiago i>ara los Estados I nidos. es 
 cvidente que no pensaba pedir la soberania. Puede esta caliticarse de mcra ventaja 
 pernianente de los Estados l"ui.los en aqni-ll.is islasV Y aun.iue tan siufnilar bipotesis 
 quisi.-i-ii sostenei-se como babia de explicarse en este eas.i el uumero plural ein- 
 pleado por el Senor Presideute de los Estados Unidos? A esta observaci.in ya beclia 
 en (-1 es.-rit.. anterior de la Comision espanola no se contesta en el Memorandum 
 .\mericano. y se comprende. porque ho tiene contestacion posible que pueda ser 
 harmonizada cou el proposito que alli se pretende sostener. 
 
 No henios de ocuparnos de las indicaciones que en el Memoran.lum se leeii s.ibri- 
 el diversa iilioma que enteudian y hablaban los interloeutores en las do eonterencias 
 (-obre.liehas; no puede ciertaniente tal .-ir.-unstancia dar verosimilitud al supuesto de 
 que el Senor Presideute no haya expresi.la. no ya una idea incidental, slua las ini 
 IKirtantes y capitales que Mr. Cambon aflrnia que le ha oblo. 
 
 Si este uo lo hubiera eiiteiidido. a pesar de .lue tenia .i su lado. segun si- reti.-r«- 
 en aquel Memorandum, a su Se.-retarlo que eiiiiende y habla el insles. no s.- pue.le 
 sup.iner .lUe lo hubiera atribuido. d.- inodo tan positive, sin faltar deliberandamente a 
 la vi-rda.l. lo ijuc (-onsign.. en su d.-spa.-l..^. 
 
 P.isemos ahora a la nota del Oobieriio .spanol .1.-1 7 de .\>:..st... La Cniision ame- 
 ri.-aua esta eontorme eon la espanola en reii.nocer yue eu esta nota del Gobierno de 
 .Madrid al manifestar que e.tptaba la clausula '-i salv., a priori su soberania sobre el 
 Arehipielago Filipino; por esto no consideramos n.-eesario transeribir una vez mas 
 textualmente sus palabras: la uni.-a difereiicia entre ambas Comisiones coiisiste en 
 que entretanto que la espanola afirma y se ratifl.a i-n .-sta afirmaelon. qu.- en la 
 nota de su Cobierno se empleaba el adj.tiv.. .-nt.-ra .. toi.il. al babhir de la soberania 
 que alll se reservaba para Espana. la Am.-ri.-aua .li.e .lu.- .-u la tradu.-.-i.m al ingles 
 de esta nota. que entre-: al Cobi.-n... d. \Vasliin;,'ton .Mr. Camli.iu. no existe tal 
 ndjetivo. Xosotros tenenios lo copia. no l.i tra.lui.i.in .-oni.. se la llama en el M.-ino- 
 ranilum anierl.-ano. de la nota ori!.'inal del (J.ibieri... espan.il. la qu.- p.mene.s a la 
 
 I.-?? 
 
disposieion de la Comision :imiTifaiia. Kii ella, el adjetivo esto escrito; si al hacerse 
 en Washington su traduccion al ingles, se omitio, cosa se que sabra la Comision ame- 
 ricana, por haber visto tal traduccion, pero que puede menos de ignorar la espa- 
 nola que nunca tuvo de ella conocimlento. La diferencla no tlene importancla alguna, 
 porque, aun prescindlendo de tal adjetlvn. queda sicmpre como verdad y asi la re- 
 eonoce la Comision americaua, que el Gubfcrno es|ianol se reservaba alll a priori sa 
 soberania sobre Filipinas y que solamente con esta leserya aceptaba la base 3. T so 
 despues el Gobiemo espanol no camblo de opinion, y en efecto esto no se aflrma ni 
 seria posible que se aflrmase en el Mpmi.rnurlum amerlcano, siempre resultara que 
 el Protocolo y su clausula •'! no obligaii. en huen derecbo, ol Gobierno espanol. slno 
 con la expresa reserva que hizo al aceptarla, y de que no desistio despues. 
 
 Mas en el Memorandum amerlcano comprendiendose sin duda, la incontrastable 
 fuerza de la consecuencia que resultaba de haberse firmado el Protocolo sin que el 
 Gobierno de Washington, una vez enterado de aquella reserva, nada hubiera dlcho 
 en contra suya, se maniflesta que, asi el Presidente de la DnJon como su Secretarlo 
 de Estado, al olr la lectura de aquella nota, dijeron que era vaga e Indegnida, sapo- 
 niendo que aceptaba los terminos de la de los Estados Unidos, mlentras requeria 
 alguna modiflcacion, y que respecto a Filipinas. si en un parrato se expresaba la 
 aceptacion de la clausula, en otro parecia rcservarse el derecho absolute de sobe- 
 rania. 
 
 La reflexion es habil, mas por desgracia suya. no parece tan exacla como habil. 
 Es vardad que dichos Seuores, leida que les fue la nota, revelaron su desagradn. Lo que 
 no parece esacto, a juzgar por lo que dijo entonces Mr. Cambon, es que la causa 
 de tal desagrado fuese lo que, no vaga e indefiuidamente, sino clara y termlnante- 
 mente, en la nota se decia sobre la reserra que Espana dacia de su soberanJa cobre 
 el archipielago. El mismo Memorandum amerlcano transcribe el parrafo correspon- 
 diente de la nota leida y en esta. no vaga e indeterminada, slno expresa, clara, y ter- 
 mlnante esta reserva. 
 
 La causa revelada en aquel acto, por el Senor Presidente, de su desagrado, fue 
 otra nuy diversa, que refiere Mr. Cambon en el parrafo siguiente de su despeacho 
 de 10 de Agosto, Helo aqui: "Senor Duque: Tambien ha sido esta vez en la Casa 
 "Blanca. en presencia del Senor Mac Kinley y por expreso deseo suyo, donde he 
 "comunicado al Secretarlo de Estado el telegrama (la nota sobredicha) de 7 de 
 "Agosto, en que V. E. declara que el Gobierno de Espana acepta las condioues im- 
 "puestas por los Estados Dnidos. Esta lectura contrario visiblemente al Presidente de 
 "la Republioa y al Secretarlo de Estado. Despues de un silencio proiongada me dijo 
 "el Senor Mac Kinley: Yo habia pedido a Espana la cesion y por consiguiente la 
 "evacuacion immedlata (esta evacuaeion inmediata no hemos podido averiguar cn- 
 "ando Labia sido pedida) de las Islas di- Cuba y Puerto Rico: en vez de la aceptac'on 
 "eategorica que esperaba, el Gobierno espanol me dirige una nota en que Invoca la 
 "necesidal de obtener la aprobaciou de las Cortes; no puedo prestarme a entrar en 
 "estas consideraciones de orden interior. Hice observar que al conformarse el 
 "Gobierno de Su Majestad con sus deberes constitucionales no hacia mas que Imltar 
 "al Presidente, al cual le estan impuestas obllgaciones analogas, que en su contes- 
 "tacion de 3 o de Julio habia reservado expresamente la ratiflcacion del Senado 
 "Federal" (asi era la verdad y constaen dlcho despacho de 3 de Julio). 
 
 No alego el Senor Presidente ni su Secretarlo de Estado otro motivo para su dis- 
 gusto, mas que el sobredicho, y segun Mr. Cambon. en la conversacion nada dijeron 
 aquellos .Senores sobre la expresaila reserva de la sober.mia del archipielago que 
 hacia Espana. nl sobre otra cos.i alguna mas que la, reserva del Gobierno espanol 
 de la aprobaciou de las Cortes. 
 
 Asi es que el Senor President? coucluyo por contestar al Senor Cambon. que le 
 pregnutaba sobre las prendas de sinceridad que podria darle Espana. lo siguiente: 
 "Habria un medio de poner termino a todo equivoco: podriamos nosotros preparar 
 "uu proyecto que reproduzca las condiciones propuestas a Espana en los mismos 
 "terminos en que ya los he formulado (hasta. aqui esto era en efeeto todo lo conve- 
 "nido) y que tijen lo.s plazos en que se nombraratL por una parte los Plenipotencia- 
 "rios enciirgados de negociar en Paris el tratado de paz, y por otra parte Comis- 
 "iones especialos encargadas de determinar los detalles de la evacuacion de Cuba 
 ".V de Puerto Kioo." (Esto si que se habia pasado de consignarle en la nota del 
 3o de Julio, .y esto por si solo hubiera sido cau.sa bastante para explicar el cambio 
 de fonualizacion de las condicioues para lo paz.) 
 
 Veasi pues si hay una distancia inmeusa entre lo que en el Memorandum amerl- 
 cano se aflrma, y lo que Mr. Cambon manifesto al Gobierno espanol en su nota 
 del 10 de Agosto, o sea inmediameute despues de h.tber asistido a tan importante 
 conferencia y cuando por consiguiente tenia tan reciente en su memoria lo ocurrido 
 en ella. Haciendo justica a la perfecta vera,cidad de los Comisarios amerieanos. su 
 relacion de aquella conferencia a los tres meses de celebrada. no puede ser preferida 
 por los 'Comisarios e.spanoles a la del Honorable Mr. r'ambon que bizo la suya in- 
 mediamcnto despues de uccrido el suceso que en ella tan detalladamente iiarraba, 
 
 134 
 
Kn el .\[i'nu>i'iUMlniii iiini'ilcmio sc uiega que el Senor Secretarlo de Kstado (le 
 Washliigtiiii hiiya maiiifistmlu eii su not a (k- 10 de Ajrosto a Mr. Camhon. como la 
 CuiiiJsiou uspauola li;i.bia aliirinado. (lUf la drl Gublenio de Madrid (la de 7 de Agosto) 
 contenla eu su espiritu la aceptarion por Espaua de las condiciones propuestas por 
 kw Estados Unldos; y al efeeto se iuserta alii literalmcnte dicha nota. 
 
 UectlHoan la Comislon espanola su alinuaeion anterior acomodandola a lo que en 
 aqiiella se expresa. Tei-o cniniple a su veracidad de<"lr que al haceria se refirio a la 
 uota de Mr. Canibou. de 11 de .\gosto, que enlpie/..^ eon el slguiente parrafo: "Senor 
 "Duque: Al transmitirn)e el proyecto de I'rotocolo cuyo texto he telej;raflado a 
 "V. E. el Secretarlo de I-^stado me lia dirigido una earta que puede resuinirse coiuo 
 "slgue: Aunque la nota entregada ayer en la Casa Blanca coutiene en su espiritu la 
 "aeeptacion po*- E.^pana de las coudieiaiifvs propuestas por los Estados Uuidos. en 
 "su forma no las particularlza bastante espUeilamenle, lo que sin duba. se debe a que 
 "liU tenido que ser tradueida y eifrada varias veees." Estas palabras que bleu pue- 
 dan expliearse sin mengua de la ludiscrutible veracidad del Honorable Mr. Cambon, 
 indujeron y no podian nienos de iudicir a error a los ( ouiasarios espanoles. Cum- 
 plen noblemente el deber de declararlo asi.. 
 
 Mas despues de todo. la dlferencia no es de iniportaucla. El Senor Secretarlo 
 de Estado, y esto si que consta en su propia carta, no puso otn> deff^cto a la nota 
 espanola del 7 de Agosto, que el uo ser enteraniente explioite, sin duda a oausji de 
 las diversas transformaciones que habia sufrido. Pero es el case, que ese defeeto no 
 es posible que lo hubiese atrizuido el Senor Secrctario de Estado al parrajo de dicha 
 nota perfectamente tradui-ida al ingiis (salvo el adjetivo ••total"i que en el Memoran- 
 dum amerieano se copia. y se dice que habia sido leido al Senor Presidente de la 
 Union y a su Secretarlo de Estado. y en cupo parrafo, elara. exiJlicita y terminan- 
 temente, el Gobiemo espanol reserva a priori su soberania en Filipina.s. Seria poco 
 e-tpliclto todo lo demas que la nota eontenia si se quiere decirlo asi; pero aquella re- 
 serva no lo fue se^'uramente. Por !o lanto. la carta a que nos venimos refiriendo uo 
 contradice la aflrmacion que sosteuemos, de que la mencionada resen'a, de que el 
 liobiema de Washington oportunamente se habia enterado y constaba tan ciara en 
 la traduccion inglesa que tenia en su poder. no lue por el contradicha. ni sirvio de 
 motivo para emplea la nueva forma de Protocolo. como medio de solemnizar el con- 
 vetiio sobre las bases de la paz. Ese motivo bien resalta en los documentos ya 
 examinados que contienen aquellas negooiaciones. 
 
 Despues de cuan-to precede nos parece que. hayan sido cualesquiera las iulimas 
 intenciones del Gobiemo de Washington, su eonducta y sus palabras escritas y ha- 
 bladas no son bastantes para destruir la aflrmacion que haeermos de que Espana 
 acepto la tercera cla.usula del Protocolo en el sentido comunicado a aquel Gobiemo, 
 y no contradicho por el, de que a priori quedaba a salvo su soberania en Filipinas, 
 puesto que su controle, su disposicion y gobierno. que habian de aeordar le Conferen- 
 cia de Paris, se referian unicamente a su regimen Interior. T esto por si solo seria 
 bastante para sostenen sin contradiccion fundada que aquella Conferencia no puede 
 ocuparse nl tiene atribuciones para ocuparse de la cesion que piden los Estados 
 Dnidos. aunque por un supuesto, que consideramos imposible. llegara a destruirse 
 la prueba que, tomada de las mismas palabras del Senor Presidente de la Union, 
 hemes procurado hacer y creemas que hemos hecho, de que segun su propio pensa- 
 lulento entonces aquella soberania quedaba fuera de discusion ulterior. 
 
 Que ha de decir la CXimision espanola sobre las palabras que lee en el Memoran- 
 dum amerieano y que parecen buscar un fundamenta a la actual peticiondeaquellos 
 en la Indemnizacion de guerra, como si no estuviera fuera de discusion y no hubiera 
 sido reconocido pod la misma Coniision americana que esta Indemnizacion de los 
 gastos de la guerra. y no solo de ella sino tambien la de los ciudadanos americanos. 
 en su maporia, si no todos originarios de Cuba aunque, al parecer. naturalizados 
 despues en los Estados Unidos. que habian sufrido perquicios en la. ultima insur- 
 recclon, se habia eonvenido en cubrirla con la cesion de Puerto Rico, de las denias 
 Antillas y de la Isla de Guam eu las Marianas? 
 
 O ?es" que esa Indemnizacion ha de ser una c-uenta a.bierta en que quepa pedlr 
 lodo lo demas que a Espana queda, Ineluso la propia Peninsula? 
 
 Por elerto que el haberla limitado a la Isla de Guam en el Oriente es un Indieio 
 mas que aeredita que los Estados Unidos no pensaban a la sazou e nlas Islas Fili- 
 pinas. SI pensaran ?se concibe que reelamarau entonces. desdc luego. una pequena 
 e Insigniflcante Isla y dejaran de reclamar el Inmenso Imperio Filipino que estaba 
 a ella Ian proximo? 
 
 Reconozcase. pues, que carcse de fundamento la reclamaeion o peticiou del Arch- 
 iplelago Filipino qne se hace para los Estados Unidos en la forma y con las condi- 
 clones que se leen en la proposicion americana. Mlentras esta cesion se pretenda en 
 tal forma y con tales condiciones. la Comision espanola no puede menosde reehazarla. 
 
 135 
 
Memorandum en apoyo de la ultima proposicion espan 
 
 Kn csta pni|Misiciiiii picliiTdii Ins Cniiiis.irii s iIh Ks|i;iii.i. si'l'IU] -c ri'imdMi.i. (|iii' Icis 
 amcrifimos presentasf'u otivi iii-oiiiixliuuln l:i .1 lo .•.niviMiicl.i in los iirticiilos :! y <> del 
 Protooolo, ("sto es. nroponicndn In foniiii *If iiitHr\iMir:oii. ilisimsicion y y:ithiHrno que 
 habia' ile estableoersp por Espana en Filipinas. bi (levr)luc-i,in <le la plaza, pnei-to y 
 bahia fie Manila, la libertad de sn anarniriim aetualmeiite prislonera. la devoliicion 
 de Ins fondns puhliciis. renfa.s e inipnestos cine bnbiesen peivibldo liasta que se 
 hieiera la piitrega de la plaza, y el cninp nmiiso. n sea el I'eeon.iciniiento pur parte 
 de los Estados I'nlilos. de la obliKaclon de indeninizar a Espana per la reteiicion de 
 las tropas qne snarn^eian la eiiidad. c-iia udn se rindio. el 14 de Agosto nltinm. 
 
 La Cmnision aniericana ha ri'i-liazadn esta pri>pi)ski(in. porqae enfiendi. qnc' nn 
 exi.ien que la pr^s.-nte los litadi.s artiinlos :•. y l! d.-l I'n.tn ■ol,., 
 
 Itespert.i a i.i piiniil-.i paitr ipic se r ctiere a la inrer\ cnrinn. ilispnsi.i.m y •:!!- 
 bierno del arc-biiiiebi'.'d el l)Ml:ir de deniostrar aiini qne no se lia minplido el artleulo 
 3 eon la proposieion anjerii-.ina ni c|uc. en Ingar de oenparse lei reshnen interior de 
 a(|nellas islas. se pidio sn eesiiui a los Estados T'nidos. seria lepetir lo que en la 
 parte anterior de estp doenniento de.ia ex|niPsto In Cnniision espauola. De sns 
 razonaniientos entionde qno resnita. ron la i-laridad ilel medio dia. qne una eosa es 
 la cesion di> acinell.is isl.is. .pn' i-s ,|,' todo imiito au'ena a In contenido en la eonven- 
 oion de Washiii:,'t in, y otia I's nl icniiue 11 interior de l.is misnias qne. segnn su 
 referiila i-l.insnla :: lairdr y dnlii. snr materia del tratado do paz. 
 
 Faltarian, jiiins. los rmnisarins nsp.-in nji-s a sns [irnpias cnnvirciones, si no pnrsis- 
 tieraii en demandar a la Comision anierieana. la preseiitarinn dn ana pinposic-ioii 
 sobre tal resimen. a no (inedar infringirta. no solo en sn pnipio senfido, sino liasta 
 en sn propio texto. la elansnla :'. de nqnid eonrenio. 
 
 Kn el ju-iiner iiarrafo do la prnpusiiio n espeoial y rol.il i\ .1 a la tnnia di- Manila, 
 se pide la devolneion inmedi.ita a Kspan a de la i-indad v de su babia y pnerto. 
 Reetifieaiolo aqni 111.1 di' las nqnivoeaeiones de liocbn i|iic almndan en el .Menioinii- 
 dnni anieriraiio teneinos qui' liai-rr const ar qm-. mi la innjiosirion espaimla. mi se 
 pidio esta enrega inniediai.i, iii do iiada do In quo Ins simiicntos pariafns do la innpo- 
 .sieion tatnbieii contienen. para (|iie se llevaso a i-abn dosdn .ilinra. La riitie;;;i in- 
 inediata b'abia de sni-eiU'r. rniun no pndl n iiieiios de ser asi. a la eelebraeioli del 
 tratailo do paz. La prnelia es bioii ron cliiyonte para <ine los Comisarios es|)anoles 
 debierau snpoiier que nnm-a ten|lriiui qne barer esta roetilieaeion. Dii-e asi el 
 primer parrafo de la proposieion so-bredi idia: "Los Cnniisarios espanolps por lo 
 tanto. on eninplieiniento de lo expresame nto i-on\riiidn en el Protoeolo. niitieiiden 
 quo on el tratado de paz debe eonsignars o. T la c'nlref,'a. it. . » * <■■■ Si osia se 
 babia (le eonyenir en el tratado de paz e omo pndo siiponorsc quo la (■oniision os- 
 panola pedia qne se iiiciese antes de ron yonirseV 
 
 Vanios a despejar el trabajn do csto .Memorandnni liarinidn dos rertitirariones 
 de oaracter personal antes do eiitrar a dismtir rl jiiintn do la n'liilirion y i-.ipitn- 
 larinii lie -Manila y sns ninsorlioiirias. 
 
 Kn el .Meniorandiini espaiinl al que ol nllinin amorioann sir\'i- dr ronrestarion. nu 
 bay frase qno iifenda ni lastiine la lionora bilidad del General Merrift y del Alniiraiite 
 I>euey. Kn el Moniorandniii anjerirano q niere darse a entender qne. eon mayor o 
 iiionor babilidad. so ■iisinna en ol ospano 1 la iiba de que los iefes niilitiires do la 
 ruinii rindirroii pnr hi fnnza i\r las arni.is la plaza de Manila (d i;^ de ,\i;ostn. 
 (aiaiido ya sabian quo so biibia amrdado la suspension de liostilidades. Es nn error. 
 La Coniision ospanola no einpleo. ni aeostum'bra a emplear. liabilidades de ningun 
 genero para disfrazar nn ponsainiento. Si bnbiora ereido quo lupieKos (leneralos 
 babian faltado al irniistieio despnes de toner notieia do sn eolobraeion. lo bubiosen 
 clarainente dirbn. Al iiaoerlo asi no hnbieran faltado a los respetos qne aqnellos 
 Jefes ineroeeii. rnm,, ;i uadio so le noourrio ereer en 1S71 qtn* se t'altaba a los respetos 
 debidos al Oeiioral ilcniiin do Manteuffol iinpntandide la falta que babia eometido. 
 enando despnes do relrbrado nn arniistirin pareial entre las tropas franeesas y 
 alenianas. se api'Mvorlin dol orrnr on que. snbro la extension de este arniistieio. babia 
 ineunido ol (lonoral Clinrbant. para enyolvor ,v obligar a refugiarse en Siiiza al enerpo 
 de o.)eroito de su aiando. Xosntros na da lienios ditdni. ni tenenios ipie dorir, 
 ronira In ooinlnrta persmial de aqnellos dos .Iefes. al eontrario. podemos atirniar 
 no lirrliii quo rednnila en pro de los belles >ontiniieiitos ibd Alndrante. I-;i 1 de 
 -Mayo, quiza ba.io la embriagadora iiitlueiaia do la yirtoria. eiivio dosde rl "(Myni- 
 pia" al Gobernador (general de Manila, una rominniiirarion ipie dirr asi: ■"lio no 
 rendirse inmediatainente todos los buque s inrprdnns y do .inrrra que existaii nm 
 bandera es|iann|a. Manila sera destrnida." Esta eoniunieaidon presuniinios que no 
 flgurara en el rapitnio de la bistoria I'U que se registran los seryieios prestados a 
 la eansa de la buinanidail de ipie tanto so alardea en estos tienipos. Toro iios eoni- 
 plaeeiiios en reeonorer que el autor de aquella orden draeoniana. por la espontanepf 
 dad de sns buoiios selitilnielitos se abstuyo. annqlie liubiera iiodiibi intentarlo. do 
 llrnala a rabo. 
 
 1S6 
 
Ksto no obstii pnra que i-l liucii liiicin. i|ni' niiTfceii iicrsiuiiiliniMito nqncllips hmio- 
 nihlcs .Iffes. no puedii cxIcmliTsi- haslM .-l ininlo do tenor qno uKnidooorlos quo 
 Imliloson delibonuliinionti' dlliitudo l:i rond IcIom d.' lii plaza Inista ol 1.'! do AKost.i. por 
 su propiisito do •■pi'otoKor a la ohidad y a sns liahitaiilos ospanolos oonfra la liMTlblo 
 voii;.'anza do los insiirroi-tos." Xo parooo i-ompronsllili' osto proposito: los lasan-o<'tc>s 
 no siliaban aun la idaza por ol lado do t iorni. on los prlinoros dias ilo Mayo, quo 
 so ainonio ostalja bloquoada dosdo ia lialua por la flotn aniorioana. lOnipozanm dps- 
 puos y no oon el misnio nnmoro do f uorza s desdo ol princlpio. pues estas' fiioron poco 
 II i)oi-o aumentandose liasia forinar las niasas do insnrrootos quo se hallalian al frente 
 de las trinolioras do dofensa por ol lado do ilorra ol dia do la rendioion. Do suorlo 
 quo. si por la indk-ada raz(Ui los .lofos anioricanos no so liabiau ipoderndo basia aquel 
 tlonipo do la plaza, nuudio nionos (b'bioron bacorlo dospuos. Ma.s. aparto de osto. los 
 hfobos demuostran nui- tal poli^'ro no o xislia, porqui- sioini>re buhioniu iiodido 
 <>vltarlo las fuorzas ainoric-inas (pio. al roudir.so .Manila, habrian do dosouibaroar 
 f'U ella y jiuaruooorla. oomo lo ovitaron dosdo ol U do Affosto. a posar do quo soRun 
 so lia diolio. ora mayor ol nunioro di' b>s insnrrootos sublovados cine donilnabau on 
 las nfnoras. 
 
 Veaso. puos. ronio sill inourrir on pora do ilo iLifiral il nd. pnodo do.iar do roo..nci 
 lonilas puosto sorvioio a los scdirodiclios .lofos. sin iiuo osto on n.ola "bslo al 
 liuen oonoopto a que los haco ai-roodores sn I'omportaniionlo personal. 
 
 Kn oanibio ol Momeuanduin amorioano al roforir la iuesperada n-ndicion y la 
 salida do .Manila del {ioni'ral (pio niandaba las tropas ospauolas. oniploa una palabra 
 do toilr, inmto inoonipatiblo oon ol honor do unniiliiar. Cualquiora quo baya sid.i 'a 
 i-onduota de aquel Jefe. esta al aniparo de las leyes y tribnuales do su palria. c|u.> 
 c.vanunaran sus aetos pa™ aprobarlos o desaprobarlos. soKun fuosi' niouestor, poro no 
 csia a uieroed de uadio nnis v sohlo toilo do .iuoions de oaraoter oiTioial iino qnioran 
 pniitirso en ol oxtran^roro y por oxtranj;er<is, 
 
 Dejanios osontado on la si-Kiinda parte do osio Monnirainluni. iino on la l.-inlas 
 veces citada olansula .3 del rrotm-olo. so nabia oonvoi ido la oonpaoiou por las fnorzas 
 de los Kslados fuidos do l.a oiudail. ouorlo y lialiia ile Manila basIa le oolobraoion 
 del ti'arado de paz. nn-raun'mo on o<uu-opto do ;r:irautia. 
 
 Kn tal sentido queda alii deiucuistrado (pn- aoopto osta ooupaoion ol (lobiorn(. do 
 Madrid sin oxpresa contradiooiou por parte del (iidiiorno de \Vasbin«lou. 
 
 Kn el Meinorauduni anu>ric-ano paroe quo quiore deslizarse la idea do cpn- tal oon- 
 Jiaoion dobia toner, asiniisnio. ol oaraoter do indenmizaoion por los jiastos do suerra. 
 fuudandose i-n que en la nota de :«) do Julio en qne el Senor Seoretario de Kstado- 
 cuninuioo al Gobornin espanol las tros ooiulioiones ba.|o las ouales podia restableoer.so 
 la |iaz. di'spuos de deoir on la seRunda quo par;i aqn(dla in(leuiniz;u-i(Ui Kspana liabia 
 do ledor Puerto Kioo. las otras Antillas y la Isia do Guam, so oomonzabi la claus- 
 ula :; or>n las frases: "l-or la niisnni razon. los Kst.idos I'nidos tienou titulos para 
 <K-upar la plaza de Manila, oto." I/a obsi-rvaoiim no oaraoe a primera vista de 
 alKuna fuorza. poro saben perfaolamente los ( oniisionados anierioanos que osta es 
 aparenle y qne lo oeurrido prueba ■■umplidan'ont.- lo oontrario. Despues de manlfestar 
 insistir ol Gobierno espanol on sn nota del 7 de Asinsto y su roiMo.seutanto on las 
 oonfirenoias que oelebro oon el Senor I'residonte do la Uepublioa. on que la oonpa- 
 
 <i lo Manila no babia de toner ntro oara<ter ipio ol do una mora ;;aranlia. aparoopa 
 
 su|irimidas en el I'rotooolo las frases sobrodiolias. I>o snerto que dojo do baoors" en 
 el rolaoiiiu alj-'una ontre la ooupaoion fntiira do aquella plaza y el pa^o de la iudem- 
 nizaoiini do };norra. y adennls de.io de deeirse quo bw Kstados I'nido.^s teuian ya el do- 
 reolio do .KMiparla. Sin duda por osto la idea so insinua. poro no so desenv\n'lvo. ni 
 eate!rt)ricamente se atirnia. on r\ Momorandus anuTioaioi. 
 
 I. OS ('oniisionados espanoles reooncen qno tuvioion una aj;iadabl4' sorprosa aj ob 
 servar (luo. on este doouinento. ya no so alofiaba. oonio liabia alostado ol (iobiorn.i 
 ainerioano al ooniestar la nota del es|)anol do 7 de Setieuibre ultimo, la razon poren- 
 toria do que la suspenoion do bostilidailos. sonun la olansnla I! del I'roloonlo no 
 deliia oiunenzar a roEir inuiediatauioiiti' de oonoludlo y lirinado este doouinento sino 
 despues de sn uotitioaolou a los .lofos do las fnorzas boliKerantes. a posar de que 
 pnuto do tanta imporiaiiol:i liabia sido oxpnesto. razonado y domonslrado i'i)n todo 
 deleniinieuto. on el duonmonlo espanol a qne aqncd sirve de oontestaeion. Ksta eoii- 
 duota abona su bnen oriterio y su ilustraoion en la materia, porque oquivale a un 
 iiuplieito reoonooiinlenlo do la solidez de acpiella atirmaolon que. dospuos ili' todo, 
 es olenioMtal en la materia, i cplo por iiadio. oomo doctrlna eorriento. lia siilo i-. intra 
 dioha. 
 
 Kn oainblo espiran. insistieiido en analojras indioai-iones tpie se leen en la oltad-i 
 respuesta del Gobierno de los Estados Vnidos a la noia del de Madrid de 7 de Selloni- 
 bre nitlnio. a desvirtuar pin" tardia la reolamaoiiui ospanola sobre la oapilulaolon ile 
 Manila, Xo ban podido ooinpronilor los ('oniisionados os|iaiioles la fuorza del razona- 
 niieiito sobre este punto. Kl Gcdiiorno de Madrid forniubi oon toda soleiniildad osta 
 reelannieliin en la inenolnnada nota. es declr. "J.i dIas dospuos de la oapilul.ioion do 
 la plaza. (Jue ley. nl qne pniitioa a'anian que so teiiua por pre.soriiy el dereiho a 
 
 137 
 
una dei-laiiKH-i'Mi dc esra ^specif, cuando iiu se haee antf'sdc iranstnirrir v\ dia vi)io*i 
 mo tercero a contar desde el becho quo la niotiva? 
 
 Se dice adcinas. entrando en el te/reno de las intcnciones del Gobierno espano\ 
 que este suijonia que aquel hecho ile JTuerra habla sido perfectamente correcto ouando 
 pocos dias despues pedia al Gobiernc) amerioaiio permiso para Ti-ansportar viveres a 
 FUipinas y restablecer e servicio ordinario de sus vapores correos. Cuando esto 
 acaecio. aun ignoraba el Gobierno espauol ociitrido e! dia 14 de aquel mes en Ma- 
 nila. Asi tamblen deja entender la Comision americana que es verdad. Mas aunque 
 lo supiera. qxie perntiso es ese que se supone pedido por el Gobierno espanol? Lo 
 sucedido es lo que no podia menos de ocurrir entre Gobiernos que, aunque ennuiii^os 
 guardan siempre los deberes que la lealtad impone a todas. 
 
 El statu quo que resultaba de la suspension de hostilidadcs probibia a eada xmo de 
 los beliserantes mejorar su situacion en perjuicio del otro, mientras aquel estado 
 subsistiera: el Gobierno espanol, como cuaiquiera otro que no quiere faltar a los 
 indicados deberes, tenit el de comunicar al Gobierno ainericano. obrando con el 
 de acuerdo. el restahleciniiento de los servicios que exlstian antes de la guerra; asi 
 obro el mismo Gobierno de Washington cuando en Ifl de Agosto solicito del Gobierno 
 de Madrid el eonsentimiento para restablecer el serTi<-io telegraflco entre Manila y 
 Honp Kong. 
 
 Reeonozcase, pues, que la reclamacion del Gobierno espauol fue heeha en tljmno 
 oportuno, y aunque entonces no la hubiera hecho. sn Comision estaba autorizada 
 para hecerla ahora. puesto que lo esta para pedir todo aquello que conduzca al cuni- 
 plimiento flel y exacto del eonyenio de Washington. 
 
 Queda, pues, sentndo por no haber sido contradicho en el Memorandum ameri- 
 cano a que en este se contesta, que la suspension de hostilidades convenida en la 
 clausula 6th del Protocolo, conienzo a resrir y a producir sus legales efectos. inme- 
 diataniente despues que equel se flrnio en la tarde del 12 de Agosto de este ano. Y 
 tengase presente que "si hay un precepto de la§ leyes de la guerra mas claro y ne- 
 rentorio que otro alguno es el de que los oaetos entre los enemigos, como son las tre- 
 guas, han de cumplirse flelmente y que su inobseryancia debe califlcarse no solo 
 como una contradiecion del verdadero interes y del deber de las partes inmediatas 
 sino de los de toda la bumanidad." Estas frases uo las rechazaran los Comislonados 
 americanos porque son de su illustre compatriota el eminente Wha"rton en su Di- 
 gesto del Derceho internacionai de los Estados Unidos, formado con textos de los 
 Presideutes y Secretaries de Estado, con las decisiones de los tribunales federales 
 y con los dictamenes de los Attornies General. 
 
 Se ha observado con esta escrupulo.<idad lo convcuido en la clausula 6 del Pro- 
 tocolo? EI dia 13 de Agosto era oanoneada de la plaza de Manila y el 14 se rendia. 
 Los Jefes de las fuerzas americanas uo tienen los Comisionados espanoles razon al- 
 gnna para afirma que supleran que las hostilidades estaban suspendidas; pero es le 
 clerto que aquella accion de guerra se e.jecuto despues de esta suspension. 
 
 r con este motiyo tiene la Comision espanola que completar la pequena his- 
 toria que se hace en el Memorandum amerioano sobre el restablecimiento del cable 
 de Manila. Se dice alii que en 16 de Agosto fue el Gabinete de Washington quien, 
 por medio de una nota al Embajador de Francia, solicito el eonsentimiento del Go- 
 bierno espanol para restablecer la comuuicacion telegraflca entre aquella plaza y Hong 
 Kong. 1" esto es verdad, pero tamblen lo es lo que se pasa a referir. EI-Almirante ameri- 
 cano habia cortado en Manila dicho cable al principio de la campana. Despues de 
 rarios inutiles intentos de la Dlreccion general espanola de correos y telegrafos 
 cerca de la Compania concesiouaria para el restablecimiento de su seryielo, insistio 
 aquella Dlreccion en 9 de Julio ultimo cerca de la indicada Compania sobre tal re- 
 stablecimiento, conformandose por parte de Espana con la absoluta neutralidad del 
 servicio. La Compania puso esta proposicion en noticia del Embajador de los Es- 
 tados Unidos en Londres para obtener tamblen su eonsentimiento. Mas este, en 16 
 del mismo mes, le contesto que su Gobierno preferla que contlnuase cortado. De 
 esto resulta que si no habia comunicaciones directas con Manila por la via de Hong 
 Kong el 12 de Agosto, en que se firmo el Protocolo, era debido al Gobierno de Wash- 
 ington que hacia un mes que se habia o puesto a su restablecimiento. Razon de 
 mas, si fuera precisa (que no lo es) para que la ignoraneia de da suspension de hos- 
 tilidades en que estaban los Generates americanos al atacar la plaza el 13 de 
 Agosto, no solo no pueda servir de motivo para que los Estados Unidos se aprove- 
 chen del acto de guerra entonces ejecutado contra lo que su Gobierno habia con- 
 venido el dia anterior, sino para que tengan que responder de los indebidos per- 
 juicios que aquel acto cause a la otra parte bellgerante. 
 
 Todos los razonamientos extendidos en el Memorandum nmerieano sobre el ca- 
 racter legal qne alli se pretende dar a la rendicion y eapitulacion de Manila y a los 
 actos que desde entonces ejecutaron en la plaza y aun funera de ella, los Jefes 
 de las fuerzas militares de la Union, pueden concentrarse en las siguientes afirma- 
 clones: 
 
 PRIMERA. EI caracter legal de la mencionada eapitulacion es el mismo que cor 
 
 13S 
 
respondorla a la entrega pariflcn de la plaza cu vlrtud dc lo convenido en la clausula 
 3 del Protocolo, y por esto los derechos quo la parte bellgerante tleue en la plaza 
 que acupa oomo garantla son los mismos que tendrla si la ocupara por baberla ren- 
 dido en acclon de guen;a, y 
 
 SEIiUXnA. La oeuparion de Manila, sii linlila y puerto convenlda eii la clausula 
 3 del Protocolo fue una ocupacion mllitar. 
 
 La Comlsion espanola no liuhiera creldci unnca que tuviera que rectillciir errores 
 tan graves si no los leyera estampados en el Memorandum amerleano. 
 
 Es elemental en la materia que la ocupacion de una plaza o de un terrltorlo, con. 
 renlda entrc las partes beligeranies para (lUe sirva de grantia a lo estipulado en un 
 tratado o al cumplimiento de una obligaciou que pcse sobre aquella a quien corres- 
 ponda la soberania de la plaza o terrltorio ocupado. no tlene. nl puede tener, otro 
 titulo mas que el del convenlo mismo en que se halla estipulado. Pero el de la 
 ocupacion a viva fuerza de una plaza o terrltorio que se rindc por un arto de 
 guerra tiene un nonibre special y es ei de I'apltuiacion. 
 
 Y el denominar asi lo convenido en el I'n.tocolo para poner por tal medio a su 
 amparo la capitulaeion ilefral de Manila despues de Uaberse flrmado aquel documento, 
 es un error en que hasia aliora nadie ha, oticial ni cientiflcamente. incurrido. y que 
 no eonsiente el slgnificado, no ya tecnico sino vulgar, de la palabra capitulaeion. 
 La ocupacion pacifica de garantla no da mas dereoho a la parte ocupante que el de esta- 
 blecer la guarnieion o conservar las fuerzas mllitares quo consldere necesarias en la 
 plaza o terrltorio, para tenerios en su poder entretanto que no se cumple la obliga- 
 cion principal a que la ocupacion sirve de garantla. El aprovlsionamiento de las 
 iropas de ocupacion es natural que sea a cargo del soberano del terrltorio ocupado. 
 Mas aunque este aprovisionamiento es una oondicion natural no es esencial del con- 
 venio. Por esto, en los casos mas notables qui' se ban presentado de ocupaciones de 
 esta especie. tuvo buen culdado la parte ocupante de estipular. de un modo expreso, 
 la obligacion de este aprovlsionamiento. P.ien conocidos sou los casos de ocupacion, 
 en concepto de garantla, que bubo en 1815 y 1871 de varios departamentos de la 
 Francia, a la terminacion el primero de las guerras del Imperio, y el segundo de la 
 Franco-Prusiana. En ellos so estipulo expresamente que el sostenimiento de las 
 tropas de ocupacion habia de correr a cargo del Cobierno francs. Esto no se hlzo en 
 la clausula 3 del Protocolo de Washington. 
 
 Todos los demas derocbos dc la soberania, senaladainente la percepciou de las 
 rentas e impuestos publicos, continuan en la pacifica posesion del soberano del terrl- 
 torio ocupado. La parte ocupante tiene que respetar religiosamente tales derechos. 
 La legitimidad de sus actos no se extien de mas alia de lo que sea necesario para 
 el cumplimiento del fin de la ocupacion. 
 
 De estos elementales principios. que para el caso presente no necesitan mayor 
 desenvolvimiento, resulta que los Estados Unidos. en virtud de lo convenido en la 
 clausula 3 del Protocolo. no tenian mas derecho que el de conservar en su poder, 
 ha.«ta la celebraciou del tratado de paz, la ciudad, puerto y habia de Manila, somo 
 garantla de lo convenido en dicho Protocolo, y por lo tanto, nada mas que el derecho 
 de guamecer dicha plaza, bahia y puerto con las fuerzas necesarias de su ejercito y 
 marina, pero respetando el ejercicio de la soberania de Espana en ellas en todo lo 
 demas que sea compatible con este derecho de guarnieion (que asi propiamente es 
 denominada la ocupacion de garantia). 
 
 Pero la de una plaza o territorio por un acto de guerra da mas araplios derechos 
 al beligerante que de la una o del otro se ha apoderado por la fuerza. No adquiere, 
 es verdad, por la conquista, el derecho de soberania en el pais conquistado, pero si 
 adquiere la posesion, y ejercicio provisional de esta soberania. Mientras la ocupa- 
 cion subsiste, las atribuciones del soberano en el orden politico, en el finaneiero y aun 
 en el administrativo, pueden ser ejercidas por el ocupante, aunque sienipre con la 
 moderacion que requiere el respeto debido a los derechos de los habltantes pacifios, 
 porque hoy la guerra no se hace entre los pueblos, sino entre las fuerzas armadas 
 de los Estados beligerantes. 
 
 Baste con lo dicho para que resalte la diferencla capital que a nadlo permite 
 contundlr la ocupacion pacilica de grantia con la ocupacion belica de la conquista. 
 En que concepto persisten los Estados Unidos dcsde el 14 de Agosto en ocupar la 
 ciudad puerto y bahia dc Manila? En concepto de ocupacion belica, por hal)orse 
 apo<lerado de la plaza a viva fuerza despues de flrmado el Protocolo. En que con- 
 cepto tlenen exclusivamente derecho los Estados Unidos para ocupar aquella plaza y 
 su bahia y puerto? En el de ocupacion paclflca de garantla y nada mas que en 
 este, por lo convenido en la clausula 3 de aquel convenio. Como. pues, cabe aflrmar 
 que es Indlferente para el caso el caracter de tal ocupacion? Es inutll iusistlr 
 mas sobre un punto de los mas elementales que hay en la materia del Derecho 
 Internaclonal de la guerra. 
 
 El segundo error que se ostenta en el Memorandum americano consiste en su 
 poner que fue una ocupacion mllitar la convenlda en el Protocolo. Para aquellos 
 que entiendan esta denoniinaeiou en ol sentido de ocupacion con fuerzas mllitares. 
 
 139 
 
siu rtuda alguna sera In misma tleuomiua clon la que apliearau a estos dos tan di- 
 versos casos de t>rupacion. Mas pur quienes, empleaudo el tecnicismo consajirado 
 IJor la cieuoia y por los tratados. reserveu la denomiuaeion de ocupaeioii militar 
 a la ocuparion belica. o sea a la que se hace por la fuerza. uo podra oaiilicarse de 
 ocupacion militar la convenida eu el Protoeolo. 
 
 Es, pues. inutil querer poner al amparo de uua denominacion oomun aetos esen- 
 cialmente diversos y cuyas cousecueuelas legitimas jamas se han confuudido. La 
 ocupaeinn de la plaza, bahia y puerto de Manila a que tienen derecho los Bstados 
 Unidos por lo conyenido en Wasljiugton, no es una ocupacion militar o belica que 
 les haya eonferido legitimamente lus dereehos y facultades que esta lleya en si 
 misma. 
 
 Los Jefes Ue las fuerzas americaiias eu Filipiuas. es iududable que partieiparou 
 del error que en el Memorandum se coniete. 'Se compreude que una vez apodela- 
 dos de la plaza y mientras no tuvierou noticia de la suspension de bostilidades, 
 luibiesen comenzado a ejercer todas las facultades y dereehos de un oeupante 
 militar o belico. Mas. en el Memorandum am^ericano se reconoce que el 16 de 
 Agosto fueron aquellos Jefes enterados de la suspension conyenida de Iiostilidades. 
 Esto no obstante, continuaron ejercienilo aquellas facultades que no tenian y que 
 debiau saber que uo teuian. Eu aquella feelia aun funcionaban los organismos de la ad- 
 miuistracion e.spanola. Desde el 16 de Agosto fue ouando las fuerzas aniericanas 
 conienzerou a apodenirse '•manu militari" de tales organismos. y de los fondos. 
 rentas e impuestos publicos. asi conio continuaron reteniendo prisoneras las tropas 
 espanolas que se babian rendido el dia 14. 
 
 Consideramos inutil insistir mas en la refutacion de errores de tal grayedad e 
 importancia, cuya unica explicacion sola mente puerte hallarse en la triste y dura 
 necesidad de tener que emplearlos como unicos medios de defensa de uu puuto cuar- 
 teado por todos lados. 
 
 Y como no liemos podido dar en el M emorandum americano con razones de 
 mayor solidez que las indicadas entre las que se alegaron contra la proposiciou es- 
 panola. se cousidera esta Comision en el deber de sosteuerla y de no jioder con- 
 formarse. por lo tanto. con la conclusion que pone termino al sobredicbu Memo- 
 randum. Con lo dicho podria la Comision espanola dar por terminado este trabajo, 
 si no fuera jior el yivo deseo que la aninia de buscar. por su parte, medios que 
 remoyieudo los obstaculos que hoy e.Kisten para lierar a cabo la obra de paz 
 encomendada a estas conferencias. puedan facilitar a ambas Comisioiies el de- 
 sempeno ile uua misiou. que no puede meuos de estar eu perfecta armonia con los 
 sentiniientos ile bunianidad y iiatriotismo que por igual ciertamente las anima. 
 
 Aceptese la interpretacion que la Comision americana da a las clausulas .1 y 6 
 del Protoeolo. o ucej)tese la que sostlene la espanola, es, por desgracia, evidente 
 que surge una situacion que tan solo la bueua fe de ambas partes puede resolver. 
 Ya porque la eonferencia de Paris uo tenga atribueioues para ocuparse de la cues- 
 tion sobre la soherania del Archipielago Filipino, aunque solo por el modo y 
 forma con que es i)ropuesta por la Comision americana. ya porque. aunque tales 
 atribuciones tenga tiene tambien la natural y legitima libertad de ejercerlas en el 
 sentido que la couciencia inspire a sus individuos. es lo cierto que. por halar.se diyi- 
 dida por igual la opinion de estos sobre el asunto. se hace imposible la solucion 
 del mismo. La Comision americana segu rameute no sosteudra que en el caso de 
 conflicto o empate de su boto con el de la espanola deba prevalecer el sugo para 
 que tenga el caracter de acuerdo de la eonferencia en pleno. 
 
 Y como los Estados Unidos no llevan sus pretensioues mas alia que a que se 
 les recouozca el dererho, que. .segun ell os. tienen por el Protoeolo para pedir la 
 soberania del archipielago. pero iifi llegan hasta ^l extremo de decir que las asiste 
 tambien el derecho de exigir a la eonferencia que aeceda a su peticion, imponien- 
 dosela como si fuera un mandate, aparece manifle.sta la imposibilidad de que pueda 
 ser atendida la peticion del Gobierno americano. y en su conseeueneia la de que 
 este pueila adquirir la soberania del archipielago per el uitIco titulo legitimo q>ie 
 afirma y re<-onoce (pie puede trasmitirsela. 
 
 Cuales son las conseeuencias de una situacion tan apremiante e inHe.\ibleV La 
 ruptura de las negociaeiones? La consiguiente reapertura de la guerra? 
 
 Habtti quien no se detenga ante conseeuencias tan terribles? Habra quien 
 entienda que no es preferible antes que someterse a ellas acudir a cualquier otro 
 medio que la buena fe no puede menos de inspirar a las partes contratantes? 
 
 Y cual es este medio! 
 
 I'udieran njuy bien ambas Cumisioues acordar que la cuestiou relativa a la sobe- 
 rania de las Islas Filipinas quedase separada de sus negociaeiones y reservada a 
 las que directamente se entablaran entre ambos Gabinetes. pudiendo entretanto 
 continuar deliberando aquellas sobre todo lo demas que ha de contenerse en el 
 tratado de paz. 
 
 Este medio, a primera vista tan seucillo. encierra no obstante graves peligros. 
 y senaladamente los mismos que ptnlierau existir ahora si las negociaeiones se 
 rompieran, con la sola ventaja de ilil.itar por poco tiempo su advenimiento. Si 
 
 140 
 
las dos Oltas Partes no llegason a un aiii crilii. In sltuaiimi siTla ijjual a la m iiuo 
 hoy St" lialla la conferpncia (ie Tails. 
 
 I'ara la Cmnlsinn espanola hay otro niodlo nwis sencillo y mas sejairo. y eonsiste 
 en line ambas C'omislones acuerilun proponer a sus Got)lernos que un Arbitro, o un 
 Tribunal arbitral coustituido en la forma en que aquellos convengan, flje el recto 
 sentklo eu que deben ser entendldos los Artlculos 3 y 6 del Protocolo de Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 La diferencia de opinion entre auibas Comisiones dcseansa prlneipalmente en 
 el diverso sentldo que cada una da a aquello.s artleulos. 
 Asi resulta de sus respeotivos Memo randnms. 
 
 I'ues bien. si eu los condictos de las naeioues hay o puede haber al;;o ([ue en 
 vez de ser resuelto por la fuerza de las aruias. deban los liouibres de bueiia 
 roluniad Iratar de resolverlo por la fuerza de la Justieia. o siquiera por los 
 dictados de la equldad. es preeisamenle aquello que eonsiste en la diversa inter- 
 pretaeion que haya snrgido al tartar de apliearsc un artioulo de enalquier tratado 
 en que anteriorinente hubierau eonvenido. 
 
 I'odran los soheranos. por un sentliuieiito de natural tiereza. resistirse a sonie- 
 ter al juicio de un terc-ero todo aquello que ateeta a su honor, o siquiera a su amor 
 propio. Portran no querer eneombendar a un Juieio stniejante la exlsleneia o aun 
 la iutegridad de sus Estados. Pero no se eoueibe iiue a la faz del mundn nioderno 
 y eristiauo preflerau eubrir la tierra de cadaveres e innudarla de sanprre buniana. a 
 sonieter su propia opinion en asuntos t«u expuestos a la falibilidad de la inteli- 
 geneia de los honibres, eomo no puede menos de serlo el sentido que quiera darse 
 a un mere artieuio de eualquier conveneiou que sobre materia fibre y agena a las 
 sajrradas causas sobredichas haya podido ser celelira<la. 
 
 Los Estados Vnidos son entre todos los pueblos del mundo eivilizado los que. para 
 gloria sUva. ban tornado la inieiatlva y ban niatiifestado mas deeidido eni[ieno en 
 que se aeuda a este medio tan humano, l.iu rai-ional y tan eristiauo, antes que 
 al eruento de la guerra. para resolver los conllietos entre las naoioues. 
 
 Ya en ISJo el Seuado de Massaebusi-tts aprobaba una proposicion. preseutada 
 por la Asoeiai-ion Americana de la Paz. preionizando la creaeion de nu Tribunal 
 Interuacioual para resolver amistosa y delinitivamelite las diticuitailes cnire los 
 pueblos. 
 
 Kn !«! el Coinite de uegoeios extrangeros de Washington por unanimidad de- 
 claraba que era' de desear que los Estados Unidos insertasen en sus tratados una 
 clausula para cpie difereucias que no pndieran resolverse por la diplomacia 
 fueran sonu'tidas. antes de comenzar las bostilidades. a la resolucion de Arbitros. 
 En 1S."):5 el Senado aceptaba el voto del Comite de uegoeios exirangeros. En 
 1873 otra tcz el Senado. y en 1874 las dos Cainaras volvian a consiguar esta hu- 
 mauitaria aspiradon. Y en 1SS.S, en fin. no bastandoles fijar su propria linea de 
 condncta eu tan laudable sentido, ambas Camaras aeordaban por res(j|ucion con- 
 junta rogar al Presidente, que emplease de tiempo en tiempo su iuHuencia para com- 
 prometer a todos los (iobiernos que cou los Estados fuidos sostuvieran relaciones 
 <liplomaticas, a someter las cuestlones que entre los unos y los otros pndieran 
 snrgir en el porveuir a la resolucion de Arbitros. 
 
 El caso que se presenta en las conterencias de Paris, espcra la Comision 
 espanola que no ha de dar motivo a que los Estados Unidos, apartaudose de tan 
 gloriosns preeedentes. quierau resolverlo por el ultimo medio que entre seres raciou- 
 ales y libres es trlstemente inevitable, siquiera nunca sea licito, eu defecto de otros 
 mas humanos, para conservar inalterable la paz entre los hombres. 
 
 Esta conforme: 
 
 EllILIO HE O.IEDA. 
 
TRANSLATION. 
 
 Annex to Protocol No. 14. 
 
 The last paper presented by the Americ-jin Commission serves a double pur- 
 pose. On tbe one band it is a memorandum in support of its proposition of tbe 
 31st of October ultimo, asking for the cession of the Philippine Islands to the 
 United States. On the other hand it is a statement of the reasons why tlic 
 American Commission refuses to acoept the Spanish proposition of the 4th in- 
 stant, by which it was invited to submit a draft having for its object the fulfil- 
 ment of the agreements made and eutei-ed into in Articles III and VI of the 
 Washington Protocol. 
 
 As regards the tirst point of the American menior:iudum. to whii-h the Span- 
 ish Commission will tir.st give its attention, a reply to its contents T\ill be pres- 
 ently given. As regards the other point, the Spanish Commission will insist on 
 setting forth in rhe form of a menn>randnm, as piovided by the rules, the 
 grounds upon which its rejected proposition is based. 
 
 For the sake of systematic exposition, and moved by the desire to reduce as 
 much as possible the dimensions of the present paper, the Spanish Commissioner.s 
 feel themselves inclined to deal in the first place with the mortgage debts of the 
 Spanish colonies.— which in spite of its capital importance they would have re- 
 frained from discussing again at the present stage of the negotiation of tlu* 
 treaty, if. as it appears, the American Commission had not raised it anew in tlu* 
 last paragraph of its proposition, asking for the cession of the Philippine Archi- 
 pelago. 
 
 The Spanish commission acknowledges the difficulty under which it finds 
 itself to answer this part of the American memorandum.— said difficulty arising 
 out of the grave errors of fact with which said memorandum is strewed, and of 
 the strange doctrines of law which are maintained in it. 
 
 The Spanish Commission needs before all to put on record that in its opinion, 
 no language, or even a phrase, improper to a diplomatic discussion, has been use<l 
 by it. Jealous of the considerations to which it is entitled, it begins by paying 
 religiously those which are due to others, and in its documents it avoids with 
 the greatest care the use of any phrase which might be personally unpleasant to 
 whom it might be addressed, and much more, and with still stronger reasons, any 
 word which might be deemed offensive to those who are and have the right to 
 be under the protection of the persons with whom the Spanish Commissioners 
 may have to discuss. 
 
 The Americ-iin Commissioners say that they noticed with surprise that the 
 Spanish Commissioners, after having accepted pro\isionally the articles which 
 the former had proposed in regard to Cuba and Porto Rico, come now and 
 raise again the question of the Cuban debt, reviving a point which under cer- 
 tain reservations had been expressly abandoned. And not contenting them- 
 selves with such rotund affirmations, they further said that the Spanish Com- 
 mission in its written answer presented at the meeting of the 26th of Octobi-r. 
 had withdrawn its former observations to the articles of the American Commis- 
 sion. 
 
 So far as the said supposed withdrawal is concerned, we invite our worthy 
 American colleagues to search with care all the phrases of our written answer, 
 and show to us where it can be found. In the meantime, now as always, we are 
 bound to state most positively that our document does not contain any such 
 phrases, and that it shows, on the contrary, that we had nothing to withdraw, 
 since we continued to maintain our views, subject, however, to what might prove 
 in the future to be best for Spain. And. indeed, as a proof of what we hare 
 just stated, and as suft'icient answer to the phrases of the American Commis- 
 sion, we shall content ourselves with transcribing here the phrases wherein the 
 supposed provisional acceptance and the express withdrawal of the subject of the 
 Cuban debt are said to be found. The Spanish Commissioners answer the said 
 question (the question which the American Commission had propounded to them 
 In writing at the meeting of the 2Gth of October) by stating that, reiterating their 
 conviction that pursuant to law the colonial obligations of Cuba and Porto Rico 
 must follow these islands and their sovereignty, they do not refuse to consider 
 any articles as to Cuba and Porto Rico which contain no provision for the as- 
 sumption of indebtedness by the United States or Cuba or both ithese were ex- 
 actly the same words of the question which we answered), "subordinating the 
 final approval of such articles to that of the others which are to form the com- 
 plete treaty." etc. And one of the reasons, set forth in writing, which induced 
 us to thea foresaid i.nswer was ;is follows: 
 
 142 
 
"Consideriug that this treaty Is not to be fraiin-d. as ,in mhiM- treaty has or 
 ever can be framed, upon the exelusive basis of strict justice, as understood l)y 
 each party, but also upon the basis of the advantage to be derived by either or 
 by botii. thus mMlifyiug in harmony tlierewith the demands of strict law; and 
 that therefore the Spanish Commissioners Iiltbough understanding that strict 
 law decides the yiiestlou of the t'uban debt in their favor are in duly bound 
 and are willing to moderate the said strictness in view of the advantages 
 which Spain may derive from other stipulations of the treaty, whicii without 
 being prejudicial to the United States may be favorable to Spain." 
 
 It seems to be very plain that the supposed abandonment, now spoken )f iu 
 the American memorandum, and the supposed acceptance of the articles relating 
 to Cuba and I'orto Rico, were limited to the contingency that the Spanish 
 Commission should understand, from the discussion and approval of all tlie otlier 
 articles, that advantages enongb were derived by Spain sulTlcleut to compensate 
 a greater or lesser sacrifice of her rights regarding said debts, since if such ad- 
 vantages were not derived tl'e Spanish Commission had no necessity to saerltice 
 anything, for which reason it is clear that it could insist upon the recognition 
 of its right. 
 
 This being the case, what have been the advantages offered to Spain, up 
 to this moment, in the course of the conferences? 
 
 Since the date of tbat answer the negotiations for the treaty have ad- 
 vanced only one step, and this has consisted in asking Spain, without alleging 
 any reason iu support of this request when made, the cession to the United 
 States of the Philippine Archipelago. Does tbe American Commission under- 
 stand that this cession is an advantage for Spain? The Spanish Commissioners 
 would not be surprised by hearing this question answered affirmatively, as cer- 
 tain phrases of the memorandum seem calculated to anticipate. But they do 
 not need to say that they do not share that opinion. 
 
 The Spanish Commission would have been, therefore, justified in insisting, 
 not indirectly, but directly and principally, upon its claims as to the transmis- 
 sion of the colonial obligations and debts. It has not done this, nor does it in- 
 tend to do so at present: but this has not prevented nor does it prevent it now 
 from not allowing to pass, without contradiction, supposed statements and af- 
 tirmations, if only that a da.v may not come when it can be charged with having 
 consented to them, because of failure to contradict them, and e.xpressly refusing 
 Its assent therto. 
 
 The American Commission affirms that Spain contracted (it does not say 
 that it used the debt previously contracted) the greatest part of the Cuban 
 ilebl '"in an effort, first to conquer the Cuban insurgents. and then to oppose 
 the United States," and then discoursing upon the same theme, it says, "that 
 It has not been denied that a part of these loans was directly used to wage 
 war against the United states." To make such statements it is indispensable to 
 suppose that the dates of the creatitm of those debts are not known. One debt 
 was contracted under the autliority of the Decree of May 10, 1886, that is to 
 say, eight years after tlie re-establishment of the peace in Cuba, and nine years 
 before the fresh disturbances of the Siimc iu that island through suggestions aud 
 by means which now are known to the world. The second issue was authorized 
 by Royal Decree of September '27. Is'.Hi. that is to say, twelve years after Cuba 
 had found herself in a condition of perfect peace, and -at the pinnacle of her 
 prosperity, and five years before the work of her desolation began, through the 
 new rebellion which more or less spontaneously broke out there. And the two 
 Decrees e.xplain also what were the reasons why the said issues were authorized, 
 and what were the expenses to be met by them, the piiyment of deficiencies iu 
 previous and subsequent appropriation bills in the island being prominent among 
 them. It is well known that these deficiencies were due to the great reduction of 
 taxes made in Cuba by the mother country. 
 
 Will it ever be said that Spain, through some supernatural gift of divina- 
 tion, foresaw in ISSO and I.S'.IO that in l.S!>."i an insurrtction %vas again to break 
 out in Cuba, and that In 1.S98 the United States were to lend it their armed 
 protection? Under no other hypothesis the correctness of the phrases of the 
 American memorandum relating to this point could ever be admitted. 
 
 And so far as the expenses Incurred by Spain owing to the war with the 
 United States are concerned, without doubt the vVmerican Commission is unaware 
 of the fact that on the 20th of April of the present year, when the hostilities be- 
 gan, the Spanish Government was still engaged in operations of credit. In the 
 shape of bonds, with the direct guarantee of the custom houses of the Penin- 
 sula, to the amount of l.ix» millions of pesetas, ns decided In 1S96 and 181)7. and 
 In other operations to the amount of '2'2:i millions of pesetas, as authorized on 
 the 2d of April, 1898, with the specla I guamnte,' of the stamp and tobacco 
 revenues In the Peninsula, as well as the revenue called de consumo In Spain,— 
 
 143 
 
and that, in ortior to mt-et thf expimse of tUr \v;ir with tht' United States, a 
 Ro3'al Decree had been issued un the Slst of May in the present year, suithor- 
 izing' thte ereation of a 4 per cent perpetual 4lome«tie debt, to the amount of 
 1.000 millions of jiesetas. ()ut nf which SOtJ.TS.l.iHK) were immediately negotiated. 
 Upon a<-quaintance with these facts, it is t<i be supposed that the American Com- 
 mission will not be willinj? to insist uiMtn the statement so groundlessly made in 
 its memorandum, as it will then understand that the expenses of the war with 
 the United States have nothinj^ to do with the Cuban colonial mortga>;e debt. 
 
 The American Commission advocates ouce more in its memorandum the 
 strangle theory that the Spanish colonies are not bound to pay the debt contracted 
 by the mother country to put down the rebellions whether of few. or of many, 
 of their inhabitants. But this time it reaches the extreme of putting: sucli a 
 singular doctrine under the shelter of common sense, by affirming that a doc- 
 trine to the contrary would be a threat to liberty and civilization. 
 
 Ah! if the colonists and the citizens of the (ireat Kepid>lic would tiave al- 
 leged, in .iustiti(vition of a rebellion,— or should allege in the future, in an in- 
 <*ident!il case, an emergency from which that powerful nation is certainly not 
 exemepted.— a. theor>- of that kind.— would the American Government have ever 
 accepted it? Will it ever accept it in the futureV What is condemned not by 
 common, but by moral sense, is the attempt to pnt all rebellion against legiti- 
 mate authority under the shelter of liberty and civilization. AVas Spain, or 
 was she not. the legitimate sovereign of <'nba when the tirst insurrection broke 
 out. and dnring the whole term of the second? Has any one ever dared to deny, 
 or t»t doubt even, the sovereignty of Spain over that island at the time to whi(di 
 v:e tare now referring? Were not the United States themselves, and their Gov- 
 ernment, those who day after day urged Spain to pnt down the rebellion, with- 
 out excluding the use of arms, and re-establish as promptly as possible the 
 peace in her ccdony? And if Spain complied with such demands, who. iu the 
 United States included, can deny the legitimate character of the expenses which, 
 by virtue of that compliance, she necessarily incurred? 
 
 A doctrine of this nature, which the Spanish Commission, through considera- 
 tions of respect, observed thus far by it, and which it -has the duty to observe, 
 does not deservedly chuVacterize as it certainly would be by all the constituted 
 Powers of the earth, cannot be advocated in the face of men.- except from the 
 standpoint that the authority of Spain was illegitimate, and that her sovereignty 
 was only an arbitrary act of depotism. And is the crown of Spain characterized 
 in this manner, concretely and speciticaliy. for her domination in Cuba prior to 
 the signing of the Washington Protocol V Can this be done above all by the \*^yy 
 same nation which urged Spain to exercise her sovereign authority to i-onquer 
 those who had risen in arms agsiinst her in the island? 
 
 Let us pass to another subject, as the present is too delicate to be treated 
 with calm and serenity in a diplomatic discussion wherein any attem|)t is made 
 to controvert it. 
 
 In the memuramluui whi<'li we are now answering, the .singular atfirniMiiou 
 is made that the mortgage <n-eated by the two issues above named can be called 
 more properly a snbsidiaiT guarantee, and that the party principally bound to 
 pay is the Spanish nation. Undoubtedly the American Commission in making 
 this affirnnilion had not before its eyes Articde TI of tlie Koyal Decree of May 
 10. ISSfi. authorizing the issue of l,240.0l>i> hypothecary bonds of the Island of 
 Cuba, ctr the 2nd paragraph of Article II of the Rctyal Decree of September 27. 
 1890, authorizing the issue of 1,750.<HH) hypothecary l>onds of the same island. 
 Both texts read literally the same thing, and it will be sufficient for us to tran- 
 scribe one of them. Their language is as follows:— "The new bonds shall have 
 the direct (especial! guarantee of the customs revenue, stamp revenue of the Is- 
 land of Cuba, direct and Indirect taxes now levied or to be levie<l there In the 
 future, and the subsidiary (general) guarantee of the Spanish nation. They shall 
 be exem|)t fiom all ordinary ami extraordinary taxes, etc." 
 
 Nor can the American Citmniissioii have seen any of the bomls issued under 
 thesH authorizatious, which are sc.it tercd everywhi re in the wuiiil. Cuba in- 
 cluded, and are owned by third parties and private individuals; had it seen them 
 it niiiiht lia\c n-.o! the following: 'i>irecf /especi:il) guar.antee of the <-ustom 
 revenue, stamp revenue of the Island of Cuba, direct or indirect taxes tliercju 
 levied or \o hv levied hereafter, and the subsidiary (general) guarantee of the 
 Spanish nation." "The Spanish Colonial Bank shall receive, in the Island of 
 Cuba, through its agents there, or in Barcelona, through the Spanish Bank of 
 Havana, the receipts of the custom houses of Cuba, and such amount thereof 
 as may be necessary, according to the statements fi-rnished on the back of tho 
 bonds, to meet the quarterly payment of interest anil principal, shall be re- 
 tained daily and in advance." 
 
 If, after this, the Anii'ri<'an Cnniniis-i'tu c.iufinues to understand thai rlus 
 
 14:4 
 
ilfl)t was not coutraiteil :is a lUbt siiunil by mmtfaKO. and that this mortKaco 
 was not plaoed upon tbe oustnnis ri'Vinues ami otber taxus of Cuba. -and fiii- 
 tbcr that those revenues were not pledjred prlueipally and primarily, anil there- 
 fore prior to the Peninsular 'I1-easury. to the payment of interest and prineipal. 
 we sluili have nothing to say. We are unable to pro\-e wluit is self-evident, 
 
 Tnrning now to the bondholders and to the severity, in our opinion unjusti- 
 Hed, with which they are treated in the American memorandum, we shall say 
 that the duty to defend tliem does not beions io Spain. When they know what 
 is the opinion entertained about them, it is to be supposed that they will defend 
 theni.selves, for after all they will not need .iiiy irreat effort to demonstrate the 
 justice of their Ciiuse. ' 
 
 So far as Spain is concerned, and here tlu- Si>anisli Commission proceeds t" 
 answer categorically the questions propounded in thi' American memorandum, it 
 is sulTlcient for her to defend the legitimacy of her action and her perfect 
 right to create that debt that the mortgage with which it was secured. -and 
 therefore tlie strict right vested in her not to i>ay either interest or prlnci|ial. 
 except upon proof of the insufficiency of the mortgaged revenues, out of which 
 they should be primarily paid. If those who hold those revenues are not will- 
 ing to comply with the obligations to the fultilment of which said revenues 
 were pledged, the responsibility therefor will belong to them, and not to Spain, 
 who has neither the means to compel them to comply with that duty, nor is 
 bound to do for the bondholders anything else than what she has honestly done 
 up to now. But Spain, the Spanish Commission .says again, (.and this is the only 
 thing that she has textually said, although the American memorandum seems 
 to understand it differently.) cannot lend itself in this treaty with the Dnlted 
 States, nor in any other treaty with any other Power, to do or to declare in her 
 name anything which may mean, or imply, that she herself has doubts, and 
 much less ignores or voluntarily abridges, so fa as she is concerned, the mort- 
 gage rights of the bondholders. She has no efficient means to cause those who 
 may become holders of the mortgaged revenues to respect those rights. There- 
 fore she does not employ them: did she have them, she would employ them, if 
 not through strict justice, at least through a moral duiy, thus following the dic- 
 tates of probity both public and private. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners believe therefore to have answered categorically 
 enough the questions propounded to them In this respect In the American memo- 
 randum, and this being done they proceed to occupj- themselves with the prin- 
 cipal point which is dealt with in that memorandum which refers to the sov- 
 ereignty over the Philippine Archipelago. 
 
 According to the American memorandum the cession of the archipelago 
 which is asked from Spain does not rest upon any agreement to that effect 
 made in Article III of the Protocol, as was the case in regard to the Island of 
 Porto Rico in Article II of the same; but on the fact that, according to the 
 American Commission, the matter of cession by Spain to the United States of 
 America of her sovereignty over those islands was Included in the number of 
 those relating to the Philippine Islands which were left to the free decision of 
 the conference of Paris. 
 
 The Spanish Commission maintains that such a grave subject, undoubtedly 
 the most important of all which it is c.Tlled upon to discuss, far from having 
 been entrusted to the Paris Conference, is shown by Article III of the Protocol 
 to have been left beyond its scope, as said .\rticie rests upon the basis that the 
 sovereignty over that archipelago should continue to be vested in Spain. 
 
 The American Commission tries to find an nrgimient in support of its views 
 In the construction that it places upon the language of Article III, and also 
 upon the negotiations which preceded the Protocol and culminated in its ac- 
 ceptance. 
 
 "We shall examine with cold impartiality the reasonings tipon which this 
 thesis is founded. 
 
 The American Commission s.iys that it is a principle of law that "when the 
 result of some negotiations has been embodied in a written compact, the terms 
 of such agreement shall settle the rights of tlie parties." 
 
 The Spanish Commission accepts this rule of interpretation of the treaties. 
 If it has, as an indispensable condition, the fact that the terms of the agri^ement 
 are clear, precise and of settled and indubitable meaning, because is must be 
 understood In that case, that all the differences which presented themselves 
 during the negotiations between the contracting states were set at rest by the 
 clear, precise and explicit agreement entered into by them. 
 
 But, is this the case with the subject now discussed by the two Commis- 
 sions? 
 
 Before answering this question, the Spanish Commission deems it to be ad- 
 visable to transcribe once more the text of .\rticle III of the Protocol. llterall.T 
 
 UT,. 
 
nn.l t.iitlifully i im iishi l.-.I rnnn i!s Kr.-iirli .ni-iii;il. ft i\-:n\s ;is I'nilows: "The 
 Unilcii Slati'S shnll uccupy tin- rity. barln-r and hay (»f M;iiiil;i. pi'iidiii^' Hit' ron- 
 clusidii of a treaty of poaoe which shall iletermiiif the inii-ix iMition ii-.mr loIr). 
 disposition and government of the I'liilippine Islands." 
 
 The Spanish ('omniissiim dors nor ku'iw whi-tln-r tlic AimTi.-.-ni roinniission 
 i^. or is not, oonversant wirh the fart hat whni thr < iovcinnn nt ot' Maiirid le- 
 cciviMi from ttii* Washington Secretary of Stati.' his dispatch of .Iidy :^<>. setting 
 fortti tlie conditit.ns. npon tho acceptance of which the United States were dis- 
 posed to conclude the, peace.— the third of whi<'h was snbseqnently transcribed 
 witliout any change in tlie Protocol, and forms Article III thereof,— it sent a 
 telei^ram to Mr. Canibon. Ambassador of France in Washington, dated Angnst 1, 
 in which, referring to this point, it ftterally saiil the fidlowing: "The third 
 point in which the form of disposition of the IMiilipjiine Islands is determined 
 seems to this Government f" lack precision. It ithe Sjianish Govenimenti has 
 snpplied the deticiency To be noticed in it. on the snpp<isition that there is no 
 question in regard t<i the |ierniaiieiit sovereignty of Spain over tliat archipehigo. 
 and that the temporary oe<-npalion of Manila, its harbor a ml its bay by the 
 Federal (J-overntneut shall last only^ the linn- which may be necessary for the 
 two countries t<> reach an agreement as to administrative reforms." We have 
 this dispatch at the disposal of the American ("ommissirm. should it wish to read 
 it and study it. 
 
 I'pon tlie reciipi of ihis (luciinieiit Mr. <'amlion hnd a lonference (Au;4ust 3) 
 with the rresidi-nl of the American lieiMiblic. and the portion thereof which re- 
 fers to the point now ile.ill witli by tlie Spanish ( 'ommissi<rit wms conihed by 
 the Fr<'nrh And)assadoi- in his dispat^di of the -Itli of Ain:iist in the foMowing 
 langinige: "I av.ailed myself of this dccl:ir;ii ion to request the I're^ident to have 
 Jhe kinilness to state as i)recisely as possible his intentions in regard to the 
 riiilipitine Islands. On this point, I told him. the answer of the Federal <Jovern- 
 menl is couched In terms that may lend themselves to all c-lalius on the part of 
 the I'nited States, and consequently t<i all Jipprehcosions of Spain in regard to 
 her sovereignty." The rresident replied to him. as will be hi-ri-after explained. 
 Hut the Spani-^h < Joveinmcnl . notwlthstamliim' the language of tin- rresident. 
 reiterated in its dispatch of August 7 the doubts entertained by it about the 
 meaning of Article III. Useless reiteration. Neither then, nor before, nor af- 
 terwards, has Jhe American Government ever consented to give a concrete form 
 to the idea involved in the phrase "control, disposition and government" of the 
 rhilippine Islands, to be determined by the Paris Commission. Now. for the 
 first tinie. it has come to give an explanation. In the memorandum to which 
 the Spanish Conimission is now giving an answer, the American rommission has 
 set it forth. It says: "(.'ertainly t^ie word control was not used here in the 
 sense of 'register' or 'inspection,' but in its broader sense of "authority or i*om- 
 mand." What word could be broader than 'disposition,' which lias priictically 
 the same meaning in both the French and the English languages? We have in 
 these words, then, authority over, dominion of, final and ultimate destination of 
 the subject matter. What is government but the right of administration, or ex- 
 ercising sovereignty, the direction, the political management of a state? Kither 
 of these terms implies power of interfering with sovereignty. Taken together, 
 the.v give the fullest s<-opc iu dealing with all power, governmental, territorial 
 and administrative." 
 
 The explanation, besides being as it appears inopportune by reason of its tar- 
 diness, seems ^almost to be unsatisfactory. It occurs, at once, that if the Ameri- 
 can OoTernment used those words in the sense afores;iid, which it never explained 
 In spite of the repeated requests made to it for that purpose, what was the rea- 
 son why it did not show at that time the frankness now displayed by its Com- 
 mission? Why instead of .stating that the Paris conference should determine the 
 control, disposition and government of the Philippine Islands did it not say that 
 said conference should decide about the sovereignty over said islands, by agree- 
 ing or disagreeing as to their cession to the United States, as now demanded by 
 the American Commissioners, on the ground that such a cession is also embraced 
 in those phrases? Would not this have been briefer, more explicit and more 
 frank? 
 
 But. is it possible to accept the construction placed now. out of season, by 
 the American Commissioners vipon the said phrases? They said that the word 
 "control" (controle in French) cannot be taken in the sense of register (investi- 
 gation or inspection), but in the sense of authority or command. And why? Be- 
 cause this is the broadest meaning of the word in the English language. But 
 the American Commissioners have failed to notice that the Pnttocol was also 
 written in French, that the Secretary of State at Washington affixed his signa- 
 ture to the official copy so written of the instrument, and that the word "con- 
 trole" in French does not mean what 'qsnSna ni osiu su 'a'iuo jnq *poinii?[o si 
 
 146 
 
Investisatiou oi- iiispfL-tluii. I!iu how liiii ili.- Aiii.-rlciiii Coniniissinni'i-s full to 
 reUogulze that wlieu a treaty bus hci-n olTlolally ilrawn in t\v.> .>r iiiDif laiiKuaBCS. 
 Ita words cannot be given a sense (linri'reiit from ilie one wlilili is eoninioii to 
 tben\ in those languages? 
 
 They also state that Ilie wonl .lispositiini nieMns nlienatloii. We ilo noi ileny 
 it, nithougli when the term is usetl in that sense It Is always in eonneetion with 
 legal business in private elvil life, beeause In Krench the most usual meaning of 
 the wonl is •■lUstribution aecording to a ciTtain and determined order." 
 
 Tliey affirm that the word governmeni means the right of administering or 
 exercising sovereignty: and allhough it is true that such a sense ean be admitted. 
 It is also true that the meaning of "manner of governing." or of "f.oiii whieh 
 may be given to the governmeni" eannot be rejected. 
 
 Kut whatever the sense may be in whhdi the said threi' words were nseil in 
 the third article of the I'l-otocol, evi'ii if snlTlcient information conld be found in 
 the record of the negotiation lo liv <\\r true sense in which they were used. II Is 
 Impossible not to see, as has been prov.-d. that the said words do not possess In 
 themselves a clear, precise nic-aiiing. incapable of lending Itself to doubts or 
 ambiguities. So if was already denmnstratcd by ai'tual facts. 
 
 The Sp.inish Oovernnieni and lis ri'presi-ntativc in Washington, on ilie very 
 ground tliat the said worlis lacked clearness, asked, although uselessly, for e.\- 
 planath)ns. .\nd who Insisted with real stubbornness upon retaining such obscure 
 phrases'; It cannot be denici ibai it was the Covernment of Washington. Let 
 the American ronimissioncrs be pl.'ascil to rcail what the immortal Vatti'l. one of 
 the greatest authorities on all things referring to internatioual relations, says in 
 his Law of Nations, Vol. III. page 1!)7. "The doulit must he resolved against the 
 one who has given the law in the treaty, liecansc he is in some manner the one 
 who dictated it. and it is his fault if he has no] expressed himself with more 
 clearness. Hy extending or rc'stricting tl.e meaning of the words in the sense 
 which is less favorable, im injury is done to him. other th.iu that wbi.li be was 
 ■willing to incur. But l)y making the interpretation otherwise the risk uoiil.l bi- 
 run to convert vague or ambiguous terms into bimds to tie up the feebler of the 
 COEitracting parties, who was compelled to receive what the strougi-r <lictated." 
 
 The Spanish Commission has just stated that the record of the lu^gotiations 
 contains suft'icieni data to fix the true sense of those three very nn'morable 
 words. 
 
 The American Commission, ..ii ils part, affirms the same thing. Let us see. 
 then, to which of the two conlradict.)ry constructions, adhered to by either Com- 
 mission, must be given preference. 
 
 It is stated in the Anieiican memorandum as the basis upon which, as has 
 already been said, the whole reckoning thereof is founded.- that in Article III 
 of the Protocol the point relating to the sovereignty over the I'hilippine Archi- 
 pelago was left to the free decision of the Paris conference to which tlie framing 
 of the treaty of peace was entrusted. But has the American Commission taken 
 Into consideration, when making such a grave alTlrmation. that the Washing- 
 ton Secretary of State, in his dispatch of July M last, in which he communi- 
 cated to the Spanish Governmi-nl the three conditions imposed upon the latter by 
 the United States, before cou.senting to re-establisli peace, and in which Article 
 III was, as before said, couciied iu the same language which was afterwards 
 used in the Protocol, provided also tor the appointment of Commissioners to 
 frame the treaty of peace, and fixed and circumscribed their powers in that 
 respect? In tliat dispatch the following paragraph occurs: "If the terms hereby 
 offered are accepted in their entirety. Commissioners will be named by the 
 United States to meet similarly authorized Coinndssioners on the part of Spain 
 for the purpose of settling the details of the treaty of peace and signing and 
 delivering it tinder the terms above indicated." Does the American Commission 
 understand that the unexpected demannd of the cession hy Spain of an iinmense 
 territory, the area of which exceeds SOO.OtX) square kilometres, ami whose popula- 
 tion is" over O.OOO.OtK) of inhabitants, is a detail in this treaty of peace? Do they 
 understand that the acquisition of an archipelago, whose importance as a fac- 
 tor in the near future for the peace of the worhi is no secret for any one, cii*. be 
 But let us go to the record, as the Ann rican Commission does, and search tor 
 light as to the meaning of tliose ambiguous words. 
 
 The American Commission narrates how the negotiations began. We agree with 
 Its narrative up to the point relating to the fir.-it confej-ence between Mr. Cambon 
 and the President of the Cnited Stat.-s. The mcn.orandum says that in that confer^ 
 one., the President said iu regard to the Philippines that the note (the cited note of 
 Julv MO) expressed the purposes of his Government, and that the linai disposition 
 to be made of those islands should depend upon the treaty to be negotiated by Com- 
 missioners. That after a subsequent discussion in whieh the President reiterated 
 that the treaty should determine the future of the Philippine Islands, Article III. 
 was read In which it was stated that the Coii.mlssioi ers should decde about the 
 
 147 
 
coutrole. the possession and the yoveriinii'iit of those ishiiids: that Mr. C'aiuboii pro- 
 posed the ehaii^e of the word possession into tlie word eonditioii. t>eeause he thought 
 the former could lie construed by Spain as threatening and severe; that the Presi- 
 dent refused to consent to the proposed change, but at last was induced to admit 
 the word disposition in place of the word possession, which, according to the 
 American Commissioners (we do not know w'hether on their own personal opinion 
 or on opinion expressed by the Fresidenti did not change the meaning, and which, 
 for havine so much amplitude, might also embrace possession. 
 
 Let us see now how Mr. Cambon relates what happened in that conference. In his 
 dispatch of the 31st of Jul.v he said to the Spanish Government what follow.s: 
 
 "The demands formulated in Article III (1 said to the President) are apt to en- 
 danger in Madrid the success of this preliminary negotiation, especially if the w'ord 
 possession is retained in eon,iuuction with controle and government of the Philippine 
 Islands, as it seems to put in doubt from this moment the sovereignty of Spain over 
 that colony. You will notice, the President of the Republic then told me, that my 
 demands as set forth in Articles I and II. admit of no discussion: I leave it to the 
 negotiators to decide the quistion of the Philippine Islands. If the American forcea 
 (let full attention be paid to these phrases) retain up to now their respective posi- 
 tions, it is in obedience to a duty imposed upon me, in favor of residents and for- 
 eigners, by the progress. . . (Here are some words which conld not be translated, 
 but which are easily understood to mean thi' Tagalo insurrection.) Seeing that tlie 
 President of the Republic was firm in not changing the terms of Article III. I made 
 such an urgent appeal to his generosity as to secure his order to use the word dis- 
 position instead of possession, as the former does not prejudge the result of the 
 negotiation and has not the comprehensive meaning which belongs to the other 
 word." 
 
 The American Commissioners will notice, no doubt, that between the two rela- 
 tions there are many differences. In tiieir own narration nothing is said in regard 
 to the only reason alleged by the President not to cause at once the American forces 
 to be withdrawn from the archipelago, a reason which reveals that the President at 
 that moment was very far from tblnliing that the sovereignty over that territory 
 should be asked to be transferred to the United States. According to the American 
 narration the word disposition was accepted because it contained the meaning of 
 the word possession. But according to Mr. Oambon's dispatch the word disposition 
 accepted in place of possession changed the comprehensive meaning of the article. 
 And be the American Commission or Mr. Cambon right or wrong, the result is that 
 the latter accepted the change because he understood that all question about the 
 sovereignty of Spain over the Philippine Islands was thereby eliminated. 
 
 On Friday the 3d of August the President held another conference with Mr. Cam- 
 bon. The memorandum reads that the latter stated at that time that Spain insisted 
 upon the pi>iiit tliat her soviTeignty should not h.- interfered with; that the President 
 replied that the disposition of the Philippine Islands should depend upon the treaty 
 to be negotiated; and that he could not make any change in the terms previously 
 proposed. 
 
 Let us see now how Mr. Cambon narrates, in his dispatch of August 4 to the 
 Spanish Minister of State, what passed at this Interview. 
 
 "Mr. McKlnley showed himself unyielding (regarding the cession of Porto Rico), 
 and he repeated that the question of the Philippines was the only oni' which was not 
 as yet finally settled in his mind." After narrating his insistence with respect to 
 the phrases which are already embodied in this memorandum. Mr Cambon cimtlnues; 
 "Mr. McKlnley answered me: 'I do not want any misunderstauding to remain on 
 this subject; the negotiators of the two countries shall be the ones to be called upon 
 to decide what are to be (note this) the permanent advantages we shall ask for in 
 the archipelago, and, finally, those to decide the intervention (controle). disposition 
 and government of the Philippine Island-s. .\nd,' he added, 'the (iovernment of Ma- 
 drid can rest assured that u)) to the present nothing against Spain has been settled a 
 priori in my own mind, as I myself consider that nothing is decided against the 
 United States.' " (Verbatim.) 
 
 Compare one narration with the other. That of the American memorandum 
 confined itself to the statement that the President had said that the disposition of 
 the Philippine Islands should depend upon the treaty, and that he could not make any 
 change in the words. But it omits the second and most important part of Mr. Cam- 
 bon's conversation as narrated by him. although it contains information capable of 
 removing all doubt in regard to this question. It is to be noticed, in the first place, 
 that while the word sovereignty used in connection with the Philippine Islands is 
 carefully avoided, both in this answer and In the former one and In the notes of 
 the American Government, the same pains are taken by the Spanish Government 
 and by Its representative in Washington to use the very same words and unceasingly 
 repeat that the Spanish sovereignty was not under discussion. Ijet this remark be 
 united to the others already made In regard to the persistent and clear although 
 implied refusal to explain the meaning of the words above mentioned. 
 
 148 
 
Hut in spite of all this, tlic I'risUli-iiI sriiil. niicl tlip Anieripan Conimlssion doi-s 
 not categorically deny it In Its memorandi'iii. that tlic Paris conference slionlil tie 
 tlie only one called upon to decide as 1" tlie ])ernianent advantages to be asked liy 
 the United States in tlii' I'hi;ipplnc Archipelasf. and as to the control, disposition 
 and covcrnnient of the islands. 
 
 The niemoranduni says thai the rresliient did not ( onflne himself to speaking of 
 permanent advantages. It is true that the Spanisli Conunission has not said, nor 
 does It say now. that lie confined himself to that point, for he added what has just 
 been referred to. But what has this to do with ignoring the meaning of the words 
 of the President? If his mind, already fully made up at that time, was to ask of the 
 conference not merely one but several permanent advantages to be enjo.ved by the 
 United Slates in the archipelago. 11 is self-evident tliat he did not think of asking tor 
 Ihe sovereignty. Could the latter ever lie considered as a permanent advantage of 
 the I'nited Slates in those islands? And even though so singular a byitotliesls were 
 upheld, how could the plural number used by the President of the Uidled Slates 
 be properly explained? To this observation already made in the preceding paper of 
 the Spanish Commission no answer has been given in the American memoraudum. 
 and the reason is that none can he given which can harmonize with the purposes It 
 Is there attempted to uphold. 
 
 We cannot occup.v ourselves with the indications made in Ihe memorandum about 
 the different languages spoken by both interlocutors in the aforesaid conferences. 
 Such a circumstance cannol impart any probability to the supposition that Ihe Presi- 
 dent did not express, not an incidental nlea. but the important and capital state- 
 ments which Mr. Cambon asserts he heard. If Mr. Cambon did not undersland what 
 the President said, although, as stated in the Memorandum, he had at his side his 
 own Secretary who understands and speaks the English language, nevertheless he 
 cannot be supposed to have attributed "o him. without deliberately violating truth, 
 such positive language as that recorded in his ilespatch. 
 
 Let us pass now to the note of the Spanish Government of August T The .\mer- 
 ican Commission concurs with the Spanish that in said note the <;overnuieui of 
 Madrid, upon stating that it accepted Article III. reserved a priori its sovereignty 
 over the Philippine Archipelago: therefore we deem it unnecessary again to tran- 
 scril>e its contents verbatim. The only .lifference existing between the two Commis- 
 sions lies in that while the Spanish Coranission asserts, and reiterates this assertion, 
 that in the note of its Government, on referring to the sovereignty therein reserved 
 for Spain, the adjective "entire" or "whole" was employed, the American Commis- 
 sion says tiutt there is no such adjective in the English translation of the note wh'ch 
 Mr. Cambon delivered to the Governmenl of Washington. We have the copy, not 
 the translation, as it is called in the American memorandum, of the original note of 
 the Spanish Government, which we place at the disposal of the American Commis- 
 sion. Therein appears tlie adjective. If when Ihe translation thereof into English 
 was made in Washington 11 was omitted. It is a matter with which the Amcrlan Com. 
 mission is acquainted, as it has seen su^'h translation; but the Spanish Commission, 
 who never hati knowledge of it. cannot bui be ignorant of it. The ditterenee is of no 
 importance whatever, since, having Ihe said adjective out of the question, the truth 
 is. and the American Commission acknowledges it. that Ihe Spanish Government 
 reserved therein a priori its sovereignty over the Philippines, and that it only ac- 
 cepted .\rticle III with this reservation. .\nd if liie Spanish Ciovernment liid not 
 change its luiud afterwards- and tills in fact is not asserted, nor would such an as- 
 sertion be possible, in the .\merican mciUoraudum— the result must always be that 
 the Protocol and its 'M .\rticle clo not in good law bind Ihe Spanish Government save 
 with the express reservation it made on accepting it, and which it did not subse- 
 quently witlidraw. 
 
 But in Ihe American memorandum, doubtless recognizing the incontrovertli>le 
 force of the consequence which grew out of the Protocol having been signed without 
 tlie Government of Washington, once apprised of such reservation, making any ob- 
 jection thereto, it is stated that the President of the I'nlon as well as his Secretary 
 of State, on hearing tlie salil note read, remarked that it was vague and indefinite, 
 purporting to accept the terms of that of tlie United States, while it reqiiireil some 
 raodificalion, and, as regards the Philippines, while In one paragraph it stated ihe 
 acceptance of the article, in another it seemed to retain tiie full right of 'sovereignty. 
 Tile argument Is skilful, but unfortunately its aecurac.T is not as apparent as its 
 skiifuiiiess. It is true thai Ihe said genilemen showeil their dissatisfaction upcui 
 Ihe note being read to them. What is apparently inaccurate. Judging from what Mr. 
 Cambon then said, is that Ihe cause of the dissatisfaction was what was said, not 
 vaguely and indefinitely, but clearly and explicitly, in the note as to the reservation 
 whii b Spain made of her sovereignly ovi r the archipelago. The very .Vmerican 
 memorandum transcribed the |)aragraph in interest of the note, and tlierciu this res- 
 ervation appears, not vague ami uncerlain. but express, clear and explicit. The 
 cause for his dissatisfaction at the time given by the President was a very different 
 
 149 
 
one. which Mr. Cnmbon rffrrs to in rhf followin;;; (inr;i;;rniih from his dospatt-h of 
 August 10. Here it is: 
 
 "Dulse: Again has it been at the White House, in the presence of Mr. MeKinle.v, 
 and at his express request, that I have coinninnicated to the Secretary of State the 
 telegram (the note aforesaid) of August 7. in which Your Excellenc.r declares that the 
 Government of Spain accepts the ccndilions imposed t>.T the United States. This read- 
 ing visibl.v displeased the President of the Kepnblie and tlie Secretary of State. After 
 a long silence Mr. McKinley said to me: 'I had asked of Spain the cession, and con- 
 sequentl.v the immediate evacuation [we have been unable to ascertain when this im- 
 mediate evacuation was requested] of the Islands of Cuba and I'oito Rico. Instead of 
 the categorical acceptance I expected, the Spanish Government addresses me a note 
 in which it invokes the necessity of obtaining the approval of the Cortes. I cannot 
 lend ni.vself to going into these considerations of an internal nature.' I observed 
 that the Government of Her Majesty in complying with its constitutional duties did 
 no more than follow the Tresident upon whom like obligations are imposed, and that 
 in his repl.v of .lul.v .^0 he had expressly reserved the ratification b.v the Federal Sen- 
 ate." (This is the fact, and so it appears from said despatch of Jul.v 80.) 
 
 Neither the President nor his Secretary of State advanced any reason for their 
 displeasure other than the foregoing, and, according to Mr. rambon, these gentlemen 
 said nothing during the conversati(ui respecting the said reservation made by Spain 
 of her sovereignty over the archipelago, nor regarding anything else whatever save 
 the reservation of the Spanish Government as to the approval of the Cortes. 
 
 Thu.s the President ended by answering Mr. Cambon. who questioned him as to 
 the pledges of sincerity Spain might give, as follows: "There might be a means of 
 putting an end to all misunderstanding; we might draw up a pro,iect which shall re- 
 produce the conditions proposed to Spain in the same terms in which I have already 
 framed them, [up to this time this was in effect all that had been agreed upon) and 
 which shall establish the terms within which there shall be named on the one hand 
 the Plenipotentiaries charged with negotiating the treaty of peace in Paris, and on 
 tlie other the special Commissioners intrusted with the determining of the details for 
 the evacuation of Cuba and Porto Rico." (The iceorporation of this was overlooked 
 in the note of July 30. and this alone would have been sufficient to explain the 
 change in the framing of the conditions of peace,) 
 
 See. then, if there is not an immense difference between what is stated in the 
 A;iierienn memorandum and what Mr. Caaibcn said to the Spanish Government in his 
 note of August 10. or immediately after having been present at so important a con- 
 ference, and when, consequently, what occurred thereat was fresh in his mind. Doing 
 justice to the absolute truthfulness of the American Commissioners, their account of 
 that conference, three months after it was held, cannot be preferred by the Spanish 
 Commissioners to that of Hon. Jlr. Cambou. who gave his immediately after the 
 happening of the event, which he so minutely recounted in his despatch. 
 
 It is denied in the American memorandum that the Secretary of State of ^\■a.sh- 
 ington stated in his note of August 10 to Mr. Cambon. as the Spanish Commission 
 had asserted, that the note of the Government of Madrid (that of August 7) con- 
 tained in its spirit an acceptance by Spain of the conditions imposed by the I'uited 
 States, and in this connection the said note is inserted literally. 
 
 The Spanish Commission corrects its former assertion, accommodating it to the 
 above. Knt it is due to it to say that on making the assertion it referred to the note 
 of Mr. I'ambon of August 11, which begins with the paragraph following: 
 
 "Duke: Upon transmitting to me the draft of the Protocol, the text of which I 
 have wired Your Excellency, the Secretary of State addressed me a note which may 
 be epitomized as follows: .\lthough the note delivered yesterday at the White House 
 conveys in its spirit an acceptance by Spain of the conditions proposed by the 
 United States, in its form it does not so specify with sufficient explieitness. owing 
 doubtless to its -having to be translated .ind put in eiiiber several times." 
 
 These words, which may well be e.'splained without detracting from the unques-, 
 tioned veracity of the Hon. Mr. Cambon. led. as they could not but do. the Spanish 
 Commissioners into error. The.v nobly comply with the duty of so admitting. 
 
 Btit after all the difference is unimportant. The Secretary of State (and this cer- 
 tainly does apiiear from his own letter) raised no objection to the Spanish note of 
 August 7, other than that it was not entirely explicit, undoubtedly due to the various 
 transformations which it had undergone. Bjit the fact is that the Secretary of State 
 could not possibly have directed big objection to the paragraph of said note, perfectly 
 well translated into English {save the adjective "entire"), which is copied in the 
 American memorandum, and which it is said was read to the President of the Amer- 
 ican Union and his Secretary of State, wherein the Spanish Goverument clearly, ex- 
 jilieitly and conclusively reserves a priori its sovereignty over the Philippines. AU 
 the remaining contents of the note may be little explicit, if it is wished so to assert, 
 but that reservation was not, surely. Therefore the note to which we refer does not 
 contradict the statement we are supporting, tliHt tlie said resi-rvation. of which the 
 Government of Washington was opporKuiely apprised and wliieli apiicars so clearly 
 
 150 
 
Ill till' ICiisllsli traiislMlii.n in its pcissrs->iiin. was not by it i-initniaiftcil. nor did ii 
 s.-iv.. as a n-asou for ,Mnpl...vintr tlw <n-w form <if Protoool as a moans of soU-mni/.lii;; 
 till- aKi-p.-iiiciit upon till- l.ascs of poaoo. Tliis reason idoarly stands out In the docu- 
 tneiits already examined whieli said negotiations emliody. 
 
 In view of the foregoing. It seems to us that whatever may liave lieeii lin- real 
 intentions of the Government of Washington, its aets and its written and spoken 
 words do not snfflee to overcome the assertion we make that Spain aeeepted the Sil 
 artloie of the Trotoeol In the sense eomninnicaied to that Coverninent. and not eon- 
 tradieted by it. that Its sovereignty over I lie riiiiippinos was presprvi'd (M (re- 
 served) a pri.iri. slnee their eonlrol. disposition ami government, whieh were to he de- 
 termined liy the Paris conference, referred only to their Internal reglnH'. And this, of 
 itself, wonid be sufficient to maintain without fear of successful contradiction that 
 this conference cannot consider, nor has it the power to consider, the cession ask^d 
 by the United States, evi'ii though In the hyiMiliiesls to ..ur mind impossible that the 
 proof, drawn from the very words of ilu' I'resident of the T^nion. which we havi' 
 attempted to furnish and we think we li:nc turiiislied. Ihat in his own mind at that 
 time the said sovereignty was beyonil all subsequent discussion, should be destroyed. 
 
 What is the Spanish Commission to say with respe<-t to the words it reads In the 
 American memorandum which seem to <ei'k in a war indemnity a ground for their 
 present request; as though this were not excluded from discussion, and It had not 
 been acknowledged by the very American Commission that it had been agreed to 
 cover this indemnity for the expenses of the war. and not only these, but also the 
 claims of American citizens, the majority of which, if not all. natives of Cuba, ai 
 though apparently lati>r naturalized in the United States, who had suft'ered injuries 
 In the last insurrection, by the cession of Porto Rico, the other West Indies, and the 
 Island of Guam in the Mariana? 
 
 Or. is this Indemnity to be an open aecount in which it shall be proper lo ask ail 
 that remains to Spain, including the Peninsula itself? 
 
 Certainly the limiting of the indemnity to the Island of Guam in the East is 
 another Indication which proves that the United States did not think at the time of 
 the Philippine Islands. If they did. is it conceivable that they would then claim, at 
 the outset, a small and Insignificant island and fail to claim the immense Philip- 
 pine Empire which was so near to it? 
 
 Be it acknowledged, then, that the demand or request for the Philippine Archi- 
 pelago which is made for the United States in the form and under the conditions set 
 forth In the American proposition, lacks foundations. While this cession is claimed 
 in such form and under such cnnrlitions, tlie Spanish Commission cannot but de- 
 cline It. 
 
 Memorandum in Support of the Last Spanish Proposal. 
 
 It will be remembered that in ihal pr sal, the Spanish Commissioners a.sked 
 
 that the American Commissioners should present another adjusting the same to the 
 stipulations of Articles III and VI of the Protocol, that is, expounding the form of 
 Intervention, disposition and government whicli should be established by Spain In the 
 Philippines, the return of the city, bay and harbor of Manila, the release of Its gar- 
 rison, now held as prisoners, the refunding of tlie public moneys, revenues and im- 
 posts which might have been collected up to the time when the city might be de- 
 livered, and the undertaking or say the acknowledgment on the part of the United 
 States of the obligation to indemnify Spain for the detention of the troops that gar- 
 risoned the city when it surrendered on the Hth of August last. 
 
 The American Commission has rejected that proposal because In its judgment the 
 aforesaid Articles III and VI of Ihe I'rotocol do not demand that it be presented. 
 
 With respect to the first pari whieh refers to the intervention, disposition and 
 government of the archipelago, all attempt lo demonstrate here that Article III is 
 not in accordance with the American proposal which, instead of addressing itself to 
 the internal regime of these Islands, asks their cession to the United States, would 
 be a mere repetition of the statements set forth by the Spanish Commission in the 
 preceding part of this paper. 
 
 It Is believed that its arguments show with the clearness of noon-day that the 
 cession of these Islands which In every respect foreign to the provisions in the Wash- 
 ington agreement Is one thing, and that the internal regime of the said Island.s, which 
 under the aforesaid Article III may and must be a matter for the treaty of iieace. Is 
 another. ., 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners would then be remiss in their own convictions ii 
 they did not persist in requesting the American Commission to present a proposal 
 
 IM The Spanish text here is 'a priori quedaba a salvo la soberania,-— m Eiislwh the sov- 
 creiBnty ««s a priori or from the beilinajng left Ui «ifety. or p^eser^■e<^, or conserred." In llic fore- 
 BOiiiB iwse the SpanWi test insti'ad of ■.incdaba a sj.bo" r.-a.Ls r.swva. [Note of traiislalor. 1 
 
 151 
 
concerning said regime in which the 3rd Article of the said agreement will remain 
 unbroken, not only in Its meaning bnt also in its intent 
 
 In the first paragraph of the proposal with especial reference to the capture ot 
 Manila the immediate return to Spain of the city, its bay and harbor is demanded 
 
 By way ot rectifying here one of the niisai.prehensions of fact that aboun.l in the 
 American memorandum, we have to put it on re,.,rd that the Spanish proposal did 
 not demand that immediate return, nor the immediate execution of anythin-. set 
 forth in the following paragraphs of the proposition, which contain nothing to be in- 
 stantly done. The immediate delivery was. as it could not otherwise be to bo ef- 
 fected upon the con.-lusion of the treaty of peace. So conclusive is the proof that the 
 Spanish Commissioners were bound to suppose that they should never be called upon 
 to make this rectification. The first paragraph of the aforesaid proposal reads as fol- 
 lows: "The Spanish Commissioners therefore in accordance with the express stipula- 
 tlons of the Protocol understand that the treaty of peace must provide for first the 
 delivery, etc." If this was to be agreed upon in the treaty of peace how can it be 
 supposed t.hat the Spanish Commission should ask that the delivery be elTected be- 
 fore it was agreed on? 
 
 We shall now clear this memorandum of difficulties bv making two rectifications 
 of a personal character before taking up the discussion of the point bearing on the 
 surrender and capitulation of Manila and their consequences. There is not in the 
 Si):inish mcnioraiidum. to which the last American mcnioranduiu is a reply a single 
 sentence that assails or wounds the respectability of General Merritt and' Admiral 
 Dewey. The American memorandum would intimate that the idea is suggested with 
 more or less ability in the Spanish memorandum that the military commanders of 
 the Union conquered the city of Manila by the force of arms on the ]3th of An^'ust 
 when they already knew that the suspension of hostilities had been agreed on This 
 Is an error. The Spanish Commission did not use. is not in the Jiabit of using cun- 
 ning of any kind to conceal its sentiments. If it had believed that these generals had 
 broken the armistice after receiving notice ot its conclusion, it would have said so 
 openly. By so doing it would not have been lacking in the regard which these com- 
 manders deserve, in the same way as it occurred to no one in 1871 that it was a 
 lacking of the regard due to the German General de Manteuffel to charge him with 
 the offence which he committed when, after a partial armistice between" the French 
 and German forces had been signed, he availed himself of the mistake made by Gen- 
 eral Clinchant upon the extension of the said armistice, and surrendered the" army 
 corps under his command and compelled it to take refuge in Switzerland. We have 
 said nothing, we have nothing to say against the personal behavior of these two 
 commanders. On the contrary we .-an state a fact that redounds to the credit of the 
 fine sentiments of the Admiral. On the 1st of .May. he sent to the Governor-General 
 of Manila from the Olymiiia. perhaps uuder the intoxicating infinence of victory a 
 communication which read as follows: "If all the vessels, torpedo boats and war sh'ips 
 under the Spanish flag do not surrender immediately Manila will be de-stroyed." 
 
 We presume that this communication will -have no place in the chapter of history 
 In which are recorded the services rendered to the cause of humanity of which there 
 is so much ostentation in these days. But we take pleasure in acknowledging that the 
 author of this draconian order, refrained, in the spontaneousness of his kind feelings, 
 from carrying it out. although he might have had the power to attempt it 
 
 This cannot prevent us from not carrying the f.ivorable oijlnh.n to which the hon- 
 orable commanders are personally entitled to the point of considering ourselves 
 obliged to them for their deliberately postponing the surrender of the city until the 
 13th of August for the purpose of -protecting the city and the Spanish residents 
 against the awful vengeance of the insurgents." This purpose does not seem com- 
 prehensible: in the early days of May the insurgents were not yet besieging from the 
 huid side the city, which was only blockaded from the bay by the American fleet. 
 They began afterwards and not with the same numbers of" forces from the outset, 
 since these were increased little by little, until they made up the masses ot insur- 
 gents \vlio were in front of the trenches of defence on the day of the surrender. So 
 that if the American commanders had not taken possession of the city until then 
 for the reason above mentioned, they should much less have done so thereafter. But 
 besides this, it is demonstrated by the fact that such a danger did not exist, for It 
 could at all times have been avoided by the American forces which upon the surron- 
 der of Manila should have landed in and garrisoned the city, in the same way as it 
 was avoided after the 14th of August, in spite of the fact that as above stated the 
 Insurgents in arms who prevailed outside of tlie city were in larger numbers. 
 
 It may thus be seen how It is no sin of ingratitude to fail in recognizing that 
 supposed service at the hands of tlie aforesaid commanders, without this being in any 
 way a hindrance to the favorable opinion to which their personal behavior entitled 
 them. 
 
 Ori the other lianil. the American memoi'; 
 surrender and the exit from Manila of the 
 
 152 
 
 liiiii ill iis n 
 
 ■(■cr.lHe 
 
 1.1 the unexpected 
 
 teneral in e 
 
 onuiianti 
 
 of the Spanish 
 
troops on the evening before the surrender, uses a word altogether irreeonelhtble 
 with the honor of a soldier. Whatever may have been the eonduct of that eomniau- 
 der, he Is under the protection of the law and tribunals of his country, which will 
 look Into his actions for the purpose of approval or disapproval as the case may re- 
 qvilre: but ho is not at the mercy of any one else. and. above all, of opinions of an 
 official character that would he delivered abroad and by foreigners. 
 
 We have laid down in the seconil pan of this memorandum that in the so often 
 cited 3d article nt Ihe Protocol the occupation by the forces of the United States of 
 the city, harbor and bay of Manila until the conclusion of the treaty of peace had 
 been agreed upon merely by way of a guaranty. It is therein demonstrated tiiat the 
 Government of Madrid accepted this occupation In that sense, without express fou- 
 tradletion on the part of the Government of Washington. 
 
 It seems that In the American memorandum it is endeavored to inject the idea 
 that such occupation should ilicewlse have the character of an Indemnity for the ex- 
 penses of the war based on the fact th.it in the note of .Tuiy .30. in which the Secre- 
 tary of State communicated to the Spanish Government tlie three conditions upon 
 which peace could be restored, after saying in the second that by way of such In 
 demnity Spain must cede Porto Rico, the other West Indies and the Island of Guam, 
 the 3rd article began with the words; "On similar grounds the United States is en- 
 titled to occupy the city of Manila, etc." .4t first sight the argument is not wanfing 
 In force; but the American Commissioners iinow perfectly well that this is only ap- 
 parent, and that what did occur proves absolnleiy the contrary. Although the Spanl.^h 
 Government in its note of August 7 and lis representative in the conferences with 
 tile I'resiclent of the liepuljlir. stat<-d ami insisteil that tin* oecujtal ion of M;iiiila w:is 
 to have no character other than that of a mere guaranty, the said words are sup- 
 pressed in the Protocol. So that the latter failed to express any connection between 
 the future occupation of said placi- and the payment of the war indemnity, and 
 moreover It failed to state that the United States were alread.v entitled to occupy it. 
 Doubtless, for this reason, the idea Is only hinted at. liut not developed, nor cate- 
 gorically asserted In the American memorandum. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners acknowledge having been agreeably surprised on 
 noticing that in this document the -American Commissioners do not allege, as had 
 been alleged by tiie American Government on replying to the note of the Spanish 
 G()venniient of September T last, I lie peremplor.v reason that the suspension of hos- 
 tilities, aecording to tile i;tli .\rtiele of the I'roloeol. o\lght not to go iiilo elTi'ct ini- 
 uiedialeiy upon the eoni'lmling and signing of this instriiiuent. but after notice there- 
 of to the eommanders of tlie hostile forces, an allegation wliicii w.is made notwith- 
 standing tile fact tiiat a p^iiiit of such imporlaiieeliafi been expounded, reasoiu'-d and 
 demonstrated with all care in the Spanish document to whieii that reply was given. 
 This action of the .\nierican Commissioners proves their sound .judgment and learn- 
 ing in the premises. be<*ause It is equivalent to an implied reeognlllon of 'the validity 
 of the Spanish view on the subject, whicii, after all, is eiementar.v and which as 
 a current doctriae lias never been attacived b.v any one. 
 
 Xe\'ertiieless Ihey endeavor, upon argumnts analogous to those set forth In the 
 said reply of the Government of the United States to the note of the Government of 
 XIadrid of September 7 last, to invalidate the Spanish claim as to the capitulation of 
 Manila, for being tardily made. The Spanish Commissioners are unable to see tlie 
 force of this argument. The Government of Madrid formulated this claim with ever-r 
 solemnity in the said note, or in other words, twenty-three days after the capitula- 
 tion of Manila. What laws or practice justify holding a claim of ihis kind as forfeited 
 when not presented before the twenty-third day subsequent to the act giving rise to it? 
 
 Entering into tiie field of the intentions of tlie Spanish Government, it is stated 
 further that the latter supposed that the above act of war liad been perfectiv correct, 
 when a few days later it requested of the American Govemiiient permission to trans- 
 port provisions to the Philippines and reestablish its regular mail service. When this 
 occurred, the Spanish Government was still ignorant of the events wlilch had taken 
 place on the 14th of that month in Manila. The American Commission also leaves It 
 to be understood that this is so. But even if the Spanish Government hail been 
 cognizant of those events, what permission is that which It is supposed the Spanish 
 Government requested? What happened was only what could not fall to occur be- 
 tween (iovernnieiits whicli. although enemies, observe at ail times the duties which 
 oprlghtncss imposes upon all. 
 
 The status quo growing out of the suspension of hostilities prohiliited each ot 
 the belligerents from improving his situation to the prejudice of the other while suck 
 status lasted. The Spanish Governmenl. like any other which does not wish to fall 
 In Its said duties, was bound to communicate to the American Government, acting io 
 coiliert with it. the re-estaljllsiiiiii'iil of the service whieii existed prior Io the war. 
 The Government of Washicgton acted in the same way when on August IG It re- 
 quested the consent of the Government of Madrid t" re eslalillsli Iho telegraphic 
 service between Manila ami Hong Kong. 
 
 Let It be acknowledged then that the claim ot the Spanish tJoverument was 
 
lodged in Umv. ;iud that even if it had nut been then presented, its Commission was 
 authorized to malip it now. since it is em powered to ask for everythins that shall 
 lead to a faithful and strict oarrying out of the convention of Washington. 
 
 It is therefore settled, since it has not been contradicted in the American mem- 
 orandum to which this is a reply, that the suspension of hostilities agreed upon In the 
 6th Article of the Protocol went into legal effect immediately after the latter was 
 signed on the afternoon of August 12 of this year. And let it be borne in mind that 
 "if there is one rule of the law of war more clear and peremptory than another. It Is 
 that compacts between enemies, such as truces and capitulations, shall be faithfully 
 adhered to, and their non-observance is denounced as being manifestly at variance 
 with the true interest and duty, not only of the immediate parties, but of all man- 
 kind." The .\merican Commissioners will not repudiate these words as they are 
 those of their learned countryman, the eminent "Wh.uton, in his Digest of Interna- 
 tional Law, made up of passages taken from Presidents, Secretaries of State, decis- 
 ions of Federal Courts, and opinions of .attorneys General. 
 
 Have the provisions of the fith -Article of the Protocol been observed with this 
 scrupulousness? On the l.?th day of August the city of Manila was bombarded and 
 on the 14th it surrendered. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners have no reason whatever for asserting that the Com- 
 manders of the American forces knew that the hostilities were suspended. But it 
 is a fact that the said hostile act was executed after this suspension. 
 
 -\nd in this connection the Spanish Commissioners have to complete the short 
 history recounted in the Americ-an Memorandum, regarding the reestablishing of the 
 Manila cable. It is stated therein that it was the Government of Washington which. 
 on .\ugust 10. through a note to the -Embassador of France, requested the consent 
 of the Spanish Government to the re-estalilishmeiit of telegraphic communieation be- 
 tween that place and Hong Kong. This is true, but so also is what Is about to be re- 
 lated. The American -Admiral had cut the .said cable at the beginning of the campaign. 
 After several fruitless efforts of the Spanish Director General of Posts and Tele- 
 graphs with the concessionar\- company looking to the re-establishment of its service, 
 on July 9 last the said Director insisted on the re-establishment, agreeing on the part 
 of Spain to the absolute neutrality of the service- The company brought this pro- 
 posal to the notice of the Ambassador of the United States in London, in order also 
 to obtain his r-onsent. But the latter on the 16th of the same month replied that his 
 Government preferred that It remain cut. It results from this that if there was no 
 direct communication with Manila, via Hong Kong, on August 12, when the Protocol 
 was signed, it was due to the Government of Washington, which one month before 
 had opposed its re-e.stablishment. This is another reason, were it necessary (which it 
 is noti to prove that the ignorance of the American commanders, when attacking 
 the place on -August 13, of the suspension of hostilities, not only cannot serve as a 
 reason for the United States to profit by the act of war then executed in violation 
 of what their Government had agreed to the previous day, but furnishes a ground 
 upon which to base a claim for the unjiistifled damage the said act inflicted upon the 
 other belligerent party. 
 
 All the arguments set forth in the American memorandum as to the legal charac- 
 ter it is there endeavored to give to the surrender and capitulation of Manila and to 
 the acts since then executed in the city and even outside of it, by the commanders 
 of the military forces of the Union, may be reduced to the following affirmations: 
 
 FIRST. The legal character of the said capitulation is the same as that which 
 would correspond to the peaceful surrender of the place, pursuant to the stipulations 
 of Article III of the Protocol, and therefore the rights which the belligereut party 
 has in the place he occupies as a guaranty are the same as he would have if lie oc- 
 cupied it through an act of conquest in an act of war; and 
 
 SECOND. The occupation of Manila, its harbor and bay, stipulated in -Vrticle III 
 of the Protocol, was a military occupation. 
 
 The Spanish Commission would never have believed that it would have to correct 
 such grave errors, had it not seen them written in the American memorandum. 
 
 It is elementary on the subject that the occupation of a place or of a territor.v, 
 agreed upon by belligereut parties Ih.-it it may serve as a guaranty for the stipula- 
 tions of a treaty, or the performance of an obligation resting ou the party possessing 
 the sovereignty over the place or territory.occupied, has not and cannot have any 
 title other than that in the convention iu which it is stipulated. But the title to oc- 
 cupation by main force of a place or territory which surrenders through an act of 
 war, has a special name, which is capitulation. And to so denominate what was 
 agreed on in the Protocol in order thereby to bring under its terms the illegal capitu- 
 lation of Manila after the signing of that instrument, is an error Into which no ouo 
 up to this time has officially or sclentiflcally fallen, and which neither the technical 
 nor ordinary meaning of the word capitulation would admit. The peaceful occupatiou 
 as a guaranty conveys no more right to the occupying party thau of establishing the 
 garrisons or maintaining the military forces he may deem necessary, in the place or 
 territory, to retain it in his possession, until the performance of the principal obliga- 
 
 154 
 
tion of whlfh tho ciocupation Is tlio guaranty. It Is nnturnl tliat the iin>vlsionin!.' of tlio 
 army of ooenpntlon should be at the expcnsi- of the sovereign of tho territory occu- 
 pied. But although this provisioning la a natural londitlon. It Is not essential to the 
 convention. Therefore in the most prominent eases whleh have arisen of occupation 
 of this kind the occupying party took good care expressly to stipulate the obligation 
 to provision. Well known are the eases of occupallon by nay of gtniranty of several 
 departments of France which occurred io LSI." and In 1.S71. the former at the end 
 of tile wars of the Knipiri' and the latter at the eoneinsion of tile Franco-Prasslan 
 war. There It wag expressly stipulated that the maintenance of the army of occupa- 
 tion should be at the expense of the French Government. This was not done In Ar- 
 ticle III of the Protocol of Washington. 
 
 All the other rights of sovereignly, signally the collection of revenues and publ'e 
 taxes, continue in the peaceful possession of the sovereign of the territory occupied. 
 Tlie party occupant must religiously respect such rights. The legitimacy of his acts 
 does not extend beyond what may be necessary to meet the vmla of the occupation. 
 
 From these elementary principles, which for the present case do not need to be 
 enlarged upon. It results that the I'liltiMl States, pursuant to the stipulations of Ar- 
 ticle III of the Protocol, has no further right than to retain in its possession until 
 the conclusion of the treaty of peace the city, harbor and bay of Manila as a guar- 
 anty of the engagements of said Protocol, and. therefore, no more than the right to 
 garrison the said city, bay and harbor with the nece.ssiiry forces of its army and 
 navy, but respecting the exercise of the soveri'ignty of Spain over the satue in every- 
 thing else compatible with this right to garrison, which is the proper designation of 
 a guaranty occupation. 
 
 But the occupation of a city or territory through an act of war gives fuller rights 
 to the helligerent who has taken forcible possession of one or the other. He does not 
 acquire, it is true, through conquest, the right of sovereignty over the conquered ter- 
 ritory, but he does acquire the possession and lemi>orary exercise of this sovereignty. 
 While the oeeupation lasts the prerogatives of the sovereign, political, flnanclal, and 
 even executive, may be exercised by the oi-eup.int. but always with the moderaliou 
 required by the respect due the rights of the pacific inhabitants, since nowadays war 
 Is not waged between the peoples, but between the armed forces of the belligerent 
 states. 
 
 What goes before suffices to bring out the capital difference which precludes «ny 
 one from confounding the peaceful guaranty o<'cupatlon with the belligerent occu- 
 pation or conquest. On what ground does the United States persist after the 14th of 
 August in occupying the city, harbor and bay of Manila? On the ground of bellig- 
 erent occupation, having taken the city by force after the Protocol was signed, Oa 
 what ground has the United States the exclusive right to occupy that city, bay and 
 harbor? On tlie ground of a peaceful guaranty occupation, and nothing more than 
 this, pursuant to tlie stipulations of Article HI of the said compact. How, then, 
 can it be asserted that the character of such occupation Is Immaterial in this case? 
 
 It is needless to lay further stress upon one of the most elementary points in the 
 matter of the international law of war- 
 
 The second error tliat is displayed in the American memorandum consists in sup- 
 posing that the occupation agreed to in the Protocol was a military one. Those who 
 understand this expression in the .sense of occupation with military forces there can 
 have no doubt whatever in applying the same denomination to these two kinds of 
 occupation, although they are s'o different. But for those who, using the technical 
 term sanctioned by science and by the treaties, call military occupation only that 
 which is belligerent, or flTected by force, the occnjiation agreed to in the Protocol 
 cannot be termed a military one. 
 
 It is therefore useless to endeavor lo bring under a common denomination acts 
 which are esseutiall.v different and whjse lawful consequences have never been con- 
 founded. The occupation of the city, bay and harbor of Manila granted to the 
 United States by the Washington agreement. Is not a military or belligerent occupa- 
 tion, from whioh can lawfully be derived the rights and faculties which are inherent 
 therein. 
 
 It cannot be doubted that the commanders of the American forces in tlii' I'hil- 
 'ippines fell into the same error as the memorandum. One can understand that once 
 in possession of the plaee nad while they bad no notice of the suspension of hoslIII- 
 tles they should have commenced to exercise all the rights and privileges of a mili- 
 tary or belligerent occupant. But the American memorandum admits that on the 
 16th of August these commanders were advised of the stipulated suspension of hos- 
 tilities. Notwithstanding this, they continued lo exercise these rights and privileges, 
 which they did not possess, and which they ought to have known they did not pos- 
 sess. On that date the machinery of Spanish administration was still in operation. 
 It was on the 16th of August that the .\merican forces began to take possession 
 manu milltarl of that machinery, i>f the public moneys, revenues and Imposts, and 
 also to hold as prisoners the Spanish troops that had surrendi^red on tlic 14th. 
 
 We believe It unnecessary to itisist any ioiigi-r upon the refutation of errors of 
 
 155 
 
such gravity and importance, for which a single explanation can be found only in the 
 sad and dire necessity of using them as the only means of defence on a point whioh 
 is battered from all quarters. 
 
 And as we have been unable to come across auy argument in the American 
 memorandum more substantial than those referred to, among those that were ad- 
 vanced against the Spanish proposal, this Commission considers It Its duty to support 
 It and set forth that it cannot concur in the conclusion with which the memorandum 
 closes. 
 
 The Spanish Commission might here put an end to this paper, were it not for tie 
 earnest desire with which it Is animated of seeking on its part some means of re- 
 moving the obstacles which are now stanfl'ing in the way of the work of peace en- 
 trusted to these conferences, and of facilitating to both Commissions the fulfilment 
 of a charge which cannot but be in perfect harmony with the sentiments of human- 
 ity and patriotism which surely Inspire them both in the same degree. 
 
 Whether the interpretation of Articles III and VI of the Protocol as given by the 
 American Commission, or as insisted upon by the Spanish Commission, is accepted, 
 the fact remains unfortunately that a situation is created which can be settled only 
 'by the good faith of both parties. Be it because the conference of Paris has no pow- 
 ers to consider the question concerning the .sovereignty over the Philippine Archi- 
 pelago, in the manner and form proposed by the American Commission; be it because 
 even though it had such powers, it also would have to enjoy the natural and legiti- 
 mate freedom of exercising them in the sense dictated by their eonseienee to the 
 members thereof— the real fact is that as the opinion of the Joint Commission Is 
 equally divided on the subject, the solution of the difficulty becomes impossible. 
 
 The American Commission will surely not contend that in the event of conflict, 
 or tieing of its vote with that of the Spanish Commission, theirs should prevail and 
 be given the character of a decision of the Joint Commission. 
 
 And inasmuch as the United States do not claim anything more than a recognition 
 of the right which, according to them, they have under the Protocol to ask the sov- 
 ereignty over the archipelago, but do not go to the extreme of saying that they 
 also have the right to demand of the conference that their petition be acceded to, and 
 force the same upon it as if it were an order, the impossibility of the petition of the 
 American Government being complied with, and consequently of the sovereignty over 
 the archipelago being secured by it through the only lawful title which it professes 
 and acknowledges as the only mode of transfer, becomes manifest. 
 
 What are the consequences of so harrassing and unyielding a situation? Tlie rup- 
 ture of negotiations? The consequent renewal of hostilities? 
 
 Is there anyone who will not halt in the presence of such terrible consequences? 
 Is there anyone who will entertain the idea that it is not better before submitting to 
 them to resort to some other means that i:ood faith cannot fail to suggest to the 
 Contracting Parties? 
 
 And what is that means? 
 
 Both Commissions might very well agree to leave the question relating to the 
 sovereignty over the Philippine Islands out of their own negotiations and reserve it 
 for direct negotiations to be opened between the two Governments, and continue in 
 the meanwhile their discussion of all the other points embodied in the treaty of 
 peace. This method, which at first sight appears so simple, is nevertheless fraught 
 with serious dangers, and signally those wliieli might exist now were the negotiations 
 broken off. with the only advantage of putting the dangers off for a Short while. 
 Should the two High Parties fail to agree, the situation would be the same as that 
 which now confronts the Paris conference. 
 
 In the opinion of the Spanish Commission, there is another means more simple 
 still and surer, which consists in an agreement by the two Commissions to propose to 
 their Governments that an arbitrator or an arbitration tribunal, constituted In the 
 manner by them agreed upon, shall determine the true sense in which Articles III 
 and VI of the Protocol of Washington should be taken. 
 
 The difference of opinion between the two Commissions lies principall.v in the dif- 
 ferent sense each gives to those articles. 
 
 This appears from their resiiective memoranda. 
 
 Now, it seems that if ever in interna tional conflicts there is. or may be. any- 
 thing which men of good will should endeavor to settle by force of justice, or even 
 by the dictates of equity, instead of force of arms. It is that which consists In a dif- 
 ference of interpretation of an article of any treat.v previously agreed upon, aiisinf 
 out of the attempt to put It into execution. 
 
 Sovereigns may, through a feeling of natural pride, refuse to submit to the judg- 
 ment of a third that which affects their honor or even their amour-propre. They 
 may not wish to entrust to such a judgment the existence or even the integrity of 
 their states. But it is inconceivable that in the face of the modern and Christian 
 world they .should prefer covering the earth with corpses and deluging it with hu- 
 man blood, to submitting to it their own opinion, in matters so exposed to the falU- 
 
 i56. 
 
bllity of the lulnil of men. such as cannot fall to be Iho proper sense to be given to 
 an article of a couveotlon, conclnded upon matters which are alien and foreign to 
 the above sacred anbjects. 
 
 The United States are among the peoples of the civilized world those which, to 
 their glory, have taken the Initiative and have shown the most decided Interest In re- 
 sorting to this means so humane, so rational, and so Christian, rather than to the 
 bloody one of war. to settle controversies between nations. 
 
 As far back as 18.^5 the Senate of Massachusetts approved .a measure presented 
 by the American Peace Association urging the creation of an International court to 
 settle amicably and finally all difficulties between countries. 
 
 In 1851 the Committee on Foreign Relations of Washington (sic) unanimously de- 
 clared that It was desirable for the United States to In.sert In Its treaties a clause 
 whereby dlCTerenccs which could not be seltled diplomatically should be submitted 
 before the outbreak of hostilities to the judgment of arbitrators. 
 
 In 1853 the Senate approved the report of the Committee on Foreign Relations. 
 In 1873 the Senate .igaln. and In 1874 the two Houses, reaffirmed this humanitarian 
 aspiration. And. finally, In 1888. not satisfied with having marked out their own 
 line of conduct In so laudable a direction, both Houses agreed by Joint Resolution to 
 request the President to use his Infiuence from time to time to bind all governments 
 maintaining diplomatic relations with the United States to submit all questions that 
 might arise between them In the future to the Judgment of arbitrators. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners hope that the case which presents Itself before the 
 Paris Conference will not lead the United Stats to depart from such glorious prece- 
 dents, and seek to settle the matter by the last means which although never lawful 
 among rational and free beings Is sadly Inevitable, in preference to other means more 
 humane, conducive to preserve unalterable peace among men. 
 
 ■ True copy: 
 
 BMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
Protocol No. 15. 
 
 Protocolo No. 15. 
 
 CONFERENCE. 
 Of November 21. 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 21 de Noviembre de 1898. 
 
 Tlie ses-skm hiivini; been postponed, at 
 the re<iue*t of the American Oommission- 
 ers. tin Monday, the 21st of November, 
 on that day there were present- 
 On the imrt of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FUYE. 
 
 OKAY. 
 
 RKID. 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FEKGUSSON. 
 
 On the pa.rt of Spain: 
 
 Messrs. MOXTKRii lllos. 
 
 ABAltZfZA. 
 
 liARNKA. 
 
 VILLA-rHKirlA. 
 
 CERERO, 
 
 (UEDA. 
 The protoeol of the precedinj; session 
 was read and appro%-ed. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion presented a reply to the memorandnm 
 presented l)y tlie Spanish ('•ommissioners 
 at the last session on the snbject of the 
 riiMlpplnes. In so doinjr. lie called atten- 
 tion to the cancludlns part i>f tlii' reply, 
 and .siit'cested that it be read. lint. befi>re 
 it was reail. he stated that he desired to 
 sa^v that the American ('ommissioners had 
 ca:-efnlly ex:imlned the very able argument americanos 
 of tlie Spanish Commissioners, but had felt 
 obliged to adhere to their construction of 
 the i><)wers of the Joint Comuils.slon under 
 the Protocol. The Joint OrtnimisMion 
 had lieen in seKsinn for se^-eriil 
 WfeliM, mill it ^viis the oiiiiiioii of 
 tlie .Viiierienii CoiiifiiiMMioiiers tlint il 
 coiieluNi4»ii slionld lie reiK'heii. Tliey 
 liitil <*oiisiiltei1 their (io^eriililenl 
 mill liiid ileei<le<l tit llliiUe eoiiees- 
 Hioiis, i\tiii'h ^^I'ri* em ImmI ii'il in tlie 
 
 t «'liiilinu part of tlieir re|il>, 
 
 nlilcli tiiiN iiiteiiili'd lo .riiiK' (lie 
 ll iMIMIMsioil (II II i-loMe, "^ 
 
 Il.'ihiiiidose aplaziido la seslon ;\ pelicion 
 de los ('oniisarlos americanos hasta el lunes 
 i;l del corrlente a las 2 p. m.. se haliaron 
 endlchos diii y bora 
 
 Presentcs-- 
 I'nr [)ai-tc dc 
 
 ira : 
 
 lo.s Scnorcs 
 
 los Estados riildos dc Anier- 
 
 DAY. 
 DAVIS. 
 ERYE. 
 GRAY. 
 REID, 
 MOORE, 
 FEUGDSSON. 
 I'or parte de Espana: 
 los Senores .MO.VTEKO l!li>S. 
 ABARZrZA. 
 GARMCA. 
 VILI.AIRRITIA, 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 iprobada el acta de lit seslon 
 
 The concluding part of the reply of the 
 AiiAeriean Commissioners was then read 
 b.v their Interpreter to the Spanish Coin 
 mlssloners. 
 
 The President of the Spa.nlvsh Col is- 
 
 slon. after the close of the rending, stated 
 that if the memorandum of the .\merlc:in 
 ('ommissioners i-ontained nothing more than 
 what had jnst been read, he c^>uld give 
 an imnuiliate answer; but, as it was ncces- 
 sar.v tf» translate and to bei-ome ajcipiaiiiteil 
 with the preceding part some time would 
 
 I-'ne ieida 
 anterior. 
 
 El Presidente de la Cotnlsion ainericana 
 presento una contestaeion al Memorandum 
 presentado por los Co-Mlsarlos espanolcs 
 en la ultima seslon relative a las ElUplnas. 
 .\1 haeerlo asi. llamo la atencion sobre la 
 parte final de su contestaeion y manifesto 
 su deseo de que se dlera leetura de ella. 
 Pero antes de que fuese ieida, dijo que de- 
 seaba hacer coustar que los Comls.arlo9 
 habian considerado atenta- 
 meiite los argnmentos habilisimos de los 
 C.omisarlos espanoles; pero que se velan 
 obligados a adiierirse a su interpretaclon 
 de las facultades de la Comlsion en pleno, 
 scgun K>s lermluos del Protocolo. Dicha 
 Coinision babla prolongado sus labores 
 durante varias senmnas, y en vista de esto 
 los Comisarios amerlcaiios oplnaban que 
 dcbia Ib'garsi- a un resultado final. Hfiblan 
 ciius\illado a sn Gobierno y di'cidido 
 hacer las concesiones que estaban con- 
 slguadas al final de su contestaeion y 
 < iiyo objeto era el de termlnar de una 
 vcz la discusion. 
 
 I. a ultima parte de dicha coutesiadon 
 fuc vertida verbalmente al castellano por 
 c I luierprete de la Comlsion amcrlcana. 
 
 I.I Pr.'sidcnte de la Comlsion espanola 
 inanlfiesta qne si el Memorandum de los 
 Coinls.-u'los americanos no eontuvlese otra 
 ciiMi qui' lo que acababa de leerse podrlu 
 dar una contestaeion Inmeillata; pero que 
 couio b.il'la qne tradncir y eiiterarse de lo 
 que precedhi a su parti' ultima se necesl- 
 laria algun liempo para dar una respuesta: 
 
be uewled in niik-h to prepare a reply. He I'ropuso eu seguida que las Comisioues se 
 then proposed tbat the Oommissioners meet reuniesen el miercoles 23 a menos que surja 
 on Wednesday, the 23d instant, unless alguu incidente que exija un aplazamlento. 
 something should arise to require a post- 
 ponement. Asienten los Comisarios amerieanos y se 
 The American Coimiiissioners concurring, acuerda que se aplaze la sesion hasta el 
 it was agreed to adjourn the conference miercoles 23 de Noviembre a las 2 p. m., 
 to the 23d of November, at 2 o'clock p. m., gjn perjuicio del derecho de aplazarla que 
 without prejudice to the right of the Span- agigte a los Comisarios espanoles. 
 ish Commissioners to ask for a postpone- 
 ment. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 
 WILLIAM P. FRXE. J. DE GARNICA. 
 
 GEORGE GRAY. W. R. DE VILLA-DRRDTIA. 
 
 WHITELAW REID. RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 160 
 
(Annex to Protocol No. 15.) 
 
 REPLY OF THE AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS 
 TO THE MEMORANDUM PRESENTED BY THE SPANISH COM- 
 MISSIONERS 
 ON NOVEMBER 16, 1898. 
 
 The AnuTica.n ComniissiaiRTs liavi; txaiiiiiiLMl the inpinoraudtiiii of the Spanish 
 Ciniimi-isloners with thai delihenitc care aud iittomion which they have been ac- 
 riistnmod to bestow upon nil the represent.itions which those Oonimlssioners have 
 been pleased to submit touchinj; the questions before the conference. 
 
 They note, in the first place, that the Spanish Commissioners disclaim any in- 
 tention by tlieir paper of the :id of November to withdraw their previous accept- 
 ance of the American articles on the subject of Cuba. Porto Rico and the other 
 Spanish islands in the West Indies, and the Island of Guam in the Ladrones. 
 
 This disclaimer, in spite of the form in which it is expressed, the American 
 Commissioners would be content simply to ucccpt without commeni, were it not for 
 the fact that it is accompanied with certain observations on the so-cajled Cuban 
 debt tliat impose upon them the nec-essity of recurrinpr to what they have pre- 
 viously said on that subject. 
 
 lu citing the Royal Decrees of 1SS6 and l-'^Oi'. and the contents of the bonds is- 
 sued thereunder, as something with which the American Commis-sioners were pre- 
 viously unacquainted, the Spanish ComiJ'issloners seem to have overlooked or for- 
 gotten the paper which the American Commissioners presented on the 14th of Oc- 
 tober. In that paper the American Commissioners expressly mentioned and de- 
 scribed the financial measures of 1.886 and 1.890 and the stipulations of the bonds- 
 thereby authorized. But they did more than this. Being concerned with the sub- 
 st!'.nce rather than with the form of the matter, they reviewed with some minute- 
 ness the history of the debt and the circumstances of its ceration. They showed 
 that it was in reality contracted by the Spanish Government for national purposes; 
 that its foundations were laid more than twenty years before the Royal Decree 
 of 1S.S6. and at a time when the revenues of the island were actually producing 
 a surplus, in national enterprises In Mexico !Uid San Domingo, foreign to the In- 
 terests of Cuba: and that it was soon afterwards swollen to enormous dimensions 
 as the result of the imposition upon Cuba, as a Ijind of penalty, of the national 
 ex-penses incurred in the efforts to suppress by force of arms the ten years' war 
 for the independence of the island. At this point the American Commissioners in 
 their paper of the 14th of October referred to the financial operation of 1886. bat 
 they properly referred to it in Its true character of a national act for the consolida- 
 tion or funding of debts previously incurred by the Spanish Government, and ex- 
 pressly quoted the national guaranty that appears on the face of the bonds. At the 
 risk of a repetition which should be unnecessary, the American Commissioners 
 will quote from their paper of the 14th of October the following paragraph: 
 
 "Subsequently the Spanish Government undertook to consolidate these debts 
 (I. e.. the debts incurred in Mexi(.i>. San Domingo, and the ten years' war) and to 
 this end created In 18.86 the so-called Biiletes hipotecarios de la Isla de Ctiba, 
 to the amount of 620,000.000 pesetas, or $124,000,000. The Spanish Government un- 
 dertook to pay these bonds and the interest thereon out of the revenues of Cuba, 
 but the national character of the debt was shown by the fact that, upon the face 
 of the bonds, 'the Spanish Nation' ila Nacioii i-spanolai guaranteed their iKiynient. 
 The annual charge for interest and sinking fund on account of this debt amounted 
 to the .sum of 39,191. IXX) pesetas, or $7.S:is.20i). which was disbursed tlirough a 
 Spanish financial institution, called the Ban<<> Hispano-Colonial. which is said to 
 have collected daily from the custom house at Havana, throtigh an agency there 
 established, the sum of S::!:f.:{:«i." 
 
 The .\merican Commissioners then referreil in the same paper to the ;inthi>rlza- 
 tion by the Spanish Government in 18.90 of a new issue of bonds, apiKirently with a 
 view to refund the prior debt as well as t" cover any new debts contracted between 
 1886 and ISPO, and stated that, after renewal of the struggle for Independence In 
 February. 1895. this Issue was diverted from Its original purpose to that of raising 
 funds for the supjiressiim of the Insurrection. 
 
 The American Commissioners are at a loss to perceive how. In re<-lting the.se 
 transactions, in which past and not future obligations were dealt with, they 
 could have been understood to Intimate that Spain, through what is described In the 
 Spanish memorandum as a ■■su|ieinatural gift of divination." foresaw the Insurrec- 
 
 161 
 
tion of lSit5 and the ultiuiate iutei-voDtifHi of the L'uittMl Strifes. The Amei-iraii 
 Commissioners will not indulge in the ready retort whioh this faiieifiil effort at 
 sarcasm iavates. Whether the consequences of imposing upon (.'uba hiirdens not 
 to be borne were or were not; foreseeu by Spaid is a question upon which it would 
 be idle now to speculate. 
 
 As to the special "Cnban War Emergeacy Loan." composed of "live jier cent 
 peseta bonds." which were referred to as part of what was considered in Spain as 
 properly constituting the Cuban debt, the American (_'omniissioners exjjressly de. 
 Glared that it did not appear that in these bonds the revenues of Cuba were men- 
 tioned. 
 
 The American Commissioners, in reviewing in their paper of the 14th of Octo- 
 ber the histor.v of the so-called Cuban debt, necessarily invited the fullest exam- 
 . Illation of tlieir statements. They have yet to li-a.rn that those statements con- 
 tained any error. 
 
 The.y freely admit, however, that they hail never seen it asserted, till the.v 
 read the assertion in the Spanish mtmoramlum. that the deficiencies in the (;uban 
 appropriation bills or budgets which the debts are said to represent were "due to 
 the great reductions of taxes made in Culm b.v the mother country. If. as they 
 are now assured, this is a fact "well known." the.v are compelled to admdt that 
 they were, and that they still remain, ignorant of it. Indeed, the American Com. 
 mlssioners were not aware that Cuban appropriation bills or budgets existed prior 
 *o 1880, in May of which year the lirst measure of the kind was submitted to the 
 Spanish Cortes. During the discussion of that budget, a distinguished Senator, not 
 A Cuban, who hiid been Minister of State in the Sjianisb Cabinet, Senor Don 
 Seiwando Ruiz Gomez, presented to the Senate an official statement of the Colonial 
 Department, showing that the alleged debts of CHiba amounted to ,$r2(;.S-34.410.25 
 in gold and .$45,?.(X),0T6 in paper, or, in round numbers, ,$14n,00O.(KI0 in g<dd. 
 
 It is true that after 18.80, and especially after 18.80, deflcii neies appeared in 
 the budgets, but a correct conception of their cause may be deiived from the 
 budget of 1S86-1S87. when the prior debts were consolidated. The amount of the 
 burdens imposed upon Cuba by that budget, eight .vea.rs, as the Spanish memo- 
 randum (djservcs, "after the establishment "f lieace," was $25.9.59,734,79, which 
 was distributed as follows: 
 
 General obligations $10,85,3,.836,79 
 
 Department of Justice .8&3.022.22 
 
 Department of War 6.7.30.977.17 
 
 1 ■■ Department of the Treasury 903..32G.2!> 
 
 i ' . Department of the Navy 1.434,211.40 
 
 Department of the Interior 3.t«5,6oS.92 
 
 Departn.ent of Fomento 1.2,38,702.IW 
 
 $25.9.50,7.34.79 
 
 Of the sum tt.tnl of this burden, it is seen that the three items of General 
 Obligations. War. and Xavy. constitute nearly three-fourths. .\nd what >vere the 
 •'General Obligations?" The principal item— nine-tenths of the whole — was that 
 of $9,647,423.02, for interest, .sinking fund, and incidental expenses, on the so- 
 called Cuban debt. The rest went chiefly for pensions to Spanish officials. 
 
 The budget for 1896-1.897 amounted to .$28,583,432.23. 
 
 These figures, which speak for themselves, seem to render peculiarly infelic- 
 itous the novel suggestion that the deficiencies in the f'nban budgets have been 
 <3ue to the reduction of taxes. 
 
 As to that part of the Spanish memorandum in which the so-called Cuban bonds 
 are treated as "mortgage bonds," and t he rights of the holders as "mortgage 
 rights," it is necessary to say only that the legal difference between the pledge of 
 revenues yet to be derived from taxation and a mortgage of property cannot be con- 
 fused b.v calling the two things by the same name. In this, as in another instance, 
 the American Commissioners are able to refer to previous statements which, al- 
 though the Spanish memorandum betrays no recollection of them, for obvious rea- 
 sons remain unchallenged. The American Commissioners have shown, in their ar- 
 gument of the 27th of October, that the Spanish Government itself has not consid- 
 ered its pledge of the revenues of Cuba ns m any proper legal sense a mortgage, 
 but as a matter entirely within its control. In proof of this fact the American 
 Commissioners quoted in that agreement certain provisions of the decree of auton- 
 ■omy for Cuba and Porto Rico, signed by the Queen Regent of Spain on the 25th 
 of November. 1897, and countersigned by Senor Sagasta. as President of the Coun- 
 cil of Ministers. By that decree it was declared that the manner of meeting the 
 expenditnres oeccsioned by the debt which burdened "the Cuban and Spanish treas- 
 ury" should "form the subject of a law" wherein should be "determined the part 
 payable by each of the treasuries, and the special means of paying the interest 
 thereon, and of the amortization thereof, and, if necessary, of paying the principal;" 
 that, when the "apportionment" should have been "made by the Cortes," each of 
 
 162, 
 
the treasuries should "mako payment of the part assljfued to It." and. finally, that 
 "encasements contraL-ted with creditors under the pledge of the ifood faith of 
 the Spajiish nation shall in all cases be scrupulously respected." 
 
 In these declarations the American Commissioners find, as they stated in the ar- 
 gument above referre<l to, "a clear assertion not only of the power of the Govern- 
 ment of S|)ain to deal with the so-called Ouban debt as a national debt, but also 
 a clear admission that the pledRes of the revenues of Cnba were wholly within the 
 CDntrol of that Government, ami couhl be modified or withdrawn by It at will with- 
 out afTeeting the obligation of the debt." and. so long as the stipulated payments 
 upon the debt were made, without violating I lie engagements of Spain with her 
 creditors. 
 
 No more in the opinion of the Spanish Government. Ihorefore, than in point of 
 law, can it be malnt;uned tiiat the Government's promise to devote to the pay- 
 ment of a certain pari of the national delit revenues yet to be raised by taxation 
 In Cuba, constituted in any legal sense a mortgage. The so-called pledge of those 
 revenues constituted, in fact and in law. a. pledge of the good faith and ability 
 of Spain to pay to a certain class of her creditors a certain part of her future 
 revenues. They obtained no other security, beyond the guarantee of the "Spanish 
 Nation." whicJi was in reality the only thiig that gave substance or value to the 
 pledge, or to which they could resort for Its performance. 
 
 One more reniarlt, and the .\merican Commis-sioners have done with the re- 
 newed discussion into which they regret to liave been obliged to enter on the sub- 
 ject of the so-callwl Cuban del)t. The Spani.sh Commi:ssioners are correct in saying 
 that the Government of the United States repeatedly urged Spain to re-establish 
 peace in Cuba, and did not exclude the use of arms tor that purpose; but the impres- 
 sion conveyed by this partial statement of tacts is altogether erroneous, as is also 
 the Implied representation that Spain's Course in the matter may be considered as 
 a compliance with the demands of the United States. The Government of^ the 
 United States did indeed repeatedly demand that order be re-established in Cuba; 
 but through long years of patient waiting it also tried and exhausted all the ef- 
 forts of diplomacy to induce Spain to end the war by granting to the island either 
 independence or a substantial measure of self-government. As early as the Spring 
 Of 18G9. not long after the deepening gloom of the ten years' war began to settle 
 npon the Island, the United States offered its mediation and its credit for the re- 
 establishment of peace between Spain and her colony. Spain then as afterwards 
 preferred war to tlie relinquishment of her rule, and the United States did not as- 
 sume to discuss the legitimacy of the expenses incurred in the pursuit of that 
 policy. But the question of Spain's right to incur those expenses, and that of her 
 right or her power to fasten them as a perpetual burden upon the revenues of 
 Cnba, after those revenues have passed beyond her control, are questions between 
 which the American Commissioners feel neither difficulty nor hesitation in de- 
 claring and maintaining a fundamental ditterence both in law and in morals. 
 
 The American Commissioners, before pa-'sing to the principal subject before 
 the conference, will briefly notice that part of the Spanish memorandum which 
 treats of the occupation of Manila by the .American forces. 
 
 With the elaborate references to the apparent implication in a previous paper 
 that General Merritt and Admiral Dewey might ha.ve linowingly violated the 
 armistice in their eaptnre of Manila a few hours after its signature, and with the 
 new remarks about Admiral Dewey's draconian order, the spontaneousness of his 
 kind feelings, and other and similar phrases, we do not occupy ourselves; nor with 
 the objections to our use of tiie word "fled" in describing the escape of the Spaji- 
 ish General before the surrender. We are entirely content on these points with 
 the record. For the same reason we pass without comment the remark concern- 
 ing the claim for indemnity "on similar grounds" in the Philippines that "on first 
 sight this argument is not wanting in force; but the American Commissioners know 
 perfectly well that this is only apparent, and that what did occur prove absolutely 
 the contrary." We interpret this apparent charge of intentional deceit, in the light 
 of the valued assurance given In another part of the same paper by the Siianish 
 Commissioners when they, themselves, admit that "no language or even a phrase 
 Improper to a diplomatic discus.sion has been used by them" and "they avoid with 
 the greatest care the use of any phrase wiiich might be personally unpleasant." 
 
 With regard to what is stated In the Spanish, memorandum as to the occupa- 
 tion of territory as a guaranty in time of peace, and the limitaUons that are uso- 
 aUy affixed to such occupation, the American Commissioners have only to advert 
 to the fact that, as has often been observed by the Spanish Government in its 
 communications, the state of war between the United States and Spain is not yet 
 ended. In its original demands, just as in the Protocol of August 12, the United 
 States declared that it would "occupy and hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila. 
 p-ndJng the conclusion of a treaty of peace." These words Imported a military 
 occupation, with all Its usual Incidents, political and administrative, during the con- 
 tinuance of the state of war. 
 
 16S. 
 
The distinction between the owupation of territory as a guaranty in time of 
 peace and the miiitary occupation of the enemy-s territory in time of war, is 
 weli illustrated in the case of France and Germany in 1871, which the Spanish 
 memoranduni, unfortunately for its pui-pose, cites in support of its contention as 
 to the nature of the American occupation of Manila under the Protocal. By a 
 convention concluded on January 2S, 1871. France and Germany agreed to a gen- 
 eral armistice, which took effect iuuuodiately in Paris and three days later in the 
 departments. Under this convention the belligerent armies were to preserve their 
 respective positions, which were separated by a definite line of demarcation, and. 
 simply in recognition of the nature of the occupation, each of the armies reserved 
 the right "to maintain Its authority in the territory that it occupies, and to em- 
 ploy such means as ma.y be considered necessary for the purpose by its command- 
 ers." By a subsequent convention of February 15, 1871. the fortified town of Bel- 
 fort, which was besieged by the Germans, but had not been taken when the arm- 
 istice was made, was brought within the German lines of occupation. On Feb- 
 ruary 26. 1.S71, the belligerent powers concluded a preliminary treaty of peace. 
 By iliis treaty, which, unlike the convention for an armistice, required the formal 
 ratiflcation of the two governments, the sovereignty of France over Alsace-Lorraine 
 was renounced, and provision marie for the .payment to Germany besides of a war 
 indemnity. By an additional convention signed on the same day it was agreed that 
 the German troops should "refrain for the future from raising contributions in 
 money in the occupied territories," but, on the other hand, it was declared that the 
 German authorities should "continue to collect the state taxes" therein. And it 
 was provided by the preliminary treaty that riot until the conclusion and ratiflcation 
 of the definite treaty of peace should "the administration of the departments" re- 
 maining "in German occupation" be "restored to the French authorities." 
 
 "The United States will occupy and hold," so reads the Protocol, "the city, bay 
 and harbor of Manila, pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace." These brief 
 ■words obviously and necessarily imjpoited the military occupation, in time of war, 
 though not of active hostilities, of a designated territor.v, with the usual incidents 
 of such occupation, and not an occupation as a guarantee In time of peace. From 
 the incidents of one kind of occupation nothing is to be inferred as to the incidents 
 of the other, for the simple reason that the two things are different in their na- 
 ture. The occupation by a belligerent army of a hostile territory is couceded to 
 involve the exercise of a. paramount power of control which would be utterly in- 
 consistent with the rights of the titular sovereign over his territoiT and its inhab- 
 itants in time of peace. 
 
 The American Commissioners have examined with special care that part of the 
 Spanish memorandum which deals with the "control, disposition and government of 
 the Philippines." and to the consideration of that subject they will now address 
 themselves. 
 
 The American Commissionei-s ai-e obliged at the outset to call attention to the 
 fact that tiie present argument of the Spanish Commissioners contains the same 
 defects as the previous one, in being directed against a position which tbe Amer- 
 ican Commissioners not only have never assumed, but which they expressly re- 
 pndia.te. The American Commissioners now repeat that their proposal for the ces- 
 sion of the Philippines is neither based noJ^ alleged to be based upon a specific con- 
 cession of Spanish sovereignty in tne Protocol, but upon the right secured to the 
 United States by that instrument to make in the negotiations for peace such de- 
 mands on the subject as it should then deem appropriate under the circumstances. 
 The only obligation therefore now resting upon the American Cummissiouers is to 
 show not that their proposals in regard to the Philippines iU-e founded on the Pro- 
 tocol, in the same sense as their demands in the case of Cul>a. Porto Rico, and 
 Guam, but that those proposals are embraced within the right thereby expressly 
 secured to the United States to make demands in the future. 
 
 In the light of this plain ajid simple proposition, which is sustained not only by 
 the Protocol It.seif, but by every document referred to or quoted in the present dis- 
 cussion, how idle and unavailing is the charactei-ization of the present demands of 
 the United States as "tardy," as well as the insinuation that that Government in 
 postponing, with the express concurrence of Spain, the formulation of its de- 
 majids, was guilty of a want of "fninknessl" 
 
 Tlie Americ-an Commissioners are gratified to find in the passages quoted in the 
 Spanish memorandum from Mr. Cambon's reports of his conferences with the Presi- 
 dent, the amplest confirmation of their position. Those reports, as quote<I by the 
 Spanish Commissioners, show that the Spanish Government, far from asking, in 
 any proper sense of the word, "explanations" of the phrase "control, disposition and 
 government," fully understood Its meaning, and sought but failed to obtain a lim- 
 itation of it. Indeed, there is not to he found from first to last a suggestion that if 
 the words "control, disposition and government" were allowed to stand they did 
 not embrace the amplest right to deal with Spanish sovereignty in the islands. 
 In this relation it is the duty of the American Commissioners to notice the fact 
 
 164 
 
tb.it the Spanish mcnimanauiii. iii CMmparin;; the irp.Mts "f Mr. C«inl)on with those 
 quoted bv the Ainerk-aii C.iumissioiu.rs. ii.Iiirij.ies that the former are entith-.l to 
 prefereiH-e bis-aiise they were .•onteini)oraiieoiis. Hut the record quoted by the Ainer- 
 lean (V>inmlssl,.ners was also eoiueuiporai'eous. and was imide by the Secretary of 
 State under the supervision of the President himself. With this observation, the 
 American Coinmlssloners will pursue their arsunient. 
 
 In his ri-port of the conversation of the auh of .luly. .Mr. (anibon is quoted as 
 sfitinv' that "the President of the Kepubllc was llrni in not chansins the teniis of 
 Article III.." but that, as the result v.f an appeal to his generosity, he consented to 
 substitute the word "dispivsitlou" for "possession." 
 
 "Ihe Americaai Oiinmisslouers have already stated that the President refused to 
 ohnnse the word "pos.sesslon" except for a word of equally extensive meanius. and 
 that the reason for >vhich Mr. Cambon was understood to desire the chanjje was 
 that the word "possession" would, when translated into Spanish, seem to be of a 
 severe and threatening nature. The meaninj; .if Mr. Cambon. as defined in his 
 report to the Spanish (Jovernment, was that the word "disposition" did not "pre- 
 judge" the i-e.sult of the negotiations, and that it had n.>t so "comprehensive" a 
 meaning as the word "possession." 
 
 Tlie American Commissioners arc unable to concur in Mr. Camlxin's estimate 
 of the relative comprehensiveness of the>,e two English words; but they a.rc obliged 
 to point out. as a matter more material to the present discussion, that he docs not. 
 as the Spanish Commissioners affirm, allege that he "accepted the change becausi' 
 .he understood that all question about the sovereignty of Spain over the Pliiliiiplne 
 Islands was thereby eliminated." On the contrary, his only claijn is that the word 
 . "disposition" did not "prejudge" the "result" of the "negotiation." His under- 
 standing tlierefore appears to have been precisely the opposite of that ascribed to 
 , him in the Spanish memorandum. 
 
 That this is the case is confirmed beyond all peradventure by the unsuccessful 
 ■pfforts subse(iucntly made by Mr. Caniboii. under instruction of the (Jovernment at . 
 .Madrid, to obtain a limitation of the AmiM-ican demand, as it then and has ever 
 :,since stood, that the treaty of peace should determine "the control, disposiiion and 
 .government of the Philippines." 
 
 The telegram of the Spanish Governmi'ut to Mr. Cambon. in relation to tljLs de- 
 mand has now for the first time been dischised to representa.tives of the Govern- 
 . nient of the United States. What other instructions Mr. Cambon may then have 
 ,.had in hi.s possession, it is not material to conjecture. But. according to his own 
 .'report, as quoted in the Spanish memorandum, he requested the President, in th(? 
 interview of the 3d of August, ."to have the kindness to state as precisely as possi- 
 ble his intentions in regard to the Philippine Islands. On this point." continues 
 .Mr. Cambon, "I told him 'the .answer of the Federal Government is couched in 
 terms that may lend themselves to all claims on the part of the United St.-iles. and 
 consequently to all apprehensions of Spain in regard to her sovereignty." " 
 
 Here is a clear declaration of Mr. Cambon that the phrase "control. di'siJosition 
 .and government." admitted of "all claims" on the part of the United State.s. and 
 that it created apprehensions on the part of Spain in regard to her "sovereignty;" 
 and he asked, not for an "explanation" of the phrase, but for a statement by the 
 President, as "precisely as ix>s.<ible." of his "intentions." In other words. Mr. Cam. 
 bon. acting under the instructions of the Spanish Government, endeavored to ob- 
 tain at that time a statement of the demands which the United States would niake 
 in regard to the sovereignty of Spain, and thereby at least an implied limitation of 
 the rights in that regard. The reply of the President, as reported by Mr. Cambon. 
 shows that he was firm in his determination both to retain the precise words of the 
 demand and the full liberty of action which they secured. On this sub.iect the Pres- 
 ident, as reported by Mr. CamlKm. declared that he did not want "any misunder- 
 standing to remain;" nothing was decided as against either Government; the nego. 
 tiators of the treaty of peace must determine the matter. 
 
 This is fr<5m first to last the sum and substance of Mr. Cambon's reports, as 
 quoted in the Spanish memorandum. The recurrence in tliat memorandum to Mr. 
 Cambon-s apparently ciusual use of the words "peruianent advantages." as an evi- 
 dence that sovereignty was not in questiim. when he himself declares that the 
 words "control, disposition and government" lent themselves to "all claims" .ind 
 tlierefore raised apprehension as to Spain's "sovereignty." discloses the infirmity 
 of the i-ontention in which the argument is employed. Indeed, the words "perma- 
 nent .idvantages" are not in the ctmtext of Mr. Caml>on Invested with the impor- 
 tance which tlie Spajiish memorandum now ascribes to them. As the .\merican 
 Commissioners pointed out on a previous occasion, it is not pretended that Mr. 
 Cambon attempted to report the original words of the President, who spoke in 
 English; and. Immediately after attributing to the President words which he trans- 
 .Uites by the tenus "permanent advantages." Mr. c.imbon narrates the Pr.>sidenfs 
 undoubted rte<laration that the "con! ml. disposition and government" iif the Phil- 
 ippines must be determined in the treaty of peace, in advance of which the case 
 was not to be considered as ilecided againsf either Government. 
 
 165 
 
In his report of the interview of the 9th of August. Mr. Cambon. as quoted in 
 the Spanish memorandum, states that, when the note of the Spanish Government 
 of the 7th of that month, in reply to the American demands, was read, the Presi- 
 dent and the Secretary of State were visibly displeased, and that, after a long si- 
 lence the President objected to that part of the reply which related to the evacu- 
 ation of Cuba and Porto Kiico. The Spanish memorandum declares that neither the 
 President nor the Secretary of State advanced any uther reason than this f<jr their 
 displeasure, and that, '•according to Mr. Cambon, these gentlemen siiid nothing dur- 
 ing the conversation respecting the said reservation made by Spain of her sov- 
 ereignty over the archipelago." As no direct assertion to this effect by Mr. Cam- 
 bon is quoted, the American Commissioners are obliged to assume that he made 
 none, and that the statement in the Spanish memorandum is a mere inference from 
 an omission to report what was said on the subject of the Philippines. This omis- 
 sion may be accounted for by the fact that Mr. Cambon, although he had previously 
 declared that the American demand admitted of "all claims" on the part of the 
 United States, expressed and maintained the opinion that the Spanish reply fully 
 accepted it. and therefore left nothing in that regard to be conceded, while in re- 
 spect of the demand for the evacuation of Cuba and Porto Rico, which was to be 
 immediate, the reservation by Spain of the approval of the Cortes, which was not 
 then in session, presented an obstacle to an agreement. This objection he deemed 
 It necessary to report, since it required, in his own opinion, a modilieation of Spain's 
 reply to the American demands. But whatever may have been the cause of the 
 omission, it Is a fact that no small part of the "visible displeasure" of the Presi- 
 dent and the Secretary of State arose from the apparent design, upon which com- 
 ment was duly made, in some way to limit the scope of the demand in regard to 
 the Philippines— a design then as ever afterwards frustrated. In the opinion of the 
 American Commissioners the note in question was fax from "explicit;" nor can it 
 be maintained that the President, while hearing that note with "visible displeas- 
 ure" and adhering with "real stubbornness ' to the phrase "control, disposition and 
 government," because It "prejudged" nothing, at the same time accepted the words 
 of limitation. 
 
 But what does Mr. Cambon saor as to the introduction of the subject of the 
 Protocol, which had not previously been suggested? After further conversation the 
 President, as reported by Mr. Cambon, said; "There might be a means of putting 
 an end to all misunderstanding; we migiit draw up a pro.iet, which shall reproduce 
 the conditions proposed to Spain in the same terms in which I have already framed 
 them, and which shall establish the terms within which there shall be named on 
 the one hand the Plenipotentiaries charged with negotiating the treaty of peace in 
 Paris, and on the other hand the special Commissioners entrusted with the determi- 
 nation of the details of the evacuation of Cuba and Porto Rico." 
 
 The American Commissionei-s are unable to perceive the "immense difference" 
 between tills version of the President's words and that given in their own paper. The 
 President suggests a means for putting an end, not to any particular misunder- 
 standing, but to "all misunderstanding." And how does he propose to do this? By 
 drawing up a Protocol, which "shall reproduce the conditions proposed to Spain." 
 not with qualiflcations, reservations, or explanations, but "in the same terms in 
 which I have alread.v framed them." There was not, nor could there be. any mis- 
 apprehension as to the meaning and effect of these words, nor was any betrayed in 
 the telegram, heretofore quoted b.v the Americ-an Commissioners, in which Mr. Cam- 
 bon advised the Spanish Government that the Government of the United States had 
 "decided to state precisely (preclser), in a Protocol, the bases upon which peace 
 negotiations must, in its judgment, be entered upon." 
 
 With this telegram Mr. Cambon communicated the text of the Protocol: and if 
 his telegraphic summary of the note of the Secretary of State of the 10th of Au- 
 gust was, as the Spanish Commissioners admit, inaccurate, it is equally true that 
 his previous telegram conveyed with no uncertainty the purpose of the United States 
 in requiring the adoption of a Protocol. 
 
 If the fact were less clear than it is. that the refusal of the President to .accept 
 the Spanish reply of the 7th of August as in any respect a satisfactory answer to 
 the demands of the United States, gave rise to the Protocol, the American Commis- 
 sioners would deem it proper to examine in detail the references to that note In the 
 Spanish memorandum. But they will, under the circumstances, merel.v advert to the 
 statement that Spain in the paragraph relating to the Philippines explicitly "re- 
 served" her sovereignty over the archipelago, the implication being that she ex- 
 pressly withdrew it from the sphere of negotiation. The language of the note Is, 
 however, that "the Spanish Government must declare that, while accepting the 
 third condition, they do not a priori renounce the sovereignty over the archipel- 
 ago." This language, instead of withdrawing the sovereignty from discussion. Im- 
 plies that it may. as the result of the negotiations, be necessary to renounce it. 
 The American contention, however, dops not require further analysis of the note 
 of August 7 than has been given in this and the pnceding memoranda of the 
 
 166 
 
Anipriinii ('iiininissiiini'is. It was rejectfil liv I lio rrt'sldi'iit. ami the llnal agree- 
 ment of the parties iMMlnccd to the clear and nnequivocal terms of the Protocol. 
 
 The Spanish Coininissinners enili'aver lo ar^iie that there could have been no 
 Intention to Include in the powers of this .Joint Commission the question of the 
 sovereignty ot the rhilipplnes, becaaee tin' Secretary of State of the United States, 
 In his note of the 30th of July last. aft.T statins the demands ot his Government, 
 added: "If the terms hereby offered are aeei'pted in their entirety. Commission- 
 ers will be named by the United States to meet similarly authorized Commis- 
 sioners on the part of Spain for the porpose of settliu); the details of the treaty of 
 peace and signiiif and delivering It under Ihe terms above Indicated." Is the "un- 
 expressed demand" of the United States. Inquire the Spanish Commissioners, for 
 the cession of an immense territory, unilerstood by tlie American Commissioners 
 to be a detail of the treaty of peace? 
 
 The American Commissioners have ui ciithculty in replying that they do so 
 understand it. but not in the sense whicli ilie (piestion implies. It is evident that 
 the Spanish memorandum seeks to construe i.lie language of the Secretary of State 
 as if he liad used in connection with the word "details" the word "unimportant." 
 and actually proposed to refer to the Commissioners the settlement of only "nulin- 
 portant details." It should seem unneees.^.iry to say. however, that In speaking of 
 "details" he merely referred to the particulars of the treaty as considered separately 
 and in relation to the whole. It can hardly be supposed that if the two Governments 
 had intended that the negotiations of tiie treaty of peace should be occupied with 
 details of little importance, they would each have sent live commlssiouers to a neu- 
 tral capital for the purpose of arranging them. 
 
 But it is argued by the Spanish Commissioners that the words "control, disposi- 
 tion and government," even taken by themselves, do not comprehend the subject 
 of soveri-iguty, but merely that of governnu'utal "reforms." To the American Com- 
 missioners such an interpretation Is Incomprehensible. If nothing but "reforms" 
 had been intended. It could never have o;eurred to either party to employ for that 
 purpose three words none of which expressed its meaning, while each ot them con- 
 tained a broader one. On the other hand, the use of the word "sovereignty" in 
 conjunction with the words aetnally employed was unnecessary, while, if used 
 alone, it would have defeated the very object of postponing the whole subject of the 
 Philippines for future determination. "Control, disposition and government" in- 
 cluded everything. "Soverelguty" would have excluded everything but itself, and 
 have left to future determination merely the question of Its own existence, su- 
 preme and unconditional. In the event of the United States desiring to take only 
 a part of the archipelago, such a limitation of the scope of the negotiations would 
 have been injurious to both parties. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners, however, have sought to restrict the meaning of 
 the words "control, disposition and government." by an appeal to the French text. 
 Into which the original English was translated; and as the French word "controle," 
 by which "control" was translated, bears a signiUcance less extensive than the lat- 
 ter, they seem to contend that all the other words, both in the English and in the 
 ["rench text, should be reduced lo harmony with It. 
 
 To the Amerieau Commissioners, this argument appears to involve the elimina- 
 tion of the entire English text and of the greater part of the French. It first 
 strikes out, as at least superfluous, the English words "disposition and government," 
 and the L'reneh words "disposition et gouvernement," and then limits the meaniug 
 of the English "control" to that of the French "controle." It thus virtually reduces 
 the stipulation to the single French word last mentioned. By no principle of con- 
 struction can this process be defended. 
 
 The American Commissioners are therefore, for the reasons which they have 
 stated, compelled to maintain that by the plain and comprehensive terms of the 
 Protocol, as construed in their normal sense and In the light of all the circumstances 
 of its adoption, the future of the Philippines was left. In the fullest measure, to 
 the determination of this Joint Commission. 
 
 This conclusion renders it necessary to answer Ihe proposals of the Spanish Com- 
 missioners for the resignation by this Commission of its i>eacemakiug functions un- 
 der the I'rotocol of the llith of August, and the transfer to other persons of the duty 
 ot determining the question now particularly before It. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners propose that the .loint Commission, shall, instead of 
 disposing of the question of the I'hilippines. adopt one of the following courses: 
 
 I. Remit that question to the two Governments, for :uijustment. if possible, by 
 direct negotiation; or 
 
 II. Advise those Governments to submit It to an arbitration, in which the true 
 sense of Articles III. and VI. shall be determined. 
 
 To the llrst of these proposals it Is sufficient to reply that both Governments have 
 by the solemn engagement of the Protocol committed to their direct reiiresenta- 
 tivcs here assembled the duty of concluding a definitive treaty of peace which shall 
 
 167 
 
detfi-mine thf (lesrtiny of the archipelago. That these representatives shall, after 
 weeks of patient investigation and interchange of views in oral discussion and writ- 
 ten argument, surrender their taslj unaccomplished to other representatives of the 
 same Governments, is a suggestion which cannot be s-erious]y entertained. Indeed, 
 the memorandum of the Spanish Commis-fioners frankly admits that in the event of 
 a new disagreement the situation would he ili' same cs lihat which now eeufronts 
 the Paris conference. 
 
 It Is equally futile now to invite arbilr:it-Mi as tr the meaning of terms plainly 
 expressed in the Protocol. "To avoid mi^uiMlerstanoiug," as the United States de- 
 clared in its note of the 10th of August, the precise agreement of the two Govern- 
 ments was put into a concise and simpl ■ form. Shall it be said that this Joint 
 Commission is incapable of interpreting the viM-y compact nnder which It has assem. 
 bled? The principle of international arbitration can .have no application to such a 
 case. To avoid war no governmeut. it is believed, will do or suffer more than the 
 one which the American Comniisioiiers have the honor to rei)resent In this confer- 
 ence. Unfortunately no way for arbitration was opened before the actual conflict 
 began. Arbitration, as we have had occasion heretofore to observe, precedes war. to 
 avoid its horrors: it does not i-ome after the trial by battle to enable either party 
 to escape its consequences. 
 
 The American t'i>mmissioners. feeling that this body must accept the responsibili- 
 ty of reaching conclusions, must decline to ask the assistance of an arbitrator. It is 
 true that the very coL:stif.ition of a joint commission like the [.resent presupposes 
 a possible irreconcilable difference of opinion of representatives of one nation opposed 
 to others of equal number and authi ity. In such an event, nothing remains but for 
 one of the contesting parties to yield its r,iinions in order that a reaceful solution 
 may be reached. In the present case the American Commissionei-s have determined 
 to make concessions to the extent embodied in the proposals which will conclude this 
 memorandum. 
 
 The United States is accused by the Spanish ( 'onmiissioners of harsh and severe 
 measures in dealing with a discomfited enem.r. In the light of events which led to 
 and characterized the war, no less than historical precedents which might be cited, 
 this charge is found to be entirely groundless. 
 
 For half a century the attempts of the Cubans to overthrow the sovereignty of 
 Spain over the Island, within a hundred miles of the shores of the United States, have 
 produced serious disturbances in that country, grave and constant interference with 
 its commerce, and frequent danger of the rupture of friendly relations with Spain. 
 How could the conditions existing in the island be otherwise than of vital concern 
 to us? The Cubans were our neighbors, with whom our relations were necessarily 
 intimate and extensive; and they had been engaged in a struggle for independence 
 witJi stronger reasons than existed in our own case when we rebelled against the 
 mother country. The revolution of 1895. like the prior attempts at independence, 
 entailed upon us heavy burdens. It made it necessary to patrol our coasts, to tax 
 both civil and military resources in order to detect and prevent expeditions from our 
 shores in the iuterests of the insurgents, and to repress the natural sympathy of 
 our citizens, while we remained passlre witnesses of misery, bloodshed and starvation 
 in a laud of plenty almost within sight of our borders. .\t length came the destruc- 
 tion of the battleship Maine In the harbor of Havana, with the loss of 266 of her 
 crew. While we may not attribute, this catastrophe to the direct act of a Spanish 
 official, it betrayed, in the opinion of the United States, such neglect or inability on 
 the part of Spain to secure the safety of the ship of a friendly nation in the princi- 
 pal harbor of the island as to induce Congress to recite it as an outgrowth of condi- 
 tions which required our iuterveutl-ui. 
 
 War ensued: and in less than four mouths nearly all the ports of Cuba were 
 blockaded. Santiago was taken, the Spanish fleets in the West Indies and the Philip- 
 pines destroyed. I'orto Rico was about to surrender. .Manila was on the point of 
 capitulating, and all the colonies of Spain lay practically at the mercy of the United 
 States. This recital is made, not in an unbecoming spirit of triumph, but because it 
 exhibits the conditions that existed, and the advant.ages that the United States en- 
 joyed, when, lU'eferring peace to war, it agreed to the Protocol. 
 '' The Spanish Commissioners in their memorandum have in diplomatic words ex- 
 pressed their surprise at our want of magnanimity to a defeated country. How does 
 the ease appear in the light of wliat li.is been stated? We might have demanded 
 from Spain indemnity In money for the C'st of the war, which, even if no unfore- 
 seen contingencies occur, will have amounted to $240,01X1,000, at the close of the pres- 
 ent calendar year, to say nothing of further expenses which will be required under 
 the laws of the United States existing .at the outbreak of the war. We might have 
 required compensation for our injuries and losses, national as well as individual, 
 prior to the outbreak of the war. Yet we have asked for no money. From the re- 
 linquishment iif Sjiauish sovereignty in Cuba we derive no compensation. Porto 
 Kico, Guam ami the Philippines will bring burd'-ns as well as benefits, and, regarded 
 
 168 
 
siinply as Unli'iiinii.v. will Iji- iiiossly iiKidi/wiiiitf to (.■oiijpoiisiUf iliv I'liiu-d States for 
 tlio mere poL-uuiiu-y (.ost of lliu war: ^ii.J, .yot. l,ii spite of all this, for tlie salie of 
 peace, we propose to lualje to Spain llbecul yniW"':"*!'^^'"^- ^"^'- "'"^ ^'^ J"*"'' <''>a''se<l 
 witli abuse of our opportunities, or with takius \inijue advantage of the misfortunes 
 of an adversary? The Ami-i;iea.u Couunlsaic/ui'rs can perceive no ground for such a 
 charge. t)n the lontrary. l.liey thinli tiiat I lie .'Spanish Coniuilssioners should accept 
 our terms at once, and restore peace bclwcM'n the two counlrlcs. 
 / Even if the United States were disposed to permit Spanish sovereignty to remain 
 
 ' over the I'liiiiiipines. and to leave to Spain the resloration of peace and order iu the 
 Islands, could It now in honor do so? The Spanish Commissl.mers have, themselves. 
 In an earlier stage of these negotiations, sjioken of tiie I''lllpluos as our allies. This Is 
 not a relation which the Government of tlie (nlted States intended to establish; but 
 It must at least be admitted that the insurgent ciiiefs returned and ri'sumed their 
 activity with the consent of our miiitaiT and naval commanders, who permitted them 
 to arm with weapons which we iiad captured from tiic Spaniards, and assured them 
 of fair treatment ami justice. Should wc be justitied in now surrendering these 
 people to the Government of Spain, even under a proml.se of .•luinesty. which we 
 know tliey would not accept? 
 
 If, on the other hand, the United States shoulii be content to retain Luzon alone, 
 could anytlilng but trouble be expected from the division of the group? Would not 
 contrasts in government, in modes of administration, and in tlie burdens of taxation, 
 in dilTerent islands lying so closely together, but largely iidiabited by kindred peo- 
 ples, produce discontent among the inhabitants? If the natives of the islands that 
 remained under Sjianish rule should, as doubtless would be the case, continue in in- 
 surrection, would not the natives of the American islands endeavor to help them, by 
 fitting out hostile expeditions and furnishing arms and supplies? Would not com- 
 plaints then be made by one Government agains-t the other, leading to crimination 
 and recrimination and probably in the enil to .inotlii'r international war? 
 
 The situation that has arisen in the rhiilpiiines was neither foreseen nor desired 
 by the United States, but. since it exists, that Government does not shirk the respon- 
 sibilities growing out of if. and the .\merican Commissioners now make to the Span- 
 ish Commissioners, in the light of those responsibilities, a tinai proposition. 
 
 The proposal presented by the American Commissioners in behalf of their Govern- 
 ment for the cession of the Pliilippines to the United States having been rejected by 
 the Spanisii Commissioners, and the counter-proposal of the latter for the with- 
 drawal of the American forces from the Islands and the payment of an indemnity by 
 the United States to Spain having been rejected by the American Commissioners, the 
 American Commissioners, deeming it essential tliat tlie present negotiations, which 
 have already been greatly protracted, should be brought to an early and definite 
 conclusion, beg now to present a new proposition embodying the concessions which, 
 for the ssike of innuediate peace, their Govciniiient is under the circumstances will- 
 ing to tender. 
 
 The Government of the United States is unabii^ to luoilify the proposals hereto- 
 fore mjule for the cession of the entire archipelago of the Philippines, but the Ameri- 
 can Commissioners are authorized to offer to Spain, in case tlie cession should be 
 agreed to. the sum of twenty million dollars i$2(l,0(in.yO<>i to be paid in accordance 
 with the terms to be fixed in the treaty of peace. 
 
 And it being the policy of the United States to maintain in tlie rhilipplnes an 
 open door to the world's commerce, the American Commissioners are prepared to In- 
 sert in the treaty now in contemplation a s:ipulation to the elTect that, for a term 
 of years, Spanish ships and merchandise shall he admitted into the ports of the Phil- 
 ippine Islands on the same terms as .\meriean ships and merchandise. 
 
 The American Commissioners are also authorized and prepared to insert in the 
 treaty, in connection with the cessions of territory by Spain to the I'nited States, a 
 provision for the mutual relinquishment of all claims for indemnity, national and in- 
 dividual, of every kind, of the United States against Spain and of Spain against the 
 United States, that may have arisen since the beginning of the late insurrection In 
 Cuba and prior to the conclusion of a treaty of peace. 
 
 The American Commissioners may be permitted to express the hope that they 
 may receive from tile Spanish Commissioners, on or before Monday the 2Sth of the 
 present month, a definite and final acceptance of the proposals herein made as to the 
 Phlliiipine Islands, and also of the demands as to Cuba. Porto Rico and other Spanish 
 islands In the West Indies, and Guam, in the form in which those demands have been 
 provisionally agreed to. In this event It will be possible for the Joint Coutmlsslon to 
 continue its sessions and to proceed to the consideration and adjustment of otfaer 
 matters, including those which, as subsldi^u-y and incidental to the principal provi- 
 sions, should form a part of the treaty of peace. 
 
 In particular the American Commissioners desire to treat of religious freedom In 
 the Caroline Islands, as agreed to iu l.S8i>: of the release of prisoners now held by 
 
 169 
 
Sjjain for political offences in connection with the insurrections In Cuba and the 
 Philippines: the acquisition of the island Tariously known as Kusale, Dalan, or 
 Strong Island, In the Carolines, for a naval and telegraph station, and of cable-land- 
 ing rights at other places in Spanish Jurisdiction; and the revival of certain treaties 
 heretofore in force between the United States and Spain. 
 
 True copy: 
 JOHN B. MOORE. 
 
 170 
 
Protocol No. 16. 
 
 Protocolo No. 16. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 November 28, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 28 de Noviembre de 1898. 
 
 i'lie oonrcreiice which was to have been 
 held on the 'JSrd Instant h.Tvlng been ad- 
 journed In consequence of the correspond- 
 ence exchauKcd between the Presidents of 
 the two Coniinlssions. which is appended 
 to the present protocol. In the shape of two 
 letters of the President of the Spanish 
 Coiuuiisslon and the answers thereto of the 
 I'resident of the Amerlcm Commission, the 
 Joint Commission met to-day at two o'clock 
 p. m., when there were 
 
 Present-- 
 On the part 
 
 it the United States; 
 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 KEID, 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERGUS SON. 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZUZA. 
 
 GARNICA, 
 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 
 CERERO, 
 
 OJEDA. 
 The protocol of the preceding conference 
 was reaii and approved. 
 
 The I'resident of the Spanish Commis- 
 sion, in a<!Cordance wlti tlie agreement pre- 
 viously reached, presented to the American 
 Commissioners a document containing the 
 final answer of the Spanish Government to 
 the proposition as to the Philippine Islands 
 which till' American Commissioners pre- 
 sented as (inal at the last session. 
 The language of the answer is as follows: 
 
 "The Spanish Commissioners hastened to 
 lay before tlieir Government the proposi- 
 tion which, as final, was presented to them 
 at the last session by the American Com- 
 missioners, and they are now specially au- 
 thorized to give within the time designated 
 and uncier the conditions expressed the re- 
 ply which was requested of them by the 
 -American memorandum. 
 
 "Examinid solely in the light of the legal 
 principles which have guided the action of 
 the Spanish Commissioners during the 
 course of these negotiations, the latter con- 
 sider I he American proposition in every 
 way inadmissible for the reason repeatedly 
 set forth In previous documents forming a 
 part of the Protocol. 
 
 "Neither can they consider the .said prop- 
 (islllons as a satisfactory form of agree- 
 ment and compromise between two oppos- 
 
 171 
 
 Aplazada la conferencia que deblo cele- 
 I'larse el dia 23 del corriente a consecnencla 
 de la correspondancla camblada entre los 
 I'resldentes de ambas Comlslones. que va 
 anexn al acta presente. en forma de dos 
 cartas del Presldente de la Comlsion espa- 
 nola y del las dos contestaclones a aqnellas 
 del Presidente de la Comlsion amerlcana, 
 se reunieron ambas Comisiones hoy a las 
 2 de la tarde hallandose 
 
 Presentcs — 
 I'or parte de los Bstados Unldos de Amer- 
 ica: 
 los Senores DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 PRYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 
 i'or parte de Espana: 
 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS. 
 ABARZUZA. 
 GARNICA, 
 VILLA-URRDTIA. 
 CERERO. 
 OJEDA 
 
 Fue ieida y aprobada el acta de la sesloo 
 anterior. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comlsion espanoia. de 
 conformldad con lo acordado anteriormente, 
 presenta a los Comisarlos americanos un 
 document.a que contiene la contestaclon 
 deflnitiva del Goblerno espanol a la propo- 
 sicion sobre Filipinas, quo con caracter de 
 final presentaron en la ultima seslon los 
 Comisarlos americanos. 
 
 Los terminos de dlcha contestaclon son 
 Ins siguieutes: 
 
 "Los Comisarlos espanoles se apresuraron 
 a poner en conoclmlento de su Goblerno la 
 proposiclcn, que con caracter de delinltiva, 
 les tue presentada en la sesion ultima por 
 los Senores Comisarlos americanos, y se 
 hallan hoy expllcitamente autorlzados a dar 
 la respuesta que dentro del plaza senalado 
 y con las coudlciones expresados en el 
 Memorandum americano se Ics pedla. 
 
 "Examlnada unlcamente a la luz de los 
 principios jnrldicos que ha venido Insplr- 
 ando la conducta de los Comisarlos espa- 
 noles durante el curso de estas negocla- 
 clones, enruentran estos de todo punto In- 
 admlsible la proposiclon americana, por las 
 razones repetidamcnte expuestas en ante- 
 riores documenlos que forman parte de 
 Protocolo. 
 
 "Tanipnco piienden conslderar dicha 
 proposiclon como satisfactoria formula de 
 a\enenela y transacclon entre opucstos 
 
iuff pnLfiplfs. since the terms which by 
 wa.v of concession are offered to Spain do 
 not be!ir a proper prorortion with the sov- 
 ereii^ty w-'liich it is endeavored to compel 
 us lo reliiuiuish in the Philippine Archl- 
 peltgo. Had tJiey borne such proportion, 
 Spain would have at once, for the saise of 
 peace, made the sacrifice of accepting them. 
 The American Commission knows that the 
 Spanish Commission endeavored, although 
 fruitlessly, to follow this course, goinpr so 
 far as to propose arbitration for the settle- 
 ment of the principal Questions. 
 
 "Spain then Tiavin^ on her part exhausted 
 all diplomatic recourses in the defence of 
 whai she considers her rights and even for 
 an cquiiaMe compromise, the Spanish Com- 
 missioners are now aslied to accept the 
 Amerionn proi>osition in its entirety and 
 without further discussion, or to reject It, 
 in which latter case, as the American Com- 
 mission understands, the peace negotia- 
 tions will end and the Protocol of Wash- 
 ington will, consequently, be broken. The 
 Government of Her Ma.iesty, moved by 
 lofry reasons of patriotism and humanity, 
 will not assume the responsibility of again 
 bringing upon Spain all the horrors of war. 
 In ordt-r to avoid them it resigns itself to 
 the palnftil strait of submitting to the law 
 of the victor, liowever harsh it may be, and 
 as Spain lacks material means to defend 
 the rights she believes are hers, having re- 
 corded them, she accepts the only terms 
 the United States offers her tor the con- 
 cluding of the treaty of peace." 
 
 This answer was delivered to the Ameri- 
 can (Jntnmissioiiers and translated by their 
 interpreter into English. 
 
 The rre..,ident of the Spanish Commission 
 expressed the opiiuon that, the proposition 
 of tlie An.erican Conunission having been 
 accepted, it was in order for the Secreta- 
 ries of the two Commissions to confer and 
 agree upon the form in whicb the articles 
 relating to Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phil- 
 ipT>ine Islands sltould be drawn up, which 
 art'cies they should afterwards stibnUt to 
 the Joint Commission for approval or modi- 
 flcalioi:. 
 
 The .-imcriCiUi Commissioners assented to 
 his proposal, and suggested that the corre- 
 spondence exchanged between the Presl- 
 deiits of the two Commissions in the inter- 
 val between the last and the present ses- 
 sion be ai>j)ended either to this protocol or 
 to the next. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 c^incurriiig in this suggestion, it was agreed 
 that the two letters which he had ad- 
 dressed to the President of the American 
 Commission and the answers thereto given 
 by the latter be appended to the present 
 protocol. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion expressed the hope that a mutuaIl.T 
 satisfactory agreement might be reached as 
 to all matters other than those disposed of 
 by the acceptance of the American proposi- 
 tion, and, in order to hasten the conclu- 
 sion of the treaty, he proposed that the 
 American Commission should draw up artl- 
 
 principios, pues las condiciones que a titulo 
 de concesion se ofrecen a Espana, no guar- 
 dan ninguna proporcion con la sol>eranla a 
 ijue se uos quiere obligar a reunuclar en el 
 Archipielago Filipino. Si la hubleran guar- 
 dado, hubiese hecho Espana desde luego el 
 sacriflcio de aceptarlas en aras del deseo de 
 la paz, Consta a la Comision americana 
 que la espanola intento, aunque sin exito, 
 entrar en esta via, Uegando hasta proponer 
 el arbitrage para la resoloclon de las cne»- 
 Tiones principales. 
 
 "Agotados ques, por parte de Espana, 
 todos los recursos diplomatlcos para la 
 defensa del que considera su derecho, y ann 
 para una equitativa transaccion, se exlge 
 hoy a los (^misarios espanoles que acepten 
 en oonjunto y sin mas discusiones la propo- 
 sicion americana, o due la rechacen, en 
 cu.vo caso, quedarlan terminiidas, segun 
 entiende la Comision americana, las nego- 
 ciaciones para la paz y roto por consl- 
 guiente el Protocolo de Washington. Bl 
 fiobiemo de S. M. movido por altas razones 
 de patriotismo y de humanidad no ha de 
 incurrir en la responsabilidad de desatar 
 de nuevo sobre Espana todos los horrores 
 de la guerra. Para evitarlos se resigna al 
 doioroso trance de someterse a la ley del 
 vencedor, por dura que esta sea, y como 
 carece Espana de medios materiales para 
 defender el derecho que cree le aslste, una 
 vez ya considnado, acepta las unlcas con- 
 diciones que los Estados Uuidos le ofrecen 
 para la conclusion del tratado de paz," 
 
 Es entregada dicha contestacion a los 
 Cnmisarios americanos y vertlda al ingles 
 por su Interprete. 
 
 El Fresidente de la Comision espanola 
 maniiiesta que aceptada la proposiclon de 
 la Comision americana procederia en sn 
 sentir que los Secretaries de ambas Com- 
 i.siones se puserian de acuerdo para la 
 redaccion de los articulos referentes a 
 Cuba. Puerto Rico y Filiplnas, que some- 
 terian luego a la Comision en pleno para 
 que esta los aprobase o modiflcase. 
 
 Asiuute :i ello la C-oinlsion americana y stl 
 Presidente propone que la correspondencia 
 cambiada entre los dos Presidentes en el 
 intervale entre la ultima y la presents 
 sesicm scan anexas a esta acta o a la 
 proxima. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola es 
 de la misma opinion, y se acuerda que las 
 dos cartas que ha dirigido al Presidente de 
 la Comision americana y las dos contesta- 
 ciones de este sean anexas al acta presente. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 maniiiesta su esperanza de que pueda 
 llegarse ahora a un acuerdo satisfactorio 
 respecto de los demas pimtos subsidiaries 
 de su proposiclon, aparte de los que han 
 side ya acei>tados, y dice que con objeto de 
 apresurar la conclusion del tratado, se 
 propone redactar los demas articulos y 
 
 172 
 
cies auil I'lH'Scnt them at the uext confer- 
 ence lo be orally discussed, thus avoiding 
 the presentation of memoranda which 
 would delay the necotlatlons. 
 
 The rresldent of the Spanish Commlsson 
 answered that the form In which the Amer- 
 ican Commissioners should desire to pro- 
 ceed was loft entirely to their choice and 
 that he had noihinR to suKt'est in this re- 
 spect; and he also expressed the opinion 
 tliat the rresentafon of memoranda would 
 be unnecessary, except in some special case 
 which inisht occur. Ho proposed that the 
 meetlnor should be adjourned until the Sec- 
 retaries should have drawn up the draft of 
 articles prevlousl.v mentioned by him. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion concurred in this proposal and, be'ng 
 desirous also to present the articles refer- 
 rini; to the subsidiary points of the treaty 
 .It the next session, he moved that that 
 session should be held on Wednesday, the 
 30th instant, at two o'clock p. m. 
 
 The rresideut of the Spanish Commission 
 Concurred in th's proposi\l. and requested 
 the American Commission to hasten as 
 much as practicable their proceedings, so 
 us to terminate at the earliest possible mo- 
 ment the labors of the Commission. 
 
 The session was accordingly adjourned 
 till Wednesday, (he 30th Instant, at two 
 o'clock p. ni. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. 
 
 rUSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 WM. P. FRYE, 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITEI.u4W REID. 
 inilN !;. MOOKE. 
 
 presintarlos en la pro.tlma conferencin para 
 ser discutidos oralmente, evltandose asl la 
 presentaclon de Memoranda que retrasarla 
 las uogoclaclones. 
 
 EI Presidente de la Comlslon espanola 
 contesta que la forma en que deseen pro- 
 ce<ler los Comlsarios amerlcanos queda 
 conipletamente a su elecclon, y qne nada 
 tiene por tanto que sugerir. al respecto, 
 siendo asimismo de opinion que huelga la 
 preseniaiii>n de Memoranda al respecto, 
 salvo algnn caso especial que pudlera 
 c)currlr, y propone que se levante la seslon 
 y se aplacp la nueva reunion hasta que los 
 Sei retarios puedon redactar el proyecto 
 dp iirtlcniado. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comlsion amerlcana 
 haoe asimismo esta reserva y deseando 
 preseutar el artlculado referente a los 
 puntos subsidiaries del tratado en la prox- 
 ima seslon. propone que esta tenga Ingar 
 el mlercoles 30 del presente a las 2. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comlslon espanola 
 convlene en one asi sea y ruega a los 
 Cflmisarios amerlcanos que apresuren en lo 
 posible sus procedlmlentos a fin de qne 
 treminen cuanto antes las tareas de la 
 Comlsion. 
 
 En eonsecnencia queda aplazada la prox- 
 ima seslon para el mlercoles 30 del coniente 
 a las 2 p. m. 
 
 Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA. 
 W. R. DE VILLA-ARRDTIA. 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 BMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 173 
 
Annex 1 to Protocol No. 16. 
 
 COMISION 
 Para la Negociacion de la Paz Con los Estados TJnidos. 
 
 Sr. D. William R. Day. 
 Muv Senor mio. 
 a" fin dP que pueda csta Comlslon y tn su caso ol Goblerno deS. M. C. deliborar con 
 pleno y exacto conocimiento de sii sentido sobre la proposlclon con que termlna el 
 llemoranduni presentado en la sesion de nyn- por la Comlslon que diguamente 
 presldis. y que acaba de tradiiolrse al es;):inol. nie es necesarlo rogaros que, con la 
 iirgonciaque os sea poslble, <is slrvals, si os parece convenlente, aclarar el concepto 
 de los puntos sigulentes de dicha proposiolon. cuya Intellgencla es para mi obscura y 
 
 Taga : 
 
 PRIMERO. La proposlclon qne hacels descansa sabre la base de que las colonlaB 
 cspanoles ban de pasar Ilbres de toda carga, quedaudo por couslgulente todas, abso- 
 lutamente todas. las obllgaciones y deudas colonlales pendientes. de cualquler daae 
 que ellas sean y cualquiera que haya sldo su origen y objeto, a cargo excluslvamente 
 
 de Espana? 
 
 SEGUNDO. El otrocimiento que los Estados Unidos hacen a Espana de establecer 
 Igualdad de condiciones durante cierto numero de anes en los quertos del Archiple- 
 lago entre los buques y mercancias de ambas naciones. ofreelmiento que se hace pre- 
 cedar de la afirmacion do qne la polltlca dc los Estados Tnidos es mantener en las 
 FUipinas la puerta abicrta al comercio del mundo debe entenderse en el sentido de 
 qUe ins buques y mercaneias de las demas naciones ban de gozar o poder gozar de ia 
 mlsma situaclon que por cierto tiempo se oonceda a los de Espana, mientras los Es- 
 tados Unidos no cambien dicba polltlca? 
 
 TERCERO. Habiendo oonsignado el Sr. Secretarlo de Estado, en la nola de 30 de 
 Julio ultimo, que ia cesion por Espana de la Isla de Puerto Rico y de otras Islas 
 actualmente bajo su soberania en las Indias Occidentales, asi como de una en las 
 Ladrones. era en compensacion de las perdidas y gastos heehos por los Estados Uni- 
 dos, durante la guerra. y dc los danos que sus cludadanos habian sufrido durante ia 
 ultima insurrecclon de Cuba, cuales son las reclamaciones a que se reflere ia propo- 
 siclon, al exigirse en eila que en el tratadn se ha de insertar una dlsposiclon sobre 
 el abandono mutuo de todas las reclamaciones individuales y nacionales surgldas 
 desde el principio de la ultima insurreci .n en Cuba hasta ia conclusion del tratado 
 de paz? 
 
 CI'ARTO. Al decirse que en .■! tratad ■ se ba de convenir sobre la libertad de log 
 detenidos por Espana por di'litos politicos relacionados con las Insurrecciones de Cuba 
 y Fillplnas. se quiere dar a entender que a ia vez no se ha de convenir sobre la liber- 
 tad de los prisloneros espanoles que estan en poder de las fuerzas americanas y de 
 sus auxiliares los Insnrrectos de Cuba y FUipinas? 
 
 QUIXTO. Tambien se ha de convenir en el tratado sobre la adqulslcion por los 
 Estados Unidos del derecho de amarre de cables en otros sitlos bajo la jurlsdiccion de 
 Espana. En que region estan dlchos slHo-<? Esta frase, compreude solamente los 
 territories de Espana en el Orlente o tamliii'n en la Peninsula? 
 
 SEXTO Se dice aslmismo que se renovarau clertos tratados que hasta ahora estu- 
 vieron en vigor entre los Estados Tnldos y Espana. Cuales son estos tratados? 
 
 Y finalmente. SEPTIMO. Dicen los Cimisarios americanos que si los espanoles 
 aeeeptan final y concretamente su proposlclon y las anterlores sobre Cuba, Puerto 
 Rico y demas islas, sera poslble a la Comision en pleno contlnuar sus sesiones y pro- 
 ceder al estudio y arreglo de otros puntos. slgnlflcan estas frases que si la Comision 
 espanola no accepta final y concretamente dichas proposiciones. sin modlfieaclon sus- 
 tanelal, la Comision en pleno no contlnuara sus sesiones? 
 
 Os raego y encarezco la resoluclon de estas dudas. si lo tenels a bleu, sobre la 
 Intellgencla de vuestra proposlclon, lo mas pronto que os sea poslble, para qne la 
 Comision espanola pneda dar en aeslon de la Comision en pleno la contestaclon qoe 
 considere precedente. 
 
 Aceptad, Senor, os lo ruego. el testlra..nio de mi distinguida consideracion. 
 
 Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 Paris. 22 de Noviembre de 1S98. 
 
 175 
 
(Annex 1 to Protocol No. 16.) 
 
 COMMISSION 
 FOE THE NEGOTIATION OF PEACE WITH THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 mi;. WILLJA.M K. DAY, 
 M.v Dear Sir: 
 
 lu order that this Cuuimissiun aud, if iR'L'i.'s.sai.v. the Government of H. C. M., 
 may stmly -nitli a fuli and exact knowledge tlie proposition wliicli closes the memo- 
 randum presented at yesterday's session by the Commission you worthily head, the 
 translation into Spanish of which has jusl been completed, it becomes necessary to 
 beg you that with all possible haste you will be pleased to malie clear the meaning 
 of the foliowins points of said proposition, which to me is obscure and vague: 
 
 riR.ST. Is the proposition yon make based on the Spanish colonies being trans- 
 ferred free of all burdeus, all. absolutely all outstanding obligations and debts, of 
 whatsoever kind and whatever may have been their origin and purpose, remaining 
 tliereby chargeable exclusively to Spain? 
 
 SKCOXD. Is the otter made by the United States to Spain to establish for a cer- 
 tain number of years similar conditions in the ports of the archipelago for vessels 
 and merchandise of both nations, an offer wh'eh is preceded by the assertion that 
 the policy of the United States is to maintain an open door to the world's com- 
 merce, to be taken in the sense that the vessels and goods of other nations are to en- 
 joy or can enjoy the same privilege (situacio:i) which for a certain time is granted 
 those of Spain, while the United States do not ciiange such policy? 
 
 THIKIi. The Secretary of State having stated in his note of July 30 last that the 
 cession by Spain of the Island of Porto Rico and the other islands now under Span- 
 ish sovereignty in the West Indies, as well as one of the Ladrones, was to be as 
 compensation for the losses and expenses of the United States during the war, and 
 of the damages suCCered by their citizens during the last insurrection in Cuba, what 
 claims does the proposition refer to ou requiring that there shall be inserted in the 
 treaty a provision for the mutual relinquishment of all claims, individual and na- 
 tional, that have arisen from the beginning of the last insurrection in Cuba to the 
 conclusion of the treaty of peace? 
 
 FOUIJTH. Upon stating that the treaty must contain an agreemient as to the re- 
 lease of those held by Spain for political offences connected with the iusuiT.'Ctions of 
 Cuba and the Philippines, is it desired that il be taken as meaning that at the same 
 time there is to be no agreement as to the release of the Spanish prisoners held in 
 the possession of the American forces an,l I heir auxiliaries, the insurgents of Cuba 
 and the Philippines? 
 
 FIFTH. In the treaty there is also t.> be an agreement as to the acquirement 
 by the United States of cable landing privileges in other places under the jurisdic- 
 tion of Spain. Where are such places? Does this sentence only include territories 
 of Si;ain in the Orient, or in the Peninsula also? 
 
 SIXTH. It is also said that certaiu treaties which were in force between the 
 United States and Spain up to this time wili be revived. What are these treaties? 
 
 And. tinally, SEVENTH. The American Commissioners say that if the Spanish 
 Commissioners accept their proposition finally and definitely and the previous pro- 
 piisals as to Cuba. Porto Rico and other islands, it will be possible for the Joint 
 Commission to continue its sessions and jn-ocoed to the examination and arrange- 
 ment of other points. Do these words mean that if the Spanish C-ommisslon does 
 not finally and definitely accept said propositions without substantial modifications, 
 the Joint Commission will not continue its sessions? 
 
 I beg and earnestly request yon to settle these doubts, should you be so disposed, 
 as to the meaning of .your proposition as soon as may be possible, in order that the 
 Spanish Commission may. in a session of the Joint Coijimission, furnish the reply it 
 nui.v deem proper. 
 
 Accept. Sir. 1 pray yon. the expression of uiy distinguished consideration. 
 
 Signed: K. MoNTKKO KIOS. 
 
 Paris. .V.ivember lii. l>iOK. 
 
 176 
 
Annex 2 to Protocol No. 16. 
 
 United States and Spanish Peace Commission. 
 United States Commissioners. 
 Paris. 
 
 November 22, 1S9S. 
 Senor Don E. Montero Rios. 
 My Dear Sir: 
 
 H.ivius received and read your letter of lo-day. touching tlie final pi'oposltioii 
 preseuted by the Amerioau Commissioners at yesteiday's couterence, I liasten to au- 
 sH-er your inquiries seriatim, first stating your questicvn, and then giving my reply. 
 
 "KIISST. Is the proposition you malse based on the Spanish colonies being trans- 
 ferred free of all burdens, all, ahsoluteij all outstanding obligations and debts, of 
 wb.itsoever kind and whatever may liave been their origin and purpose, remaining 
 thereby chargeable exclusively to Spain?" 
 
 Ill reply to this question, it Is proper In call attention to the fact that the Amer^ 
 ican Commissioners, in their paper of yesterday, expressed the hope tliat they might 
 reeeive within a certain time "a definite and final acceptance" of their propositi as to 
 the I'hilippines. and also "of the demands as to i;uba, Porto Itico and other Spanish 
 ishuids m the West Indies, and Guam> in ilie form in which those demands have been 
 provisionally agreed to." 
 
 The form in wliich they have thus be-'ii agreed to is found in the proposal pre- 
 sented by the American Commissioners On the 17th of Oolober and annexed to the 
 protocol of the I'.th conference, and is as folio vs: 
 
 ■"AUTICLE 1. Spain hereby relinquishes all claim of sovereignty over and title 
 to Cuba. 
 
 ".i.UTI<LE 2. Spain hereby cedes to the United States the Island of Porto Ilico 
 and other Islands now under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indies, and also the 
 Island of Guam in the Ladrones." 
 
 These articles contain no provision for the .issnmption of debt by the United 
 States. 
 
 In this relation. I desire to recall the statements in which the American Commis- 
 sioners hale in our conferences repeatedly declared that they would not accept any 
 articles that required the United States to assume the so calle<l colonial debts of 
 Spain. 
 
 To these statements I have nothing to add. 
 
 nut. In respect of the Philippines, the American Commissioners, while including 
 the cession of the archipelago in the artlrlo in which Spain "cedes to the United 
 States the Island of Porto KIco and other islands now under Spanish sovereignty In 
 the West Indies, and also the Island of Guam in the I.adroues," or in an article ex- 
 pressed In similar words, will agree that their Government shall pay to Spain the 
 sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000). 
 
 "SICCOND. Is the offer made by the T'niteil States to Spain to establish for a 
 certain number of years similar conditions in tne ports of the archipelago for ves- 
 sels and merchandise of both nations, an offer which Is preceded by the assertion 
 that the policy of the United States Is to maintain an open door to the world's com- 
 merce, to be taken in the sense that the Vessels and goods of other nations are to en- 
 joy or can enjoy the same privilege (situation) which for a certain time Is granted 
 those of Spain, n'oile the United States do not change such policy?" 
 
 The declaration that the policy of the United States in the Philippines will be 
 that of an open door to the world's commerce necessarily Implies that the offer to 
 place Spanish vessels and merchandise on the same footing as American is not in- 
 tended to be exclusive. But the offer to give Spain that privilege for a term of 
 years is intended to secure it to her for a certain period by special treaty stipula- 
 tion, whatever might be at an.v time the general policy of the United States. 
 
 •TlIIUIi. The Secretary of State having stated In his note of July :» last that 
 the icssii.n by Spaiu of the Island of Porto Itico and the other Islands now under 
 Spanish sovereignty In the West Indies, as well as one of the Ladrones, was to be 
 as compensation for the losses and expends .>f the I'nited States during the war, 
 and of the damages suffered by their citl/.'-ns during the last Insurrection in Cuba, 
 wliai claims does the proposition refer to on reciuiring that there shall be Inserted In 
 the treaty a provision for the mutual relinquishment of all claims. indivi<liial and 
 national, that have arisen from the beginning of the last insurrection In Cuba to the 
 conclusion of the treaty of peace?" 
 
 While the Idea doubtless was conveyed in the note of the Secretary of State of 
 til' I'liited Slates of the .''.Otli of July last that the cession of "Porto Rico and other 
 
 177 
 
i&lauds now uudei- tbe sovert'iKiity ut Siiain in tlu> Wfst Indies, and also tlii? cession 
 of an Island in tlie Ladrones. to be selecte.l by tbe United States." «ms reynired on 
 jjroimds of indemnity, and that "on slmilai- grounds the United States is entitled to 
 oecupy and will hold the city, bay and h^alior of Manila, pending- the conelusiou of 
 s\ treaty of peacs which shall determine the control, disposition and government of 
 the I'liilippines." no dehnition has as yet been given of the extent or precise effect 
 of the cessions iu that regard. The American i omaiissioners therefore propose, iu 
 connection with the cessions of territory. ■The mutua: rtlinquishment of all claims 
 for indemnity, national and individual, of every kind, of the United States against 
 Spain and of .Spain against the United States, thr.t may have arisen since the be- 
 giuning of tlie late insurrection in Cuba and prior to the conclusion of a treaty of 
 pe.ice." 
 
 And I may add that this offer is made by thi' Americiin Commissioners in fuU 
 view of the fact that the citizens of the United Slates, having claims that come 
 within the foregoing relinquishmeut. will, on the strength thereof, apply to their 
 own Government for Indemnity. 
 
 As to the fourth, fifth and sixth questions containfd in your letter, permit me to 
 point out that they do not relate to matters concerning which the American Com- 
 missioners st.ated that the acceptance of our proposals within the time meutioned 
 would be a condition of continuing the conferences. The American Commissioners 
 coiitined that condition to their proposals touching Cuba. IVrto Rico and other 
 SpanLsh islands in the West Indies. Guam and the Philippines. In respect of the 
 other matters referred to. they expresse 1 their readiness to "treat." In case the 
 Spanish Conunissioners should remove the obstacle to so doing, by a definite aufl 
 final aciceptance of the proposals above mentioned, the refusal of which w.mid render 
 the continuance of the conferences impracncable. 
 
 In what I have just said, you will flnil an answer to your seventh question. 
 
 It does not appear to be necessary to specify at this moment the particulars of 
 the subjects referred to in your fourth, fifth .md sixth questions, since, if our pro- 
 posals In regard to Cuba, Porto Kico ana other Spanish islands in the West Indies, 
 Guam and tlie Philippines, are not accepted, the negotiations will end. I deem it 
 proper, however, even at tJie risk of seeming to anticipate, to say. so far as concerns 
 the sub.iect of your fourth question, that the Amerlc.in Commissioners would expect 
 to treat for the release of prisoners on the basis of absolute equality. All Spanish 
 prisoners in the possession of the American forces would necessarily be released as 
 the result of a treaty of peace; and the Ameiican Commissioners would be willing to 
 stipulate that their Government would undertake to obtain the release of ;vll Span- 
 ish prisoners in the hands of the Insurgents in Cuba and the Philippines. 
 
 With an expression of regret that the process of translating your letter has 
 somewhat delayed my reply. I beg you to accept, my dear sir, the expression of my 
 <listingulsh(d consideration. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM It. DAY. 
 
 178 
 
Annex 3 to Protocol No. 16. 
 
 COMISION 
 Para la Negociacion de la Paz Con los Estados Unidos. 
 
 Honorable M. WlHiam R. Day, 
 
 Presldente de la Comlsion americana para la paz con Espana. 
 
 Muy Senor mio do nil dlstlngulda conslderaelon, 
 A tin de adelantar cuanto sea posible log trabajos que por ambos Gohleruos a una 
 y otra CoBiislon hail sldo encomendados, y que ya requleren una proxlnia lermlna- 
 clon. ruogo a Vd., en nnuibre de esta Comlsion que se slrva proponer a la de su digna 
 presklencia si esta dlspucsta a acceptar por via de transaccion sobre la soberanla del 
 Archipiclago Fillpinn cualquiiTa de las ti-rs proposidones siguientcs: 
 
 A. — "Kenuncia de Espana a su soberanla en Cuba y ceslon de Puerto Rico y 
 demas Antlllas, Isla de Cuain vu las Ladrones y Archiplelago Filipino, incluso Minda- 
 nao y Jolo. a los Estados Unidos, liabiendo de satlsfacer estos a Espana la cantldad 
 de clen millones de dollars (.$100.0110.000) en eompensacion de su soberanla en el 
 archiplelago y de las ohras de utllidad publloa ej.cutadas durante su domlnacion en 
 todas las islas de Orlente y Occldente cuya soberanla renuncia y cede." 
 
 B.— "Cesion a los Estados Unidos de la Isla Ousaye en las Carolinas, del derecho 
 de niarre de un cable en cualquiera de ell.is o ip- las Marianas, mlentras sean de! 
 domlnio de Espana, y del Arebiiiiclago Filipino proplamente dicho. o sea empezando 
 por el Norte, de las Islas Batanes, Babuyanes, Luzon, Visayas y todas las demas que 
 slguen al Sur hasta el mar de Jolo. ivservandose Espana al Sur de cste mar las Islas 
 de Mindanao y Jolo. que nunea ban torniado parte del Arobipielago Filipino propia- 
 niente dicho. 
 
 Los Estados Unidos en eompensacion de las islas sobredichas, del derecho de 
 amarre del cable y de las obras publioas ojecutadas por Espana en aquellas Islas 
 duranto su domlnacion, abonaran a Espana la cantldad de cincuenta millones de dol- 
 lars (,'i;50,000,000)." 
 
 C— "Espana renuncia a su soberanla en Cuba y cede gratuitamente a los Estados 
 Unidos el Archiplelago Filipino proplamci.te dicho. ademas de Puerto Rico y demas 
 Antlllas y la Isla de Guam que cede en eompensacion de los gastos de guerra e Indem- 
 nlzaclones de culdadanos americanos por danos sufrljos desde el priucipio de la ul- 
 tima Insurreccion cr.bana: 
 
 "Los Estados Unidos y Espana someteran a un tribuniil arbitral euales son las 
 deudas y obligacioBos de caracter colonial, que deban pasar con las Islas cuya sober- 
 anla Espana renuncia y cede," 
 
 Ruego a Vd. que esa Comlsion se sirva deliberar sobre cada una de estas proposl- 
 dones por si considera aceptable cualquiera de ellaa, comunlcandomelo si lo tiene a 
 blen antes del lunes proximo 28 del corriente o tenlendo formado ya eu juicio para 
 dicho dia (que es el fljado en la ultima proposicion de esa Comlsion), en que podran 
 rennirse ambas en pleno a la hora acostumbrada de las dos de la tarde, y en cu.va 
 seslon esta Comlsion espanola dara su deflnitiva contcstaclon, de que, segun la de la 
 americana. habra de depender la continuacion o termlnaclon de estas conferencias. 
 Queda de Vd. con la mayor conslderaelon atento servidor q. 1. b. 1. m. 
 
 Flrmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 Paris, 2.'! de Novlembie de 1S9S. 
 
 (Annex 3 to Protocol No. 16.) 
 
 COMMISSION 
 POR THE NEGOTIATION OF PEACE WITH THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 Hon. WILLIAM R. DAY, 
 
 President of the American Commission f.ir Peace with Spain. 
 My Dejir and Esteemed Sir: 
 
 In order to push to the utmost the work which has been entrusted by the two 
 Oovemments to one and the other Commission and which now requires a prompt 
 termination. I beg you. in the name of this Conimlsslon. to be pleased to propose to 
 that worthily headed by you whether It is willing to accept, by way of compromise 
 In re the sovereignty of the Philippine Archipelago, any of the three propositions 
 following: 
 
 179. 
 
A.— "UeliuquJshment by Spain of her scivtrfiKiity over Cuba and cession of Porto 
 Kico and other Antilles, Island of Guam in the Ijadrones and the Phiiipplue Archi- 
 pelago, including Mindanao and Sulu, to tue L'mted States, the latter paying to 
 Spain the sum of one hundred million ($100,000,000) dollars as compensation for her 
 sovereignty in the Archipelago aud the works of public utility she has executed dur- 
 ing her rule in all the islands of the East aud West the sovereignty over which she 
 relinquishes and cedes." 
 
 B.— "Cession to the United States of the Island of Cusaye in the Carolines, of the 
 right to land a cable on any of these or of the Marianas, wiiile they remain under 
 Spanish rule, and (cesion) of the Philippine Archipelago proper, that is. beginning on 
 the north, the Islands of Batanes, Babuyanes, Luzon. Visayas and all the others fol- 
 lowing to the south as far as the Sulu Sea, Spain reserving to the south of this sea. 
 the Islands of Mindanao and Sulu which liave never formed a part of the Philippine 
 Archipelago proper. 
 
 "The United States, as compensation lor said islands, for the right to land ca- 
 bles and for the public worlis executed by Spain in said islands during her rule, will 
 pay to Spain the sum of fifty million ($50,000,000) dollars." 
 
 C— "Spain relinquishes her sovereignty over Cuba and gratuitously cedes to the 
 United States the Philippine Archipelag'j proper, besides Porto Elco, the other 
 West Indies and the Island of Guam, which she cedes as compensation for the ex- 
 penses of the war and as indemnity to Auierican oitii-ens for injuries .suffered since 
 the beginning of the last Cuban insurreciion. 
 
 "The United States and Spain will submit to an arbitral tribunal what are tihe 
 debts and obligations of a colonial character which should pass with the islands the 
 Riiverelgnty over which Spain relinquishes and cedes." 
 
 I beg viin that said Commission be pleased to deliberate over each of these prop- 
 ositious so that, should it consider any one of tbem aeceptable, it may be communi- 
 cated to me, should you be so disposed, before Momlay next, the 28th instant, or 
 your mind being already made up, on thp.t day (which is the one set in the last 
 proposition of the said Commission) when the two Commissions may meet jointly at 
 the usual liour of two p. m., at which session this, the Spanish Commission, will 
 give its final reply, upon which, according to the answer of the American, must de- 
 pend the continuation or termination of tbese conferences. 
 
 I remain, with the greatest consideratiuu, your obedient servant. 
 
 Signed: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 Paris, November 23, 189S. 
 
 ISO 
 
Annex 4 to Protocol No. 16. 
 
 United States and Spanish Peace Commission. 
 
 United States Commissioners. 
 
 Paris. 
 
 -'""■■ • : November 2G, ISaS. 
 
 My Dear Sir: 
 Your letter dated the 23rd Instant. In which yon propose, by way of compromise, 
 the adoption of one of tlwee alternative propositions, in place of the proposition sub- 
 mitted by the American Commissioners at our last conference, was not received by 
 me till the evening of the 24tli. 
 
 I lit once had it carefully translated, and. in compliance with your request, laid it 
 before my associates. 
 
 \Vp maturely considered It, and, althouL'li <im- last proposition, which was .sub- 
 milted under instructions, was expressly ileelared to be final, we decided, in view 
 of the importance of the subject, to communicate your proposals to our Government. 
 Its answer has just been received; and. as we anticipated, it Instructs us to ad- 
 iiere to the final proposition which we have alre:;dy submitted. 
 
 It is proper lo say that my associates and m.v.self. durins the Ions course of the 
 negotiations, have. In accordance with the wishes of our Government, given the 
 most deliberate attention to everything lii the .vay of argunient or of suggestion 
 I- that has been brought to our notice, in the hope that some basis of mutual agree- 
 ment micht be found. But. unfortunately, our discussions seemed to divide as. 
 iiiKillier than to bring us together, and no progress was made tOT\ard a common ac- 
 
 Under these circumstances the American Commissioners, acting upon explicit In- 
 itiUuctiOBS. offered at once, for the sake o peaie. all the concessions which their 
 Government was able to malte concemin.; the parlieiilar matters embraced in the 
 J>n>posltion the acceptance of which was made a condition of further negotiations. 
 
 As I stated in my letter of the 23rd instant, if ihat proposition should be accept- 
 ed, tiie matters referred to in the concluding paiagraph of the paper submitted by 
 the American Commissioners at the last session, would become the subject of nego- 
 tiations, and. in regard to them. T shouid hope for a mutually satisfactory arrange- 
 
 The .Vmerican Commissioners expect to be present at the Ministry of Foreign 
 Affairs on Monday next for the purpose of receiving the answer to their final propo- 
 sition. 
 
 T remain, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY. 
 Seiior Don E. Montero Rios. etc., etc., etc. 
 
 Co 
 
 18L 
 
Protocol No. 17. 
 
 Protocolo No. 17. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of November 30, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 30 de Noviembre de 1898. 
 
 Present- 
 On the part of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGDSSON. 
 
 On the part of Spain: 
 
 .Messrs. MONTERO RIOS. 
 ABARZUZA, 
 GARNICA. 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 CERERO. 
 OJEDA. 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion presented a draft of articles with ref- 
 erence to the conclnsion of a definite treaty 
 m the first part of which draft were in- 
 cluded the articles agreed upon by the two 
 Secretaries for submission to the Joint 
 Commission, in relation to the matters com- 
 prised in the proposition accepted by the 
 .Spanish Commissioners at the last session. 
 Ihe Joint Commission then proceeded to 
 the consideration of the draft, article bv 
 article, and, after discussing some of tlie 
 article.?, decided to adjourn the session, and 
 to continue the discussion at the next con- 
 ference, which was fixed for Thursday, the 
 1st of December, at three o'clock p. ni. 
 Signed: WIIyLIAM DAY. 
 
 CrSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 ■WM. P. PRYE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITELAW REID. 
 JOHN B. MOORE. 
 
 Presentes— 
 
 For parte de los Estados Unldos de Amer- 
 ica: 
 los Scnores DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 FRYE, 
 GRAY, 
 REID, 
 MOORE, 
 FERGUSSON. 
 Por parte de Espana: 
 
 los Senores MONTEEO RIOS, 
 ABARZDZA, 
 GARNICA, 
 VILLA-URRDTIA, 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 Pue leida y aprobada el acta de la seslon 
 anterior. 
 
 El Presldente de la Comision americana 
 presenta un proyecto de articulos para la 
 conclusion de un tratado de paz deflnitivo. 
 en cuya parte primera estan Incluldos los 
 que fneron acordados entre los Secretarios 
 de ambas Comlsiones para ser sometldos 
 a la Comision en pleno, relatives a las 
 materias eomprendidas en la proposicion 
 aeeptada por los Comisarios espanoles en 
 la ultima seslon. 
 
 La Comision en pleno procedio entonces 
 al examen de los articulos uno por uno y 
 despues de discutir algunos de ellos. de- 
 eidio levantar la seslon y continuar la dls- 
 cusion en la proxima eonferencia, que se 
 fijo para el Jueres 1 de Diciembre a las 
 3 p. m. 
 
 Firmado: E. MON'TEUO RIOS, 
 B. DE ABARZDZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA, 
 M-. R. DE VILLA-URRCTIA 
 RAFAEL CERERO, 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 ISfe: 
 
Protocol No. 18. 
 
 Protocolo No. 18. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of December 2, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 2 de Diciembre de 1898. 
 
 Tho session which \v;is to have been held 
 ycstprdny h.Tvlnjr been postponed by mvitual 
 ajirepment. owing to a lack of time to ex- 
 ninliie the niodlflcatinns and iidditlons pro- 
 posed by the Spanish Coinniissioners to the 
 draft of a treaty presented by the American 
 Commissioners at the session of November 
 30, the two Commissions met to-day at two 
 p. m., there being. 
 
 Present— 
 On the part of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. PAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 PRYB, 
 
 CRAY. 
 
 REID. 
 
 MDORE. 
 
 rEK.(;issox. 
 
 On the part of Spain: 
 
 Alessrs. MOXTERO RIOS. 
 ABARZUZA. 
 GARXICA. 
 VILLA-fRRUTIA. 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion observed that at the last session he had 
 presented a draft of articles for a final 
 treaty, and asked the Spanish Commis- 
 sioners if they had examined it. and were 
 ready to give their reply. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commis- 
 sion answered that he had consulted his 
 Government, and that he could not reply 
 until he had received its instructions; but 
 that. In any case, the Spanish Commission 
 was not inclined to treat of subsidiary 
 points as the American Commission desired, 
 withotit having first disposed of all the 
 points essential to the treaty of j>eace. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion asked the President of the Spanish 
 Commission -whether he could state when 
 he would receive the instructions; and the 
 latter replied that he would probably re- 
 ceive them to-day or to-morrow. 
 
 The American Commissioners proposed 
 that the Commission proceed to the reading 
 and discussion of the articles presented by 
 them that were not taken up at the last 
 session. The President of the Spanish Com- 
 mission observed that as those articles were 
 
 .\|da?'ida de coinun acuerdo la conferen- 
 cia line debio celebrarse ayer por falta de 
 ticnipo para examinar las modificaclones y 
 adiciones propncstas por los Comisarlos 
 cspanoles al proyecto de tratado presentado 
 por los Comlsanios amerlcanos en In seslon 
 del :Mt de Novlembre, reunieronse hoy a 
 1ms ;; p. ni. ambas Comlsloncs. hallandose 
 
 I'resentes — 
 Por parte de 
 America, 
 los Senores 
 
 los Estados Dnldos de 
 
 lAY. 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FllYE, 
 
 OKAY, 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE. 
 
 FURGUSSON. 
 I 'or parte de Espana: 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZDZA. 
 
 GARXICA. 
 
 VILI^A-IRRUTIA. 
 CERERO, 
 
 OJEDA. 
 l'"uc leida y aprobada el acta de la seslon 
 anterior. 
 
 EI Presidente de la Comislon americana 
 recuerda que en la ultima seslon present© 
 un proyecto de articulos para un tratado 
 deflnitivo y pregunta a los Comisarlos es- 
 panoles si lo han examinado y estan dis- 
 pupstos a dar una contestaclon. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 maniflesta que ha consultado a su Gobierno 
 y no puede contestar hasta haber recibldo 
 sus instrueciones; pero de todos modos no 
 esta dispuesta la Comislon espanola a tratar 
 de los puntos accesorios que desea la ameri- 
 cana sin que antes se haya concluido con 
 todo lo relative a lo que constituye esen- 
 c.a'mente el tratado de paz. 
 
 El I'residente de la Comision americana 
 pregunta al dc la espanola si paede declrcle 
 cuando recibira dichas instrueciones, y le 
 Presidente de la Comislon espanola con- 
 testa qne probablemente las recibira de hoy 
 a manana. 
 
 Proponen los Comisarlos amerlcanos que 
 se proceda a la lectura y discusion de los 
 articulos por ellos propuestos que no fuer- 
 on examinados en la scsion anterior; y el 
 Presid,nte de la Comislon espanola hace 
 obsorvur que dividiendosc dichos articulos 
 
 divided into two parts, one comprising the en dos partes,-una compuesta de los ocho 
 first ei-ht articles examined and approved prlmeros articulos ya examinada y apro- 
 at the°last session with the exception of badu en la ultima seslon, salve cuatro pan- 
 four points three of which the Americans tos. tres de los cuales quedarou los ameri- 
 were to examine and the fourth of which canos en estudiar y el 40 quedaron los es- 
 
 183. 
 
was to be submittpd by the Spaniai-as to 
 their Govprnnient. and as the other part 
 also dept'iidciit U]ion iiistriiftions frnm tliiit 
 GovernmeiU. lip deeniprt it iispIpss In rx 
 amim; and discuss the latter part. And. 
 on the other hand, he stated tliat the Sec- 
 retary General of the Spanish Cnmmisslon 
 had delirered to the Secretary General of 
 the American Commission a draft of other 
 articles which must necessarily form part 
 '6t the treaty nf peace ;ind with respect hi 
 which the American Commissaoners had not 
 as yet given an answer: and further that 
 the American Commission was to have con- 
 sulted its Government and to give an an- 
 swer to-day on the three points al)rivi' n~n- 
 tloned as forming a part of some ..f the 
 eight articles already a|ipi-,,vcd, which 
 answer was necessary in order that the 
 agreement previously reached upon these 
 articles might be enlarged; and that, there- 
 fore, with a view to preserve in the dis- 
 cussion the natural order, he considered it 
 requisite that the articles that werp indis- 
 pensable to such treaty should be com- 
 pleted by the answer of the Aniericnn Com- 
 missioners before passing on to the discus- 
 sion of points of minor interest which did 
 not affect the concluding of peace, though 
 this did not imply that the Spanish Com- 
 mis.^ioners did not entertain the desire to 
 take them up at> the proper time. 
 
 The American Commissioners insisted 
 that the.se subsidiary jioints be taken up. or 
 all discussion be postponed until the Span- 
 ish Commissioners shall have received in- 
 structions to treat upon all the points 
 whicdi have been submitted to them. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 held to his opinion, insisting that even 
 after the Instructions of his Government 
 with respect to the subsidiary points were 
 received, the Spanish Conimission would 
 not discuss them until after the termina- 
 tion of the discussion of the articles which 
 It had presented, and which related to the 
 treaty of peace proper. The American Com- 
 mission having inquired as to what were 
 the three points to which the President of 
 the Spanish Commission had above referred, 
 which the American Commissioners were 
 to examine, he replied that they were as 
 follows: The extending to Cuba and Porto 
 Rico of the commercial treatment granted 
 to Spain in the Philippines: the repatria- 
 tion at the expense of both nations of the 
 prisoners taken, and the return to Spain 
 of the war material in Cnba and Porto 
 Rico with respM't to wliicli the evacuation 
 commissions had not come to a decision, 
 since such material in the Philippines, he 
 understood, belonged tn Spain. He added 
 that the Spanish Commission had promised 
 to consult 'its Government regarding the 
 maintenance of publii' order in the Philip- 
 pines, and that if tlie .\[ueri<-an Ct^miuis- 
 siioiers were ready to peter upon tlip dis- 
 
 panoles en consultar a su Gobierno.— y la 
 otra pendiente tambien de instrueeiones de 
 sn (Joblerno. cree inntil examinar y dis- 
 ■ utir esta ultima. Kn cambio hace presente 
 que el Secretario General de la Comision ea- 
 panola ha entregado al de la americana el 
 proyecto de los demas articulos que debe 
 forniar parte necesariamente del tratado de 
 paz. y sobre los cuales hasta el presente 
 momento la Comision americana nada ha 
 contest ado. y ademas que la Comision amer- 
 icana quedo en consultar a su Gobierno y 
 pu dar hoy contestacion sobre dichos tres 
 indicados puntos relatives a algunos de los 
 echo articulos aprobados que faltabau para 
 amiiliar sobre dichos puntos el acuerdo ya 
 lomado sobre aquellos. y que por tanto, con 
 ob.ieto de gu.ardar en la dlscusion el orden 
 natural, considera necesario que se com- 
 pleten esros articulos indispensables de 
 dicho tratado con la contestacion de los 
 (;omisarios amerieanos. antes de pasar a 
 discutir puntos de menor interes que no 
 afectan a ia conclusion de la paz. lo cual no 
 quiere decir que los Comisarlos espanoles no 
 tengan el despo de fratar oportunamente 
 de ellos. 
 
 Insisten los Comisarlos amerieanos en 
 que deben ser examinados estos puntos 
 subsidiarios, o renunclarse a toda discusion, 
 hsta que los Comisarlos espanoles hayan 
 recibido instrueeiones para tratar sobre 
 todos los puntos que les hayan sido some- 
 tidos. 
 
 llantieup el President e de la Comision 
 espanola su opinion insistiendos en que aun 
 despues de recibidas las instrueeiones de 
 su Gobierno sobre tales puntos accesorios, 
 la Comision espanola no entrara a dis- 
 cutirlos sino desques que se haya terminado 
 la discusion do los articulos que tiene pre- 
 sentados, y que son relativos al tratado de 
 paz proprianiento dicho; y habiendole preg- 
 untado la Comision americana cuales eran 
 los tres puntos a que se referia el Presl- 
 dente de la Comision espanola y que debian 
 ser examinados por la Comision americana, 
 contesta qne son tres, a saber; ampliacioD 
 a Cuba y Puerto Itico del trato eomercial 
 concedido a Espana en Filipinas, repatria- 
 cion por cuenta de ambas naciones de los 
 prisioneros hechos, y devolueion a Espana 
 del material de guerra en Cuba y Puerto 
 Hko de que ya no hultleran dispucsto las 
 Comisiones de evacuaclon. porque en cuan- 
 to .-il existente en Pilipinas, entieude el 
 Presidente que pertenecia a Espana. An- 
 ade i!ue por su parte la Comision e.spanola 
 se piunprometio a consultar acerca del man- 
 tenimieuto dcd orden publico en Filipinas, 
 y ipie si los Comisarlos amerieanos estan 
 ilisiiuestos a aeeptar la discusion a que les 
 invita, el se couinromete sin haber recibido 
 insiruecicmes. a dar sobre este punto una 
 
 ISl 
 
cussion to whlc'li ihe.v were invitpd. he 
 wouldi. without having reeelvml instruc- 
 tions, iinrtpi-tnke to sivo a ciiti-soricjii an- 
 swer upon tin's point, whieli answer he was 
 confident his Government would ratify. 
 
 The"' discnsslon eontiniuMi, the American 
 Commission. Insisting on ils i)roposiiI to dis- 
 cuss the whole of its draft, or to postpone 
 all discussion until the Spanish Commission 
 shouiti liave instructions upon ail points. 
 Tlie Spanish Commission, hoidinsr to its 
 opinion that it was dul.v authorized to treat 
 upon ever.vthins esseriiiai to the trcat.v of 
 peace, and therefore read.v to sign its ar- 
 ticles' at once, but dcti'rmiiied not first to 
 treat of those points which are not essen- 
 tial to the treat.v, asiced that its readiness 
 to discuss in the natural order whatever 
 related directly to the treaty of peace, be 
 spread upon the minutes. 
 
 The arguments on both sides having been 
 repeated, rhc I'resiilcnt of llie .\merlcan 
 Commission stated tliat ho as well as his 
 colleagues hoped that the relations of the 
 two countries might not be limited to the 
 strict terms of a treaty of peace, but 
 ratlier that an agreement might be reached 
 for mutual concessions wliich would be 
 beneficial to both Goveniments and pro- 
 mote the cordiality in th.'ir relations. The 
 President of the Spanish Commis.«iioD stated 
 (hat this was also the desire of the Spanish 
 Commissioners, but that to bis mind it 
 would be easier to reach an understandipg 
 Upon the less 'important points if the de- 
 cisions arrived at on the necessary articles 
 of the treaty of peace were satisfactor.v. 
 
 Tlie American Commissioners proposed to 
 adjourn the ses.sion in order that the in- 
 structions awaited by the Spanish Com- 
 missioners might arrive, and to examine 
 the articles presented by the latter. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners agreed to 
 this, and the session was adjourned till 
 Saturday, the .Ird instant, at two p. m. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM It. DAY. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. 1>A\IS 
 WM. P. FRYE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 \VHITELAW REID. 
 .lOUN B. MdORE. 
 
 respuesta categorica que su (Joiderno 
 fla en que ratiflcara. 
 
 Coutinuo la discusion mantenion do la 
 Coinision amerlcana su proposito de discu- 
 tlr el eonjunto de su proyecto, o de aphizar 
 toda discusion. liasta que la es[)anoia tenga 
 instrucciones sobre todos sus cxtremos, y 
 sosteniendo la espanola su criterio de que 
 estan deliidamente autorizados a tratar de 
 ciianto constitu.'i'e el tratado de paz eseii- 
 cialtnente diciit>. dispuestos por tanto a 
 firmar sus clausulas ai punto; pero resuel- 
 tos a no tratar antes aquelios puntos que 
 no son esenc'aies a dicho tratado, desean 
 conste en el acta su disposiclon a segulr 
 dlseutiendo por suorden natural cuanto a 
 dicho tratadc de paz directamentc se re- 
 flere. 
 
 Repitense los a-rgumentos por una y otra 
 parte, y hai>iendo raanifestado el Presidente 
 de la Comlsion ainericana que tanto el como 
 sus colegas eiiperaban que no se iimltarian 
 las reiacioues de ambos paises a las condi- 
 clones estrictas de un tratado de paz. sino 
 que podria lle.garse a un acnerdo sobre mu- 
 tuas concesiones beneflciosas para ambos 
 Gobiernos. y quo fomentarian la cordiall- 
 dad en sus relaciones. el Presidente de la 
 Con'ision espanola manifesto que tales eran 
 tainhien los deseos de ios Comisarios es- 
 panoies. pero que en su sentir cuanto mas 
 satisfactorias fuesen las soluciones dadas 
 a los artlculos indispensahles del tratado 
 de paz. mas se facilitaria la inteligeneia a 
 que podria il^garse respecto de los demas 
 puntos menos importantes. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos propusieron 
 apiazar la sesion a fin de dar iugar a que 
 llegasen las instrucciones que aguardaban 
 los Comisarios espanoles y a estudiar los 
 articulos por estos presentados. 
 
 Acordado asi por la Comlsion espanola, se 
 aplazo la sesion para el .sabado S del cor- 
 riente a las 2 p. m. 
 
 Eirmado: E. MONTERO RKIS. 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA. 
 \V. R. DE VILLA I'RItr'I'lA. 
 RAF.VEL CERERO. 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 ISG. 
 
Protocol No. 19. 
 
 Protocolo No. 19. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 Of December 5. 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA. 
 Del 5 de Dieiembre de 1898. 
 
 At the rc'niu'st of tbe American Commls- 
 fiioiiers the session which w.is to have been 
 he'd on .Saturday, the 3d instant, was 
 postponed until to-day at 3 p. m.. when 
 there were 
 
 Present — 
 
 On the part of the United States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY. 
 
 UEID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 On th,e part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 ABAUZUZA. 
 
 GARNIGA, 
 
 VIIXA-URRUTIA. 
 
 OERBRO'. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 Tlie protocol of the preceding session was 
 r^ad and approved. 
 
 The President of the American Commls^ 
 siou asked the I'resldent of the Spanish 
 Commission whether he had received: In- 
 stru.'tions from his Government touching 
 the points on which the American Commis- 
 sioners desiired to treat. 
 The President of the Spanish Commls- 
 . sion replied that he had in fact received 
 them.: but he reiterated his purpose not. tq 
 take up those poln/ts until the matters In- 
 herent in imd essential to the treaty of 
 peace proper should be discussed and finally 
 aipproved. 
 
 It was agreted that the Commissions 
 shou'd coniniunicate to each other the 
 answers of their respective Governments 
 to the questions previously submitted to 
 them. The President of the American 
 Oommission stated, in the first place, that 
 his Government was not willing to grant 
 and embody in the treaty of peace the ex- 
 tension to Porto Rico and Cuba of the 
 commercial treatment offered to Spain in 
 the rhillppinx's for ten years; but that, 
 recognizing the advisability of concluding 
 a commercial agreement between the 
 countries, the subject mjlght be treated of 
 in a general commercial convention. 
 
 With i-espect to the return and transpor- 
 tation at the exp(.*nse of each nation, of the 
 prisoners takejn by it, it was agreed, as an 
 addition to Article VIII, that Spain and. 
 the United States should transport them 
 at their expense to the nearest port of 
 their respective countries, but that the 
 transportation of prisoners of war taken 
 In the Philippines should, not include na- 
 tive soldiers, but only Peninsular Spaniards 
 
 A peticlon de los Comisarios amerlcanoB 
 la sesion que deblo celebrarse el sabado 3 
 del corriente fue aplazada para hoy a las 
 3 hallandose en dichos dia y hora 
 
 Presentes— 
 
 Por parte de los Estados Unidos de Amer- 
 ica: • 
 
 los Senores DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 KKID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSON. 
 Por parte de Espana: 
 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS, 
 .\BARZUZA, 
 GARNICA, 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 CERERO, 
 OJEDA. 
 
 Fue leida y aprobada el acta de la sesion 
 anterior. 
 
 Pregunta el Presidente de la Comlslon 
 americana al Presidente de la Comlslon 
 espanola si ha reclbldo instmcciones de sn 
 Gobierno relativas a los puntos que la 
 Comision americana deseaba tratar, y el 
 Presidente de la Comlslon espanola con- 
 testa que en efecto las ha reclbldo, pero 
 que reitera su proposito de no tratar dichos 
 puntos basta que se hayan discutldo y 
 aprobado delinitlvamente los asuntos que 
 son inherentes y esenclales al tratado de 
 paa propiamente dicho. 
 
 Se convino en comenzar por comunlcarse 
 ambas Comisiones las contestaciones re- 
 spectivas de sus Gobiernos a los puntos 
 que les fueron sometidos anteriormente y 
 maniflesta el Presidente de la Comision 
 americana en primer lugar, que su Go- 
 bierno no esta dispnesto a conceder y con- 
 signar en este Tratado de p.az la extension 
 a Puerto Rico y a Cuba del trato comer- 
 clal ofrecido a Espana durante diez anos 
 en FiUplnas; pero que reconoelendo la 
 conveniencla de que se pacte an acuerdo 
 comerclal entre ambos paises, podrla tra- 
 tarse este asunto en un tratado de co- 
 merclo. 
 
 Respecto de la devolucion y trasporte por 
 cuenta de una y otra Nacion de los prls- 
 ioneros hechos por cada una de ellas, se 
 acuerda como adicion al Articulo VIII, que 
 Espana y los Estados Unidos los trans- 
 portaran a su costa al puerto mas cercano 
 de sus paises respectivos, pero que el 
 trasporte de los prisloneros de guerra 
 hechos en Fllipinas, no se extendera a los 
 soldados Indigenas sino a los Individuos 
 
 186. 
 
in Ihr army. The SiM-ri'tiirlc.wCcmTal cif 
 tUc t«o LKniiuusslons \v-i>re chargod with 
 tlie franiiiug of this adilltiuu tci ArtUlB 
 Via. 
 
 With icltani to the return of the war ma- 
 terial iu Cuba aiul Porto Rico not disposed! 
 of hy the levacuation eommlsslons, thi" 
 Am*>rlcau Commission dwlarwl that they 
 wore not autlw>ri»od to troiit. 
 
 WItli respcs-t to the war miUiiLiI In the 
 I'hlllppinos. the Aim^iean rnuunissioiiers 
 Sitnted that It should be ^.roverned by th(- 
 WLUie eolldltlons as were a^rci-d to by tho 
 evacuallon eoiuniissions hi the \\'est Indies. 
 
 The rresidoiit of thi- Sjianish Commission 
 and his colleagues maiutaiiied that the ces- 
 sion of the an-hlpelago did not carry and 
 could not carry with It anything except 
 what was of a fl.w<ll nature; they 
 explained the character of the siege 
 artillery and heavy oixinance which 
 the Americans claimed for themselves, 
 and affcr some discussion to thu 
 end of determining precisely what each 
 commission und:er.stood as portable and 
 fixed material, it was agreed that stands of 
 colors, luncaptured war vessels, small arms, 
 guns of all calibres with theJr carriages 
 and accessories, powder, ammunition, live 
 stocix. and materials and supplies of all 
 kinds belomging to the land and naval 
 CoTces. shall remain the pro'i>erty of Spain; 
 that pieces of heav.v t*rdnance, exclusive of 
 field artillery, in the foitiflcatlons, shall 
 remain in their empla($eme-nts for the 
 term of six months to be reckoned from 
 the ratification of the treaty; and, that 
 the United States might, in the mean time, 
 purchase such material from Spain, if a 
 satisfactory agreennent between the two 
 Governmentsi on the subject should be 
 reached. 
 
 It was agreed that the Secretaries-Gen- 
 eral of the two Commissions shx>uld be 
 entrusted with the fntming of such an 
 article. 
 
 The IVesident of the Spanish Commas- 
 slon having agreed at the last session to' 
 consult his Government regarding the pro- 
 posal of the .\juerican Conimissioners that 
 the United States should maintain public 
 order over the whole Philippine Archi- 
 pelago, pending the exchange of ratifica- 
 tions of the treaty of peace, stated that 
 tile answer of his Government was that 
 •tile autliorltlos of each of the two nations 
 shall be charged with the maintenance of 
 order in the places where they may be es- 
 tablished, those authorities agreeing amouij 
 themselves to th.is end whenever they may 
 deem it necessary. 
 
 In view of this reply the .Vmerican Com- 
 missioners did not insist that their pro- 
 posal should be Incorporated In the treaty. 
 
 The reading In Qngllsh and Spanish of 
 the articles of the treaty from the first to 
 the eighth Inclusive was then proceenied 
 with, and they wvrv approved by botl? 
 Commissions, which declared them to be 
 final save as to mere modifications of form, 
 upon which the Secretarii-s-<;<'neral might 
 endeavor to a^ee, i 
 
 1S7 
 
 penlnsiilares de aquel ejercllo. Los Sec- 
 r<'t»rlos generales de ambas Comlslones 
 qnednn encargados de la redacciou de esta 
 adldon al Articulo VIII. 
 
 Kn 10 relatlvo a la devoluclon del mate- 
 rial de guerra en Cuba y Puerto Rico de 
 que no bayan dlspnesto las Comlslones de 
 evacuaclon. la Comlslon amerlcana se de- 
 clnra Inconipetente para tratar. 
 
 Itespecto del material de guerra exlst- 
 ente en Flliplnas. los Comlsarlos amcrica- 
 nos luanlfestnron cpie debla ajustarse a lag 
 misnias condlciones acordadas por las Co- 
 missiones de evacuaclon en las Antlllas. 
 
 El Presldente de la Comlslon espanola y 
 sus colegas manifestaron que la cesion de 
 dlcho archipielago no llevaba nl podia llcvar 
 conslgo slno lo que es de caracter in- 
 niueble. explicaron las condlciones de la 
 artilleria de plaza y de sitlo que reclama- 
 ban para si los americanos. y despues de 
 alguna discusion al efecto de determlnar 
 con precision lo que una v otra Comlslou 
 entendlan por material portatll .y material 
 flio se conviene en que seran propledad 
 de Espana banderas y estandartes. buquea 
 de guerra no apresados, armas portatlles, 
 canones de todos calibres con sus mon- 
 tajes y accesorios, polvoras. munlclones, 
 ganado. material y efectos de toda clase 
 perteneclentes a los ejercitos de mar y 
 tierra; que las plexas de grueso calibre, 
 que no sean artilleria de campana, colo- 
 cadas en las fortlficaciones y en las costas, 
 quedaran en sus empla/.amlentos por el 
 plazo de seis meses a partlr del canje de 
 ratlflcaclones del tratado; y que los Es- 
 tados Unidos podran. durante este tlempo, 
 comprar a Espana dlcho material si ambos 
 Goblernos Uegan a un acuerdo satlstactorlo 
 sobre el particular. 
 
 Se acuerda que los Secretaries Generales 
 de ambas Comisiones queden encargados de 
 redactnr dicho articulo. 
 
 El Presldente de la Comlslon espanola 
 hablendo quedado en la seslon anterior en 
 consultar a su Gobierno. respecto la propc. 
 sicion de los Comlsarlos "■^^^'^""^ .?»; '"j 
 cual los Estados Unidos mantendrlan el 
 orden en todo el Archipielago FtHp.uo. 
 mientras se ratificaba el tratado de pa^ 
 manlfiesta que la contestacion de su &^ 
 bierno es que las Autorldades de cada una 
 de ambas naciones cuiden de conservar el 
 orden en las regiones en que se fallen es- 
 tablecidas. y poniendose con este objeto 
 de acuerdo Unas y otras cuando lo estlmen 
 necesarlo. 
 
 En vista de esta contestacion, los Coml- 
 sarlos americanos no Insistleron en que 
 formase su proposiclon parte del tratado. 
 
 Se precede en segulda a la lectura en 
 espanol y en ingles de los artlculos del 
 tratado desde el prlmero al ocho Inclusive 
 y son aprobados por ambas Comlslones, 
 que los declaran definitivos, salvas cual- 
 qulera modificacion de uiera forma sobre 
 las cualcs tratarlan de ponerse de acuerdo 
 los Secretarios Generales. 
 
■ The Prersiil^ut of the Aiu'ei-ican Commas- Deseahdo entohces el Presidente de la 
 sion desiring that the tliscussion of tho Comision amerieana qile se pasase a la 
 mjitters presented by that Comniissiou discusion de los puntos presentados por so 
 should next be taljen up, the President of Comision, y mantcniendo el Presidente de 
 tiie Spanish Commission maintained the jg Comision espanola el crlterio que habla 
 opinion which he had expressed at the lapt gostenido en la session anterior y al prln- 
 seasion. and at the beginning of this, to cipio de esta, de que no podia pasarse al 
 the effect that the examination/ of said examen de dichos puntos sin haber antea 
 iuriitters should not be entered upon until discutido cuanto era esenclal al tratado 
 the Commissions had discussed what was g^ pg^, y .tomando por tanto en consldera- 
 essential to the treaty of peace, and that ,.jq,| i,,^ avticulos adiclonaies a los echo 
 thcirefore the articles additional to the first primeros, propuestos por la Comision es- 
 eight proposed by the Spanish Commission pan^ia, acordose que en vista de lo avan- 
 should be taken up. zado de la hora se aplazase la sesion hasta 
 
 mauana martes G del corriente a las doa 
 
 p. m. 
 
 ■ It was agreed that in view of the late- 
 ness of the hour the session should be ad- 
 journed until to morrow, Tuesday, the 6th 
 instant, at 2 p. m. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAY, 
 
 CDSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 
 WM. P. FKYE, 
 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 
 WHITELAW REID, RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. EMILIO DB OJEDA. 
 
 Firmado: B. 
 
 MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 B. 
 
 DE ABARZDZA. 
 
 J. 
 
 DE GAHNICA. 
 
 W 
 
 R. DE VILLA-URRUTIA 
 
 ISS. 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 14. 
 
 PREAMBLE. 
 
 The Dnltad States of America and Ilor 
 Majesty tbe Queon liownt of Spain. Lii the 
 name of her August Son Don Alfonso XIII., 
 desiring to end tbe state of war now cx- 
 istlns; between the two countries, have for 
 that purpose appointed as rienipotentlarlcs: 
 
 The I'resident of the United States, Wiil- 
 lam R. Day. lately Secretary of State; 
 Ctishman K. Davis, a Senator of tJie United, 
 States; William P. Frye, a Senator of the 
 XJuited States: Gi*>rge Gray, a Senator of 
 the United States, and Whlteiaw Reid. 
 lately Minister Plenipotentiary of the 
 United States to France; 
 
 And Her Majesty the Queen Regent of 
 Spain, (here insert names and titles). 
 
 Who, having assembled in Paris, and 
 having exchanged their full powers, which 
 were found to be in diie and proper form, 
 have, after discussion of the matters be- 
 fore them, agreed upon the following ar- 
 ticles: 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Spain hereby relinquishes all claim oi' 
 soveraSgnty over and title to Cuba. 
 
 And as the isfland is. upon its evacuation 
 by Spain, to be occupied by the United 
 States, the United States will, so long as 
 such occupation shall last, assume and dis- 
 chai»ge the obiisations that may under in- 
 tern.Ltional law attacli to its character as 
 ocoupant, for ili.^ pri>t<'Ction of life and 
 prope(rty. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 PREAMBULO. 
 
 S, M. la Reina Regente de Bspana. en 
 nombre de Su AuRUSto Hljo Don Alfonso 
 XIII. ,v los Estados Unidos de America, 
 deseando poner termlno al estado de guerra 
 hoy e.^istente entre ambas Naclones. han 
 nombrado con este objeto por sus Plenl- 
 potenciarios, a saber: 
 
 S. M. la Relna Regente de Espana a 
 (aqui se insertan los nombres) y el Presi- 
 dente de los Estados Unidos de America a 
 (aqui se Insertan los nombres). 
 
 Los cuales reunidos en Paris, despues de 
 haberse comnnlcado siis plenlpotenclas re- 
 spectivas. habiendolas hallado en buena y 
 debida forma, previa la discusion de laa 
 materias pendientes, ban convenldo en los 
 articnlos slgulentes: 
 
 ARTICULO 1. 
 
 Espana por el presente reunncia todo 
 derecho de Soberania y propiedad sobre la 
 Isla de Cuba. 
 
 En atencion a que dicha Isla esta a punto 
 de ser evacuada por Espana y ocupada pot 
 los estados Unidos. los Estados Unidos 
 mientras dure su ocupacion, tomaran sobre 
 si y compliran las obligaciones que el_ der 
 echo internacional )mpone a un caracter 
 de ocupantes. para la protecclon de vldas 
 y haciendas. 
 
 ARTICULO 2. 
 
 Spain herebv cedes to the United States Espana par el presente Tratado cede a 
 the Island of Porto Rico and other islands los Estados Unidos la Isla de Puerto Rico 
 
 y las demas que estan ahora bajo so so- 
 
 berania en las Indias Occldentales, y la 
 Isla de Guam en el Archlplelago de las 
 Marianas o Ladrones. 
 
 ARTICULO 3. 
 
 Cede tambien Espana a los Estados Uni- 
 dos el Archipielconocldo por Islas Fill- 
 pinas, situado dentro de las Ilneas sl- 
 gulentes: 
 
 Una liuea que corre de Oeste a Este, 
 cerca del 20 deg. paralelo de latitud Xortq. 
 a traves de la mltad del canal navegable 
 
 now imder Spanish sovereignty in the West 
 Indies, and the Island of Guam Jn the La- 
 drones or Marianas. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 Spain hereby cedes to tbe United' States 
 the archipelago known as the Philippine 
 Islands, and comprehending the islands ly- 
 ing within the following line: 
 
 A line runnin;r from west to east along 
 or near the twentieth parallel of north 
 latitude, and through the middle of the 
 navigable channel of Bachi, from the one de BachI, desde el 118 deg. al 127 deg. 
 hundred and eighteenth (llStb) to the one grades de longltnd Este de Greenwich; 
 hundred and twenty-seventh (127th) degree de aqui a lo largo del clento veintlsiete 
 meridian of longitude east of Greenwich. (127) grade meridlano de longltnd Este de 
 thence along the one hundred and twenty- Greenwich al paralelo cuatro grades cua- 
 eeventh (127th) degree meridian of longi- renia y cinco minutes ( 4 deg. 45 min.) de 
 tude east of Greenwich to the parallel of latitud Norte; de aqui sguendo el paraleio 
 four degrees and forty-five minutes (4° 45') de cuatro grades euarenta y clnco mlnutoa 
 north latitude, thence along the parallel of de latitud Norte (4 deg. 45 min.) hasta su 
 four degrees and forty-five minutes (4° 45') intersecclon con el meridlano de longltud 
 north latitude to Its Intersection with the clento diez y nueve grados y trelnta y 
 meridian of longitude one hundred and clnco minutes (119 deg. 35 min.) Este de 
 
 ]?9. 
 
nineteen degrees and thirty-five minutes 
 (ll'.r 35') east of Gr*nwlch. tlience along 
 tlie inertdian of longitude one hundred and 
 nineteen degrees and thirty-five minutes 
 (119° 35') east of Greenwich to the parallel 
 of latitude seven degrees and forty min- 
 utes (7" 40') north, thence aJong the par- 
 allel of latitude of seven degrees and 
 forts minutes (7' 40') north to its inter- 
 se'-tion with tlie one hundred and sis)- 
 teenth dlOtlil d«S'ree meridian of longi- 
 tude east of Greenwich, thence hy a ckirect 
 line to the intersection of the tenth iltithi 
 de^Tce parallel of north latitude with the 
 one hundred and eighteenth (llSth) degree 
 meridian of longitude east of Greenwich, 
 and thence alon,;; tire one hundred anit 
 eighteenth illSth) degree meridian of 
 longitude east of Greenwicli to the point 
 of beginning. 
 
 The United States will pay to Spain tlu 
 sum of twenty million dollars (.$20.000.000> 
 within three months after the exchange of 
 the ratiifications of the present treaty. 
 
 ARTTCLE IV. 
 
 The United States will, upon the sigTia- 
 ture of the present treaty, send hack to 
 Spain, at its own oost. the Spanish .soldiers 
 taken .IS prisoners of war on the capture 
 of ilauila by the American forces. The 
 arms of the sidiliei-s in question shall be 
 res^ured to them. 
 
 Spain will, upon the exchange of the 
 ratifications of the present treaty proc<ee(* 
 to evacv.ate tne Philippines, as well as the 
 Island of Guam, on terms similar to those 
 agreed upon by the Commissioners ap- 
 pointed to arrange for the ^evacuation of 
 Porto Rico and other islands in the West 
 Indies. Under the Protocol of August 12. 
 ISl'S. which is to continue in force till its 
 provisions are completely exevuted. The 
 time within jwhich the evacuation of the 
 Philippines and of the IslaiKl of Gu,am 
 shall l>e completed shall Ixi fixed by the 
 lw<i Governments. 
 
 Greenwich; de aqui siguiendo el meridlano 
 lie longitud ciento diez v nueve grades y 
 treinta y cinco minutos (119 deg. 35 mln.) 
 Este de Greenwich ai paralelo de latitud 
 siete grados cuarenta minutos (7 deg. 40 
 mln.) Norte, de, aqui siguiendo el paralelo 
 de latitud siete grados cuarenta minutos 
 (7 deg. 40 min.) Norte a su interseccion con 
 el ciento diez y setis (116 deg.) grado meri- 
 dlano do longitud Este de Greenwich, do 
 aqui por una linea recta a la interseccion 
 del decimo grado paralelo de latitud Norte, 
 con el ciento diez y echo (118 deg.) grado 
 meridlano de longitud Este de Greenwich, 
 y de aqui siguiendo el ciento diez .v ochu 
 grado (ll.S deg.) meridlano de longitud Este 
 de Greenwich ai punto en que comienza 
 esta demarcacion. 
 
 Los Estados Unidos pagaran a Espana la 
 suma de veinte millones de dollars ($20,- 
 000,0001 dcntro de tres meses despues del 
 canje de ratificaciones del presente tratado. 
 
 ARTICUDO 4. 
 
 Los Estados Unidos al ser firmado el 
 presente tratado trasportaran a Espiina a 
 su costa 'ios soldados espanoles que hicleron 
 prisoneros de guerra las fuerzas Americanas 
 al ser captnrada Manila. Las annas de 
 estos soldados les seran devueltas. 
 
 Espana al ratificarse el presente tratado. 
 prjcedera a evacuar las Islas Filipinas, asi 
 como la de Guam,^ en condieiones seme- 
 jantes a las acordadas por las comislones 
 nombradas para concertar la evacuacion 
 de Puerto Rico y otras Islas en las Indias 
 Occidentales, segnn el Protocolo de 12 de 
 Agosto de 189S, que continuara en vigor 
 hasta que scan completamente cumplidas 
 sns disposiciones. El termino dentro del 
 cual sera completada la evacuacion de las 
 Islas Filipinas y de la de Guam, sera fijada 
 por ambos Gobiernos. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 In conformity with the provisions of Ar- 
 ticles I. II and III of this treat.v, Si>a.in 
 relinquishes in Cuba, land cedes in Porto 
 Rico and otlier islands in the West Indies, 
 In the Island of Guam, and in the Philip- 
 pine Archipelago, all the buildings, 
 wharves, barracks, forts, structures, public 
 highwa.vs and other immovable property 
 which in conformity with law belong to 
 the public domain, and as such belong to 
 the Grown of Spiuin. 
 
 And it is hereby declared that the re/Iin- 
 quishment or cession, as the case may be, 
 to \vliich the preceding iwragraph refers, 
 ciionflit in any respect impair the property 
 or rights whicit b.v law belong to th4 i>eace- 
 ful possession of propert.v of ail kinds, of 
 provinces, municipalitJes. public or private 
 establishments, ecclesiastical or civic 
 biMlies, or any other associations luiving 
 legal capacit.v to a<'quire and possess prop- 
 ISO. 
 
 ARTICULO 5. 
 
 En complimiento de lo convenido en Ios 
 articulos 1. 2 y 3 de este tratado. Espana 
 renuncia en Cuba .v cede en Puerto Rico y 
 en las otras Islas de las Indias Occiden- 
 tales y en la Isia de Guam, en las Islas 
 Filipinas, todos Ios edificlos. muelles, cuar- 
 teles, fortalezas, establecimientos, vias 
 publicas y demas bienes inmuebles, que 
 con arreglo a derecho son del domlnio pub- 
 lico y como tal corresponden a la Corona 
 de Espana. 
 
 Queda por lo tanto de?larado que esta re- 
 nuncia o ccsion, segun el caso, a que se 
 refiere el parrafo anterior, en nada puede 
 niermar la popledad o Ios derechos que cor- 
 re.spondan con arreglo a las leyes al posee- 
 dor pacifico. de Ios bienes de todas clases 
 de las provincias, municipios. estableci- 
 mientos publicos o prevados. corporacio- 
 nes civiles o ecclesiasticas. o de cuales- 
 qulera otras colectlvidades que tienen per- 
 
erty in the afoiosaid tiTiitoi-lis ifii.>unie<l 
 or ceded, or of private Individuals, ot 
 wlialsoever nationality sneb individuals 
 uKiy be. 
 
 'J'lie aforesaid rellnqulsliniint or eession, 
 as the case may be. includes all docu- 
 ments exclusively referring to tile sover- 
 eignty relinquished or ceded that may ex- 
 ist in the archives of the Peninsula. 
 Where any doemneiU in suK-h archives only 
 in part relates to such sovci-clgnty. a copy 
 of such part will be funiisbwi whenever 
 It sliall be reauestcd. Like rules shall be 
 ivciprocjilly observed in favor of Spain in 
 respect of documents in the avlilves i;f 
 the islands above referred to. 
 
 In the aforesaid relinquishment or ces- 
 sion, as the case may be, are also included 
 sticii rljrhts as the Crown of Spain and its 
 authorities possess in respect of the of- 
 ficial archives and riicords. executive as 
 well as Judicial, in the islands aboive ro- 
 ferred to. which relate to said islands or 
 the rights and property of their inhabi- 
 tants. Such archives and records shall be 
 carefully preserved, and private persons 
 shall without distiniCtJon have the right to 
 retiuire. in accordance with law, authenti- 
 cated copies of the contracts, wills and 
 other Instruments f<iruun,s part of notarial 
 prolt/cois or fikw, or which may be con- 
 tained in the executive or judicial archives, 
 be the latiter in Spain or In the islands 
 aforesaid. 
 
 sonalldad jurliilca para adquirir y poseer 
 l)iencs en los inenclonados terrltorlos re- 
 nunciados o cedldos. y los de los indlviduos 
 partlculares eualqulera que .sea su naclon- 
 alldad. 
 
 Dlcha renunda o cesion, segun el caso, 
 Incluye lodos los documentos qu>> se re- 
 fleran exclualvamente a dlcha Soberanla 
 rennnclada o cedlda que exlstan en los 
 Archives de la Peninsula. Cuando estos 
 docuinentos existentes en dlchos Arehlvos, 
 solo en parte correspondau a dicha Sobera- 
 nla, se facilitarin coplas de dlcha parte, 
 siempre que sean solicitadas. Uegias ana- 
 logas hnhran reclprocamente de observarae 
 en favor de Espana respecto de los docu- 
 mentos existentes en los Archivos de las 
 Islas antes mencionadas. 
 
 En las antescitadas renuncia o cesion, 
 segnn el oaso. se hallan coinprendldos 
 aquellos derechos de la Corona de Espana 
 y de sus Autoridades sobrc los Archivos y 
 Reglstros Oficiales, asl administrativos 
 como judlclales de dichas Islas que se re- 
 fieran a ellas o a los derechos y propiedades 
 de sns habitantes. Dlchos archivos. regls- 
 tros. etc., deberaii ser culdadosamente con- 
 servados y los partlculares sui cxcepcion. 
 tendran dcrecho a sacar con arreglo a las 
 Leyes. las copias autorizadas de los contra- 
 tos, testamentos y demas docunientos que 
 fornien parte de los protocnlos notariales o 
 quo se custodien en los archivos adminis- 
 trativos o Judicales. bien estos se hallen en 
 Espana, o bien en las Islas do que se hace 
 menclon anterlormente. 
 
 AKTIfLE VI. 
 
 ARTIOTJLO 6. 
 
 The United States an<l Spain, in con- 
 sideration of the provisions of this treaty, 
 hereby mutuallj- relinquish all claims fur 
 indemnity, national and imlivldual. of 
 every kind, (Including all i-laitus for in- 
 denmity for the cost of the war.) of cither 
 Government, or of its citizens or snibjccts. 
 against the other Governnuait, that may 
 have arisen since the beginning of the late 
 Insurreotion in Cuba and prior to the rati- 
 fication of tJie present treaty. 
 
 Espana y los Estados Unidos de America 
 en antencion a lo establecido por este tra- 
 tado, rcnunclan mutuamente por el pre- 
 sente a toda reelamaclon de indemnlzaclon 
 nacional o prlvada de cnalquler genero (In- 
 clnyi'Udo to da reelamaclon por Indemnlza- 
 clones por el coste de la gnerraK de un 
 Goblerno contra el otro, o de sus subditos 
 o cludadanos contra el otro Goblerno, que 
 puedan haber surgido desdc el comlcnzo de 
 la ultima Insurreccion en Cuba y anterior 
 a la ratiflcaclon del presente tratado. 
 
 AKTICI.E VII. 
 
 ARTICULO 
 
 The United States will, for the term of Ix>s Estados Unidos durante el termino 
 
 ten years from the date of the exchange ot de dlcz anos a contar dcsde el canje de la 
 
 the ratifications of the present treat.v. ad- ratiflcaclon del presente tratado, admltlran 
 
 mlt Spanish ships and merchandise to the en los puertos de las Islas Filiplnas los 
 
 ports of the Philippinet Islands on the same buques .v las mercanclas espanoles. bajo las 
 
 terms as ships and mt-rchandlse of the mismals condiciones que los buques y las 
 
 Uniteil States. mercanclas de los Estados T'nidos. 
 
 1«1. 
 
ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 Spain will, upon the signature of the 
 presenit treaty, release all persons held by 
 her as prisoners, mi'IItary or political, in 
 connection with the insurrections in Cuba 
 and the Philippines, and the war with the 
 United States. 
 
 Reciprocally, the United States \vill re- 
 lease all persons made prisoners of war by 
 the American forces, and will undertake 
 to obtain Uae release of all Spanish prison- 
 ers iu the hands of the insurgents in Cuiba 
 and the Philippines. 
 
 ARTICULO 8. 
 
 Espana al ser iirmado el presente tratado, 
 pondra en libertad a todos los detenido^.en 
 calidad de prlsoneros de guerra o per dell- 
 tos politicos, a consecuencia de las insur- 
 recciones en Cuba, y en Filiplnas, y de la 
 guerra eon los Estados Unidos. Reclpro- 
 camente los Estados Unidos pondran en lib- 
 ertad a todos los prisioneros de guerra 
 heehos por las fuerzas Americanas y ges- 
 tionaran la libertad de todos los prlsoneros 
 espanoles en poder de los insurrectos de 
 Cuba y de Filipinas. 
 
 192.. 
 
Protocol No. 20. 
 
 PROTOCOLO NO. 20. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 Of December 6, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 6 de Diciembre de 1898. 
 
 lo 
 
 Esiados I'nldos do .MmT- 
 
 fiesont— 
 
 On the port of tliP Duilcd States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 n.wis. 
 
 FHYE. 
 GRAY, 
 rtKIT). 
 MOORE. 
 
 FERGrSSO.N. 
 
 On the p.art of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTERO RIGS. 
 
 ARAKZUZA. 
 
 GARNICA. 
 
 VILLA-DRRDTIA, 
 
 CERERO. 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preeedins session 
 was read and adopted. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion, referring to the discussion that had 
 taken place at the two preceding sessions 
 
 on the subject of procedure, stated that he que tenia el Presidente de la Comision es 
 recognized the force of the position of the pauola para discutir en primer termlno los- 
 President of the Spanish Commission that artlculos relatlvos a la parte necesaria del 
 the articles relating to the necessary part tratudo: pero que, en opinion de los Gomis- 
 of the treaty should flret be taken up; arios americanos. nada habla mas estrlc- 
 but that. In "the opinion of the American tamente pertinente a un tratado de paz 
 Commissioners, nothing was more strictly que la rcnovaclon de los tratados suspen- 
 pertiuent to a treaty of peace than a 
 
 rroseiites- 
 I'or parte d 
 lia: 
 los Sonores DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 FRYE. 
 GRAY. 
 REID. 
 MOORE. 
 FEKGUSSON. 
 I'or parte de Espana: 
 los Senorcs MONTERO RIGS, 
 ABARZUZA. 
 GARNICA. 
 VILLA-DRRUTIA, 
 CERERO, 
 CIEDA. 
 El acta de la sesion anterior fue leida y 
 aprobada. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comisi.m ami-ricana, 
 reBriendose a la discnsion habidu en las 
 dos anteriores seslones respecto al orden 
 de tr.abaj'os, declare reconocer la razon 
 
 clause for the revival of treaties, which 
 the war had suspended or terminated, 
 such, for example, as the extradition treaty 
 between the two countries; and he there- 
 fore proposed that the Joint Commission 
 should take up first, the article proposed 
 by the American Commissioners for the 
 revival of former treaties, then the arti- 
 cles proposed by the Spanish Commis- 
 sioners, and then the rest of the articles 
 proposed by the American Commissioners. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 replied that he felt compelled to insist 
 upon the contention of that Commission 
 on the subject of procedure, and that he 
 begged to differ as to the order In which 
 the article for the revival of treaties 
 should be discussed; while such an article 
 might be relevant to a treaty of peace, 
 yet it was usually the last article of ail, 
 and should, therefore, be the last con- 
 sidered. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion observed that, while the American 
 Commissioners felt that their view was 
 reasonable and proper, they desired to 
 proceed with the business of the Joint 
 Commission; and he inquired whether, if 
 the articles proposed by the Spanish Com- 
 mlss'on were taken up and considered, 
 
 193 
 
 dldos o termlnados por la guerra, tales 
 como, por ejemplo. el tratado de extra- 
 dicion entre los dos palses; por lo cual 
 proponla que la Comision en pleno se ocu- 
 para en primer termlno del artlculo pro- 
 puesto por los Comisarios americanos para 
 renovar los anteriores tratados, slgulendo 
 con Ins artlculos propuestos por los Com- 
 isarios espanoies y acahando con los demas 
 artifulns propuestos por los Comisarios 
 americanos. 
 
 El President^ de la Comision espanola 
 replico que debia inslstlr en el punto de 
 vista adoptado por esta Comision respecto 
 al procedimlento. slntlendo no estar de 
 acuerdo respecto al orden en que se habia 
 de discutir el articulo relatlvo a la renova- 
 clon de los tratados. pues si hien es verdad 
 que este artlculo suele insertai-se en los 
 tratados de paz, or dinariamenle es el 
 ultiniu do todos, y debe por lo tanto .ser 
 el ultimo de los que sp esludiau. 
 
 El Presidente de la romisiou aniericana 
 replico que. aunqne los Comisarios anierl- 
 caiios entendian que su punto de vista era 
 raznnable y adecuado, deseaban slu em- 
 bargo adelantar los trabajos de la I'om- 
 Islon mixta, y pregunto que si los artlculos 
 propuestos por la Comision espanola eran 
 dlscutidos y e.\aminados. serlan a su vez 
 tr)d<is Icis artlculos propuestos por la Com- 
 ision aniericana de igual niauera dlscutidos 
 
all the articles proposed by tlie Americau 
 Commission would then in like manner 
 be talien up and considered. 
 
 TUe President of the Spanish Commission 
 answered in the alTirmative. adding that 
 he had not proposed to take up the arti- 
 cles of tlie Spanish Commission because 
 they were its articles, but because they 
 were specially appropriate to a treaty 
 ■of peace. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion then took up flic subject of nation- 
 ality, in regard to which the .Vmericau 
 Commission originally presented the fol- 
 lowing article: 
 
 "APvTICLE VI. Spanish subjects resid- 
 ing in the territory over which Spain by 
 the present treaty relinquishes or cedes 
 her sovereignty may remain in such terri- 
 tory, or may remove therefrom, retaining. 
 in either event, all their rights of property; 
 and, in case they remain, they may pre- 
 serve their allegiance to the Crown oi 
 Spain, by making, before a court of rec- 
 ord, within a year from the date of the 
 signature of this treaty, a declaration of 
 their decision to reserve such allegiance, 
 in default of which declaration they shall 
 be held to have renounced it and to have 
 adopted the nationality of the territory 
 in which they may reside. Except as pro- 
 vided in this treaty, the civil rights and 
 pol ticai status of the inhabitants of the 
 territories hereby ceded to the United 
 States shall be determined by the Con- 
 gress." 
 
 To this article the Spanish Commissioners 
 proposed on the 30th of November the 
 amendments contained in the two follow- 
 Jng articles: 
 
 cxaminados 
 
 El Presidente de la Cnrnision espanoia 
 coutesto afirmalivamente, .-madienilo qiw 
 no habia propuesto discutir los articulos 
 de la Coniision espanola ponpie fiiesen los 
 suj-os propios, sino porque eran especiai- 
 mente propios de un tratado de paz. 
 
 EI I'residente de la Comision americaua 
 empezo ocupandose de la nacionalidad. re- 
 specto a la cual la Comision aincricana 
 preseuto en un principio el articuin qne 
 sigue: 
 
 '•ARTICULO VI. Los subditos espanoles 
 que residan en el territorio cuya soI>crania 
 Espana ha renunciado o cedido por el pre- 
 sente tratado, podran permanecer en diclio 
 territorio, o podran salir de el, conservan- 
 do en ambos casos todos sus derechos de 
 propiedad, y en el caso de que permane- 
 cieran en el. podran conservar su necion- 
 alidad espanola haciendo ante una oflcina 
 de registro, deutro del ano de la fecha de 
 la firma de este tratado, una declaracion 
 de su proposito de conservar dicha na- 
 cionalidad; a falta de esta declaracion, se 
 considerara que han renun?iado su nacion- 
 alidad y aceptado la del territorio en que 
 residen. A excepcion de lo dispuesto por 
 este tratado, los derechos civiles y la ca- 
 pacidad politica de los habitantes de los 
 territories acini cedidos a los Estados 
 Unidos, seran definidos por el Congreso." 
 
 Kn 3 o de Xoviembre, los Coniisarios es- 
 panoles propusieron que este articnlo se 
 enm.'Udara por medio de los dos articulos 
 siguientes: 
 
 ■'NATIONALITY. 
 
 "AUTICLE . Spanish subjects now 
 
 or hereafter residing or domiciled in the 
 territory the sovereignty over which Spain 
 relinquishes or cedes by the present 
 treaty may live in or withdraw from said 
 territory, acquiring and retaining in either 
 case every kind of property, or alienating 
 and freely disposing thereof or of its 
 value or proceeds; practice, with the free- 
 dom they now enjoy, industry, commerce, 
 and other mechanical or liberal profes- 
 sions, and enjoy their personal status, 
 ■without being subject to any excepfon 
 prejudicial to the rights socureil to them 
 by this treaty. If they remain in the ter- 
 ritory they shall be allowed to preserve 
 their nationality by making before the 
 proper officer a declaration of such Inten- 
 tion, within the term of one year, to be 
 reckoned from the date of the exchange 
 of ratifications of this treaty or the taking 
 up of their residence therein. 
 
 '■Failure to comply with this requirement 
 shall 111' considered as a renunciation/of their 
 natii>iiality and the adoption of that of the 
 
 "Nacionalidad. 
 
 ■•AliTIi'L'LO — . Lips subditos espanoles 
 residentes o domiciliados al prespnte o en 
 lo futuro en el territorio cuya soberania 
 Espana renunoia o cede por el presente 
 tratado, podran vivir en dicho territorio 
 o retirarse de el adquirieudo y conservan- 
 do en unu u otro caso. toda clase de 
 propiedad o reallzandola y disponiendo 
 librcmente de ella o de su valor o pro- 
 ducto, ejercer con la lihertad que actual- 
 mente tlenen. la industria, el comercio y 
 demas profesiones mecanica a liberales .v 
 gozar de su estatuto personal; sin que pue- 
 dan ser sometidos a mingun regimen de 
 excepcion en prejuicio de los derechos que 
 en este tratado se les reconoceu. Si per- 
 mauecen en el territorio, podran conservar 
 su nacionalidad haciendo ante una oflcina 
 publica de registro una declaracion de su 
 proposito de conservar dicha nacionalidad, 
 dentro del termino de un ano, que se con- 
 tara desde la fecha del canje de ratifica- 
 ciones de este tratado. o desde que aquellos 
 njen alii su residencia. 
 
 "Si faltasen a este requisite, se les con- 
 siderara como si la bubiesen renunciado y 
 adoptado la nacionalidad del territorio eu 
 
 IM 
 
territory In which they may reside. Save 
 In the cases covered by this treaty, the 
 civU rights and political condition of the 
 Spaniards living in ceded territories, shall 
 be governed by the laws applicable to all 
 other foreigners In the territory of their 
 residence. 
 
 "AKTICLE . All the other inhabi- 
 tants of the territories ceded shall have 
 the right to choose the Spanish nat'onal- 
 Ity within the period of one year to be 
 reckoned from the date of the exchange 
 of the ratiflcations of this treaty, the choice 
 to be made in the manner provided for 
 In the preceding article Notice thereof shall 
 be given immediately to the Spanish Gov- 
 ernment, or to its consular olticers. and 
 without which requisite the nationality 
 thus chosen shall not be at any time re- 
 cognized." 
 
 The American Commissioners proposed 
 at this meeting as a suhstitute for the 
 foregoing articles, the following article: 
 
 "AUTICLB VI. Spanish subjects, na- 
 tives of the Peninsula, residing in the 
 territory over which Spain by the present 
 treaty relinqu-shes or cedes her sovereignty 
 may remain in such territory or may re- 
 move therefrom, retaining in either event 
 all their rights of properly, including the 
 right to sell or dispose of such property 
 or of its proceeds; and they shall also have 
 the right to carry on their industry, com- 
 merce and professions, being subject in re- 
 spect theri-of to such laws as are appli- 
 cable to other foreigners. In case they 
 remain in the territory they may preserve 
 their allegiance to the Crown of Spain by 
 making, before a court of record, within 
 a year trom the date of the exchange of 
 ratifications of this treaty a declaration 
 of their decision to preserve such alle- 
 giance; in default of which declaration 
 they shall be held to have renounced it 
 and to have adopted the nationality of the 
 territory in which they may reside. 
 
 "The civil rights and political status 
 of the native inhabitants of the territories 
 hereby ceded to the Dnited States shall be 
 determined by the Congress." 
 
 The President of tiie Spanish (Commission 
 objected to this article ,as it was read, 
 on various grounds: and, after some dis- 
 cussion stated that with respect to the 
 article in question, as well as the other 
 articles which the American Commission- 
 ers might adopt, they would require, as a 
 necessary condition of their adoption, the 
 insertion in each article that was to run 
 for a length of time, of a clause limiting 
 the obligation of the United States there- 
 under, In respect to Cuba, to the time of 
 'ts occupation of the Island, or else the 
 Insertion in the treaty of a general clause 
 to this effect, as follows; 
 
 "It Is understood that any obligation 
 assumed by the United States with respect 
 to Cuba is limited to the time of its oc- 
 cupancy thereof." 
 
 que resldan. Excepto en cnaiu.. pieviene 
 este tratado, los derechos e-iviies y con- 
 dlclon politlca de los espanoles habltantes 
 en los territorios cedidos. se regiran por 
 las leyes eomune a todos los demas extran- 
 geros en el territorio de su resldcncla." 
 
 •AKTICULO — . I'Os demas habltan- 
 tes de los territorios cedidos podran optar 
 por la naclonalidad espanola en el termino 
 iW un ano. a contar rtcsde el camblo de 
 ratlficaclones de este tratado, habiendo de 
 hacer csU opciou en la forma prescrlta 
 en el articulo anterior y poucrla inmedi.a- 
 famente ademas en conocini lento del Go- 
 bierno espaiioi o de sus agentes consulares, 
 sin cuvo requisito no los sera reconocida 
 en ninsuii tienipo la nacioiialida<i de su 
 opcion." 
 
 Ivos Comisarios amcrii aii..^ pr.iponen en 
 esta sesion. que los anti'viores articulos 
 Sean sustltuidos por el siguientc; 
 
 "AUTICULO VI. Los subditos espanoles 
 naturaies de la Peninsula, que residan en 
 el territorio cuya soberania Espana renun- 
 cia o cede por el presente tratado podran 
 pennauecer en dicho territorio o marcharse 
 de el. conservando en uno u otro caso 
 tixlos SOS derechos de propledad. con in- 
 ilusi<in del derecho de vender o disponer 
 de tal propledad o de sus productos; y ade- 
 mas tendran el derecho de ajercer su in- 
 dustria. comereio o profesiou, sujetandose 
 a este respecto a las leyes que scan apli- 
 cables a los demas extrangeros. En el 
 caso de que permanezcan en el territorio. 
 podran conservar su naclonalidad espanola 
 haciendo ante una ofieina de registro, den- 
 tro de on ano de.spues del cambio de ratl- 
 ficacicmes de este tratado. una declaraeion 
 de su proposito de conservar dicha nacion- 
 alidad; a falta de eSta declaraeion. se eon- 
 siderara que ban renunciado dicha naclon- 
 alidad y adoptado la del territorio en el 
 cual inieden residir. 
 
 "Los derechos clvlles y lo condlcion po- 
 litlca de los naturaies que habiian los 
 territorios aqui cedidos a los Estados 
 I'nidos se determinaran por el Con^reso." 
 
 Kl Presidente de la Comislon espanola 
 presento varlas objeciones al texto de este 
 articulo, y despues de alguna discuslon. el 
 Presidente de la Comision americana de- 
 claro que con respecto al articulo en cues- 
 lion, como a los demas que los Comisarios 
 amerieauos puedan aceptar, pcdiran que, 
 como condlcion necesaria de su adopcion, 
 se Inserte en todos los articulos que deban 
 estar en rigor durante cierto tiempo, una 
 clausula Ilmitaudo la obligacion que de 
 ellos se derive para los Estados Uuidos, 
 con respecto a Cuba, al tiempo de su ocu- 
 pacion de la Isla. o en otro caso que se 
 inscrlba en el tratado una clausula general 
 que dlga: 
 
 "Se entlende que cualqulcr obligacion 
 asumlda por los Estados Unidos con re- 
 specto a Cuba, se limlta al tiempo que 
 ocupen a esta." 
 
 19S 
 
No conclusiou having been reached uu 
 Ihe articles in question, it was agreed 
 that the rest of the articles should be 
 read and then handed to the Spanish Com- 
 missioners, in order that they might con- 
 sider them and give their answer to the 
 cuuiiter-proposals of the United States at 
 the next conference, and that all the ar- 
 ticles should be inserted in the protocol 
 of to-day's conference. 
 
 Pursuant -to this agreement, the follow- 
 ing articles offered by the Spanish Com- 
 mission were read: 
 
 No habieuduse adoptaJo acuerdo alguuo 
 sobre este artkiilo. se conviuo en que se 
 leveran los demas y se entregaran a los 
 Comisarios espanoles. para que pudieran 
 examinarlos y contestar a las contra-pro- 
 posieiones de los Estados Unidos en la 
 sesion proxima, decidiendose ademas que. 
 todos los articulos se Insertaran en el 
 protoeolo de la conferencia de hoy. 
 
 Eu eumplimieuto de este acuordo. fuerou 
 leidos los siguientes articulos que habiau 
 sido propuestos por la Comision espanola: 
 
 (JHANTS .\ND cdNTKACTs FOR PUB- Conccsioiies dc obras y servicios 
 
 Lie WORKS ANU SERVICES. 
 
 "ARTICLE — . .^11 grants and contracts for 
 
 public works and services in the -slands 
 of Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines and 
 other ceded territory shall be maintained 
 in force until their expiration, in accord- 
 ance with the terms thereof, the new Gov- 
 ernment assuming all the rights and obli- 
 gations thereby attaching up to the present 
 time to the Spanish Government. 
 
 public 
 
 icos. 
 
 ••AHTICULO -. 
 ■■Continuaran observandose igualmeute 
 todas las coneesiones do obras y servicios 
 publicos en las islas do Cuba. Puerto Rico, 
 Filipinas y demas territories cedidos, hasta 
 su canceUacion, con arreglo a las clausulas 
 ,c>n que hubie.^eu sido otorgadas, subro- 
 gandose el nuevo Gobierno en los derechos 
 y eu las obligaciones que pur dicbos con- 
 tratos correspoudieron liasta ahora al Go- 
 bierno espanol." 
 
 ■PUBLIC CONTRACTS. 
 
 "ARTICLE — . Contracts formally entered 
 Into by the Spanish Government or its 
 authorities for the public service of the 
 islands of Cuba, Porto Rico, the Phllp- 
 pines and others ceded by this treaty, and 
 which contracts are still unperformed, shall 
 continue in force until their expiration 
 pursuant to the terms thereof. Such con- 
 tracts as also cover the service peculiar to 
 Spain or any of her other colonies, the 
 new Government of the above mentioned 
 islands shall not be called upon to carry 
 out. save only in so far as the terms of 
 said contracts relate lo the particular 
 service "v neasury cpf such Islands. The 
 new Government will therefore, as regards 
 the said contracts, be holden to all the 
 rights and obligations therein attaching 
 to the Spanish Government. 
 
 ■■List of Pending Contracts for Public 
 Works and Services. 
 
 "Mail and transportation contract with 
 the Compania Transatlantica. 
 
 "Contract with English company (Cuba 
 Submarinel for the cable on the south of 
 Cuba. 
 
 "Cable contract. Manila to Hong Kong, 
 with another English company ('The East- 
 ern'). 
 
 "Railroad concessions from Manila to 
 IJagupan. 
 
 "All other concessions for railroads now 
 
 196 
 
 "Concesiones de obras y servicios 
 publicos. 
 
 ■AITICULO -. 
 
 ■■Los contratos regularmente celebrados 
 por el Gobierno espanol o por sus Autorl- 
 dades para el servicio publico de las islas 
 de Cuba, Filipinas. Puerto Kico y demas 
 que se ceden por este tratado. y cuyos con- 
 tratos esten pendientes de cumplimiento, 
 continuaran observandose hasta su termi- 
 nacioii. con arreglo a sus clausulas. 
 
 "En aguellos en qne tambien estuviese 
 interesado el servicio peculiar de Espana 
 o de caulquiera de sus demas colouias el 
 nuevo Gobierno de las islas sobredichas. 
 no coneurrira a su cumplimiento. sino en 
 la parte que. con arreglo al contrato mis- 
 mo, corresponda a su servicio y Tesoro es- 
 pecial. 
 
 "(Juedara por lo tanto el nuevo (lobienui 
 subrogado en lug.rr del espanol en todos 
 los derechos y obligaciones que dc los racn- 
 ciouados coutratos pudieran resnltaren en 
 favor o eu contra de aquel. 
 
 ■■Lista de contratos pendientes por obras 
 y servicios publicos. 
 
 "Contrato para correos y trasportes con 
 la Compania Trasatlantica." 
 
 "Contrato de la Compania Inglcsa (Cub.i 
 Submarine) para el cable en el Sur dc 
 Cuba. 
 
 "Ontrato del cable de Manila a Hong 
 Kong eon otni Compania Inglesa (The 
 Eastern). 
 
 ■■Concesion ilel ferrocaril ih- Manila a 
 n.ignpan. 
 
 ■Todas les demas concesiones de fei'ro- 
 
In operatitin or under construction in Cul);i 
 or Porto Rico. 
 
 "Tlie iitKive are all tlip conlriUMs ai pres- 
 ent recalleil, alllioujrh it cunnot be slated 
 that tliere are not otluM-s relative to public 
 worivs antl services. None of recent dale. 
 "Decenil)er 1, isn.><." 
 
 Tlio President of tlie .\uierlcan ("cinmis- 
 slon stated that tlie .\nierican Conimls- 
 sloners were constrained tn reject these 
 articles. The United States did not pro 
 pose to repudiate any contract found upon 
 investigation to be binding under Interna- 
 tional law: but no such clauses as now 
 proposed liad been inserted in ireatii.-i 
 heretofore made b.v the T'nlied States wil a 
 Spain. France. Mexico and Russia, for the 
 acqtiisition of terrltor.v; and it niijriil be 
 assumed that tlie Tnlted Stales wonUl 
 deal justl.v and e(iui(abl.v In respect of 
 contracts Iliat were bindins uiidei- the 
 principles of international law. 
 
 Tile following: article, proposed bv th<' 
 Spanish f'oiuiuission. was then re.-Ml ■ 
 
 ■RKl.ICIO.V 
 
 •■.ARTICLE.- The Roman Catholic .Apos- 
 tolic Religion, its institutions and inln , 
 Isters. shall continue to enjo.v in ail the 
 territories which are the subject of this 
 ireat.v. the libert.v and the ri^'hts in the 
 up.disturiied possession of which the.v arc 
 at present. 
 
 "The members of this Church, whatever 
 their nationalit.v, shall continue to enjo.v 
 the same libert.v the.v now enjo.v. with re- 
 spect to Ihe profession of their rcliiilon 
 and the exercise of their form of wor.ship." 
 The President of the American Commis 
 sion stated that the United States could 
 malie no liistinction as to reii'.'ioii. and 
 proposed tile followins: article: 
 
 carriles en explotaciiui o en coiistnicclou 
 en Cuba .v I'uerto Rico. 
 
 "Kstos son los contralos que ahora se 
 recuerdan. atinque no pneda declrse si na.v 
 olros relativos a oliras .v servlcios pubiicos. 
 nini:uii<> de elios de feclia recienle. 
 •■1" cle Diclenibre ile l.SOS." 
 EI Presldente de la Comislon americaiia 
 declaro que los Coinisarios americanos se 
 veian obllgados a rechazar estos artlculos. 
 Los Estados tlnldos no se proponen pe- 
 pudiar niusun contrato. que al ser exani- 
 Inado se eucucEitrc que obllj:a*se;;un la ley 
 Internadonal: pero clausulas parecidas a 
 la que ahora se propone no se lian iiiscr- 
 tado eii tratados antenormente cclebrad<is 
 por los Estados Unidos con Espaiia. 
 Krancia, Mexico, y Rusia por adi|ulsicion 
 de terrltorios: y podia adniitirsi' que los 
 Estados Unidos obraran con jtistida ,v 
 equidad en los contratos que los oblistuen 
 con areght a los principios del dcrecho 
 Internacional. 
 
 Se le.vo el siguienle articnlo. propnesto 
 |ii>r ia Comision espanola 
 
 "Religion. 
 
 ••AUTICII.O . 
 "La relijjion catoiica -Xpostollca Uoniaua 
 y sus instituciones y ministros contiuuaran 
 gozando en todos los terrltorios que son 
 objeto de este tratado. de la llbertad v 
 prero.sativas en cuya [losesioii i>aclfica se 
 hallan. 
 
 ■RELIGION. 
 
 ■■ARTICLE.— The inhabitants of i he tec 
 ritory over which Spain relinquishes or 
 cedes her sovereignty shall be secured in 
 I'he free exercise of their religion." 
 
 Til following atide. propo.sed 
 Spanish Coniniisslon. was rc.id: 
 
 "THE .MA INK. 
 
 by the 
 
 "Los tieles dc vsta Iglesla. cualquiera 
 que sea su nacioualidad, cou:i;uiaran asi- 
 mismo gozando de la iilxM-tad que h ly tie- 
 neu para la profeslon de sn religion y el 
 ejerciclo de suculto." 
 
 El Presldente de la Comision americaiia 
 declara que los Estados Unidos no pueden 
 hacer dlstincion i-iitrt' las religiones. y 
 propone el arti<-ul«> sii:uieiite: 
 
 "Religion. 
 
 "ARTICULO — . 
 
 "Los habitantes del territorio. cny.i so- 
 berania Espana renuncia o cede, tendran 
 asegurado el iihro ejerciclo de su religion." 
 
 Se leyo el slguiente articnlo propnesto 
 por la Goaiislon espanola : 
 
 ••Zl Maine. 
 
 "I>raft of additional arlicles to th. 
 Treaty of Peace with Ihe Uniteil States. 
 
 ■■.MAINi;-ARTICLE.-At the request of 
 the Spanish Government, the two hi-h 
 contracting parties agree t.. appoint an 
 intcrnalioual commlssiou to he entrusted 
 witl, Investigating the rauses of and re- 
 sponsibility for the .Main,, catastropho 
 which occurred In the harbor of Havana 
 
 ;:"n,i:;i-;;;-.,!^i.>r,..i:;t^:i-r-::;; 
 
 •■xperts to be appointed as follows: 
 
 ••PROVECTO DE Aifl'ICi L(iS A1>I- 
 ClONALES AL THATAIXI HE P\Z CON 
 LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS. 
 
 "Maine. 
 
 '"A peticion del Goblerno espanol. las dos 
 Alias Partes contratantes convienen en 
 noml)rar una comision internacional en- 
 cargada de depurar las causas y responsa- 
 bllldades de la catastrofe del .Maine, ocur- 
 rida en el puerto de la llabana el 1,1 de 
 I'^ehrero de IsyS. Esta (;'onilsli>n interna- 
 cional se compoiidra de siete tecnu-os nom- 
 brados de l:i inanera siguiente: 
 
 i»: 
 
•■Tlirce by Hip Spanish Gciyerumpnt. one 
 to be a Spanish subject, another a British 
 subject and a third a French subject. 
 
 "Three b.v the Tnited States Govern- 
 ment, one to be a citizen of the Dnited 
 States, another a British subject and a 
 third a French subject. 
 
 "The commission to be presided over, 
 with a deciding vote, by a German ex- 
 pert chosen by mutual agreement b.v the 
 Spanish and American Governments. 
 
 "Should no agreement be reached here- 
 on, the Spanish Government shall desig- 
 nate one person and the United States 
 Government another, both persons to be 
 experts and of German nationality, the 
 choice for President to be decided by lot. 
 and the drawing to take place at the De- 
 partment of State at Washington. 
 
 The expenses of this Commission are to 
 be borne in equal moieties by the two 
 Governments, the Commission to meet in 
 Havana at the earliest possible niomeni 
 after tile consent of the Governments of 
 Germany. France and Great Britain is 
 secured. 
 
 "In the event of the Spani.sh Govern- 
 ment being found responsitile, it shall pa.v 
 to the United States its share of the ex- 
 penses of the Commission. Further, a 
 Spanish warship must go to New York 
 and salute the flag of the United States. 
 
 "If, on the contrar.v, the Commission 
 Shall decide that Spain is not responsible, 
 attributing the catastrophe to an accident 
 inside the vessel or other fortuitous cause, 
 the Government of the United States shall 
 pay to Spain its share of the expenses of 
 the Commission. 
 
 "Moreover, the Tresident of the United 
 States shall report the arbitral aw:ird tii 
 the Congress of the United States, setting 
 forth in the official message the righteous 
 course of the Spanish nation." 
 
 This article was rejected by the Ameri- 
 can Commissioners, who stated that they 
 considered the case as closed. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commis- 
 sion stated that he was unable to consider 
 it as closed, since the President of the 
 United States had referred to it in his 
 message to Congress on Monday last. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion stated that the American Commis- 
 sioners had not received a copy of the 
 message and therefore had not read it. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commis- 
 sion replied that he had in his pos.session 
 an extract from it. which he could produce. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion answered that the American Commis- 
 sioners did not care to continue the dis- 
 cussion of the subject on the present oc- 
 casion. 
 
 The following article proposed by the 
 Spanish Commissioners was read: 
 
 "Tres por el Gobierno espaunl. cuyos. 
 nombramientos han de recaer precisamen- 
 te, uno en un subdito espanol, otro en un 
 subdto biitanico y el tercero en un subdlto 
 trances. 
 
 "Tres I'la- el Gobierno norte americano, 
 cuyos nombramientos habran de recaer, 
 uno en un ciudadano de los Estados Uni- 
 dos, otro en un subdito britanico y el ter- 
 cero en un subdito trances. 
 
 "Pres'dira la Comision con voto decisivo 
 un tecnico aleman. elegido de eomun acuer- 
 do por los Gobiernos espanol y americano. 
 Caso de no Ilegarse a un acuerdo. el Go- 
 bierno espanol designara un indi\'iduo y 
 el norte americano otro, dibiendo ser tecni- 
 cos y de nacionalidad alemana. y en el 
 Ministerio de Negocios Extrangeros de 
 Washington se decidira por suerte el que 
 hava de ser Presidente. 
 
 "Los dos Gobiernos sufragarau por mitad 
 los gastos de esta Comision. que debera 
 reunirse en la Habana a la brevedad posi- 
 ble. previo el asentimiento de los Gobier- 
 nos de Alemania Francia y Gran Bretana. 
 
 "Caso de aparecer responsable el Go- 
 bierno espanol, tendra que alxtnar la parte 
 de gastos correspondientes por esta Co- 
 mision a los Estados Unidos. Ademas, un- 
 barco de guerra espanol tendra que ir a 
 Neuva York a saludar el pabellou de los 
 Estados Unidos. 
 
 "Si. por el contrario, decidiera la Co- 
 mision la Irresponsabilidad de E.spana, 
 atribuyendo la catastrofe a un accidente 
 en el interior del buque, o caso fortuito, 
 el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos tendra 
 que abonar la parte de gastos eorrespon- 
 diente por esta Comision a Espana. 
 
 "Ademas, el Presidente de los Estados 
 Unidos debera dar cuenta de la sentencia 
 arbitral a las Camaras norte americanas, 
 haciendo constar en el Mensage Oficial la 
 lealtad de proceder de la Nacion espanola. 
 
 Este articulo fue rechazado por los Co- 
 misarios americanos. quienes declararon 
 que consideraban terminado el asunto. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 declaro que no podia considerarlo como 
 terminado. desde que el Presidente de los 
 Estados Unidos se haWa referido a el en 
 su Mensage al Congreso el lunes ultimo. 
 
 El presidente de la Comision americana 
 declaro que los Comisarios americanos no 
 habian recibido copia del Mensage. y por 
 lo tanto no lo habian leido. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 contesto que tenia en su poder un extracto 
 del mismo, que podia presentar. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 replico que los Comisarios americanos no 
 estaban dispuestos a continuar la discusion 
 de este asunto en la ocasion presonte. 
 
 Se leyo el siguiente articulo. propuesto 
 por los Comisarios espanoles. 
 
 19S 
 
••I'lJNSIliN TO THIC PIKIO 111- V1:KA- 
 GUA. 
 
 "Al:TICLE.-TUi' tnitcil Slates will fOli- 
 limiL' paying to the aescendunts »( the 
 Great Discoverer of Amerioa. Christopher 
 Colmiibus. the portion still payable of the 
 pension they have been colleotiiit; sinee 
 the time of their illustrious predecessor, 
 as a proof of the gratitude of modern civ- 
 ilization, which Spain has been paying. 
 
 "This pension, sinee the royal order of 
 Novonil>er 11. IS'JSI^ has been reduced to 
 the two suras following: 
 
 ■'Three thousand four hundred (hard) dol- 
 lars annually, charge.able to the treasury 
 of Porto Rico, and $4,000 (like dollars) to 
 the treasury of Manila. 
 
 "The Unitetl States and the said tie- 
 scendants by mutual agreement may fix 
 the principal represented by these pen- 
 sions and liquidate the hitter by ileliver- 
 ing over the principal thus agreed en, if 
 deemed mutually advisable." 
 
 The American Commissioners stated that 
 they rejected this article. 
 
 The following article, proposed by the 
 Spanish Commissioners, was read: 
 
 "Carga de justicia del Duque de 
 Veragua. 
 
 "ARTICTT.O 
 
 "Los Estados L'nidos continuaran salis- 
 faclendo a los descendientes del Gnin De- 
 scubrldor de America. Cristobal Colon, la 
 parte de pension todavia subslstente que 
 hau veuido cobrando: desde los tlempos de 
 su ilustre progeidtor. come una prueba de 
 gratitud de la civilizacion moderna. que 
 venia satisfaciendo Espana. 
 
 "fOsta pension viene reducida desde Ueal 
 Orden de 11 de Noviembre de 181!!), a las 
 dcs cantidades signlentcs. 
 
 ":!.400 (pesos fncrtes) anuales cnnslgnada 
 sobre el Tesoro de Puerto Uico. y $4.00() 
 (pesos fuertes) sobre el Tesoro de Manila. 
 
 "Los Est.ados Unidos y dichos descen- 
 dientes de comun acuerdo podran capitali- 
 zar estas pensiones y extiugulrlas por la 
 entrega del capital que fijen. si asi respec- 
 tivaniente In tuvieran por convenlente." 
 
 Los Oomisarios aniericanos declaran que 
 rechazan este articulo. 
 
 Se leyo el siguiente articulo. propncsto 
 por los Comlsarios cspanoles; 
 
 •DEPOSITS AND BONDS." 
 
 "Depositos y fianzas. 
 
 "ARTICULO 
 
 "ARTICLE. -Monevs received by Gov- "Seran denieltos los depositos. conslgna- 
 
 ernment ofllces and "establishments in the clones, prestamos y flanzas de todas clases 
 
 aforesaid territories from Spanish citizens constltuidas por ciuda.lanos espanoles en 
 
 in the way of deposits, consignments, loans los establecimlentos y oficinas del Estado. 
 
 :ind security of all kinds shall be returned existentes en los territorios sobredichos, a 
 
 to the lawful owners, -whenever proper, sus legitimes duenos cuando fuere proce- 
 
 elther because of the expiration of the dente su devoluclon por haber vencldo los 
 
 time for Which they were made or be- plazos por que se hubiesen hecho o por 
 
 cause of the fulfilment of the principal haberse ya cumplido las obllgaclones prin- 
 
 obligatlons bv them guaranteed. This res- cipales a que slrvieron de garantia. Esta 
 
 titutlon shall" be made by the head of the devoluclon se hara por el .lefe de la Ofielna 
 
 office where the sums of money were de- en que se hubicren pntregado las canti- 
 
 posited, consigned, loaned or given as se- dades depositadas, consignadas^ prestadas 
 
 curitv; and in default thereof by whoever o dadas en fianza. 
 
 en su defecto por 
 
 is responsible for such sums under the 
 law." 
 
 The American Commissioners stated that 
 they rejected this article. 
 
 The following article, proposed by the 
 Spanish Commissioners, was then read: 
 
 "CONSULS. 
 •ARTICLE.— Spain shall have the power 
 
 quien de dieha devoluclon deba responder 
 con arreglo a las leyes." 
 
 Los Comlsarios americanos declaran que 
 rechazan este articulo. 
 
 Sc leyo el siguiente articulo propuesto 
 por los Comlsarios espanoles: 
 
 "Agentes consulares. 
 
 "ARTICULO 
 'Espana podra estableccr Agentes cmsu- 
 
 10 establish Consular officers in the parts inrpg en los puertos y plazas de los terrl- 
 
 :iiid places of the territories, the sover- 
 eignty over which has been either relin- 
 quished or ceded by the present treaty." 
 
 This article the American Commissioners 
 accepted. 
 
 The following article, proposed by the p^^ i^s Comlsarios espanoles 
 Spanish Commissioners, was then read: 
 
 torios cuyarenuncia y cesion es objeto de 
 este tratado." 
 
 Los Comlsarios americanos aceptan este 
 articulo. 
 
 Se leyo el siguiente articulo, propuesto 
 
 "JURISDICTION OF COURTS. 
 "ARTICLE.— The Spaniards residing in 
 the said territories sihall be subject in mat- 
 ters civil as well as criminal to the juris- 
 diction of the courts of the country where- pals en que residan con arreglo a las le.vcs 
 In they reside, pursuant to the ordinary comunes que regulen su competencia. pu- 
 laws governing the same: and tliey shall dieudo cotuparecer ante los mismos en la 
 
 199 
 
 "Jurisdiccion civil y criminal. 
 
 "ARTICULO 
 
 "I.dS csianoles residentes en los mencion- 
 
 ados territorios estaran sometidos en lo 
 
 civil y en lo criminal a los Tribunales del 
 
havf the right to appear before said courts 
 ami to pursue the same course as citlzeus 
 of the country to which the courts Ije- 
 long." 
 This article the Ameritau Coninilssioncrs 
 
 accepted. 
 
 The follo'.viUK article, proposed liy ihi' 
 Spanish Commissioners, was read; 
 
 ••■TrUISlUrTION OF COrUTS. 
 
 •■.\KTICLi:.-rivil and i-riminal actions 
 and suits against the Government that 
 may be pending at the time of the ex- 
 change of the ratiflcations of this treaty, 
 to which the citizens of the countries the 
 sovereignty over which has beioi relin- 
 quished or ceded are a party, and who. 
 pursuant to such treaty, cease to be Span- 
 iards, shall be tried and deterninied sub- 
 ject to the following rules: 
 
 ■• -First— .Tildginents rendered cither in 
 civil or criminal matters before the date 
 aforesaid, and with respect to which there 
 is no recourse under the Spanish law', shall 
 be deemed to be final, and shall be exe- 
 cuted in due form by competent authority 
 In the territory within which such .ludg- 
 ments should l)e carried out. 
 
 •■ 'Second— I'ersonal actions and cases 
 against the oGvernment which may be 
 pending before the courts of the peninsula 
 or the islands adjacent thereto. wh(>reiu 
 a citizen of the .said territories who by 
 this treaty ceases to be a Spaniard is the 
 plaintiff, shall. If the defendant is a Span- 
 iard, continue to be tried in due form be- 
 fore the said courts to the rendition of 
 the final .iudgnient. Personal actions where- 
 in the defendant is an inhabitant of the 
 said territories which by this treaty cease 
 to be Spanish, shall be tried by the com- 
 petent court of the domicile of the defend- 
 ant. .\ctions in rem or mixed actions, 
 when the immovable property in lilisaiioi! 
 is situate in the Peninsula or ad.jaci.ut 
 islands, shall be pursued to final judgment 
 and until the same is executed before the 
 courts having cognizance thereof. 
 
 •■ 'Third— Criminal actions pending ou 
 said date before the Supreme Court of 
 Spain against citizens of the territory re- 
 linquished and ceded, which ceases to bi' 
 Spanish by this treaty, shall continue un- 
 der its jurisdiction until final judgment; 
 but this having been once rendered, the 
 cases shall pass for execution to the juris- 
 diction of the competent court at the place 
 where the same should be carried out,* " 
 
 The American Commissioners proposeil. 
 in place <it the foregoing article, the fol- 
 lowing: 1 (. 
 
 ".TUitisriicTiox OF cot;rts. 
 
 "ARTICLE. -.Indlcial proceeilings p, nd- 
 Ing at the time of the exchange of ratifica- 
 tions of tbis treaty in the territories over 
 which Spain relinquished or cedes her sov- 
 ereignt.v shall be deterinineil according to 
 the following rules; 
 
 mlsma forma y empleando los mismos pro- 
 cediniientos que deban observar los ciu- 
 dadanos del pais a que pertcnczca el Tri- 
 bunal." 
 
 Los Coinisarios americanos accptan este 
 articulo. 
 
 Se le.vo el siguiente articnlo propucsto 
 por los Comisarios espanoles; 
 
 "Competencia de Tribunales. 
 
 •■AHT1CUL(J 
 
 "I^os pleitos civiles y administralivos y 
 las causas criminales pendientes al ha- 
 cerse el canje de ratilicacioues de este tra- 
 tado, en que sean parle los ciudadanos 
 residentes en los territorios renunciado y 
 cedidos que con arrtglo a aquel dejen de 
 ser espanoles concluiran de sustanciarse a 
 tenor de las reglas siguientes: 
 
 "PUIMEUA: Las sentencias dlctadas an- 
 tes de la fecha mencionada asi en lo civil 
 como en lo crhuinal, y contra las cuales 
 no haya recursos que interpouer con ar- 
 reglo a la ley espanola, tendraj el earaeter 
 de ejecutorias y deberan ser cumplidas por 
 los tramites legales por la Autorldad com- 
 petente en el territorio en que proceda sti 
 cumplimiento. 
 
 "SECUNDA; Los plelitos civiles por 
 accion personal, y los administrativos. 
 pendientes ante los Tribunales de la Pen- 
 insula a Islas adyaeentes. en que fuese 
 demandante un ciudadano de dichos terri- 
 torios, que por este tratado deje de ser 
 pspanol, continuaran sustanelandose por 
 los Tribunales ante quieues penden, hasta 
 que recaiga sentencia ejecutoria, si fuese 
 espanol el demandado. I.,os tambien por 
 accion personal en que sea demandado un 
 habitante de los sobredichos territorios que 
 por este tratado pierda la nacioualidad es- 
 panola, pasaran al conocimiento del Juez 
 o Tribunal del domicilio del demandado 
 que fuese competente. Aquellos en que se 
 ejercite una accion real a mixta, si el in- 
 mueble que fuese su objeto radicase en la 
 Peninsula c- Islas adyaeentes. continuaran 
 hasta que en ellos recaiga ejecutoria y 
 esta sea cumplida ante los Tribunales que 
 de ella estuvleran conocieudo. 
 
 "TEHCEKA: Las causas criminales pen- 
 dientes en la sobredicha fecha ante el Tri- 
 bunal Supremo de Espana, contra los ciu- 
 viadanos de los territorios renunciado .v 
 ceilidos. que dejen de ser espanoles por 
 este tratado, continuaran sometidas a su 
 jurisdiccion hasta que ri'cbaiga sentencia, 
 pero una vez que esta, fuese dietada, 
 pasaran para su cumplimiento a la juris- 
 lugar en que aquella deba ser cumplida." 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos jiroponen que 
 el anterior articnlo se substltuya por el 
 siguiente; 
 
 "Jurisdiccion de los Tribunales. 
 
 "AltTICULO 
 
 "Los procedlmientos judiciales pendientes 
 al canjearse las raMficacioues de este tra- 
 tado, en los territorios sobre los euales 
 Espana renuncia o cede su sobreania, se 
 dcicrn;inaraii coi; .-irozcglo ;i reglas sig- 
 uici.ii > ; 
 
"1. Judgments reudureil oUIut Iu civil 
 suits between private Individuals, .ir In 
 criminal matters, before tlie date men 
 tioned. and nitli respk-t to whieli there Is 
 no recourse or rliiht of review under the 
 Spanish law, shall be deemed to be tiuai. 
 and shall be executed in due form by com- 
 petent authority iu the territory within 
 which such Judgments sliould be I'arrled 
 out. 
 
 "2. Civil suits between private individ- 
 uals which may on the date mentioned be 
 undetermined shall be prosecuted to .iudg- 
 ment before the court in wliioh they may 
 then be pending, or in the court that may 
 be substituted therefor. 
 
 ".3. Criminal actions pendln;; on I he date 
 mentioned before the Supreme Cnurt of 
 Spain against citizens of the territory 
 which by this treaty ceases to be Spanish 
 shall continue under its jurisdiction until 
 final judgment: but, such judgment having 
 been rendered, the execution thereof shall 
 be committed to the competent authority 
 of the place In which the case arose." 
 
 The following article, proposed by the 
 Spanish Commissioners, was read: 
 
 "Copyrights and Patents. 
 
 "1. Las sentencias dictadas en causas 
 eivllcs entre particulares. o en una mate- 
 ria <rimlnal. antes de la fecha mencionada, 
 y c*ontra las cuales no haya apelacion o 
 derecho de revision, con arreglo a las 
 leyes espanolas. se conslderaran como 
 flrmes, y seran ejecutadas en debida forma 
 por la Autorldad competente en el terrlto- 
 rlo dentro del cual dlchas sentencias deban 
 <-umplirse. 
 
 "2. Los pleltos vivUes entre particulares 
 que en la fecha mencionada no hayan sldo 
 ju/.gados, continuaran su tramitaclou ante 
 el Tril)uual en que se halle el proceso. o 
 ante aquel que lo sustituya. 
 
 ".'i. Las aceiones en materia criminal 
 pendientes en la fecha mencionada ante el 
 Tribunal Supremo de lOspana contra ciu- 
 dadanos del terrKorio (pie segun este tra- 
 tado deja de ser espanol. continuaran bajo 
 su jurisdiecion liasta que recalga la sen- 
 tencia definitiva; pero una vez dielada 
 esa sentencia, su ejecucion sera encomen- 
 dada a la Autoridad competente del lugar 
 en que la accion se suscito." 
 
 Se leyo el siguiente articulo. propucsto 
 por lus Cnniisarios es)i:ilinles: 
 
 "Tropiedad literaria e industrial. 
 
 •AHTICLE — . 
 
 "The rights of property secured by copy 
 rights and patents acquired b.v Spaniards 
 in the islands of Cuba and Porto Uico, 
 the Philippines, and all other territories 
 ceded, at tlie time of the exchange of the 
 ratification of tills treat.v. shall continue 
 to be respected. Spanish scientific, liter- 
 ary and artistic works, not subversive of 
 public order in the said territories, shall 
 continue to be admitted free of duty in 
 the said territories for twent.v-five (2.">) 
 years, to be reclconed from the date of the 
 exchange of the ratifications of tliis treat.v, 
 and the proprietary rlghis of their authors 
 shall be protected for a like period." 
 
 The American Commissioners proposed 
 as a substitute the following article: 
 
 "Copyrights and Patents. 
 
 "The rights of jiroperty. se<-ured liy 
 copyrights and patents acquired by Sjiaii- 
 iards in the islands of Cuba and Porto 
 Rleo. the Pliilipplnes. and other ceded ter- 
 ritories at the time of the exchange of the 
 ratifications of this treaty, shall continue 
 to be respected; Spanish scientific, literary 
 and artistic works, not subversive of pub- 
 lic order In the territories In question. 
 shall continue to be admitted free of duty 
 Into such territories, for the period of ten 
 years, to be reckoned from the date of 
 the exchange of the ratification of this 
 treaty." 
 
 The reading of the articles proposed by 
 the Spanish Couimlssloners having been 
 completed, the President of the American 
 Commission stated that It was bis under- 
 standing that the articles proposed by the 
 
 201 
 
 ■AKTICILO 
 
 "(.'ontinuaran respetandose los derechos 
 de pi-opiedad literaria, artistica e industrial 
 adquiriridos por espanoles en las Islas de 
 Cuba, Puerto Uico, Filipinas y demas ter- 
 ritorios cedidos, al liacerse el canje de 
 ralificaciones do este tratado. Las obras 
 espanolas clentificas, llterarhis y artistieas. 
 que no scan peligrosas para el orden publi- 
 co en dichos territorios, continuaran en- 
 Irando en los niismos con franquichia de 
 Tod,» ilereclio de adiiana durante veiute y 
 ciM -o (l'.j) anos. a C4Uitar desde el canje de 
 ratificaciones de este tratado, y durante el 
 iiusmo tcrmino sera pr<)tegid:i la propiedad 
 de 3US autores." 
 
 Los Coniisarios americanos propusieron 
 que se sustituyese este articulo por el si- 
 guiente: 
 
 "Propiedad literaria e industrial. 
 
 "AKTICI'LO 
 
 "Los derechos de ,propledad lileraria e 
 industrial reconocidos a los espanoles por 
 medio de registros y patentes en las Islas 
 de Cuba. Puerto Rico, Filipinas y ostros 
 territorios cedidos. al canjearse las ratifi- 
 caciones de este tratado. continuaran 
 siendo respetados. Las obras espanolas 
 clentificas. Ilterarias y artistieas. que no 
 sean subversivas contra el orden publico en 
 los territorios referldos continuaran siendo 
 admitldas libres de derechos en los mismos, 
 durante diez (10) anos a contra desde el 
 canje de las ratificaciones de este tratado." 
 
 Hablendose termlnado la lectura de los 
 articulos propuestos por los Comisarios 
 espanoles. el I'residente de la Comision 
 amerlcana declare que entendia que los 
 articulos propuestos por los Comisarios 
 americanos serlan 'a<'eptados o rechazados 
 
American Commission would be accepted 
 or rejected by tlie Spanish Commissioners 
 at the next meeting. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commis- 
 sion replied that the Spanish Commission- 
 ers would pursue the same course with re- 
 spect to the American articles as the Amer- 
 ican Commissioners had pursued with ref- 
 erence to the Spanish articles. 
 
 On motion of the American Commission- 
 ers, the conference was adjourned till to- 
 morrow, Wednesday, the 7th of Decem- 
 ber, without prejudice to the right of the 
 Spanish Commissioners to request a post- 
 ponement. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAT. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 WM. P. FRYE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITELAW REID. 
 JOHN E. MOORE. 
 
 per los Comlsarios espanoles en la sesion 
 proxlma. 
 
 El Presldente de la Comislon espanola 
 contesto que los Comlsarios espanoles seg- 
 ulran respecto a los artlculos americanos 
 el mlsmo procedlmiento que los Comlsarios 
 americanos habian seguido con referenda 
 a los artlculos espanoles. 
 
 A propuesta de los Comlsarios americanos 
 se leyanto la sesion, acordando reunirse 
 manana, miercoles 7 de Diciembre, sin 
 perjaicio del derecho de los Comlsarios es- 
 panoles para pedlr un aplazamlento. 
 
 Firmado: E. MONTERO RIOS. 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 J. DE GARNICA. 
 W. R. DE VILLA-URRDTIA. 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 202 
 
Protocol No. 21. 
 
 Protocolo No. 21. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of December 8. 1898. 
 
 The session which was to h.ive been held 
 on yesterday having bi'pn postponed at the 
 request of the Spanish Commissioners, the 
 Joint Commission nut to d:iy at two o'elocli. 
 p. m.. there being 
 
 Present— 
 On the part of the United States: 
 Messrs. DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FUYE. 
 
 CUAY. 
 
 UKIP. 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 I-I^UGUSSON. 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTEKO RIOS. 
 
 ABARZrZA. 
 
 GAUNICA. 
 
 VILI.A-URKUTIA. 
 
 CERERO, 
 Mr. Ojeda was nnablo to be present, ow- 
 ing to illness, and Mr. Villa-Urrutia per- 
 formed his duties as Secretary. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session was 
 read and approved. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners proposed that 
 the American Commissioners modify the 
 clause presented by them and mentioned in 
 the protocol of the last session relating to 
 the limiting of the obligations of the United 
 States in Cnba to the time of its occupation 
 thereof. 
 
 The American Commissioners took this 
 proposition under consideration and submit- 
 ted to the conference a new wording of 
 the clause, which was approved, and which 
 is as follows: 
 
 "It is understood that any obligations as- 
 sumed in this treaty by the United States 
 with respe<'t to ("uba are limited to the 
 time of their occupancy thereof; but they 
 will, upon the termination of such occu- 
 pancy, advise any Government established 
 in the island to assume the same obliga- 
 tions. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners observed that 
 although the .Vmeriean Commissioners had 
 rejected at the last session the article pre- 
 sented by the Spanish Commissioners relat- 
 ing to the Maine, they considered It their 
 duty to insist upon this question being sub- 
 mitted to arbitration. 
 
 The American Commissioners answered, 
 referring to the observations made by them 
 on this subject at the last session. 
 
 The Spanish Commissioners replied that 
 since this new proposal for arbitration was 
 also rejected, they would ask the American 
 Commissioners to be pleased to propose 
 some method of clearing up the matter of 
 the Maine, and the responsibility growing 
 out of it, so that the unjust prejudice 
 against Spain shown in the United States 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 DEL 8 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1898. 
 
 -Vplazada. a propuesta de los ComisarloB 
 espanoles. la sesion que debio haber tenido 
 lugar el dia de ayer. se rennieron el dia d« 
 lioy a las dos de la tarde. hallando.so 
 
 Presentes — 
 I'or parte de los Estados ITnidos di- 
 .\merlca: 
 
 los Senores DAY. 
 
 DAVIS. 
 FRYE. 
 CRAY, 
 REID, 
 MOORE, 
 KERGCSSOX. 
 I'or parte de Espana: 
 
 los Senores MONTERO RIOS, 
 ABARZUZA. 
 GARNICA. 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 CERERO. 
 
 Por ii larse eiifermo no pndo asistir el Sr. 
 Ojeda, e hiro sus veces como Secretarlo el 
 Sr. Villa-Urrutia. 
 
 Fue leida y aprobada el acta de la sesion 
 anterior. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles proponen que 
 los de los Estados Unidos modlflquen la 
 clausula por cllos prescutada y que se men- 
 clona en el acta de la sesion ultima, rela- 
 tiva a la limitacion de las obligaciones de 
 los Estados Unidos en Cvhn a1 tiempo que 
 dure su ocupacion. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos toman en con- 
 sideracion esta proposicion. y someten a la 
 conferencia una redaccion de dicha clausula 
 que es aceptado y dice asi: 
 
 "Queda entendido que en alqnlera obliga- 
 "cion aceptada en este tratado por los 
 •Estados Dnidos con respeclo a Cuba esta 
 "limitada al tiempo que dure su ocui)acion 
 "en esta Isla, pero al terminar dicha ocupa- 
 "cion, aconsejaran al Gobierno que .se es- 
 "tablezca en la Isla, que acepte las mismas 
 "obligaciones.'* 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles manifestan que 
 auniiue la Comision americana habia recha- 
 zado en la sesion ultima ol artlculo presen- 
 tado por la Comision espanola sobre el 
 ".Maine", consideraban, sin embargo, un 
 deber insistir en que esta cuestlon se some- 
 tiese a un arbitrage. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos oontestaron 
 que se referlan a las manifestaclones que 
 hicieron en la sesion anterior. 
 
 Los Comisarios espanoles repllcan que, 
 questo (]ue est:i nueva proposicion de arbi- 
 trage era tambien rechazada, so sirvieran 
 los Senores (^omisarios americanos proponer 
 cu:il(iuier mtniio de exclarecer este asunto 
 
 203 
 
by reason "f an iucmipiete inv*'Stigation 
 might disappear, and the resentment of 
 Spain. be<'ause the uprightness of her au- 
 tliorities or sulijects. and the eapaoitr of 
 her administration to guarantee the safety 
 in her ports of vessels of a nation with 
 whieJi she was at peace, had been placed 
 In doubt, might also be blotted out. 
 
 The American Commissioners replied that 
 they had no method to propose. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission, 
 pursuant to the rules, presented a memor- 
 andum, which is hereto annexed, in sup- 
 port of the propositions rejected by the 
 American Commissioners at the last session. 
 
 The American interpreter proceeded to 
 translate the memorandum and to read it in 
 English. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion reserved the right to reply in writing 
 to the memorandum at the next session. 
 
 After explanations Interchanged by the 
 Pre.sidents of the two Commissions, such 
 articles presented by the .Spanish Commis- 
 sioners as were accepted or modified by the 
 American Commissioners were approved. 
 
 The reading of the articles presented by 
 the American Commission was then entered 
 upon. 
 
 The articles were read, one by one. in the 
 order in which they stood. 
 
 The first was as follows: 
 "ARTICLE. 
 
 ■■Spain hereby cedes to the United States 
 the island variously known as Kusaie. 
 Ualvin. or Strong Island, in the Carolines; 
 and also concedes to the United Slates the 
 right to land telegraph cables in the Canary 
 Islands, or on any territory owned by 
 Spain on the coast of Africa, or in the 
 Peninsula. 
 
 '"In consideration of what is set forth in 
 this article, the United States will pay to 
 Spain the sum of one million dollars 
 ($1,000,000) within thre^ months from the 
 exchange of the ratiflcations of the present 
 treaty." 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 declared that even in the event of an 
 agreement being reached upon this article 
 It would have to figure elsewhere than in 
 the treaty, as it was foreign thereto; but 
 that he was compelled to reject it, because 
 the Spanish Government at this time 
 aeither entertained the idea of disposing 
 of one of the Caroline Islands, nor could 
 it do so for want of constitutional au- 
 thority, previous authorization of the 
 Cortes being necessary in the premises. 
 Neither could what related to cable land- 
 ings be accepted, because if stipulated in a 
 treaty it might imply an easement on the 
 national territory which the Spanish Gov- 
 ernment was not empowered to create, and 
 because any American company might re- 
 quest through the executive channel, as 
 other alien companies have done, such a 
 concession, which was foreign to an inter- 
 national treaty. 
 
 del llaine, y las responsabilidades consi- 
 gulentes demanera que pudiesen desaparecer 
 las injustas prevenciones que se habian 
 manifestado en los Estados Dnidos contra 
 Espana por causa de una informacion in- 
 completn. .v se borrase tambien el resenti- 
 miento de Espana por haberse puesto en 
 duda la 1( altad de sue Autoridades o d* 
 sus uacionales y la capacidad de su ad- 
 ministraclon para garantizar por su parte 
 la segnindad en sus puertos a los barcos de 
 una Xacinn con quien estaba en paz. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos contestaron 
 que no tenian ningun medio que proponer. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola, 
 con arreglo al reglamento. prcsento un 
 Memorandum que va anejo al acta, en 
 apoyo de las proposiclones rechazadas por 
 la Comision americana en la sesion ultima. 
 
 El Interprete americauo proccolio a la 
 lectura en ingles de dicho Memorandum. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision americana 
 se reserva el derecho de contestar por es- 
 crito a dicho Memorandum en la sesion 
 proxima. 
 
 Despuos de las explicaeiones que media- 
 ron entre los Presidentes de ambas Comis- 
 iones quedo entendido que se aprobaban 
 los articulos presentados por le Comision 
 espanola, tales como habian sido aceptados 
 o moditicados por la Comision americana. 
 
 Procediose entonces a la lectura de los 
 articulos presentados por la Comision 
 americana. 
 
 Los artiiulos fueron leidos uuo por uno, 
 en el orden en que fueron presentados. 
 
 El 1' fue el siguiente: 
 
 •ARTICULO. 
 
 ■■Espana rede por el presente a los 
 ■•Estados Unidos la Isla diversameute 
 "llamada Kusaie, Ualan a Strong Island e. 
 •■las Caroliuas; y ademas concede_a los 
 ■■Estados Unidos el derecho de amariar 
 "cables telegraficos en las Islas Canarias o 
 •'en cualquier territorio espanol de la costa 
 •de Africa, o en la Peninsula. 
 
 •■En consideracion de los establecido en 
 •■es(t articulo. los Estados Unidos pagaran 
 •'a Espana la suma de un millon de dollars 
 ••(.$1,000,000), dentro de los tres meses del 
 ••canje de ratificaciones del presente tra- 
 ••tado." 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 declaro que aun en caso de que hubiera 
 habido acuerdo soble este articulo, tendria 
 que figurar aparte del tratado. por ser 
 ageno al mismo; pero que se veia obligado 
 a rechazarlo. por que ni entraba en el 
 animo del Gobieno espanol, en este me- 
 mento, el anagenar una de las Islas Caro- 
 linas ni podia tampoeo hacerlo por carecer 
 de facultades eonstitucionales necesitando 
 para ello estar previamente autorisado por 
 las Cortes. Tampoeo podia aceptarse lo 
 relative al amarre de oablcs. por que estipu- 
 lado en un tratado podrla significar ana 
 servidnmbre sobre territorio uacional, que 
 el Gobieruo espanol no estaba autorizado a 
 
 204 
 
'I'll., followlna ."irtu'le was tuen read. cousui"". .• i ' .. ., , ., , „,, 
 
 llif ioii.>«in„ amerlcana podria solieitar por la via ad- 
 
 ■•ARTICI..E. niinlstrativa y touio lo ban hccho otras 
 
 confornilts- wllh the uuderslandlns Coiupaulas extrangeras. una con<-psion. 
 
 nat'ional. 
 Se Icyo luego el articulo sigulentc: 
 
 ARTICUI.O. 
 
 •In - _ 
 
 eslablished by an exchange of notes in the agcna a iiu tiatado inter 
 year 1.S86, Spain agrees that American 
 missions and missionaries shall be allowed 
 to resume and hereafter freely to carry on 
 their worij in the Caroline Islands that re- 
 main under Spanish sovereignty." 
 
 The President of the Spanish Coiumis- 
 sion observed that it was nol known that 
 any claim was pending in the premises, and 
 that as the Constitution of the State laid 
 down the rights of private individuals in 
 religious matters, there was nothing in this 
 regard to Insert in the treaty. 
 
 The following article was then read: 
 
 "ARTICLE. 
 
 •'The United States and Spain will re- 
 ciprocally accord to the ships of each other. 
 In their respective ports, most favored na- 
 tion treatment. In respect of all port 
 charges, Includiag entrance and clearance 
 dues, light dues, and tonnage duties. 
 
 "It is" further agreed that the two Gov- 
 ernments will enter into negotiations with a 
 view to the conclusion of a commercial 
 convention." 
 
 In place of the first paragraph, the 
 American Commissioners now propose the 
 following: 
 
 "Spain will in her ports accord to vessels 
 of the United States the same treatment in 
 respect of all port charges, including en- 
 trance and clearance dues, light duos, and 
 tonnage duties, as is accorded to Spaiysh 
 vessels in the jiorts of the United States." 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 objected to the second paragraph of the 
 article as unnecessary; and suggested that 
 the first paragraph be amended so that it 
 should be reciprocal in its provisions and 
 be limited as to its duration. 
 
 After discussion, the following article was 
 drawn up: 
 
 "The Government of each country will, 
 for the term of ten years accord to the 
 merchant vessels of the other country the 
 same ireatmeut in respect of all port 
 charges, including entrance dues, light 
 dues and tonnage duties, as It accords to its 
 
 "I)e conforniidad con el aciierdo estable- 
 •oido por un canje de notas en el ano 1SS6 
 "Espana convlene eu que las misioncs 
 "ainericanas y los Misioncros podrau reauu- 
 "d.'ir y de qucs llevar libremonte a efecto 
 "sus irabajas eu las Islas Carolinas que 
 "quedan bajo la soberania de Espana." 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 maniflesta que no consta este pendieiile 
 uiiiguna reclaiuacion sobre el particular, y 
 que como la eonstitucion del Estado niarca 
 los derechos de los paxticuiares en materlas 
 rellgiosas nada hay que inserlar a este re- 
 specto en el tratado. 
 
 Se leyo luego el articulu siguiente: 
 
 "ARTICULO. 
 
 "Los Bstados Unidos y Espana coiice- 
 "deran reciproeamente a los buques de 
 "cada uno de ellos en sus respectlvos puer- 
 "tos, el trato de la naciou mas favorecida 
 "respecto a todos los derechos de puerto, 
 "incluyendo los de entrada y salida, faros 
 "y tonelage. 
 
 "Se convlene adeinas eu que los dos 
 "Goblernos emperaran las negociaciones 
 "para couclulr un convenio couiercial." 
 
 Eu lugar del primer parrafo. proponen 
 ahora los Comisarios americanos el sig- 
 uiente: 
 
 "Espana concedera en sus puerlxis a los 
 "buques de los Estados Unidos el mismo 
 "trato con respecto a todos los derechos de 
 "Puerto, Incluyendo derechos de entrada y 
 "salida, de faro y tonelage. que se concede 
 "a los buques espanoles en los puertos de 
 "los Estados Unidos." 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 manifesto que el segundo parrafo del ar- 
 ticulo era innecesario y pidio que se modi- 
 flcase el primer parrafo de manera que 
 fucse reoiproca la estipulacion y liinitado 
 el tiempo de su duracion. 
 Despues de discutido se aprobo el articu 
 
 own merchant vessels not engaged in the |^ p„ j., {oi-ma siguiente; 
 
 coastwise trade. This article may at any 
 time be terminated on six months' notice 
 given by either Government to the other." 
 The following article was then read: 
 
 "ARTICLE. 
 
 "The following treaty stipulations here- 
 tofore entered into by the United States 
 and Spain shall be held to continue In 
 force: 
 
 "Treaty of October 27, 1795, so tar as it 
 Is confirmed by Article XII. of the Treaty 
 of February 22, 1819; 
 
 "Treaty of B'ebruary 22, 1819, so far as 
 Its provisions have not been executed or 
 become obsolete; 
 
 "Convention of February 17. IS'H. for the 
 
 El Gobieriio de cada pais coucedra par 
 "cl termino do diez auos, a los buiiues mer- 
 "cantcs del otro, el mismo trato en euanto 
 "a todos los derechos de puerto. Incluyendo 
 "los de entrada y salida. de faro y tone- 
 "lage, que concede a sus propios buques 
 "mercantes no empleados en el comerclo 
 ••de cabotage. Este articulo pucde scr de- 
 •nuuciado en cualquier tiempo dando no- 
 "ticia previa de ello cualqulera de ello 
 ••cualquiera de los dos Gobiernos al otro 
 ••cou seis meses de anticlpaclon." 
 
 Se leyo luego el articulo siguiente; 
 "ARTICULO. 
 
 ••Los siguientes trafados. antes cclcbrados 
 ••enlre los Estados Unidos y Espana, cou- 
 "tinuaran en vigor: 
 
 205 
 
settlement of claims; 
 
 "Agreement of February 17. 1S34, for tUe 
 settlement of claims; 
 
 "Agreement of February 11-12. 1871, tor 
 tlie settlement of claims, Article VII; 
 
 "Convention of January 5, 1877, and the 
 supplementary convention of August 7, 
 1882. for the extradition of crimiuals; 
 
 "Protoc61 of January 7, 1877. concerning 
 Juilioial procedure; 
 
 "Convention of June 19. 182, concerning 
 Trade Marks; and the agreement between 
 the two countries in relation to inierna- 
 tioucil copyright." 
 
 The fresident of the Spanish Commission 
 stated that the Spanish Commissioners were 
 unable to accept this article. Some of the 
 treaties to which it referred were obsolete 
 or related to conditions which no longer ex- 
 isted, while others should be modified, and 
 it would involve a more extended examina- 
 tion than the Joint Commission was in a 
 position to give. But this did not imply 
 that the two Governments might not take 
 up the subject themselves. 
 
 The American Commissioners inquired 
 whether the objection of the President of 
 the Spanish Comuiission applied to the ex- 
 tradition treaties. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 replied that it did, as those treaties needed 
 revision. 
 
 The American Commissioners urged the 
 revival of the extradition treaties, the con- 
 vention concerning trade marks, and the 
 agreement in relation to internatioual copy- 
 right; and proposed that, in view of the im- 
 mediate importance of fhe subjects to 
 which they related, they should, if the 
 Spanish Commissioners were not prepared 
 to revive them fully, be revived temporarily 
 as a modus Vivendi, for a period of a year 
 or oven for six months, so as to enable the 
 two Governments to consider the question 
 of their renewal. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 adhered to the views which he had ex- 
 pressed: and the article was rejected. 
 
 The fidlowing article was then read: 
 
 "ARTICLE 
 
 "The present treaty shall be ratilied by 
 the President of the United States by and 
 with the advice and consent of the Senate 
 thereof, and by Her Majesty the Queen 
 Regent of Spain; and the ratifications shall 
 be exchanged at Washington within six 
 months from the date hereof, or earlier if 
 possible. 
 
 "In faith whereof we, the respective plen- 
 ipotentiaries, have signed this treaty, and 
 have hereunto affixed our seals. 
 
 "Done in duplicate at Paris, the day 
 
 of in the year of Our Lord one thnus:ind 
 
 eight hundred and ninety-eight." 
 
 This article was accepted. 
 
 The conference was then adjourned, with 
 tlie understanding that the Jciint Commis- 
 sion should reassemble for the purpose of 
 signing the treaty, whenever it should be 
 
 "Tratado de 27 Octubre de 1795, en su 
 "parte confirmada por el articulo XII del 
 "Trat.ido de 22 de Febrero de 1819. 
 
 "Tratado de 22 de Febrero de 1819. en sii 
 "disposiciones que no ban sido ejecutadas 
 "o que no ban caido en desuso." 
 
 "C»mvenio de 17 de Febrero de 1834 para 
 "el arreglo de reclamaciones. 
 
 ".Vcuerdo de 11-12 de Febrero de 1871, 
 "para el arreglo de reclamaciones (Articulo 
 "VII.l 
 
 "Convenio de 5 de Enero de 1877. y cou- 
 "venio supletorio de 7 de Agosto de 1882, 
 "para la extradicion de criminales. 
 
 "Protocolo de 7 Enero de 1877 sobre pro- 
 "cedimientos judiciales. 
 
 "Convenio de 19 de Junio de 1882 respecto 
 '*a las mareas de fabrica: y el acuerdo entre 
 "los dos paises. conrelaciou a la propiedad 
 "literaria internacionai." 
 
 Manifesto el Presidente de la Comisiou 
 Icspanola que no podia aceptar dicho arti- 
 culo, por que algunos de tratados a que 
 el mismo se referia estaban ya en desuso o 
 se referian a condiciones que ya no ex- 
 istian, por lo cual era precise hacer tin 
 estudio de cada uno de ellos mas detenido 
 que el que podia hacer esta Comisiou. 
 Pero que esto no significaba que ambos 
 Gobiernos no pudieran entenderse directa- 
 mente sobre este asunto. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos preguntarun 
 si las observaciones del Presidente de la 
 Comision espanola se aplicaban a los trata- 
 dos de extradicion. 
 
 El Presfdente de la Comision espanola 
 respondio que si, por que estos tratados 
 necesitaban ser corregidos. 
 
 Los Comisarios americanos pidieron la 
 renovacion de los tratados de extradicion. 
 mareas de fabrica y propiedad literaria. y 
 propusieron que en vista de la importancia 
 inmediata de los asuntos a que se re 
 referian, fuesen renovado temporalmente, 
 como un modus Vivendi, por un plazo de 
 uu ano o de scis meses, si los Comisarios 
 espanoles veian inconveniente en su reno- 
 vacion absoluta, a fin de permitir a ambos 
 Gobiernos el estudiar la cuestion de su 
 renovacion. 
 
 El Presidente de la Comision espanola 
 mautuvo su anterior opinion y el articulo 
 fue rechazado. 
 
 Se leyo luego el articulo siguiente: 
 
 "ARTICULO. 
 
 "EI presente Tratado sera ratificado per 
 "Su Majestad la Reina Regente de Espana 
 "y por el Presidente de los Estados Uuidos 
 "de acuerdo y con la aprobaclon del Sen- 
 "ado; y las ratlficaciones se cangearan en 
 "Washington dentro del plazo de seis meses 
 "desde esta fecha. o antes si posible fuese. 
 
 "En fe de lo cual, los respectivos I'ieni- 
 "potenclarios firman y sellan este Tratado. 
 
 "Hecho por duplicado en paris a 10 de 
 "Diciembre del ano mil ochocientos noventa 
 "y ocho." 
 
 Se aprobo este articulo. 
 
 Se levanto la sesion en la inteligencia 
 de que la Comision en pleno se reuniria con 
 
 206 
 
ready for signature; and that. In the mean objeto de flrmar el tratado, cuando estn- 
 tlme, each Commission might communicate vlcse en dlsposlcion de ser flrmado, y que 
 to the other any memoranda which It eutre tauto ambas Comlsiones podrian 
 should desire to flic under the rules. comunlcarsc cualquier Memorandum que 
 
 con arreglo al reglamento deseasen pre- 
 
 sentar. 
 
 Signed: WILLIAM R. DAT. Flrmado: E. MONTEUO RIOS. 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 
 WM P FRTE J- I'E GARNICA. 
 
 GEO GRAY ■^^ ^- ^^ A'lLLA-URRUTIA. 
 
 WniTELAW REID. RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. EMILIO DE O.TEDA. 
 
 207 
 
Annex to Protocol No. 21. 
 
 MEMORANDUM. 
 
 L:i Comisiou i-spanola pn a la Americana el rroyecto de varH>s artioiilos, 
 
 para el tratado de pa>!. im>; ostu reehaza. 
 
 Se niega a reponooer a los habitantes de los paises cedidos y remiiieiados pur 
 Espana. el derecUo de optar por la c-uidadaiiia de que hasta aliora gozarou. I sin 
 embargo, este derecho de opcion. que es uuo df lus mas sagrados de la personalidad 
 humaua. ha sidfi coust.mtemente respeetado desde que se emaucipo el hombre de la 
 serirdunibre de la tieri . rhidieuduse a este sagrado dereeho tribuUi en los tratados 
 que sobre cesion terricorial se celabraron en el mundo moderno. 
 
 Se niegan a estipular el respeto que mereceu los contratos eelebrados por uu 
 Soberano Icgitimo. para obras y servicios publicos. contratos que afectan substan- 
 eialmente a la propiedad privada de particulares, y que fueron respectados en el 
 Tratado do Campo-Forn de IT'JT. en el de Paris de 1814, en el de Zurich de 1839. 
 en el de I'aris de 1860, en los de Viena de 1861 y 1866, y que respeto tambien 
 Alemauia al terminar .su guerra con la Francia. por el tratado de Franctort de 1.S71. 
 
 La Comision americana alega come unioa razon para no estipular este respeto, 
 el que los Estados Dnidos en sustrados nunca lo han reconocido. Como si los 
 Estados Unidos fueran la unica Potencia poseedora del criterio de justicia que debe 
 inspirar las convenoiones y los actos de las Kaciones. 
 
 Si niegan a que sean devueltos a sus legitimos y particulares duenos por quieues. 
 sean funcionarlos espanoles o Americanos, esten obligados segun Justicia a esta de- 
 Tolucion, las cantidades que hubiesen entregado en las cajas publieas de los terri- 
 torios que dejan de pertenecer a Espana, en concepto de consignaciones. depositor a 
 flanzas de contratos n obligaciones, despues que estos hayan sido eumplidos, y la 
 fianza por lo tanto. deba sor caneelada. I, sin embargo, a esta devolucion se rindio 
 bomenage por Belgica, los Paises-Bajos, Austria, Francia. Cerdena, Dinamarca, 
 Prusia, Italia y Alemania, en los tratados que Piitre si celebraron en 1S30, 1839. 1861, 
 1866 y 1871. 
 
 Se niegan a reconocer el caracter permnuentp de las obligaciones que por este 
 tratado contraen los Estados Unidos rcspeeto a cosas y personas en Cuba, limitando 
 su duracion al tiempo de la ocupacion milltar de la Grande Antilla por las tropas 
 americanas, sin tener presente que las obligaciones correlativas que Espana contrae, 
 exige la Comision americana que sean permanentes, y que por consiguiente, queda 
 de esa manera violada la justicia al violarse el prineipio de reciprocidad que informa 
 siempre los derechos y las obligaciones de las partes contratantes. 
 
 La Comision americana se presta en la sesion de hoy a que los Estados Unidos 
 aconsejen la observaucia de este tratado al Gobierno independiente de Cuba mando 
 I'.egue a constituirse. La Comision espanola vista esta manifestaciou, atempera 
 cuanto acaba de decir sobre este punto. hasta que quede en harmonia cou las mani- 
 festacioues en esta sesion de la Comision americana. 
 
 Nacla tiene que decir la Comision espanola sobre la negativa de la Americana, a 
 tomar a cargo de los Estados Unidos la pension de gratitud que Espana viene pagan- 
 do a los descendientes del inmortal descubridor de America. Espana se reserva este 
 asunto para resolverlo como entienda mas confocme a la justicia. sin olvidar las 
 causas de la civilisacion moderna de la misma America. 
 
 Espana ha podido sacriliear y sacrifica sus intereses todos coloniales en el altar 
 de la paz y para evitar la renovacion de una guerra que es evldente que no puede 
 sostenor con una Naeion incomparablemente mas poderosa y de mayores recursos, 
 Tla sdstenido sus derechos en estas Conferencias con toda la energia que correspon- 
 dia a la rectitud de su coneieucia. Cuando a su Comision le fue impuesta como 
 ullimatum la propo.sicion cou que concluye el Memorandum americano presentado en 
 la sesion de '-'l de Noviembre ultimo, sin abandonar su derecho y solo por via de 
 transaccion. inspirandose en su amor a l.i paz. hlzo proposiciones en que sus inter- 
 eses eran sacriflcados; los Estados Uuidos las rechazaron todas. 
 
 Sobre las dos importantes cuestiones de derecho, dependientes de la iuterpreta- 
 cion que se diera al Protocolo de Washington, propuso a la Comision americana el 
 arbitrage. Fue tambien rechazada. 
 
 Al ultimatum que acaba de citarse de -1 ile Xoviembre, sueede el que en la ulti- 
 ma sesion va envuelto en los articulos que propone la Comision americana. La 
 Espanola que cumpliendo las instruccioncs de su Gobierno se somctio al primero. se 
 sometara tambien a este. 
 
 Se conforma pues con que los Estados Unidos incluyan en el tratado los articulos 
 e que este memorandum se refiere. 
 
 208 
 
'-J ' 
 
 Tero la Comlslon Americana recha/.a lanjliioii oiro, qiip ps para Espaiia, si cabc, 
 (I., mayor Importancla que los denlas artli-nlos que la Kspanola Uabla propuesto; por- 
 quo a (Uferonela de estos, aquel afccta a su propria aiqnlrlad. La catasUofo del Maine 
 ill ocaslon en los Estados Unidos a que una parte muy oaracterlzada y senalada de 
 su preusa cubrlese de ultrages el honor li.uiaiuliiblo del pueblo Espanol. ^ 
 
 I'arcela que el tiempo iba haciendo su obra de teniplauza de las paslones y de 
 olvldo de los agravlos cuando la Comislon auierb na en su eilado Memorandum de 
 •>1 de Novicmbre ultimo, renovo tan liuneiilable .qente. aeusando de descnldo <• 
 
 inrapacldad a Espana para gai-antlr en sns puertos lo segui-ldad de los buques de una 
 Naclon amlga. El dereebo mas sagrudo que a Espana no podrla dejarde reconocer- 
 sele por que so le reconoee al mas desgraiiailo do los seres humanos en la tlerra. 
 ere el de dcfenderse de una impdtaclon que en tan trlstes eordlciones la dejaba 
 ante las demas Naelones. Por esto presento su Comlslon el. 1 de este mes los arll- 
 culos proponlendo el nombramiento dc una Comlslon tce^/ca internaelonal, noin- 
 brada con todas la* garantias imaginablos para asegurar su'lmparcla^idad, fln de qui' 
 proeediese a iuvestlgar las causas de la eatastrofe y si en ella eabia, slqulera fuera 
 por negllgencla. nlguna respnnsabllldad a Espana. 
 
 Cuondo esta proposlclou estaba sometida a la Comlslou amerleana, el Presldente 
 de Icis Estados Uuldos, en su Mensage de 5 del mlsmo meth dirlgido a las Camaras 
 amerieanas, volvlo a ocuparse de un asunto que no podia menos de vernover las 
 paslones de los dos pueblos, entre qulenes sus Comlsarios estaban elaborando el res- 
 tablielmiento de la paz Caliaco la eatastrofe de sospephosla, aflrmo que su causa 
 liabla sido externa y anadio que solamente per fait a de una prueba posltlva la Com- 
 lslon amerleana que babia inforinado sobre ella babia dojado de consignar a quien 
 rorrespondla la responsabilidad de dlcha aeclon. 
 
 Como era posible imaginar que el slguienle dia de pronuneiades estas frases en 
 Wasbiugton. la Comislon amerleana en Paris linbia de negar a Espana aquel sagra- 
 do dereebo de defensa en.vo respeto rod;nraba? 
 
 Xo puedc pues la Comision cspan.ila resignarse :i lal negativa, y conslgna solen 
 nementc su protesta contra ella. haciendo eonstar que en lo future no sera llelto 
 jauras a los que se oponen a que se dcpuren las eausas de aquella horrible eatas- 
 trofe. imputar ablerta a emboradaniente responsabilidad de ningrin genero. por ella. 
 a la noble Naclon espanola y a sus Autorldades. Esta conforme: 
 
 EMILIO DE O.IEDA. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 (ANNEX TO PROTOCOL NO. 21.) 
 MEMORANDUM. 
 
 The Spanish Commission proposed to the American Commission the draft 
 of several articles for the treaty of peace, which the latter has rejected. 
 
 The American Commission refuses to acknowledge the right of the inhabitants of 
 the countries ceded or relinquished by Spain to choose the citizenship with wlibh up 
 to the present they have been clothed. And nevertheless this right of choosing. 
 which is one of the most sacred rights of human beings, has been constantly re- 
 spected since the day in which man was emancipated from serfdom. This sacred right 
 has been respected in treaties of territorial cession concluded in modern times. 
 
 It refuses also to stipulate anything In relation to the respect due the contracts 
 
 entered Into by a legitimate sovereign for public works and services. contracts 
 
 which materially affect the rights of nrop.Tty of private individuals, whicb were r-.- 
 spectcd in the treaties of ('ampo Formio of 1707. of Paris of 181-1. of Zurich of ISof). 
 of Paris of ISGO. of Vienna of 1864 and 186G. and which Germany respected also when 
 ending the war with France by the treaty of Frankfort of 1.S71. The American Com- 
 mission alleged as Its only reason for this refusal that the United States in its treat- 
 ies has never recognized these contracts, as though the United States were the only 
 power controlling the standard of justice which must govern the conventions and 
 the acts of nations. 
 
 It refuses to provide for the restitution to their lawful and' private owners by 
 whoever, be he a Spanish or an American ofTIcial. is bound rightfully to do It. of the 
 sums of money they may have paid into the public treasnries of the territory which 
 ceases to belong to Spain, in the way of consignments, deposits, or security for eon- 
 tracts or obligations, after they have been executed or performed, and which secur- 
 ity should be returned. And nevertheless homage was paid to such return by Belgi- 
 um. Netherlands, Austria, France, Sardinii, Denmark. Prussia, Italy and Germany in 
 the treaties concluded between them in 18:i9, ISoO, 1864. 1866 and 1871. 
 
 205 
 
The American Commission refuses to r coognize the permanent character of the 
 obligations contracted by the United States in this treaty with resiiect to persons 
 and things in Cuba, limiting the duration thereof to the time of the military occupa- 
 tion of the Greater Antilles by the American troops, without bearing in mind that the 
 American Commission demands that the cirresponding obligations contracted by 
 Spain shall be permanent, and that justice is thus violated in attacliing the prin- 
 ciple of reciprocity whicli always governs the rights and obligations of contracting 
 parties. 
 
 In to-day's session (December 8), the American Commission consents to the 
 United States advising the independent government of Cuba whenever it shall be 
 constituted, to observe this treaty. In view of this statement, the Spanish Commis- 
 sion moderates what it has just said upon this point in so far as It is necessary to 
 maike it harmonize with the statements of the Araeriean Commission made in this 
 session. 
 
 Tlie Spanish Commission has nothing to say to tlie refusal of the American Com- 
 mission to assume for the United States the pension of gratitude which Spain has 
 been paying to the descendants of the immortal discoverer of America. Spain re- 
 serves this matter to settle it as she understands shall best befit justice, without for- 
 getting the cause of modern civilization and .\morica itself. 
 
 Spain has been able to sacrifice, and does sacrifice, all her colonial interests upon 
 the altar of peace, and in order to prevent the renewal of a war which it is evident 
 she cannot sustain with a nation Incomparably more powerful and with greater re- 
 sources. 
 
 She has upheld her rights in these conferences with all the energy the rectitude of 
 her conscience demanded. When there waas imposed upon her Commission as an 
 ultimatum the proposition which closes the American memorandum presented at the 
 session of November 21 last, without waiving its rights, and solely by way of com- 
 promise, inspired by its love for peace, it made propositions wherein her interests 
 were sacrificed. The United States rejected them all. 
 
 Upon the two important questions of law, depending upon the interpretation to be 
 given the Protocol of Washington, it propo.sed arbitration to the American Commis- 
 sion. This proposition was also rejected. 
 
 The ultimatum of November 24, which has just been cited, is succeeded by that 
 which at the last .session is Involved in the articles the American Commi.ssion pro- 
 poses. The Spanish Commission which, complying with the instructions of its Gov- 
 ernment, submitted to the first, will also bow to this. 
 
 It assents, then, to the United States including in the treaty the articles to 
 which this niemorandum refers. 
 
 But the American Commission also rejects another article which Is to Spain, if 
 IMissible, of greater Importance than the other articles the Spanish Commission had 
 Iiroposed; because, differing from these, the former affects her own dignity. The 
 Maine disaster gave occasion for a very respecta.ble and prominent part of the pre.ss 
 in the United States to cover with insults the unstainable honor of the Spanish peo- 
 ple. It seemed that time was doing its worli of tempering passions and casting into 
 oblivion the wrongs, when the American Commission, in Its said memorandum of 
 November 21, again brought up so lamentable an Incident, accusing Spain of negli- 
 gence and incapacity to guarantee security to vessels of a friendly nation in her 
 ports. The most sacred right, which could not fail to be recognized as attaching to 
 Spain, as it Is vouchsafed to the most wretched of human beings, was that of defend- 
 ing herself from an imputation which left her in so sorry a plight before the other na- 
 tions. For this reason her Commission, on the first of this month, presented the 
 articles proposing the appointment of an International Expert Commission, to be 
 named with all imaginable guarantees to assure its impartiality, in order that it 
 might proceed to investigate the cause of the disaster, and whether any responsi- 
 bility were attachable to Spain, even were it throiigh negligence. 
 
 When this proposition was under submission to the American Commission, the 
 President of the United States, in his message to the American Congress of the 5th 
 of the said mouth, again took up a subject which could not but rekindle the passions 
 of the two peoples whose Commissioners were working over the restoration of peace. 
 He characterized the disaster as suspicious; he affirmed that its cause was external: 
 and added that only for want of positive proof the American Board of Inquiry which 
 had reported thereon had failed to fix the responsibility for the act on any one. 
 
 How could it be imagined that on the day following that upon which these words 
 were pronounced in Washington the American Commissioners in Paris could refuse 
 to Spain that sacred right of defence the respecting of which she demanded? 
 
 The Spanish Commission, therefore, cannot yield to such a refusal, and solemnly 
 records its protest against it, setting forth that in the future it shall never be lawful 
 for those who oppose the investigating of the cause of that horrible disaster, to Im- 
 pute, openly or covertly, responsibility of any kind therefor to the noble Spanish 
 nation, or its authorities. True copy, EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 210 
 
Protocol No. 22. 
 
 Protocolo No. 22. 
 
 CONFERENCE 
 of December 10, 1898. 
 
 CONFERENCIA 
 Del 10 De Diciembre De 1898. 
 
 I'resent- 
 On the part of tlie Uulied States: 
 
 Messrs. DAY, 
 
 DAVIS, 
 
 FRYE. 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 KKID. 
 
 MOUUK. 
 
 I-EHGLSSON. 
 On the part of Spain: 
 Messrs. MONTEUO KIOS, 
 
 AKAUZrZA. 
 
 GARNICA, 
 
 VILLA UKUUTIA, 
 
 (EUEKO, 
 
 (IJEDA. 
 
 The protocol of the preceding session 
 was read and approved. 
 
 The American Conunissioneri5 presented 
 a written reply to the memorandum of the 
 Spanish Commissioners read at the last 
 session. The reply is hereto annexed. 
 (Annex No. 1.). 
 
 The Treaty of Peace (Annex No. 2.) was 
 read and approved, and was signed by the 
 Pleuipoteutiaries of Uie two High Con- 
 Iracting Parties. 
 
 The President of the Spanish Commission 
 expressed his thanks to the American 
 Commissioners for the kind phrases with 
 which their last memorandum concluded. 
 He had much pleasure in acknowledging 
 also the courtesy and consideration which 
 had been shown by them in their personal 
 intercourse during the eontinuajnce of the 
 negotiations, which, however painful to 
 the Spanish Commissioners, would leave 
 with them the personal remembrance of 
 the attentions which had been bestowed 
 upon them by the worthy members of the 
 American Commissiou. 
 
 The President of the American Commis- 
 sion replied that the words to which the 
 President of the Spanish Commission re- 
 ferred were but the spontaneous expres- 
 sion of the true feelings of the American 
 Comnusslonors toward the Spanish Com- 
 missioners, for whom they entertained 
 sentiments of the highest esteem and re- 
 gard. 
 
 The protocol of this session was read 
 and approved, and the Joint Commission 
 ended Its labors. 
 Signed: WILLIAM K. DAY. 
 
 CUSHMAN K. DAVIS. 
 \VM. P. PKYE. 
 GEO. GRAY. 
 WHITELAW REIU. 
 JOHN B. MOORB. 
 
 Presentes— 
 Tor partt de los Estadcs Unidos de 
 America: 
 los Senores D.\Y, 
 
 DAVIS. 
 
 FRYE, 
 
 GRAY, 
 
 REID, 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 FERGUSSOX. 
 I'or parte de Bspana: 
 los Senores .MONTERO RIOS, 
 
 ABARZUZA, 
 
 GARNICA, 
 
 VILLA-URRUTIA, 
 
 CERERO, 
 
 OJEDA. 
 
 Fue lekla y aprobada el acta de la sesion 
 anterior. 
 
 Los Comisarios americauos presentaron 
 su contestaciou escrita al memorandum de 
 los Comisarios espanoles leido en la sesion 
 ultima, que va anejo al protocolo (anejo 
 Num. 1.). 
 
 Se leyo y aprobo el tratado de paz (anejo 
 Num. 2), y se procedio a su_flrma por los 
 Plcnipoteuciaros de las .Vitas Partes con- 
 Iralantes. 
 
 E! Seuor Presldente dc la Comision espa- 
 nola manlfiesta su agradecimiento a los 
 Comis!irios americancs, por las atentas 
 fraeos con que terminaron su ultimo meni- 
 (/randum, y se complace en reconocer asim- 
 jsuio la cortesia y la prudencia que en sus 
 rclacioni's per.sonales ban demonstrado du- 
 rante i-l eurso de una negoeiacion q\ie 
 auaque dolorosa para los Comisarios espa- 
 noles dejava en olios el recuerdo personal 
 de las atencioues que ban merecido a los 
 dignos niicmbros de la Comision americana. 
 
 E! Presideute de la Comision americana 
 rontesto que las palabras a que aludlo el 
 Presideute de la Comision espanola eran la 
 expontanea expresion de los vordadcros 
 .sentimienlos de los Comisarios amerlcanos 
 haeia los Comisarios espanoles, i)or qnienes 
 tenian la mayor estiniacion y apreeio. 
 
 Se leyo y aprobo el [u-otoeolo de esta se- 
 sion, acabando sus trabajns la Comision en 
 pleno. 
 Firmado: B. MONTERO RIOS. 
 
 B. DE ABARZUZA. 
 
 J. DE GARNICA. 
 
 \V. R. DE VlLLA-URRUTIi. 
 
 RAFAEL CERERO. 
 
 EMILIO DE OJEDA. 
 
 211 
 
Annex 1 to Protocol No. 22. 
 
 MEMOKANDUM 
 
 OF THE AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS IN REPLY TO THAT OP THE SPAN- 
 ISH COMMISSIONERS SUBMITTED AT THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 
 •S. 1898. 
 
 In the memorandum submitted at the last meeting by the Spanish Commission, 
 ers, the statement is broadly made. "The American Commission refuses to. ac- 
 knowledge the right of the inhabitants of the countries ceded or relinquished by 
 Spain to choose citizenship with which up to the present time they have been 
 clothed." 
 
 The American Commissioners do not so understand the article upon the sub- 
 ject of citizenship submitted by them ag a substitute for the article proposed by 
 the Spanish Commissioners. An analysis of this article will show that Spanish 
 subjects, natives of Spain, are allowed a year's time in which, by the simple 
 process of stating in a court of record their intention so to do, they may preserve 
 their allegiance to Spain. 
 
 Such persons have the fullest right to dispose of their property and remove 
 from the territory, or remaining to continue to be Spanish subjects or elect the 
 nationality of the new territory. 
 
 As to natives, their status and civil rights are left to Congress, which will en- 
 act the governing power to control these important relations to the new govern- 
 ment. The Congress of a country which never has enacted laws to oppress or 
 abridge the rights of residents within its domain, and . whose laws permit the 
 largest liberty consistent with the preservation of order and the protection of 
 property my safely be trusted not to depart from its well settled practice in deal- 
 ing with the inbabitauts of these islands. 
 
 It is true that the Spanish Commissioners proposed an article upon the subject 
 of nationality supplementing the one offered by Uiem as to nationality of Spanish 
 nationality within one year after the exchange of ratifications of the treaty. This 
 would permit all the uncivilized tribes which have not come under the jurisdiction 
 of Spain, Tis well as foreign residents of the islands, to elect to create for them, 
 selves a nationality other than the one in control of the territory, while enjoying 
 the beneflts and protection of the laws of the local sovereignty. This would cre- 
 ate an anomolous condition of affairs leading to complications and discord import- 
 ant to avoid. 
 
 Thi' American Commission felt constrained to reject the articles tendered by 
 the Spanish Commissioners in respect to contracts entered into for public works 
 and services. It took this step because the nature, extent and binding obligation 
 of these contracts are unknown to the American Commissioners, and they again 
 disclaim any purpose of their Government to 'disregard the obligations of inter- 
 national law in respect to such contracts ,ts investigation may show to be valid 
 and binding upon the United States as successor in sovereignty in the ceded ter- 
 ritory. 
 
 nhe American Commissioners also rejected the article proposed by the Spanish 
 Commissioners upon the subject of "Deposits and Bonds." In the form tendered, 
 the American Commissioners understood tliis article to obligate the United States 
 to return moneys "received by Govern mint Offices and Estab3ishments from 
 Spanish citizens" for the purposes specilicd. although the same never came into 
 the possession of the auUiorities of the United Slates in said territories. Nothing 
 <-an be further from the intention of the Government than to keep from the law- 
 ful owners such sums as come under its control which should be restored after 
 the fuiaiment of contracts or obligations intended to be secured thereby. Cer- 
 tainly the United States have no intention to indulge in such confiscation of 
 property which becomes subject to its coutrol, and may sstfeiy rely in such mat- 
 ters upon the confidence warranted by its consistent record. 
 
 Respecting the observation in the memorandum of the Spanish Commission 
 upon the last message of the President of the United States, wherein he refers 
 to the disaster ot the battleship Maine, tlie American Commissioners feel obliged 
 to decline to enter upon any discussion of the same, in obedience to well estab- 
 lished precedents and practice in the history of their country. 
 
 The .American Commissioners cannot close this final memorandum without ex- 
 pressing their sense of the thoroughness, learning, and devoted ability, no less 
 than the uniform courtesy with which the Spanish Commissioners have conducted 
 the negotiations about to terminate. 
 True copy: 
 
 JOHN B. MOORE. 
 212 
 
Annex 2 to Protocol No. 22. 
 
 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 VXD HEU MAJESTY THE QUEEN RE- 
 CENT OF SPAIN. IN THE NAME OF 
 HEU AUGUST SON DON AUFONSO 
 NUI. desiring to end the state of war now 
 existins between the two countries, have 
 for that purpos<? appointed as Plenlpoteu- 
 tiuries: 
 
 THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
 STATES. 
 
 William R. Day. ("usliman K. Davis, Wil- 
 liam P. Frye, George Gray, and Whitelaw 
 Rpid. citizens of the United Slates; 
 
 AND HER MA.IESTY THE QUEEN 
 ItEGENT OF SPAIN, 
 
 Dou Eugenio Montcro Rios, President of 
 I he Senate; Don Buenaventura de Abar- 
 zuza. Senator of the Kingdom and ex- 
 Miuister of the Crown; Don Jose de Gar- 
 nica. Deputy of the Cortes and Associate 
 Justice of the Supreme Court; Don Wen- 
 ceslao Ramirez de Villa-Urnitia, Envoy 
 Extraordinary j\nd Minister Plenipotentiary 
 at Brussels; and Do. Rafael Cerero, Gen- 
 eral of Division; 
 
 W.ho, having assembled iu Paris, and 
 having exchanged their full powers, which 
 were found to be in due and proper form, 
 have, after discussion of the matters be- 
 fore them, agreed upim the following ar- 
 ticles; 
 
 LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA 
 Y S. M. LA RIOINA UEGENTE DE ES 
 I'ANA. EN NOMBRE DE SU AUGUSl'O 
 IIIIO DON ALFONSO XIII., deseando po 
 II, T lerniino al estado de guerra hoy exis- 
 tinle entrc auibas Naciones, han nombrado 
 con estfe objeto por sus IMcnipoteuciaros, a 
 saber: 
 
 i:i. PKESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS 
 IMliOS DE AMERICA A 
 
 Wililam I!. Day, Cushman K. Davis. Will- 
 iam 1'. Frye, Georges Gray, y Whitelaw 
 Re.d. cludadanos de los Estados Uuidos: 
 
 Y SU MAJESTAD LA REINA UEGENTE 
 DE ESPANA A 
 
 Don Eugenio Montero Rios, Presidente del 
 Sciiado; Don Buenaventura de Abarzuza. 
 Senador del Reim,, Miuistro que lia sido de 
 la Corona; l>on Jose de Garuica. Dipulado 
 a Cortes. .Ma.^'istrado del Tribunal supremo; 
 Don Wenci^iiao Ramirez de Vilia-Urrutia, 
 Enviado Extraordinario y Ministro pleuipi>- 
 tcuoiairo en Bruscias; y Dipn Rafael Cerero, 
 (ieueral de division; 
 
 Los ciiales reuuidos en Paris, despues do 
 uabcrse comunicado sus pienos poderes que 
 fuerou haUados en bueua y debida forma, y 
 pr-.-via la discusion de las materias pen- 
 dieutes, hau convenido eu los siguientes 
 arri. ulos; 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Spain relinquishes ail claim of sove- 
 reignty over and title to Cuba. 
 
 .Vnd as the Island is, upon Its evacuation 
 by Spain, to be occupied l)y the United 
 Slates, the United States will, so long as 
 such occupation shall last, asstime and dis- 
 charge the obligations that may under 
 international law result from the fact of 
 its occupation, for the protection of life 
 and property. 
 
 ART. II. 
 
 Spain cedes to the Unites States the 
 island of Porto Rico and other Islands now 
 under Spanish sovereignty in the West In- 
 dies, and the island of Guam in the Mari- 
 anas or Ladrones. 
 
 ART. III. 
 
 Spain cedes to the United States the ar- 
 chipelago known as the Philippine Islands, 
 ami comprehending the islands lying with- 
 in the following line: 
 
 A line running from west to east along 
 or near the twentieth parallel of north 
 latitude, and thrtmgh the middle of the 
 navigable channel of Bachl. from the one 
 hundred and eighteenth dlSth) to the one 
 hundred and twenty-seventh (127th) degree 
 meridian of longitude cast of Greenwich, 
 
 ABTICULO I. 
 
 Ksjiana renuncia todo derccbo de sobc- 
 rania y proiiiedad sobre Cuba. 
 
 I'Ui atencion a que dicha isla. cuando sua 
 cvacuada por Espana, va a ser ocupada por 
 los Estados Unidos, los Estados Unidos 
 inicntras dure su ocupaclon, tomaran sobre 
 si V ciiuipliran las obligacioncs que por ci 
 hechro de ocuiiaHa, les impone el Derecho 
 inletnacional. para la protecclon de vidas 
 y haciendas. 
 
 AUTICULO 11. 
 
 Espana cede a los Estados Unidos la Isla 
 de Puerto Uic.i y las demas que es tan 
 ahora bajo su soberania en las Indias oc- 
 cidenlaies. y la Isla de Guam eu el Archi 
 pielego de ias Marianas o Ladrones. 
 
 AKTU:ULO III. 
 
 Espana cede a los Estados Unidos el 
 archieplelago conocido por Islas Filipinas. 
 qne coiiiprende las islas slluadas dcntro de 
 las llneas siguientes: 
 
 Una linca que corre de Oeste a Este. 
 cerer. del 20' paralelo de latitud Norte, a 
 traves de la mitad del canal iiavegable de 
 Bachi. desde el US' al 127' grados de longl- 
 tud Este de Greenwich; de aqua a lo largo 
 del clento veintislette (127) grado merldiano 
 de longltud Este de Greenwich al paralelo 
 cuatro grados cuarenta y cineo minutos (4- 
 
 818 
 
seventh (127tli) degree meridian of longi- 
 tude east of Greenwieli to the parallel of 
 tour degrees and torty-flre minutes (4 deg. 
 43m.) north latitude, thence along the par- 
 allel of four degrees and forty-five minutes 
 14 deg. 45 m.) north latitude to its inter- 
 section with the meridian of longitude one 
 hundred and nineteen degrees and thirty- 
 five minutes (119 deg. 35 m.) east of Green- 
 wich, thence along the meridian of longi- 
 tude one hundred and nineteen degrees and 
 thirty-five minutes (119 deg. 35 m.) east of 
 Greenwich, to the parallel of latitude 
 seven degrees and forty minutes (7 deg. 
 40 m.) north, thence along the parallel of 
 latitude seven degrees and forty minutes 
 (7 deg. 40 m.) north of its intersection with 
 the one hundred and sixteenth (116th) de- 
 gree meridian of longitude east of Green- 
 wich, thence by a direct line to the inter- 
 section of the tentji (10th) degree parallel 
 of north latitude with the one hundred 
 and eighteenth (118th) degree meridian of 
 longitude cast of Greenwich, and thence 
 along the one hundred and eighteenth 
 (118th, degree meridian of longitude east 
 of Greenwich to the point of beginning. 
 
 The United States will pay to Spain the 
 sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), 
 within three months after the exchange 
 of the ratifications of the present treaty. 
 
 45') de latitud Norte; de aqua slgulendo el 
 paralelo de cuatro grades cuarenta y cinco 
 minutos do latitude Norte (4° 45') hasta fan 
 interseeciou con el meridiano de longitude 
 ciento diez y nueve grades y treinta y einco 
 minutes (119° 35') Este de Greenwich, de 
 aqui siguieudo el meridiano de longitud 
 ciento diez y nueve grades y treinta y Cinco 
 minutos (119- 35') Este de Greenwich, al 
 paralelo de 'atitud siete gr;idos cuarenta 
 minutes (7^ 40') Norte, de aqui siguieudo 
 el paralelo de latitud ciete grades cuaranta 
 minutos (7" 40') Norte a su interseccion con 
 el cieute diez y seis (116') grade meridiano 
 de longitud Este de Greenwich, de aqui 
 pur una linea recta, a la interseccion def 
 uecimo grado paralelo de latitud Norte, con 
 el ciento diez y echo (IIS") grado meridiano 
 de longitud Este de Greenwich, y de aqui 
 siguieudo el ciento diez y echo grado (IIS ) 
 meridiano de longitud Este de Greenwich aT 
 puuto en que comienza esta demarcacion. 
 
 Lu.s Estados Unidos pigaran a Espana la 
 suina de veiute milliones de dollars ($20,- 
 000. oOO) deutro de tres meses despues del 
 canje de ratiflcaciones del presente tratado. 
 
 ART. IV. 
 
 ARTICDLO IV. 
 
 The United States will, for the term of I-os Estados Unidos durante el termino de 
 
 (en years from the date of the exchange diez auos a contar desde el canje de la rat- 
 
 of the ratifications of the present treaty, ificacion del presente tratado, admitiran en 
 
 .idmit Spanish ships and merchandise to 'os puertos de las Islas Filipinas los buques 
 
 the iKirts of the Philippine Islands on the y las inercsiucias espanoles, bajo las mismsis 
 
 same terms as ships and merchandise of <ondi<;ioues que los buques y las mercancias 
 
 the United States. de los Estado.s Unidos. 
 
 AKT. V. 
 
 The United tSates will, upon the slgna- 
 ttire of the present treaty, send back to 
 Spain, at its own cost, the Spanish sol- 
 diers taken as prisoners of war on the cap- 
 ture of Manila by the American forces. 
 The arms of the soldiers in question shall 
 will be restored to them. 
 
 Siiain will, upon the exchange of the 
 ratiflcatiuns of the present treaty, proceed 
 to evacuate the Philippines, as well as the 
 island of Guam, on terms similar to those 
 agreed upon by the Commissioners ap- 
 pointed to arrange for the evacuation of 
 Porto Rico and other islands in the West 
 Indies, under the Protocol of August 12, 
 1S98, which is to continue in force till Its 
 lirovisions are completely executed. 
 
 The time within which the evacuation 
 of the Philippine Islands and Guam shall 
 be Completed shall be fixed by the two 
 Governments. Stands of colors, uncap- 
 tured war vessels, small arms, guns of all 
 calibres, with their carriages and acces- 
 sories, powder, ammunition, live stock, and 
 materials and supplies of all kinds, belong' 
 ing to the laud and naval forces of Spain 
 in tue Philippines and Guam, remain the 
 property of Spain. Pieces of heavy ord- 
 
 ARTICOLO V. 
 
 I, OS Estados Unidos al ser firmado el pre- 
 sente tratado, trasportaran a Espana a su 
 costa lo!-: soldados espanoles que hicieron 
 prisloneros de guerra las fuerzas america- 
 uas al ser capturada Manila. Las armas de' 
 cstos soldados ies seran devueltas. 
 
 Kspana al canjearse las ratiflcaciones del 
 Iiresente tratado, procedera a evacuar las 
 Islas Filipinas, asi como la de Guam, en 
 condiciones semejantes a las aoordadas por 
 las Comisiones noinbradas para coucertar 
 la evacuacion de Puerto Rico .v etras Islas 
 en las Antillas Occidentales, segun el Pro- 
 tocolo de 12 de -^gosto de 1S9S, que contin- 
 uan; en vigor hasta que sean completaniente 
 cumplidas .sus disposiciones. 
 
 El termino dentro del cua! sera comple- 
 tada la evacuacion de las Islas Filipinas y 
 la de Gitam, sera fijado por ambos Gobier- 
 nos. Seran propiedad de Espana banderas 
 .V estaiid'artes, buques de guerra no apre- 
 Siidos. .armas portatiles, canones de todos 
 calibres con sus luontajes y accesories, pol- 
 voras, municiones, ganado, material y efec- 
 tos de toda clase pertenecientes a los ejer- 
 citos de mar y tierra de Espana en las 
 Filipas y Gn«m. Las piezas de grueso cal- 
 ibre, que no scan artilleria de campana, 
 
 214 
 
uniice. exchisivi' of liold ariilleiy, in tliu 
 fiiitilkaliinis iinil coast ilefoncus, shall rv 
 main in tlioU- iMiiplaceim-nU for the term of 
 six months, to be reckoned from the ex- 
 change of ratificalions of the treaty; and 
 the United States may. in the meantime, 
 pnrchase snch material from Spain, if a 
 satisfactory agreement between the two 
 Gevenimeuts on the snbjeet shall be 
 reaciied. 
 
 AHTiri^K VI 
 
 Spain will, 
 present treatj'. 
 
 upon the sl^-nalure of the 
 
 ^ _ ,, release all prisoners of war. 
 
 and all per.sons rtetaiuni or imprisoned for 
 pol'tieal on'inces. in <onne<tlon with the 
 in>-,irrecti..ns in Cuba and the Philippines 
 ami th? war with the United States. 
 
 [teeiprocaliy the United States will re- 
 lease all persons made prisoners of war by 
 the American forces, and will undertake to 
 obtain the release of all Spanish prisoners 
 in the hands of the insurgents in Cuba and 
 the IMiilipplnes. The Government of the 
 i;uued States will at its o^Yn cost return 
 to Spain and the Government of Spain will 
 at its own cost return to the United States. 
 Cuba. Porto Kico. and the Philippines, ac- 
 cording to the situation of their respective 
 homes, prisoners released or caused to be 
 released by them, respectively, under this 
 article. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 The UnittMl States and Spain mutually 
 reliutiuish all claims for Indemnity, national 
 and individual, of every kind, of either Gov- 
 ernment, or of its citizens or subjects, 
 affiiinst the other Government, that may 
 have arisen since the bcsrinning of the late 
 insurrection in Cuba and prior to the ex- 
 clianKe of ratifications of the present treaty, 
 including all claims for indemnity for the 
 cost of the war. 
 
 The T'nited States will adjudicate and set- 
 tle tiie claims of its citizens against Spain 
 relia<|ul.shed in this article. 
 
 AHTICI.E VIII. 
 
 In conforni'ty with the provisions of 
 artioies I.. II. and III. nf this treaty. Spain 
 reiinqnishes In Cuba, and cedes In Porto 
 Itien and other islands in the West Indies, 
 in the island of Guam, and in the Philip- 
 pine .\rchipelago, all the buMdlngs. 
 
 colocadas eu las foMlticaciones y en las 
 co.stas, iinedaran en sns emplazamcntes |>"r 
 el plazo de sels meses a partir del eanjo de 
 ralilicaciones del preseute tratado, y los 
 Ustados Unidos podran durante esc tiempo 
 eomprar a Kspana dlcho material si ambos 
 Goliiernos Illegan a un acuerdo satlsfacto- 
 rki sobre el particular. 
 
 AKTICULO VI. 
 
 lispana al ser Qrmado el presente tratado. 
 p.indra en llbertad a todos los prisloueros 
 de guerra y a todos los detenldos o presos 
 por delitos polltlcos a cousecuencia de las 
 insinrecciones en Cnba y en Fllipinas y de 
 la ijuerra con los Kstados Unidos. 
 
 llcciprocaniente los E-stados Unidos pon- 
 dran en llbertad a todos los prisloueros de 
 gnerra hechos por las fuerzas americanas y 
 gestlonaran la llbertad de todos los prislou- 
 eros espauoles en poder de los insurrcctos 
 de Cuba y Fllipinas. 
 
 El Gobierno de los Kstados Unidos tras- 
 poi-tara por su cuenta a Espana. y el Go- 
 bierno de Espana transportara por sn 
 cuenta a los Estados Unidos. Cuba, Puerto 
 Rico y Filipinis, con axreglo a la situaoion 
 de sns re-speclivos hogares. los prisioneros 
 que pongan o que hagan poner en llbertad 
 respeetivamente. eu vlrtud de este articulo. 
 
 ARTICULO VII. 
 
 Espana y los Estados Unidos de America 
 renunclan mutuamente por el presente 
 tratado a toda reclamacion de indemnlza- 
 eion nacioual o privada de cu.alquier genero 
 de un Gohiemo contra el otro o de sus sub- 
 dllos o chuladanos contra el otro Golvierno. 
 que pueda haber surgido desde el comlenzo 
 de la ultima Insurrecclon en Cuba, y sea 
 anterior al canje de ratlfleaclon?s del pre- 
 sente tratado. asi como a toda indemniza- 
 cion eu concepto de gastos ocasionados i>or 
 la guerra. 
 
 Los Estados Unidos juzgaran y resolvan 
 las reclamaciones de sus cludadanos con- 
 tra Espana a que renuncia en este articulo. 
 
 ARTICULO VIII, 
 
 En cumplimlento d elo convenido en los 
 Articulos 1., II.. T III. de este tratado. Es- 
 pana. renuncia en Cuba y cede en Puerto 
 Rico y en las otras Iblas de las Indlas Oc- 
 cidentales. en la Isia de Gnam. y en el Av- 
 chipielago de las Fllipinas. todos los edlfi- 
 cios. nmelles. cuarteles. fortalezas. esl able- 
 
 wharves, barracks, forts, structures, public olmlentos. vias pnblica.s y denias blenes In- 
 
 highways and other immovable propert.v niuebles que con arreglo a derecho son del 
 
 which. In conformity with law. belong to flominio publico y como tal corresponden a 
 
 the public domain, and as snch belong to |j, forona de Espana. 
 
 the Crowu of Spain. 
 
 Ami it Is hereby declared that the relin- 
 quishment or cession, as the case may be. 
 to which the preceding paragraph refers, 
 cannot in any respect Impair the property 
 or rights which by law belong to the peace- 
 
 Qnedo por lo tanto declarado que esia re- 
 nuncia o ceslon, segun el caso. a que se re- 
 flere el parra.fo anterior, en nad.'i pnede 
 mermar la propledad o los derechos que 
 correspondan con arreglo a las leyes al 
 poseedor pacifico. de los blenes de toda.s 
 
 ful j>os.se.sslon of property of all kinds, of clases de las provlnclas. munlclplos. esta- 
 provinces. municipalities, public or private bleclmlentos publlcos o prlvados. corpora- 
 establishments, ecclesiastical or civic clones clviles o ecleslasticas. o de cuales- 
 bodies, or any other associations having qtilera otras colectividadee que tienen per- 
 
 216 
 
Ioj:al ciipaeity to acquire and possess prop- 
 erty in the •! foresaid territories renounced 
 or ceded, or of private individuals, of wliat- 
 soever nationality such Individuals may be. 
 
 The aforesaid relinquishment or cession, 
 as the case may be, includes all documents 
 e.vclusirely referring to the sovereisrnty re- 
 linquished or ceded that may exist in the 
 archives of the Peninsula, Where any doc- 
 un.ent in such archives only in part relates 
 to said sovereijrnty. a copy of such part will 
 be furnished whenever it shall be requested. 
 Like rules shall be reciprocally observed in 
 favor of Spain in respect of documents in 
 the archives of the islands above referred 
 to. 
 
 Ill the afot-esaid relinquishment or ces- 
 sion, as the case may be, are also included 
 such rishts as the Crown of Spain and its 
 authorities possess in respect of the official 
 arch ves and records, executive as well as 
 judicial, iu the islands above referred to, 
 which relate to said islands or the rights 
 and property of their inhabitants. Such 
 archives and records shall be carefull.v pre- 
 served and private persons shall without 
 distinction have the right to require, iu ac- 
 cordance with law, authenticated copies of 
 the contracts, wills and other instruments 
 forming part of notarial protocols or files, 
 or which may be contained in the executive 
 or judicial archives, be the latter in Spain 
 or in the islands aforesaid. 
 
 ARTICLE IX, 
 
 ."Spanish subjects, natives of the Penin- 
 sula, residing iu the territory over which 
 Spam by the present treaty relinquishes or 
 cedes her sovereignty, may remain in such 
 tcrriiory or may remove therefrom, retain- 
 ing in either event all their rights of prop- 
 ' ity, including the right to sell or dispose 
 id .inch property or of its proceeds; and 
 tliey shall also have the right to carry on 
 their industry, commerce and professions, 
 ■ H-ing subject in respect thereof to such 
 lawa as are applicable to other foreigners. 
 In case they remain iu the .territory they 
 may preserve their allegiance to the Crown 
 of Spain by making, before a court of re- 
 cord, wihin a year from the date of the ex- 
 change of ratifications of this treaty, a dec- 
 laration of their decision to preserve such 
 allegiance; in default of which declaration 
 they shall be held to have renounced it and 
 to have adojited the nationality of the ter- 
 ritory in which they may reside. 
 
 The c'vil rights and political status of the 
 native inhabitants of the territories hereby 
 ceded to the United States shall be de- 
 tiriiiined by the Congress. 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 sonalidad jnrldica para adqulrir y poseer 
 bienes en los mencionadog territories renun- 
 ciado o cebidos. v los de los individuos par- 
 ticulares cualquiera que sea su nacionali- 
 dad, 
 
 Dicha remincia o sesion, segun el caso. in- 
 cluye todos los documentos que se refieran 
 exclusivamente a dicha so'berania renunci- 
 ada o cedida. que existau en los Archives 
 de la Peninsula. 
 
 Ouando estos documentos existentes en 
 dichos Archivos solo en parte correspondan 
 a dicha soberania, se f.icilitaran copias de 
 dicha parte, siempre que sean solicitadas. 
 Reglas analogas habran reclprocamente de 
 observarse en f.avor de Espana, respecto de 
 Ins documentos exi.stentes en los Archivos 
 de laf: Islas antes mencionades. 
 
 En las antecitadas renuncia o ceslon, se- 
 gun el caso. So Italian comprendidos aquel- 
 I'ts derechos de la Corona de Espana y de 
 sns .'Vutoridades sobre los .\rchivos y Regls- 
 Iros oficiales, asi administrativos como judi- 
 ciaU'S. de dic'ias islas que se refieran a ellas 
 .V a M)S derechos y propriedades de sus hab- 
 itantes. Dichos Archivos y Registros debe- 
 ran scr cuidadosamente conservados. y los 
 particulares sin excepcion tendran derecho* 
 a sacar. con arreglo a las le.ves. las copias 
 aut->r;/,adas. de los contratos. testamentos 
 .V demas do.'umeiitos que formen parte de 
 los prolocolos notariales o que se custodien 
 ell ios archives administrativos o judlciales. 
 bien estos se hallen en Espana o bien en 
 las Islas de que se hace menclon anterior- 
 mente. 
 
 ARTICDLO IX. 
 
 Los subditos espanoles, naturales de la 
 Peninsula residentes en el territorlo cuya 
 soberania Espana renuncia o cede por el 
 presente tratado, podran pernianecer en 
 dicho territor'o o marcbarse de el, conser- 
 vando en uno u otro caso todos sus depechos 
 de propiedad, con Inclusion del derecho dc 
 vender o disponer de tal propie<Iad o de sus 
 liroductos; y adenvas tendran el derecho de 
 ejercer su industria, comercio, o prafesion, 
 sujetandose a este respecto a las leyes que 
 cean aplicables a los demas extrangeros. 
 En el caso dc que permanezcan en el terri- 
 torlo, podran conservar su nacionalidad Es- 
 pancla haciendo ante una oficina de regis- 
 tro, dentro de un ano despues del cambio de 
 ratificaeiones de este tratado, una decdara- 
 cion de su proposito de conservar dicha 
 nacionalidad, a falta de esta dcclaracion, 
 se considerara que han renunciado dicha 
 uacionalidad y adoptado la del territorio en 
 el cual pueden residir, 
 
 Los derechos civiles y la condiciou politica 
 de los habitantes naturales de los territo- 
 rios aqui cedidos a los Estados Unidos se 
 determinaran por el Congreso. 
 
 AUTICtlLO X. 
 
 1 ;ie jiiUabitants of the territories over i,os habitantes de los territories cuya so- 
 rt liieh Spain relinquishes or cedes her sov- berauia Espana renuncia o cede, tendran 
 ereignty shall be secured in the free exer- ascgurado el Ubre ejercicio de su religion. 
 CISC of their religion. 
 
 216 
 
AltTIfl.!-: XI 
 
 Till' Sp;Mii:u(ls vcsUUim in the Id riltnifs 
 iiV(M wliith Spiiiu by this treaty ci dcs «>r 
 rrliiuiuishis lun- st'Von'i;;nty shall be subje.t 
 111 ..ijitteis eivll as well as riiiiiiiial to tlie 
 jmisiUction of the courts of the eoiintry 
 wio'rriii they resttle. pursuant to tiie or<li- 
 nary laws ji;overiiinj: the saute: and they 
 sh.tl! have the vij^hl to appear beftu'e sui-h 
 eiiurts. jiiul III pursue tl.e same 4*<iuise as 
 eitizeiis of the ein'iilry In wlib li the courts 
 h( loiiir. 
 
 AirrrcLE xii. 
 
 .TK.lbial prn<-eeiliii;:^s peiuiiuir i\t the tiuie 
 .»f the exohauire «>f railfieation of this treaty 
 in the territories over which Spain re- 
 iiiMjuislies or eeUes h( r soverei;iUty shall be 
 "l't»riniued at'onnlinir t«. the folluwiu^ rules: 
 
 1. Jiul,!;iU4 uts rrudered either in eivil suits 
 between private individuals, or in eriminai 
 matters, before the date inentioued. aud 
 witli rospwt to whieh there is no recourse 
 or rij;ht of review ueder t'le Spanish law, 
 :;liall bf" deiunvl to be final, and sliall 1>h 
 • xeciiltu ill due form by compi-leiit autlioi- 
 iiy ill ilii> territory wliliiu whi<'h siieh jiid;^- 
 nioiiis should he earriiil our. 
 
 *J. t'ivll suits belwccu private individuals 
 vvb;.-l. may '-n the date nienlioiiiMl be nude- 
 tcr:iiiiifd shall be prosecuted to jud^'nuiil 
 beftifi' the Ciiirr in v\ hicli they may tlicri 
 lie jiei'diu^j. or ill llic eiiurt thai may be side 
 diliiled therel.tr. 
 
 .■;. Criiuinal aciions iicndiii^ chi the dale 
 iiifiiljoned bt fore the Supreme Court of 
 Spa'ii ai;ainst eit.zcusof thi- territory which 
 liv this treaty ceases :o be Spanish shall i 
 '-nuiinne under its inrisdietion until tinal 
 judjrmen:: but. such judi^inent liavinj; been 
 rendered, the exeeuliiui thereof shall be 
 committed to th" eonipetent authority of 
 Ihc place in which the ease arose. 
 
 AUTICLK XIII. 
 
 The rijrhis of property secured by copy- 
 ri.:lits a'ld jiatents ae»piire<l by Spaniards iu 
 the Island de Cuba, and in Torto Uieo. the 
 I'hidpoines and other ceded territories, at 
 the lime of the exchaufre of the ratilications 
 of this treaty, shall continue to be re- 
 s|»eeted. Sjtanish s<ient.tic. literary and 
 ;irtisiir works, not subversive of public 
 irdcr in the territories in quest ir>u. shall 
 < o!uinue to be admitted free of duty Into 
 sucn territories, for the period of ten years, 
 to bi' reckoned from the date of the ex- 
 clian,::e of the ratitlcalions of this treaty. 
 
 AKTHM-: XIV. 
 
 Spain shall have the power to establish 
 c.i.sular ofIi< ers in the ports and places of 
 fhc territories, the sovereij:nly over which 
 iia> been either relim|uisl,(-<l or ceded by 
 the present treaty. 
 
 AlITIifl.n XI. 
 
 I.us espanoley resideutes en los tarrltorios 
 
 cuyu soi>eranin cede o renuucla Espana por 
 este iratndo, estaran sometldos en lo civil 
 y eu io crltnlual a les tribunales del pais en 
 que refidau con arreglo a las leyes coui- 
 niuues (pie rejrulen su oompetencia, pudleu- 
 uo -oniparccer ante aquellos en la lulsiiia 
 foiiua y aiupleando los misnios pro cedl- 
 luientus que debaii i»hserver los ciudadauos 
 del pais a que pertenezca el tribunal. 
 
 AKTICULO XII. 
 
 l-os procedimientos judioiales pendientes 
 al canjearsc las rati/lcaciones de este tra 
 lado. en los teurii<»rios sobre los cuales Hs- 
 pana renuncia o cede su soberania, se de- 
 ter'M'narau eon arrej^Io a las re^^las sig- 
 uientes: 
 
 1. Las sentencias dictadas en causas 
 I iviks cut re partienlares o eu materia 
 crimieal antes de la fecha mencionada, y 
 contra las <-uahs no haya apelai-iou o casa- 
 i-ioii con arre^Io a las leyes espauolas, se 
 C4insideraraii eomo lirnics y scran ejceiila- 
 das eu dcbtda forma por la Antoridad eoiii- 
 pct<iile en el terriiorio deiitrit del eual 
 dichas seinciicias deban ciimplirsc. 
 
 :_'. I.os pb'itos i-iviles eiiire parlieulares 
 i|iic el) la feclia meii4-(<uiada no hayan sido 
 Jiixi^adiis. <-ontinuaran su tramitacion anti* 
 c| t lihuiial eu «|ue se Iiallc el piocrsip. o ante 
 a. [Met que lo suslitnya, 
 
 •". IaIs a<-c)oues eii materia criuiitial jieit- 
 (iiijiics eu la fe< ha meiuioiiada ante el Tri- 
 biiieil Siiiut'ino de Espana coiiira eluda- 
 , (I.MiKis (h'l territorio que sey:uii este tratado 
 ileja tie ser espauol, coutinuaran bajo su 
 Jiirisdlccion hasta que recaiga la seuteueia 
 delinitiva: pero una vez dictada esa semen- 
 c'.:i. SU ejecucitm sera encomeudada a la 
 Ai!*oridad coniji^tente del lugar en que la 
 acciou se suscilo. 
 
 AKTICULO XIII. 
 
 Coutinuaran respetandose los dereclios de 
 propiedad literaria. artist ica e industrial 
 adquiriilos p«u- espanoles en las Islas de 
 Cuba y eu las de I'uerto Rico. Filipiuas y 
 dcnias territories cedidos, al ha<'erse el 
 caiije de las ratiticationes de este tratado. 
 Las obras espauoias eieutificas, literarias y 
 artisticas. que uo sean pelifrosas para el 
 ord<u publico eu dichos territories, contin- 
 narau eitiiado eu los n:ismos eon franquieia 
 de todo 'lereeho de aduana por un plazo de 
 diez alios a contar dt*sde el oanje de ratilicii- 
 clones cle este tratado. 
 
 AliTICCLO XIV. 
 
 Espana potira estahlecer Ageiites Consu- 
 lares eu los pnertos y plazas de los terrlto- 
 rios cuya renuncia y cesiou es objeio de 
 este tratado. 
 
 ARTICLE XV. 
 
 AKTlcrLO XV. 
 
 The Government of each country will, for Kl (lobiernti de cada pais concedei... ,.>.. 
 the term of ten years, accord to the mer- el termiiio de die/, anos a los buques mer- 
 ehanr vessels of the other country the same cante; 
 
 217 
 
 el ott'o el misuto trato en cuanto a 
 
tr(.;ili.i|.iit i:i iv^i...,-i ,i| nil luiri .-Iki r-cs. in- liid,)s Ins .Jcivi-I.ns ,1.. piiciin. .THliiyn,,!., lus 
 
 cluclini; cnii.iii..' anil cli 1 1 M)iri' (hns, lUlit iU_- uutrada y salina. ilc^ fain y tnnc-laji'. iini- 
 
 ilnis, anil Iminn.w (liitios, as it aL-ciinls tn concode a sus pmijios bmuii'S mcTcaiilcs nn 
 
 ils own UH'iilianl vpbscIs. not ensa^' il in i nijileados en nl i-ninprcin tie fabotajc. 
 
 Ilic cnastwisv Hade. Kste articulo pindi' sev dcMuinciadn m 
 
 •I'liis aiti[|c iiimv al any lime Ijo tcrnii I'lialynici- tipiiipi) daiulo nntiria pri-via dn 
 
 "■ii''<l 'II si>i mils nnlir,. -ivrn by lillur I'lb) ciiakjiuera dc Ins dns fJnbicrnns al cdr.. 
 
 ili'vcrnnnMil lo I he ..tljcr. cai sois mcsos ili< nnti^-iiia.ai.n. 
 
 AiriicLK x\T AirrrciTji \\i. 
 
 It is ninl'Tslond tluil ally nbli?;atiinis as- l.<ui_'d,i piil ciidiilo i|Uf cnaliiaii'ia obli^a- 
 
 siin:i'd in lliis invity by tbc I'nitcrl Stales eioii aeeptaila en este tratado imr ins 
 
 Willi nsiii < I In I'nba ai-e liniitedi tn the Kstados Unidos uun resiieetn a Ctiba. esfa 
 
 tiii'e ..r ils n.cni;aney tlnrenf: bnt it will, liniitada al tieiniii) que dni'e su neu|iarl..ii 
 
 lip"!' till' li rniii'.ation nf siKdi nccnpainy, in esta isla, pero al teianinar dielia n.Mipa- 
 
 adv'se any (iovernnient eslablisbcd in rhe i i"-'i aeousejaraii al Gobieruo ijae se eslab- 
 
 islaad In assume the same oblig-al imis. le/.ea en la islii (pie acepte las mismas nbli- 
 
 ,y:a( ioiK's. 
 
 AKTICLK XVll. AKTll I-l,u XVIl. 
 
 ■rin- present treaty shall be ratilied liv ''•' ''■'-'■^"<- Haladn si. ralilieadn pm- Sn 
 
 tlie ITesblenl ot the United Stall's, by and ^''i J'-^'-i'l bi Ueina Hegel le di- Kspana y pni- 
 
 wilii the ad\icn and isent nt tin. s"nate '' t'l'esideute de los Ksladns Ilnidns de 
 
 llnr.id-. and by Her Mapsly the ()„rv\i '"'HPi'''" V ''"'^ l» aprobneinn del Seiiailn; y 
 
 iti-aenl nf Spain: and lie' lalilbalbni shall ''"' '"i* i*i' aeion.'s se eari.iear; n WMsbhm 
 
 1m- .•N.-iians.'d ai Wasliinyinii w.l si\ '"" ''"n'l" 'bl plazn de s.-is ses d.s.b- 
 
 in lis fi I lln> (lain InTc.r nv railirr if '^'■' ''■'''•i- " '■""•■^ «i l">sii'b' I'm--,-. 
 
 p,is,,l)d.'. I'-' '■'• 'b' I'l 'inil. los rrsprilixns I'l.nijiM 
 
 In railh wberenr, we. III,, rnsperl i ^ ,. |'|,.|,- l''i"-binns lirinan y slim csln ir.ilado. 
 
 ip'denli.iiirs, Inup si:;n.-d Iliis liraly ami H-.lin por d ■:ni. .1 I'aiis a .I..-/. iU- 
 
 lia\,. l,,a'<'iinlo alli\,-d ■ srals. I M.-n iiilire d.'l an., mil u.ln.ei.'iitns iinenla 
 
 rn.ln- ill .Inpli. .il.- al I'aiis. Hi,' l.'iilli .lay ■*' "'"" 
 
 nf Ile.-.inbiT in I In. .\ .-ar ..r ( liii- l,..r,| , 
 
 llnaisaiMl ..ii'lil I. h.-.i aii,| nim.iy ,.:i;l,|. 
 
 ''^'■'i" VVILLIA.M K. liAV. ,.s,.:,i, KIkIKMm \I(i\T1;i:(i IMnS 
 
 '^'■•1" ctisii.MAx K. iiAvis. is.ai) P.. HP: .\i'.Ai;/,rx, \ 
 
 l!^'''-'!! WILLIA.M r. FUYE. iS.al, .1 . UK ( I AUMi 'A. 
 
 '^''"" GK'>- GRAY. IS. ..Ill W. U. UK VILLAIiUUrTlA 
 
 C^i'all WHITELAW RKID. iS>-all IIAKAKI. CKKKUtl. 
 
 213:^ 
 
 jj'^i 
 
 m^ 
 
■■'>■ V 
 
 
 
 <^> v*^' 
 
 Ci' 
 
 .0 s. 
 
 ,\\ -^ 
 
 V 
 
 •^^ ,^x^^ 
 
 -■^■.s-.<S' 
 
;i ■ ■ ■■,■■.'■ •>',!. 
 
 : ^J'''-.\yr.-