Nr. 11964. submit in reply to your excellency's communication. They accept the proffered Spanien. 7. Aug. 1898. terms, subject to the approval of the Cortes of the Kingdom, as required by their constitutional duties. || The agreement between the two Governments implies the irremeable suspension of hostilities and the designation of commissioners for the purpose of settling the details of the treaty of peace and of signing it, under the terms above indicated. || I avail myself of this occasion to offer to your excellency the assurances of my highest consideration. Almodovar del Rio. Nr. 11965. Staaten 12.Aug. 1898. William R. Day, Secrétaire d'Etat des Etats-Unis, et Son Excellence M. Jules Vereinigte Cambon, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire de la République und Spanien. Française à Washington, ayant respectivement reçu à cet effet pleine autorisation du Gouvernement des Etats-Unis et du Gouvernement d'Espagne, ont conclu et signé les articles suivants qui précisent les termes sur lesquels les deux Gouvernements se sont mis d'accord en ce qui concerne les questions ci-après désignées et ayant pour objet l'établissement de la paix entre les deux pays, savoir: Article I. L'Espagne renoncera à toute prétention à sa souveraineté et à tout droit sur Cuba. Article II. L'Espagne cédera aux Etats-Unis l'île de Porto-Rico et les autres îles actuellement sous la souveraineté Espagnole dans les Indes Occidentales, ainsi qu'une île dans les Ladrones qui sera choisie par les Etats-unis. Article III. Les Etats-Unis occuperont et tiendront la ville, la baie et le port de Manille en attendant la conclusion d'un traité de paix qui devra déterminer le contrôle, la disposition et le Gouvernement des Philippines. Article IV. L'Espagne évacuera immédiatement Cuba, Porto Rico et les autres îles actuellement sous la souveraineté Espagnole dans les Indes Occidentales; à cet effet chacun des deux Gouvernements nommera dans les dix jours qui suivront la signature de ce protocole, des commissaires, et les commissaires ainsi nommés devront, dans les trente jours qui suivront la signature de ce protocole, se rencontrer à la Havane afin d'arranger et d'exécuter les détails de l'évacuation sus-mentionnée de Cuba et des îles Espagnoles adjacentes; et chacun Vereinigte des deux Gouvernements nommera également, dans les dix jours qui suivront Nr. 11965. la signature de ce protocole, d'autres commissaires qui devront, dans les trente Staaten jours de la signature de ce protocole, se rencontrer à San Juan de Porto- und Spanien. 12.Aug.1898. Rico afin d'arranger et d'exécuter les détails de l'évacuation susmentionnée de Porto-Rico et des autres îles actuellement sous la souveraineté Espagnole dans les Indes Occidentales. Article V. Les Etats-Unis et l'Espagne nommeront, pour traiter de la paix, cinq commissaires au plus pour chaque pays; les commissaires ainsi nommés devront se rencontrer à Paris, le 1er Octobre 1898, au plus tard, et procéder à la négociation et à la conclusion d'un traité de paix; ce traité sera sujet à ratification, selon les formes constitutionnelles de chacun des deux pays. Article VI. A la conclusion et à la signature de ce protocole, les hostilités entre les deux pays devront être suspendues, et des ordres à cet effet devront ètre donnés aussitôt que possible par chacun des deux Gouvernements aux commandants de ses forces de terre et de mer. Fait à Washington, en double exemplaire, anglais et français, par les Soussignés qui y ont apposé leur signature et leur sceau, le 12 Août 1898. [seal.] William R. Day. Ein Nr. 11966. VEREINIGTE STAATEN und SPANIEN. Protokoll der ersten Sitzung der Friedenskonferenz. leitendes. 1, Oktober 1898. Staaten 1. Okt. 1898. Present: On the part of the United Staates, Messrs: Day, Davis, Frye, Nr. 11966. Gray, Reid. On the part of Spain Messrs: Montero-Rios, Abarzuza, Garnica, Vereinigte Villa-Urrutia Cerero. || There was present, as Secretary of the United States und Spanien. Commission, Mr. Moore, and as Interpreter of the same Commission, Mr. Fergusson. || Mr. Ojeda, Secretary of the Spanish Commission, not having arrived in Paris, his duties were, on motion of Mr. Montero Rios, the American Commissioners assenting, discharged by Mr. Villa-Urrutia. The commissions and full power of the American Commissioners were exhibited to the Spanish Commissioners and copies given to them. The commission of the American Secretary was also exhibited, and a copy furnished to the Spanish Commissoners. || The commissions, which where also full powers, of the Spanish Commissioners were exhibited, and copies given to the American Commissioners. It was resolved that the protocols of the Conferences should be kept in English and in Spanish by the respective Secretaries, and that in the event of a disagreement between them it should be settled by the Commissioners, Staaten 1. Okt. 1898. Nr. 11966. to whom the protocols should always be submitted for approval. || It was also Vereinigte resolved that the protocols should contain the propositions presented by the und Spanion. Commissioners and the action thereon, suppressing any record of the debates, in order that the discussions should be as full, frank, and friendly as was desired by all Commissioners. || The Spanish Commissioners moved that the Commissioners on either side should have the right to file memoranda on points deemed by them to be of sufficient importance to warrant such action. On this motion no decision was reached. || Upon the suggestion of Mr. Montero Rios that an order of business be established by the Commission, Mr. Gray moved that a committee be appointed, to consist of a Commissioner on each 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. Villa-Urrutia were designated as the Committee, and requested to report to the Conference at the next session, which it was resolved should be held on October 3, at 2 o'clock, p. m. || The President of the Spanish Commission stated that he was charged by his Government to lay before the American Commissioners a proposition, in limine and of a pressing nature, which he presented in writing and of which 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 reading, Mr. Day said that the American Commissioners would examine the proposition and reply to it at the next session. (Unterschriften.) Anlage**). Die spanische Kommission über die Philippinen. The Spanish Commissioners to arrange with the American Commissioners a treaty of peace between Spain and the United States of America, have the honor to lay before the American Commissioners the following: It having been agreed by Article VI of the Protocol signed in Washington on August 12 last by the Secretary of State of the Federal Government and the Ambassador of France acting as Plenipotentiary of Spain that "upon the conclusion and signing of this Protocol, hostilities between the two countries shall be suspended"; and it being a direct and necessary consequence of this arrangement that the statu quo at the time existing in the Philippines could not be altered to the prejudice of the two High Contracting Parties during the continuance of such suspension of hostilities, the Spanish Commissioners, understanding 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 Com *) Von den Anlagen sind hier nur einige aufgenommen. Red. **) Die spanischen Aktenstücke sind in der englischen Übersetzung gegeben. Red. Staaten 1. Okt. 1898. missioners that jointly with the undersigned they be pleased to declare that Nr. 11966. the said statu quo must be immediately restored by the contracting party Vereinigte that may have altered the same, or that may have consented to or failed to und Spanien. prevent its alteration to the prejudice of the other. || And the Spanish Commissioners, understanding that such statu quo was altered and continues being altered with daily increasing gravity to the prejudice of Spain by the Tagalo rebels, who formed during the campaign and still form an auxiliary force to the regular American troops, demand of the American Commissioners that jointly with the undersigned they be pleased to declare that the autorities and officers of the American forces in the Philippine Islands must at once proceed fully and absolutely to restore the said statu quo in the territories they may occupy, and must abstain from preventing, by any means, direct or indirect, the restoration thereof by the Spanish authorities and forces in the territory 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 suffered or may continue to suffer in the Philippines until its restoration. Vereinigte 3. Okt. 1898. Messrs. Gray and Villa-Urratia, as a committee on procedure, reported Nr. 11967. that they had, after conferring together, decided that it was not advisable at present to recommend the adoption of any rules in addition to those already und Spanien. determined upon or still under discussion. || The question 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 sufficient 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 might deem of sufficient importance to justify them in so doing, the question of annexing such memoranda to the protocol to be determined in each case by the Joint Commission. || No agreement having been reached, it was decided to refer the matter to the Secretaries for their consideration and adjustment, 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 status quo in the Philippines. A copy of the reply is hereto annexed. The Spanish Commissioners reserved the right to put in Staaten 3. Okt. 1898. Nr. 11967. an answer to the reply at the next session. || The Spanish Commissioners then Vereinigte asked for the opinion of the American Commissioners on the order of buund Spanien. siness. || 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 copy 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 adjournment be taken until Friday. Anlage. Antwort auf die Anlage Nr. 11966. The American Commissioners, having duly considered the communication made to them in writing by the Spanish Commissioners at their conference on the 1st instant, make the following answer: || The American Commissioners concur in the opinion, which that communication is understood to convey, that the Protocol of August 12, 1898, embodies the conditions on which negotiations for peace have been undertaken. || But in the proposal and demand of the Spanish Commissioners that the American Commissioners join them in a declaration that the status quo existing at the time of the signature of the Protocol "must be immediately restored by the contracting party that 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 declaration that the American authorities in the Philippines shall proceed to restore or else refrain from interfering with the effort of Spain to restore the status quo understood by the Spanish Commissioners to have been disturbed by the Tagalo rebels, who are described as an auxiliary to the American forces, the American Commissioners can see nothing but a proposal and demand to divert the conference from the object for which it has met to the consideration of a subject which properly belongs to the two Governments, and not to the Commissioners here assembled. The American Commissioners do not intend to intimate that the proposal was made with this design, but they think it evident that this would be the necessary result of its discussion. || The topics embraced in the communication of the Spanish Commissioners were set forth in much detail in notes of the French Embassy in Washington to the Department of State of the United States of August 29 and September 3 and 11. To these notes the Department of State replied. on September 5 and 16. An examination of these diplomatic papers will show that they embraced contested matters of 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; |