Mr. Woodford to the President.
Madrid, April 3, 1898.
Dear Mr. President: * * * I have been in communication with the Spanish minister all day, working hard for the last chance for peace. This evening, April 3, I telegraphed you in cipher as follows:
Madrid, April 3, 1898.
President McKinley, Washington:
The minister for foreign affairs has just called and tells me confidentially that, according to news received by him, the Pope, at the suggestion of the President of the United States, proposes to offer to Spain his mediation in order that the Spanish Government grant an immediate armistice to Cuba, which will facilitate and prepare an early an honorable peace.
According to Senor Gullon’s opinion, the Spanish Government will accede to the desires of the Holy Father, which are not political but humane. But he understands that the Spanish Government, going as far as it goes, asks that the United States will show their friendship for Spain by withdrawing our warships from the vicinity of Cuba and from Key West as soon as the armistice has been proclaimed. That the Spanish Government will continue this armistice so long as there are any reasonable hopes that permanent peace can be secured in Cuba. He asks your immediate answer as to withdrawal of warships at once after proclamation of armistice. I still believe that when armistice is once proclaimed hostilities will never be resumed and that permanent peace will be secured. If, under existing conditions at Washington, you can still do this, I hope that you will.
The Spanish minister for foreign affairs assures me that Spain will go as far and as fast as she can. The Austrian ambassador has heard me read this dispatch to this point and says that he will guarantee that Spain will do this.
If conditions at Washington still enable you to give me the necessary time I am sure that before next October I will get peace in Cuba with justice to Cuba and protection to our great American interests.
I know that the Queen and her present ministry sincerely desire peace and that the Spanish people desire peace, and if you can still give me time and reasonable liberty of action I will get for you the peace you desire so much and for which you have labored so hard.
I think there may be mistake in the telegram from Rome to the Queen, and that the words “at the suggestion of the President” may mean with the knowledge or with the approval of the President.
Sunday night, 10.
Woodford.
Am too tired to-night to write further. Will report details of to-day’s negotiations in my next.
Faithfully, yours,