Mr. Day to Mr. Hay.
At meeting yesterday Spanish Commissioners rejected our articles in which we tendered, in exact terms of protocol, relinquishment of sovereignty in Cuba and cession of Puerto Rico and Guam. They submitted new articles relinquishing sovereignty over and title to Cuba, making United States accept said relinquishment and receiving Cuba to lend it aid and guidance, hold and govern until pacification realized, then leave control and government to Cuban people. United States to assume all debt not peninsular but properly and peculiarly Cuban, character and amount to be determined by mixed commission to be provided for in treaty. Other articles not materially different, except they declare cession Puerto Rico and other West India islands and Guam (to be) compensation for losses and expenses occasioned United States by the war and for claims of United States citizens by reason of injuries and damages suffered in person and property during the Cuban insurrection. Unless otherwise instructed we shall reject these articles and insist upon our articles in terms of protocol and press matters on these points to a conclusion. Our probable line of procedure, if you do not disapprove and if we think the emergency has arisen, will be to repeat that our position on Cuban debt is final, and that if now again rejected nothing is left to us excepting to give notice of only one more meeting to close the protocol.