s highly offensive to them.
Senor Sagasta is reported to have said that if the United States should
try to interfere between Spain and Cuba, Spain would be found ready to
protect herself and defend her national honor.
The heads of the Government then decided that Spain ought to increase
her navy, so that she should be ready in case of trouble. An endeavor
has been made to raise funds for this purpose, and one of the Spanish
Senators has suggested that a public subscription be opened for the
purpose.
A meeting of the Carlists has been called to protest against the
interference clause of the Message, and the Spaniards generally are much
annoyed over it.
General Weyler has not allowed the opportunity offered him by the
present unpopularity of the United States to pass him by.
He has been doing his best to convince the people that his recall was
due to our interference, and that, had he been allowed to remain in
Cuba, the island would have been pacified in a very short space of time.
He and his friends have been working industriously to raise him to the
position of a popular hero, and, taking advantage of some of the
President's remarks about the cruel methods of warfare employed in Cuba,
he says that he feels proud of the fact that the President attacks him,
as it is a proof that his conduct was displeasing to Spain's enemies.
Following up these remarks, which were published in all the Spanish
papers, Weyler determined to visit Madrid and pay his respects to the
Queen.
He and his friends evidently hoped that there would be some popular
demonstration in favor of their idol.
A holiday was chosen for his arrival, so that the lower classes might be
free to greet him, and a party of his admirers, several hundred strong,
went in a body to the depot to receive him.
Sagasta, learning of these arrangements, feared that some hot heads
might make an attack on the American embassy, and sent a special guard
to protect it.
He might, however, have spared himself the anxiety. The people took very
little notice of the great man's arrival, and made no demonstration
whatever. His arrival in the city seemed to be of very small importance
to any but his own personal friends.
* * * * *
You will be glad to hear that Gen. Rius Rivera, the insurgent leader,
has been released from the Cabana fortress by a royal decree.
He has sailed for Cadiz, Spain, where he will remain in exile.
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