itution for Cuba, and when that has been done, to formulate what,
in your opinion, ought to be the relations between Cuba and the United
States. The Constitution must be adequate to secure a stable, orderly
and free government. When you have formulated the relations which, in
your opinion, ought to exist between Cuba and the United States, the
Government of the United States will doubtless take such action on its
part as shall lead to a final and authoritative agreement between the
people of the two countries to the promotion of their common good." He
also reminded the Convention that it had no authority to take any part
in the existing government of the island, or to do anything more than
was prescribed in the order for its assembling. In thus speaking he was
in fact reading to the Convention official instructions from Washington;
in which the order concerning Cuban and American relations was
materially modified. There was nothing in the revised version about
making the agreement a part of the Constitution. The Convention was
merely to express its opinion on the subject, to serve as a basis for
further negotiations. General Wood emphasized this point distinctly, and
it was received with entire satisfaction by the Convention and by the
public.

Having thus delivered to the Convention its instructions and having
expressed his personal good will and wishes for its success, General
Wood retired and the Convention was left to its own counsels and
devices. Thereupon Pedro Llorente, the oldest of the delegates, took the
chair by common consent as temporary president, and Enrique Villuendas,
the youngest delegate, similarly occupied the desk of the secretary. A
fitting oath of office was administered to all by the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court of the island; containing a formal renunciation of
all other citizenship and allegiance than Cuban, because several
delegates had become naturalized citizens of the United States and it
was necessary for them thus to resume their status as Cubans. On the
principle that "What was good enough for us when we were struggling in
the field is good enough for us here," the rules of the Cuban
Revolutionary Congress were adopted to govern the Convention. Finally
Domingo Mendez Capote was elected permanent President of the Convention,
and Alfredo Zayas and Enrique Villuendas permanent Secretaries.

There followed the usual experience of such bodies: Divided counsels,
cross purposes, and what