International Law And Diplomacy of the Spanish American War

Senator John Sherman as Secretary of State was indirectly a confirmation of such a policy. A financial secretary was chosen at a time when the monetary question, not an aggressive foreign policy, was held to be paramount.1 Qn June 1ju1J97- General Woodford was appointed Minister .Jo Spain,.another appointment interpreted as a confirmation of pacific intentions.2 However, General Woodford's instructions made it manifest that strained diplomatic relations might at any time be broken. His instructions were to press upon the Spanish Government the American view of the seriousness of the conditions, the limits of the moral obligation of a border neutral to maintain self-restraint and remain a passive spectator?limits the essence of which is the " reasonableness" of the delay in ending the struggle?and the impossibility of continuing the policy of inaction much longer. The adjournment of Congress made the diplomatic situation somewhateasier to control by suppressing for a time the agitation for the recognition of Cuba. On the assassination of Mr. Canovas del Castillo, August 8Lj§Q7, General Azcanaga became President of the Spanish Council; he continued the policy of his predecessor, but within a little over a month he had fallen into the minority, aind.JJie.JibeKil.JMr.. SagastaJiad taken hi£ place.3 GeneralWelerwas thereupon recalled, and General Blanco was despatched to the; post-Jo.Cuba with instructions to abandon the policy of jjgjnceiito- tion.4 A bando of Nov...