ssing the
various insurrections that had occurred, and the Commissioners proposed
that all that enormous debt should be saddled upon the island and made a
first charge upon its customs revenues. To this the American
Commissioners demurred. Cuba had for centuries been "the milch cow of
Spain," and had given to Spain far more than she had ever received in
return. It would be monstrous injustice to burden a people with the cost
of subjugating them and keeping them in slavery. In the end the Spanish
Commissioners yielded, and no mention was made in the treaty of any debt
resting upon Cuba.

It was further agreed that both parties should release and repatriate
all prisoners of war, and that the United States would undertake to
obtain such release of all Spanish prisoners held by the Cubans. Each
party relinquished all claims for indemnity of any and every kind which
had arisen since the beginning of the Cuban war. Spain relinquished in
Cuba all immovable property belonging to the public domain and to the
crown of Spain; such relinquishment not impairing lawful property rights
of municipalities, corporations or individuals. Spanish subjects were to
be free to remain in Cuba or to remove therefrom, in either event
retaining full property rights; and in the former case being free to
become Cuban citizens or to retain their allegiance to Spain; and they
were to be secured in the free exercise of their religion. There were
various other stipulations, such as are customary in treaties, intended
to assure Spain and Spaniards of equitable treatment and relationships
in Cuba. It was added that the obligations of the United States in Cuba
were to be limited to the period of its occupation of that island; but
upon the termination of that occupation the United States promised to
advise the succeeding Cuban government to assume the same obligations.
The treaty was finally agreed to and signed on December 10, 1898, and it
was ratified by the United States Senate on February 6, 1899.

General Ramon Blanco meanwhile, on November 26, 1898, resigned the
Governor-Generalship of Cuba and returned to Spain. To General Jiminez
Castellanos was left the unwelcome duty of holding nominal sway for a
few weeks and then surrendering the sovereignty of four centuries to an
alien power. Already American troops were in actual occupation and
control of nearly all the island. In the latter part of December, 1898,
the Seventh Army Corps, commanded by Major-