Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-20
Monday. Nav @.

Congress voted the thanks OF the United
Etates 70 Commodore Dewey and passed
bill making him a rear admiral. y joint
resolution presenting hun with a sword
by the SUnboat Newport ana sent 10 Key
West a. q prize
The following * the joint resolution Of
fering the thanks OF Congress to Admiral
Dewey introduced in The house imned-
lately after the receipt or the President 5
message in Congress:
Joint resoll.. ION rendering the thanks
of Congress TO Commodore George Dew
ey, l. :. n. and to the officers and men
of the squadron under his command. Re
solved. BY The senate and house of repre-
sentatives CT the Uniieu States of Amer
lea in Congress assembled. that in pur-
suance Of the recommendations of the
President. made in accordance with the
provisions of Section Los OF the Revised
Statutes the thanks OF Congress and of
the American people are hereby rendered
10 Commodore George Dewey. L. ;. ",
Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic sta
ton. for highly distinguished conduct in
conflict with the enemy displayed by
him in the destruction of the Spanish
feet and batteries in the harbor OF Man
liza, Philippine islands. May I. 1898. Sec
ton 2. That the thanks OF Congress and
q the American people are hereby eX-
tended through Commodore Dewey TO :he
officers and under his command for
the galantry and skill displayed by them
On that occasion. Section j. BE il fur
rher resolved. That the resident OF the
EG:ted States be requested to cause this
resolution TO be communicated 10 Com
mOoore Dewey and through him 10 tie
officers and men u3der his command.
The Presidents message to congress;
which called out the joint resolution or
thanks to Commodore Dewey was as fol-
lows:
ITO the Congress of the United States:
On the 24th of April | directed the Secre-
NAVY telegraph
Commodore George Dewey OF the United
States navy commanding the Asiatic
squadron then Tying IN the port Of Hong
kong. to proceed forthwith 10 the Philip
pine islands. there 10 commence opera
tons and engage the Spanish fleet.
Promptly obeying that order the United
States squadron consisting of the flag
ship Olympia. tho Baltimore. Raleigh.
Boston. Concord. and Petrol, with the rev.
enue cutter McCullOch as an auxiliary
dispatch boat entered the harbor of Man
Ga al daybreak on the lst of May and i'm
meGiately engaged the entire Spanish
fleet OF eleven ships. which were under
the protection of the fire of the land forts
After a stubborn fight. i'm which the en-
envy suffered great loss. these vessels
were destroyed or completely disabled
and the water battery at Cavite silenced
OF our brave officers and men not one was
lost and only eight injured. and those
slightly All of our ships escaped any
modore Dewey had taken possession OF
the naval station at Cavite, destroying
the fortifications there and at the
.rance of the bay. and paroling their gar
risons. The waters of the bay are under
his complete control. He has established
hospitals within the American lines,
where go of the Spanish sick and wound
ed assisted and protected. The mag
1itude of this victory can hardly be meas
ured by the ordinary standards of naval
IL
vantage is the moral effect of this initial
success. Al this unsurpassed achieve
nent the great heart of our nation throbs
not with Boosting or with greed of con-
quest. but with deep gratitude that this
triumph has come in a just cause and
that by the grace of God an effective step
has thus been taken toward the attain
ment OF the wished-for peace. To those
whose skill, courage. and devotion have
won the fight, to the gallant commander
and the brave officers and men who aided
him. our country owes an incalculable
debt Feeling as our people feel and
speaking ia their name, | at once sent a
message TO Commodore Dewey. thanking
him and MS officers and men for their
splendid achievement and overw helming
victory, and informing him that 1 had APP
pointed him an acting Rear Admiral. L
now recommend that, following our ma
ffonal presidents and expressing the fer
vent gratitude OF every patriotic heart,
the thanks OF Congress be given acting
Rear Admiral George Dewey of the Unit
ed States navy for highly distinguished
conduct in conflict with the enemy and
10 the officers and men under his COM
mano for their galiantry in the destruc-
tiOr OF the enemy's fleet and the capture
Puerto Rico, arrived at CadiZ.-It was re-
ported that Admiral Montejo was dead.
the statement being that he killed
of the enemy's fortincatiOns in the Fay
OF Manila