The herald., 1898-03-30
WAR RESOLUTIONS
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States and other impartial observers have
reported that the Spanish government has
lost control of much the greater portion OF
the islahd that it is powerless to restore
its authority and bring about peace, and
that a continuance of the contest will have
no other effect than to increase the horrors
misery and starvation which now exist. to
utterly extinguish the commerce with and
destroy the property of Americar1-c citizens
and increase the expense and burdens of
the government of the United States.
Therefore,
Resolved BY the senate and. house of
representatives of the United States of
America, in congress assembled, that the
president of the United States be- and he
is hereby empowered and directed to take
such effective steps as, in his discretion,
may be necessary to secure speedy ter
mination of hostilities between the gov
ernment of Spain and the people of Cuba.
the withdrawal of the military and naval
forces of Spain from said island, and to
complete the independence of said people.
RAWLINS' RESOLUTION
The following was introduced by Senator
Rawlins:
Whereas, The war waged by the king
dom of Spain against the people of Cuba
has destroyed the commerce between them
and the people of the United States and
its revival will be impossible so long as
such war may continue; and
Whereas, BY the authority of that king
dom, irs the course Of such war, much
American property has been destroyed, and
many American citizens without just cause
have been imprisoned, and some assassi-
mated in their prison cells; and
Whereas, AS our ship Maine was at an
chor in the harbor of Havana, within the
dominion and under the control of the
kingdom of Spain, at a place designated by
her authority, that ship and most OF the
men on board in the service of their coun-
try. blythe explosion Of submarine mine
were willfully, wickedly and treacherously
mangled and destroyed; and
Whereas, The kingdom of Spain has
proven herself incompetent to tranquilize
the island of Cuba, either by the methods
of peace or by means Of civilized warfare,
and, accordingly has proceeded to make
desolate the homes of its peaceful inhabit-
ants. driving men, women and children
into guarded camps, detaiping them with
out making provision to shelter, clothe or
feed them, thus wilfully causing their ex-
termination to the number of hundreds of
thousands, by the slow and tortuous pro-
cess of starvation; and
Whereas, Against these revolving acts of
inhumanity, this government has time and
again made peaceful protest to the king
dom of Spain, at the same time endeavor-
ing by a helpful charity to relieve those
whom she has thus brought to such dire
distress, and our repeated protests have
been disregarded, and our efforts of philan-
thropy having proved unavailing; and
Whereas Firmly convinced that fur
ther protest will prove equally in vain, and
that the recognition of the independence of
the republic of Cuba, an armed interven-
ton in this behalf by this government will
alone be effective for the redress of the
past and the prosperity of future times;
and
Whereas, While regretting the neces-
sity, now imperious, for such action, but
mindful of our duty to neighboring peo-
pie, and to humanity, and with clear con
sciousness as to the business of our cause
and that our action will meet with the ap-
proving Judgment of all civilized peoples
now, therefore be it
Resolved BY the senate and the house Of
representatives of the United States, ir
congress assembled, that the independence
of the republic of Cuba be, and the same is
hereby recognized, and that war against
- Io nd flaac Il
hereby declared, and the president is here
by authorized and directed to employ the
land and naval forces of the United States
of America to wage war to success.
Foraker asked that the resolutions go t.
the foreign relations committee. He saiC
that his resolution had been long delayed
He intended, he said, to present it at tbs
opening of the session last December bu
he withheld it at that time because The
presidents message gave promise tina
within a reasonable time definite and de
cisive action would be taken by the admin
istration, so soon as autonomy could bt
given fair trial. Areasonable time seem:
TO have now elapsed. The people of the
country realize that all necessary time has
been given Spain to bring peace to the
stricken island. Autonomy, Foraker de-
clared, had failed, but just as its failure
was realized, the country was confronted
by the De LONE incident. Scarcely had the
excitement created by this subsided wher
what has been styled the MAINE incident
threw the country into a hurricane of ex.
element.
"S!nce that time" said the senator, 1--WE
have been waiting patiently and under re-
straint for the report OF the board of in
quiry. That report is now before the COM
mittee on foreign relations. Whatever
may be done as to the Maine incident, ac.
ton must come on the general Cuban ques.
ton
Senator Foraker said re hoped at a later
date TO address the senate at length upor
his resolution.
/ The resolutions were. an except Aliens
referred to the eommlttet on foreign reia.