The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-05-13
A TRIBUTE TO DEWEY
Congress Fittingly Expresses It's
Gratitude for His Great Victory.
Administered or Homer Tor HIm
and Bronze Medals for on
cerE and Men.

WAsHIEeToN, May 1O.-Fitting trib-
ute was paid by congress yesterday to
Commodore Dewey for the magnificent
victory achieved in the battle Of Ma
Mia bay. A message from the presi-
dent was received by both houses rec
ommending that vote Of thanks be
extended by congress to Commodore
Dewey aud the gallant officers and
men Of his command Without a word
of debate and without q dissenting
voice both houses agreed to a resOlu-
ton carrying into effect the recon-
mendatiOn Of the president.
Congress went farther even than
that A bill was presented increasing
the number Of rear admirals in the
navy from six to seven, in order that
the president might nominate COmmO-
dOre Dewey to the highest position in
the navy within his gift, and that,
too, was passed without dissent In
addition, a joint resolution was
unanimously agreed to directing
the secretary of the navy to pre-
sent to Commodore, Dewey a
sword Of honor, and to have struck,
in commemOratiOn Of the battle of
Manila, q bronze medal for each Of the
officers and men who participated in
the gallant fight The resolution ap-
propriates SO, 900 to enable the secre-
tary to carry its provisions into effect
President McKinley's message rec
Ommending a vote Of thanks was as
follows:
To the Congress Of the United States:
On the 9th Of April directed the secretary
Of the navy 20 telegraph orders TO Commodore
George Dewey Of the United States navy com
handing the Asiatic squadron then lying in
the port Of Hong Kong, to proceed forthwith 70
the Philippine Islands, there TO commence Oper-
ations and engage the Spanish feet Promptly
Obeying that order the United States squad
ron. consisting Of the flagship Olympia. BaIti-
more Raleigh, Boston. Concord and Petrol
with the revenue cutter MCCullOch as aux
Hilary dispatch boat entered the harbor Of Ma
Mia at day break on the Ist Of Nay and imme-
distely engaged the entire feet OF IL ships
which were under the protection OF the FIRE Of
the land forts After q stubborn fight, In
which the enemy suffered great loss. these YES
sells were destroyed or completely disabled and
the water battery 81 CaYite silenced- OF our
brave officers and men not one was lost and
only eight injured and those slightly. All q
our ships escaped any serious damage By tue
4th Of May Commodore Dewey had taken pos
session OF the naval station at Cayite. destroy
ing the Notifications there and at the entrance
Of the bay and patrOling their garrisOns The
troll He has established hospitals within the
American lines, where 80 OF the Span
ish sick and WouudsI4 ars assisted
and protected. The magnitude Of this
victory can hardly be measured By the
ordinary standards OF naval warfare Out
eject Of this initial success At this unsur-
passed achievement the great heart Of our ma
ton thrObs, not with Boosting nor greed Of
conquest but with deep gratitude that this
Fl
the grace Of God sn effective step has thus
been taken toward the attainment Of the
wished-for peace. To those whose skill. cour-
age and devotion have won the fight 70 the
gallant commander and the brave onicers and
men who aided him, our country owes an in
calculable debt
Feeling as our people feel and speaking IN
their name I at once sent message to COmmo-
dore Dewey. thanking him and his officers and
men for their splendid achievement and over
WhelminE victory, and informing him that ]
had appointed him an acting rear admiral
now recommend that. following our national
presidents and expressing the ferTent graft
tude Of every patriotic heart the thanks Of con-
gress be given Rear Admiral George Dewey, OF
the United States navy. for highly dfstin-
guished conduct in conflict with the enemy and
to the officers and men under his command fOI
their gallaHtry in the destruction Of -the
enemy's feet and the capture Of the enemy
fertilization In the bay OF Manila
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, May 9, Is92
The resolution adopted in response
TO the recommendation is as follows:
Joint resolution. rendering the thanks OF con-
Eress to Commodore Dewey, Q s y, and e
the officers and men Of the squadron under his
command
Resolved. By the senate and the house OF
representatives Of the United States OF Amer
ics, in congress assembled that in pursuance
l OF the recommendation OF the president made
IN accordance with the provisions Of section
1903 Of the revised statutes, the thanks Of con-
grRss aud Of the American people are hereby
| tehdered 70 Commodore George Dewey, q. s
/ N, mmander-in-chief OF the Asiatic station
for highly distinguished conduct in conflict
with the enemy as displayed by him in the de-
struction Of The Spanish feet and batteries n
! the hsrbOr OF Manila. Philippine islands, Nay
l. 1888
Sec ? That the thanks Of congress and Of
! the American people are hereby extended
through Commodore Dewey to the of1cers and
men under his command for the gallanrrT and
skin exhibited By them on that occasion
Sec. g Be Il further resolved, That the presi.
dent OF the United States be requested 70 cause
this resolution to be communicated to Com
modore Dewey and through him 70 the officer
and men under his command