Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-25
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.



Another resignation from the Cabinet
occurred to-day. when Mr.. Sherman,
Secretary of State, sent his resignation
to the President. It was accepted and
Judge Day, the assistant secretary, was
appointed to the place. This takes ef-
feet at noon to-day and with it Mr..
Sherman retires from public life.
The war revenue tariff bill will not
be reported to the House to-day. At
the meeting of the ways and meaDs
committee this morning, when the bill
framed by the republicans was formally
presented for consideration, the demo-
Gratis protested earnestly against a pro-
gramme that would prevent them from
examining its provisions thoroughly be.
fore it was reported to the House.
Tney also asked for an opportunity to
offer amendments in committee. After
some discussion it was decided that the
bill should be gone over to-day and that
those who wanted to be heard on it
should submit what they had to say in
writing, and that tomorrow the demo.
Gratis should be allowed to offer amend
ments. The bill will be reported to the
House tomorrow but its consideration
probably will not begin until Wednes-
day. The minority members will meet
this afternoon to decide upon the
amendments they will offer. If a bond
issue is to be authorized, which they
oppose, they desire that no longtime
bonds, such as proposed in the bill,
should be authorized. They call atten-
ton to the heavy premiums the govern.
ment has been obliged to pay in the
past for the redemption of longtime
bonds, and if the provision is to remain
in the bill they will propose that they
be made 2-20's or 5-20's at most, so as
to give the government the option of
redeeming them in the shortest possible
time. The bonds authorized in the bill
as framed are 10-20's, that is redeem
able after 10 years at the option Of the
government and due in 20 years. They
also say the retroactive tax on tobacco
is blow at the South.
The following is the bill reported by
the House foreign affairs committee,
and passed by the House this evening :
BILL declaricg that war exists between the
United States of America and the kingdom
of Spain.
Be 1t enacted. etc.. First, That war be, and
the same is' hereby, declared to exist, and that
war has existed since the list day of April,
A. d. 1898, including said day, between the
United States of America and the kingdom Of
Spain.
Second, That the President of the United
States be, and he hereby il, directed and GIL =
powered to use the entire land and naval
forces of the United States and to call into
the actual service of the United States the
militia of the several States TO such extent &s
nay be necessary to carry this act into effect.
1t is positively stated that the Presi-
dent does not contemplate call for ad,
ditional volunteers for the present.
The President has decided to ap
point Theodore Roosevelt of New
York, at present Assistant Secretary of
the Navy, to be lieutenant-colone
of United States volunteers to serve in
a regiment of cowboys and mounted
rifsmen to be raised by Mr.. Roosevelt
and Dr.. Wood, the Presidents family
physician, who is now in the medical
department of the regular army. DR..
Wood will be colonel of the regiment.
A telegram was received from Com
mander Forsyth at Key West this al
ternoon reporting the arrival OF the
gunboat Helena at that port this morn
ing, bringing in the prize steamer
Miguel Jover from New Orleans fer
Havana.
Commander ]. NJ. Forsyth, command
ing the naval station at Key West, has
reported to the Navy Department the
seizure of three more Spanish prizes by
the vessels of Capt. SIMPSONS fleet.
He says that on the 9th ms ant the
Detroit sent into Key West the prize
steamer Catalina, Of Cadiz, and that yes
terday the Gushing and Algonquin ar
rived at Key West with two Spanish
schooners which had been seized in
neighboring waters. The last two
named prizes were towed into port by
The Algonquin, which is one of the re
cent acquisitions to the navy.
The State Department has not yet
undertaken to pass upon the legality of
seizures of prizes by United States naval
vessels. 1t is the disposition of the
officials to allow this question to be de-
clded by the prize court, but the lodg.
ment of earnest protests with the de.
partment against some of the seizures
already made may result in obiging
the department to pass upon this cues
ton in the beginning.
The National Guard of this city, un-
der orders of Saturday last, marched up
the hill to the Soldiers Home, to go into
camp there this morning. But before
they got there those orders were coun
fernandez, 30 they marched down
again. The soldiers didn't like the
short service In defense of their coun.
try's cause, and to soothe their wound
ed feelings, a rumor was started that
"Spain had surrendered"
There is now talk to the effect that
though the U. S. army may be massed
at large camp, but small force will
be sent to Cuba, and it, merely for the
purpose of establishing and defending
a base of supplies there from which the
insurgents are to get provisions, arms
and ammunition, and that they will be
relied upon to do most of the fighting
on the island.
The French Ambassador has filed repro
sensations with tho State Department against
the detention at Philadel phia Of the Swedish
merchant ship St Andrew, laden with $500
tons Of coal for use by the French mail steam
ship line. AS result, the State Department
has written courteous letter to the French |
authorities stating that the detention of the |
st. Andrew wss due to misapprebension, |
and that the collector Of customs at Philade!- |
phia has been ordered to release the ship