Evening star., 1898-04-21
WAR DECLARED
CONTINUED from First Page.)

chs or the Treasury and Mr.. Cheatham
recorder Of deeds of the District.
The address touched the President deeply
and he responded in the most feeling man.
ner The address was read by ex-governor
Pinchbeck. and was as follows:
To His EXcellehcy the President of the
United States:
In every important martial conflict in
which our country has been engaged, be-
ginning with the struggle for independence
of the American colonies, colored men have
taken their places as soldiers in the ranks
with white men and have fought with a
gallantry that will ever be regarded as a
climax of courage and daring.
On the 9TH of March. 177O occurred the
Boston massacre. In this bloody drama,
which in reality began that thrilling chap
ter in American history known as the Rev
olutionary war; Crispus Attucks, col
ored man. was the first of our countrymen
to suffer martyrdom. The hundreds of col
cred men who took part in the memorable
struggle for the establishment of our ma
ton proved themselves brave soldiers and
wcrthy of the cause they sought to MAIN
tain.
General Andrew Jackson's attestation OF
the bravery and good conduct Of the colored
troops who fought in the war of 1872 is
too well known to require comment here,
yet it may be well to give an excerpt from
his special address to them just before the
battle of New Orleans. Among other
things he said: Il knew you could endure
hunger and thirst and all the hardships of
war. / knew you loved the. land of your
nativity, and that. like ourselves, you had
to defend all that is most dear to man. But
you surpassed my hopes. l have found in
you. united to these qualities. that noble
enthusiasm which impels to great deeds
The story of the colored troops in our
late civil war is fresh in the memory of
this generation of men. Their efficient
service has been applauded on two CONT
nents.
We have called your attention to these
facts at this time because we fully appre-
ciate the serious situation that now con-
fronts our government in it's relations with
a foreign power. We know that we ex-
press the sentiments of the colored people
i'll the various states of our Union when we
say that most heartily indorse the ju-
dicious. statesmanlike and conservative
methods that have characterized the action
of your administration in dealing with the
all-important question touching the future
of the Island of Cuba 1t has upheld the
maintained an attitude consistent with
American ideas of justice and civilization
The colored American is no less loyal and
patriotic today than he was when he
fought for his country's independence and
for his own freedom. His sympathy goes
out to the oppressed everywhere and es-
pecally TO the brave people of Cuba. who.
though living I'm the very shadow of our
broad American liberty, are subjected to
the intolerable and despotic rule of a for
eign power.
10 support YOU in your determination to
extend liberty on this continent and to
MAINTAIN the honor and dignity of our
country we tender you the moral and physi-
cal support of 9.oo0.000 colored Americans.
1t was signed by p. b. S. Pinchhack, Lou
isiana: John r. Lynch, Mississippi; Judson
". Lyons. Georgia: Robert H. Terrell, Mas
sachusetts: George IL. White, North Caro-
lima; III. L. Cheatham, North Carolina: RoL
ert Smalls, South Carolina; Geo. W. Murray.
South Carolina; Whitfield McKinlay, South
Carolina: Cornelius J. Jones, Mississippj:
Louis IL. Douglass, New York; Henry O.
flipper, Arizona: p. II. Murray, Missouri:
James Lewis. Louisiana; J. l.. Jones, Lou
lsiana; ii. NJ Blunt, Louisiana; c. NJ Fer
guson. Texas; q. b. Jackson. Texas; Bishop
W. j. Gaines. Georgia; Bishop L. W. Ar
nett. Ohio; Bishop NJ. B. Salter, South Caro-
iiEa; Rev. III. j. kershaw; Rev. p A. Hub
bard, Colorado: Rev. C. L. BradweIl, Geor-
sia Rev. n. j. McCracken, Illinois; Rev.
Bedford Green. Tennessee; Rev. w. A. ].
Phillips, Arkansas; Rev. j. M Henderson.
New York; Rev. d. p. Brown. New York;
Rev. John Webb Louisiana; Rev. ]. w
Beckett, Maryland; Rev. b. A. j. Nixon
Tennessee; Rev. J. p. Shorter, Ohio: e. T.
Cooper. Indiana; Rev. John r. Hawkins
North Carolina.
Consulted by the Cabinet,
AS soon the cabinet had assembled
Cen Niles and Capt. Crowninshield, chief
OF the navigation bureau Of the navy. were
sent for and remained In the library adioin-
ing the cabinet room. They were frequent
~ sem for and were in consultation with
the President and cabinet
III Is stated that this morning the mem
bers of the strategic board of the navy call
ed on secretary Long and begged that the
president be urged to order an attack on
Havana at once. They stated that the
moral effect of an imm ediate victory would
be great on the future fights of the navy.
ihey earnestly entreated that the plan Of
blockadng Havana be abandoned without
further delay. They pointed out that to ds
lay action further would be dispiriting to
the navy.
The strategic board also urged, it is said
that the flying squadron be dispatched at
cnce to meet the Spanish squadron before
it has ti.ae 10 get near Havana or Cuban
waters. The board believes the flying
squadron capable of defeating the Span
iards in the open sea. where the torpedo
toats would be at such disadvantage that
they would be of no value
All these questions and many more were
submitted to the cabinet this afternoon
and are under consideration.
Proclamation Expected Soon.
1t is now thought the President will issue
his proclamation calling for troops this aft
ernoon or tonight He did not have time
this morning to put it in shape. 1t is now
only a question of getting the proclamati ton
properly worded and the troops apportioned
to the respective states.
Messengers have been dashing between
the White House and the War and Navy
Departments all the afternoon, carrying
ma; Of oil ind