The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-09

hostilities between Spain and tho people
of Cuba.
After nine days Of earnest deliberation,
during which the almost unanimous son,
timent OF your body was developed on
every point save as to tho eXpctliency Of
coupling tho proposed action with for
mai recognition OF the republic of Cuba
the true and lawful government of that
lsland--a proposition which failed Of atlop.
tlon-.the congress-, Oh April 10, by II vote
OF ~ to 35 in the senate and 3i1 to 6 in tho
house OF representatives passed the mem
oraDle joint resolution declaring tho peo
pie of Cuba free and independent, de-
nnnding that Spain ut once rclinUuish
authority over the island and empowering
the president to use the entire land and
sea forces Of the Omitted States to that
end.
This resolution was approved by the
executive on tho next day, April go. 4
copy was ut once communicated to tho
Spanish minister at this capital, who
forthwith announced that his continuance
in Washington had thereby become inn
possible, aud asked for his passports,
which were given him. simultaneously
with its communication to the Spanish
minister, General Woodford. the Ameri-
can minister at Madrid, was telegraphed
confirmation of the text Of the joint rcso-
luton and directed to communicate it, to
tho government OF Spain with the formal
demand thnt it ut once rclnpuish its au-
thorlty and government in the is and of
CUBA and withdraw it's forces thcrelrom.
Rupture of Relations.
That demand, although, as above
! shown, officially made known TO the Span
lsh envoy here, WAS not delivered ut Mad
rid. After the Instructions reached Gen
eral Woodford OH tho III )rnins of April
Sl, but before no could present it, the
spanish minister OF state notified him that
upon the presidents approval of the joint
resolution, the NJ ,dr.d government re-
ghrding the act rs "uIuivalrnt to an evi
dent declaration Of war;" had ordered it's
minister in Washington to Withdraw,
thereby breaking of diplomatic relations
between the two countries. General Wood.
ford thcreupon demanded his passports
and quilted Madrid the same day.
Spain having thus denied the demand
OF the United States and initiated that
complete form OF rupturc of relations
which attends a state of war, the pXccu
tive powers authorized by the resolution
were ut once use;l by ne to meet the en-
larGcu contingency Of actual war between
sovereign states. BY my mcssng,. OF April
20 the congress was informed Of tho Sitia-
tion and recommended formal dcclar,-
tion Of the existence of n state Of war be-
tween the United States and Spain. Tho
congress accordingly voted on the sumo
day the act approved April 25, 1898, de-
cinr!ng the existence OF such war from
ana Including April 81 and repnactcd the
provision of the resolution Of April 20 di-
rettinR the president to use all tho armed
forces Of the nation to carry that act into
| effect.
1t is not within the provinces Of this mos
| sage to narrate the history of the rxtranr-
| dinary war that followed the Spanish
| declaration ot April 81. but IL brief recital
of its more salient features is npropos
| The first encounter of the war in point Of
date took place April 81. when detach-
ment Of the blockndnR squadron made q
reconnaissance in force ut Matanzas,
shellcd thA harb0r forts and demolished
| several ne = works IN construction.
The next engagement VAS destined to
mari; memorable epoch in maritime
warfare. The Pacific feet under Commo-
| dore George Dewey had lain for some
weeks nt Kong Kong. Upon tho colonial
proclamation Of neutrality being issued
and the customary - hours notice briny
| given, il rcnnire to Mrs bay near Hong
Kong whencc it proceeded to the Philip
| pine islands under tclegraphic orders to
| capture or d..SI roy the formidable Spanish
| fleet then assembled at Manila. At day
break on the morning of May 1 the Amer
| lean force entered Manila bay and after u
| few hours engagement effected tho tota
| destruction OF the Spanish fleet. consist
| ing OF ten warships and n transport, be-
sides capturing the naval station and forts
at Cavitc, thus annihilttins the Spanish
| naval power In the Pacific ocean and com.
| pletely controlling the bay Of Manila with
| n "A Il n ri nt will
| Following the comprehensive scheme of
| general attack powerful forces were as
| sembled Mt various points on our const to
invade Cuba and Porto Rico. Meanwh q
| naval demonstrations were adopted a:
Several exposed points.
Young IIobson'4 Brave Deed.
The next nets Of the war thrilled not
only the hearts Of our countrymen, but
the world by it's herosm. On the night Of
june B Lieutenant. Hobson. aided by
| seven devoted volunteers, blocked the mar
| row outlet at Santiago harbor, by sinking
| the collier Merrimac in the channel under
| fierce fire from the shore batteries, es-
Gaping with their lives as by miracle.
| but falling into the hands of the Span-
iards. They were subsequently exchanged.
| On June 90. the advance of the invading
| army under MAjHr General Shafter landed
| aG l'nllulfl, ABOUT 10 miles enSt or Santi-
| ago. On July II severe bat tie took place,
| our forces gaining the outworks at Snnti-
| ago. On the second lGl CAncy and San
! Juan were taken after n desperate charge
| and the Investment OF the city completed
| On the day following tho brilliant
achievement of our land forcc July 3, oc-
CURED the decisive battle of the war. Tho
Spanish fleet, attempting to leave tho
harbor, was met by the American squad
ron under command of Commodore SnmD.
son. In less than three hours all tho
Spanish ships were destroyed, tho two
torpedo boats being sunk and the Maria
Teresa, Almirantc Oquenho, Viscaya and
Crstobal Colon driven ashore. The Span
| ish admiral and over 1 300 men wero taken
prisoners, while the enemy's loss OF life
was deplorably large, some 800 prrishing
| On our side but one man was killed and
one seriously wounded.
| With tho CntustrOpho OF Snptiooo