The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-24
DECLARATION OF WAR.
The President Will Send n Message to
COncress on the Subject

Congress ON the Subject.
WASHINGTON April 23-President Nc
Kinley to-day signed proclamation calling
for 1250O0 volunteers. The proclamation
will not be transmitted to the Governors OF
the States until Monday, the purpose being
to avoid any unseemly demonstration on
Sunday. The President also concluded to
defer at least until Monday a message to
Congress recommending that declaration
of war be passed. Senator Davis, chairman
Of the committee on foreign relations, some
days ago expressed it to be the view Of
the committee that a declaration of war
should be made in pacific tones by Congress,
but since then has expressed the belief that
It is not now necessary. Members of the
cabinet, however, with only one or two
exceptions, still believe a war declaration
is absolutely necessary in order to fix a
proper status of this government, as such a
declaration unqueStionably would enlarge
the scope of this government in view of a
general conflict, and it is not unlikely that
Congress will be asked to take this step on
Monday or soon thereafter
There was little of interest in the State
department to-day connected with the war
save the formal issue there of the Presi-
dents proclamation calling for troops. The
message recommending q declaration OF
war, which is to go to Congress next Mon
day unless there is a change of plans, has
been under preparation during the day, and
that in connection with the study of some
question connected with neutrality laws was
about all the Department. had in hand con-
nected with the war. IT'S bre
The naval officials are anxious to have
the declaration of war made at the earliest
moment in order that they may make sure
of prize money, resulting from the sale Of
Spanish ships they may capture. However,
1t may be stated that several members of
merchant vessels which are neither loaded
with contraband of war nor destined to
supply with food the Spanish forces in Cuba,
taking the view that although the rules of
war as practiced in the past do permit the
seizure of such craft, the action is hardly
consistent with the position taken by
of the Paris agreement The refusal
OF the United States to enter the agreement
to refrain from the practice Of privateering
was largely because the government desired
to carry the principle more further and ex-
empt from seizure the property of ildiVid-
uals at sea. Although our government is
made at that time, there is belief on the
part of some of the Cabinet officers that
merchant vessels should have at least the
benefit of a notice of the outbreak of hos
tilties before seizure. Meanwhile, in the
opinion of the naval authorities and the
to be awarded, and the Spanish vessels al
ready captured, in advance of declaration
of war although this is a point for judicial
settled by an admiralty court.
The firing on the Spanish merchantmen
Buena Ventura in advance of a formal dec
laration of war has raised a very interest
ing point which is being debated in the dip
lomatic corps. The owners of the vessel in
New York have announced their intention
to appeal, and it is not at all improbable
that a vigorous demand for redress from
this government may be prosecuted. They
have notified the French embassy here
through the French consul at New York,
a protest against the firing upon and seiz-
ure of their vessel, and the French embas-
sy in this city expects to receive a for
NAL protest from them for submission to
the State Department. Some members of
the diplomatic corps say they believe the
vessels will be promptly, released by this
government in view of the priority of the
act to actual notification, which they hold,
should, on general principles, have been CIV
en-, and of the fact that it preceded the
actual expiration of the time limit imposed
in the ultimatum of the United States.