The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-22
How War is Declared.

How War is Declared,
How does nation declare war? What
have been the presidents as to the United
States?
From the beginning-that is, from the
declaration of independence-to the pres
ent time our country has engaged in five
| wars. They were the revolutionary war,
! the war against the Barbary pirates on
! the south shore Of the Mediterranean Sea,
the war of 1872, the Mexican war and the
civil war. Three were waged on our own
| soil primarily. though our ships had their
share OF fighting. Two were essentially
wars of invasion. That is. We sought the
| enemy in his own country. These were
| the war with the Barbary states and the
war with the Mexico. And in every case
| the beginning was different The form of
| fnai announcement was in each case prac-
| tically the same, but as the melting cir
| cumstances are never twice alike, so the
preliminary details differ.
| The war of 1872 was the only one in
which this country really took the initia-
| tive, and declared war before like de-
| claration had been made by the hostile
! nation. But even in that case war had
really existed for years. A condition alb
| solutely intolerable to the sense Of the
| this country and England practically ever
since the close Of the revolutionary war.
Particularly after the English engaged in
| the war with France in 1868 up to the de-
| claratiOn and formal beginning of the con-
fiict in 1872 attacks by British vessels on
| American vessels, battles between ships
Of greater or less magnitude. and coils
| ions of forces on land had been of almost
| continuous occurrence
! Henry Clay. speaker of the house. idol
of the young Americans loved as
{ 1.g - j.
with forcing affairs. Madison was car
ried along on the current of events he
could not control, and June l he sent a
long message to congress, reciting the
| grievances against England since 1903, in
which he included the melting of Indians
to attack American settlers, and left the
whole matter 10 the two houses.
The house on the very same day adopt
ed a war declaration, and IL was sent TO
the senate. That body was more deliber-
ate, and it was not until June IS. 1872,
that the bill went to President Madison.
But he signed it the same day, and war
was declared.
The declaration of war adopted by con-
gress June 49, 1872, was as follows:
Be it enacted, etc, that war be and the
same is hereby declared to exist between
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland and the dependencies thereof, and
the United States Of America and their
territories; and that the president of the
United States is hereby authorized to use
the whole land and naval force of the
United States to carry the same into eff
feet. and to issue to private armed YES
sells of the United States commissions of
marque and general reprisal in such form
as he shall think proper, and under the
seal of the United States, against the
nd off of he Soid mt
ted Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
and the subjects thereof. Approved June
IS, 1872.
The proclamation of war against Great
Britain June 10, 1872 by the president of
the United States, was as follows:
A Proclamation: Whereas, The congress
of the United States by virtue of the con-
stituted authority vested in them, have
declared by their act bearing date the
18th day of the present month that war
exists between the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland and the de-
tendencies thereof, and the United States
of America and their territories.
Now, therefore, I James Madison. pres
ident of the United States of America,
do hereby proclaim the same to all whom
it may concern. and do specially enjoin
on all persons holding offices, civil or mil
itary. under the authority of the United
States, that they be vigilant and Jealous
in the discharge of the duties respectively
incident thereto; and do moreover exhort
all the good people of the United States,
as they love their country, as they value
the precious heritage derived from the
virtues and valor of their fathers. as they
feel the wrongs which have forced on
them the last resort of injured nations,
and as they consult the best means under
the blessing of Divine Providence of
abridging its calamities, that they exert
themselves in preserving order, in pro-
noting concord, in maintaining the au-
thority and efficacy of the laws. and in
supporting and invgoratiug all the meas
ures which may be adopted by the con-
stituted authorities for obtaining a speedy,
just and honorable peace.
In testimony whereof l have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the
United States to be affixed to these pres
ents.
Done at the city of Washington the 18th
day Of June, 1872, and of the independence
of the United States the thirty-sixth
JAMES MADISON.
BY the President:
JAMES MONROE, Secretary of State.