Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

added burdens rendered necessary by
the war our people rejoice in very
satisfactory and steadily increasing de-
gree Of prosperity evidenced by the
largest volume of business ever record
ed. Manufacture has been productive,
agricultural! pursuits have yielded abun-
| dant returns, labor in all fields OF in
dustry is better rewarded, revenue leg
islation passed by the present Congress
| has increased the Treasury receipts to
the amount estimated by its authors;
the finances of the government have
been successfully administered and its
credit has advanced to the front rank;
while its currency has been maintained
at the worlds highest standard. Mill
tary service under common flag and
for righteous cause has strengthened
the national spirit and served to cement
more closely than ever the fraternal
bonds between every section OF the
country.
The President then recites the events
which led up to the war with Spain.
The destruction of the batteship Maine,
"while lying rightfully in the harbor OF
Havana on a mission of international
courtesy and goodwill" he says was "a
catastrophe the suspicious nature and
horror of which stirred the nations
heart profoundly. The finding OF the
naval board OF inquiry established that
the origin of the explosion was external
\ by submarine mine, and only halted,
I through lack of positive testimony, to
fix the responsibility of its authorship"
! Even before the finding of the naval
/ court, the President says, crisis in our
relations with Spain was at hand, and
lit needed but brief executive sugges-
ton to the Congress to receive lmme-
date answer to the duty of making in
slant provision for the possible and per.
haps speedily probable emergency OF
war. Still animated by the hope OF
peaceful solution and obeying the die
tates of duty, he says, no effort was re-
Taxed to bring about speedy ending
of the Cuban struggle. Negotiation
continued for some time at Madrid, re-
sulting in offers by the Spanish govern
ment which could not but be regarded
as inadequate. The President then
says, grieved and disappointed at the
, barren outcome of his sincere endeavors
to reach practicable solution, he felt
} it his duty to remit the whole
question to Congress in his mes
; sage of April II, with tue result
+, that the memorable joint resolution was
passed on April 10Th and approved by
the Executive on April Goth. a copy
was at once communicated to the Span
ish minister, who forthwith asked fol
his passportys, which were giveh him
The Spanish minister of State at MadriC
notified General Woodford that upon
the Presidents approval of the joint re
3 solution the Madrid government, re
garding the act as equivalent to ar
{ evident declaration of war;" had order
ed its minister in Washington to with
r draw, thereby breaking Oft diplomatic
relations between the two countries anC
ceasing all official communication be
, tween their respective governments.
. "Spain having thus denied the de
mand of the United States and initiated
that complete form of rupture OF rela
! tons which attends state of war, TIT
executive powers authorized Ivy the
. resolutions were at once used by me Il
| lu6Sb bI0 Va oS'Nes
war. Our country thus. after an inter
a val of half century of peace with al
+ nations, found itself engaged in deadl,
g conflict with a foreign enemy. Every
}. nerve was strained to meet the emer
gency."
c The President then recites the cal
D for volunteers, the response to which
Y was instant and complete; the creation
: of the auxiliary navy; the precautlon
g. taken to prevent possible injury to GU
great cities lying along the coast; au'
the passage of the war revenue act O
, June 18th authorizing e 3 per cent
: popular loan ofwhich 5000, 100000 wer
offered and promptly taken, the sub
scriptions so far exceeding the call a
q to cover it many times over.
He recites briefly the most salien
features of the war. Of Dewey's vic
= tory at Manila he says: THE effect o
this remarkable victory upon the apiri
of our people and upon the fortunes o
u the war was instant. A prestige Of in
vincibility thereby attached to on
arms, which continued throughout tn
struggle. Reinforcements were hurried
to Manila under the command of Msjo
Y General Merritt and firmly established
within sight of the capital, which la,
helpless before our guns. Only reluc
3 lance to cause needless loss of life aut
property prevented the early stormint
and capture of the city, and therewitf
, the military occupancy of the whole
, group. The insurgents invested Manil'
from the northern and eastern sides blu
/ were constrained by Admiral Dewey
l and General Merritt from attemptiul
| an assault. No partition Of the right
r and responsibilities attending the en-
toroement of just and advantageou:
peace could be thought Of"
, The sinking of the Merrmac in the
channel ct Santiago harbor by Lieut.
Hobson and seven volunteers is refer
red to as an act which thrilled moi
alone the hearts of our countrymen but
the world by its exceptional herosm.'
The President then refers to the cap.
ture of the outWorks of Santiago on
July LIST by General Skaters army; the
capture of Ell Caney and San Juan Oh
July End, and, following this brilliant
achievement of our land forces, the de-
cisive naval combat of the war on July
3rd. in which the entire Spanish fleet
under Cervera was destroyed in less
than three hours, and says: "Where
all so conspicuously distinguished
themselves, from the commanders to