The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-05-04

responded promptly hv adopting INC
following without divi-icn:
\ hill declaring thai war exists be-
tween the United States OF America
and the kingdom ri Spain
BE it enacted, ctr..
First. That war rc and the same /:
hereby declared tp exist and that war
has existed since the twenty first day OF
April, \. D.. 1898, including said day,
between the United State OF America
and the kingdom OF Spain.
Second. That the president of the
United States be and he hereby is Gl-
rected and empowered to use the entire
land and naval forces Of tie United
States and 10 call into the actual service
of tie United States tie militia Of the
several states, to such an extent as may
be necessary to carry this act into effect.
The action Of the president i'll recon.
mending q formal declaration Of war
was welcomed by officials i'll every dl-
rection as putting the present struggle
on more diCniiieG basis and tending 10
the avoidance Of international comp!lca-
tiUns.
Nations Will BE Neutral.
Notice came to the state department
from the four quarters o: the globe
Tuesday showing that the matters arc,
as rule. prepared to assume an :!;tl,
trdc Of strict neutrality as i.c:wCrn the
United States and SIaiT IN t::c present
struggle.
In most cases they were in answer to
the identical note sent out Monday By
the state department to all United
States embassies and legations instruct.
ing them to inform the governments to
which they were accredited that wa-
has existed since April 2l.
Spanish Cruiser Captured.
The lighthouse tender Mangrove ar.
rived at Key West Tuesday with i ricl,
prize. The captive was the Panama,
Captain Quivido, a big transatlantic
liner and an auxiliary cruiser Of the
Spanish navy, which has been plying OF
late between New York and Havana.
Manifesto by Mckinley.
The president issued proclamation
Tuesday laying down rules as to the
seizure Of prizes, etc. The prOclana
ton pledged this country 10 refrain
from privateerinS and abide by thc dec
laration of Paris CT 1856.
BIanco Wants No Wars.lips.
CAPTAIN General Blanco called the
government at Madrid Tuesday 10 the
effect that the Spanish squadron OF war
ships might be utilized elsewhere, as 1t
could account for the defense Of Havana
without the assistance Of the feet.
Matanzas Forts Bombardcd.
The cruisers New ! Tcrk and Cincinnati
and the monitor Puritan bombarded tbs
forts at Matanzas, Cuba "Wednesday
afternoon. There were no casualties CT
our side, but great damage and loss o.
life is believed to have been done Tx
enemy.
About 300 shots were exchanged. The
Spanish guns proved too weak to reacE
the American vessels.
The object of the attack, which LASTED
a little less than an hour, was to pre-
vent the completion Of the carthwork!
at Punta GOr3a.
The half completed Spanish earth
works and battery were apparently q!
Lowed up by the shells.
Big Naval Fight Expected.
An official dispatch from Manila, cap
ital Of the Philippine islands, WedncS
dny. announced that the Spanish flee
had sailed TO take up its position t
meet the American squadron. The lat
ter had not been sighted when the cable
message was sent, but the Amorlcal
warships were expected at any moment