Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-14

Washington, A pril II. The President I
to-day sent the following message to
Congress:
The Congress- OF the United States:
Obedient to that precept of the Con
stitution which commands the Iresi
dent to giva from time to time 10 the
Congress information of the state Of the
Union, and to recommend to their COD =
sideration such measures "a he shall
Judge necessary and expsdieut, it he
comes my duty now to address your
body with regard to the grave crisis
that has arisen in the relations OF the
United SiHtas to Spain, by reason of
ths warfare that for more than three
years has ragged in the neighboring
island of Cuba. / do go because of the
intimate connection of the Cuban aues-
tion with the state Of our own union, and
tho grave raatiOn the conrsn which it
is now incumbent upon the nation to
adopt must needs bear to the tradi-
tlonal roicy OF our government, il il ia
To accord with the pr1cepts laid down
by the founders of the Republic and rs.
ligiously observed by succeeding ad-
minlstratiuns to the present day.
THE CUBAN iNsunRFcr1oNs.
The present revolution ia but the sue.
cessor OF other similar Instructions
which have occurred in Cuba against
the dominion OF Spain, extending over
period of nearly half century, each
of which during its progress has sub
jectsd the United States to great effort
and exnsnse in enforcing its neutrality
laws, caused enormous lossos to meri-
can trade and commerce, caused irrita-
tion, annoyance and disturbance among
our citizens, and by the exercise Of cruel
harbarous and unciviizeh practices of
warfare. shocked the senaibilities and
offended the humane syinpathies of our
people.
RAvAGED BY FIRE AND SWORD.
Since the present revolution began,
in February. lS91. this country has
seen the fertile domain at our threshold
ravaged by fire and sword in the course
of n struggle unequaled in the history
of the island and rarely paralleled as to
the number of the cnmbatants and the
bitterness of the contest by any revolu-
tion OF modern times, where depend
ent peDne, striving to he free, have
heon Oppossd by the power of the
Hovereign state. Our people have be-
held once prosperous community re-
duced to comparative want, ita luGra-
tive commerce virtually paralyzed, its
exceptional prouuctivenesH diminished,
its fields laid waste. its mills in ruins,
and its peuple perishing by tens OF
thousands from hunger ami destitu-
tiun. We have found ourselves con-
Btrainei, in the observance of that strict
neutrality which our laws enloin aud
which the law Of nations commands, to
police our own waters ana watch our
own seapurts 10 prevention of any un-
lawful act in aid of the Cubans Our
trade has suffered; the capital inyestefi
by our citizens in Cuba has boen
largely lost. and the temper and for
hearancs of our people have been SO
5orely tried as to beget perilous un-
rest among our own citizons. which has
inevitably found its expression from
time to time in the national legislature,
so that issues, wholly external to our
own body polite, engrosa attention and
stand in the way of that uloas devotion
to domestic advancement that becomes
a self -containsd commonwealth whose
primal maxim has bsen the avoidance
of all foreign entangemonts. All this
must needs awaken. and has indeed
aronsed, tho utmost concern in this part
OF this government az well during my
predecessors term as in my own.
EFFORTS 10 BRING ABOUT PEACE.
In April. 1885, the evils from which
our country suffered through the Cuban
war became 80 oneruus that my prede-
cessor made an effort to bring about
peace through the mediation OF this
government in any way that might tend
10 an honorable adjustment of the con-
test between Spain and her revolted
colony, on the basis OF come effective
scheme of self government for Cuba
under the flag and sovereignty of Spain.
II lied, through tho refusal OF the
spanish government then in power TO
consider any form Of mediation. or, in
ueed any plan of settlement which did
E?t begin with tho actual submission
OF the insurgents TO the mother Coun.
Try, aud tnen only on such terms as
siain herself might see lit 10 grant.