The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-04-29
CONGRESS DECLARES WAR.
President Sent a Special Message
Asking That it be Done
SECRETARY SHERMAN RESIGNS
President Calls for 2 900 Volunteers and
They Respond at Once-SPain De-
elares That State of War Exists
The blockade of Havana.


President Mckinley sent to congress-
a message recommending declaration
of war against Spain. The President
referred to the action taken by the exc
cutive under the joint resolutions re-
Gently passed by congress for the indie
pendence of Cuba. He presented the
resolutions to the Spanish representa-
tive at Washington and the later asked
for his passports and withdrew The
U. S. minister at Madrid was in turn
notified by the Spanish minister for
foreign affairs, that the withdrawal of
the Spanish representative from the
United States had terminated diplo-
matte relations between the two
countries and that all official COM
munications between their respective
representatives ceased Herewith.
The President calls attention to the
note of the Spanish government con-
veying this information and says:
1t will be perceived thorefrom that
the government of Spain treated the
reasonable demands of this government
as meas res of hostility, following
with that instant and complete sever
ance of relations by its action, which
by the usage of nations, accompanies
an existent state of war between SOW
ereign powers. The position of Spain
being thus made known and the de-
mands of the United States being de-
MED, with a complete rupture of inter
course by the act of Spain, have been
constrained in the exercise of the pow
ers and authority conferred upon me
TO proclaim q blockade OF certain ports
! of the north coast of Cuba and of Glen
Fuegos on the south coast of Cuba: and
further, to issue my proclamation, call
ing for volunteers to carry into effect
the resolutions of congress. In view
! of the measures so taken. and with a
view to the adoption of such other
measures as may be necessary to enable
me to carry out the expressed will of
! the congress in the premises, | now
recommend the adoption of joint res
olution declaring that state of war
exists between the United States of
America and the kingdom of-Spain
and | urge speedy action TO the end
that the definition of the international
status of the United States as a bellig-
ercnt power may be made known and
| the assertion of all it's rights and the
maintenance of all its duties in the
conduct of apublic war may be assured
The message in both the Senate and
House was referred TO the committee
on foreign relations. In the House the
bill was reported out of the committee
favorably in short order. 1t took the
House minute and IL seconds to pass
the bill unanimously amid applause
After debate of an hour and half's
duration. conducted in secret session.
the Senate passed n bill in the same
language as that passed by the House
The debate in the Senate was based on
an amendment offered by Senator Tur-
Me providing for the recognition of
belligcrent rights of the insurgent
ubans, but the amendment was de-
feated by majority of IA. There was
no division on the passage of the bill.
The following is the bill reported by
the House foreign affairs committee
and passed by both House and Senate:
A bill declaring that war exists be-
tween the United States of America
and the kingdom of Spain.
First. That war be and the same is
hereby declared to exist. and that war
has existed since the 21st day of April.
A. D. 1898. including said day, between
| the United States of America and the
kingdom of Spain.
Second. That the president be and
he is hereby directed and empowered
to use the entire land and naval forces
of the United States and to call into
! the actual service of the United States
the militia of the several states to such
extent as may be necessary to carry
this act into effect.
The war bill reached the White
House few minutes before o'clock.
! The White House was almost deserted
at the time, no one of the cabinet being
with the President except Atty. Zen.
Griggs. The enrolled copy of the bill
was laid before the President and he at
once went over the phraseology with
the Encouragement. The presidential
signature was affixed at G:1s, and the
bill was then the law of the land.