Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-08


which failed of adoption--tho Con
gress, after conference, on the 10th
of April, by vote OF AZ to 50 in the
Senate md 81 to In the House of
Representatives, passed the memorable
joint resolution, declaring
First-That the people of the Island
of Cuba, are, and Of right ought to be
free and Independent.
Second-That it is the duty Of the
United States to demand, and the
government OF the United States does
hereby demand, that the government
of Spain at onco relinquish its authority
and government in the Island OF Cuba
and Withdraw its land and naval forces
from Cuba and Cuban waters.
Third the President OF the
United States, be, and he hereby is,
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
tho militia Of the several States, to
such extent rs may be necessary to
carry these resolutions into effect
Fourth - That the United States
hereby disclaims any disposition or
intention to exercise sovereignty, jur-
| isdictibn, or control over said island
except for the pacification thereof, and
asserts its determination when that
is accomplished to leave the govern
ment and control Of the island to its
people.
This resolution was approved BY thu
executive on the next day, April Goth.
| A copy was at once communicated to
the Spanish Minister at this capital,
who forthwith announced that his
continuance In Washington had there
by become impossible, and asked for
his passports, which were given him.
He thereupon withdrew from Washing
ton, leaving tho protection Of Spanish
interests in the United States TO the
French Ambassador and the Austro-
Hungarian minister. simultaneously
with its communication TO the Spanish
Minister here, Gen. Woodford, the
American Minister, at Madrid, was
autographed confirmation of the text Of
the joint resolution and directed to
communicate 1t to the government OF
Spain, with the. formal demand that
it ut once relinquish its authority and
government in the Island of Cuba and
withdraw its forces therefrom, coupling
this demand with announcement OF
tho intentions of this government as to
with the fourth clause OF the reso-
luton, and giving Spain until noon Of
April 23d to reply.
That demand, although, as above
shown, officially made known to the
Spanish envoy here, was not delivered
at Madrid. After the instruction
reached Gen. Woodford on the morning
of April 2lst, but before he coulc
present it, the Spanish Minister Of
State notified him that upon the Presi
dents approval OF the joint resolution,
the Madrid government, regarding tht
act as equivalent to an evident de
claration Of war;" had ordered it
minister in Washington to withdraw
thereby breaking off diplomatic rela
tions between the two countries ant
ceasing all official communication be
tween their respective representatives
Gen. Woodford thereupon demanded
his passports and quilted Madrid thu
same day.
THE WAR FORCED ny SPAIN.
Spain having thus denied the demand
of the United States and initiated tina
complete form Of rupture Of relation
which attends state of war, tn
executive powers authorized by the
resolutions were at once used by me t,
meet the enlarged contingency Of actua
, war between sovereign states. On Apri
! 22d, l proclaimed a blockade of tn
north coast of Cuba, including port
on said coast between Cartlengs ant
Bahai Honda and the port of Glen
fuegos on the south coast of Cuba
and on the 23d, called for volunteer
/, to execute the purpose Of tho reso
4 | l,.t, - A,arh
the Congress was informed o
the situation, and l recommende
!. formal declaration Of the existence q
n state of war between the Unite
= States and Spain. The Congress
! accordingly voted on the same day tn
act approved April 25th, 1898, de
!, claring the existence of such war fror
and including the 21st day of April
! and re-enacted the provision of th
!, resolution of April goth, directing tn
President to use all the armed force
= of the nation to carry that act int
2 effect. Due notification of tho exist
- ence Of war as aforesaid was give
i, April 25th. by telegraph, to all tn
? governments, with which the Unite
y States maintain relations, in ord,
- that their neutrality might be assure
y during tho war. The various go, eri
e ments responded with proclamations ,
y neutrality, each after its own method
~ 1t is not among the least gratifyir
= incidents of the struggle that tn
y obligations Of neutrality were impal
- italy discharged by all, often und
i delicate and difficult circumstances.
u In further fulfilment OF information
10 duty / issued, April Goth, 1893,
= proclamation announcing the treatmel
! proposed to be accorded TO vessels or
y their cargoes as to blockade, contr
II band the exercise of the right
. search, and the immunity of neutr
y flags and neutral goods under enemy
~ fing. similar proclamation was ma,
=, by the Spanish government In Il
conduct OF hostilities the rules OF Il
=, declaration Of Paris, including a
70 stention from resort to privateerin
~ have accordingly been observed
- - both beiligerents, although neither W
n party TO. that declaration.
~ Our country thus, after an intery
o. of half a century of peace with
n nations, found itself engaged in dead
- conflict with foreign enemy. Eve
~ nerve was strained TO meet I
~ emergency. The response to the init
co call for lbs, 600 volunteers, was insta
H.. and complete, as was also the result
ne the second call Of May 25th, for 10, c
nc additional volunteers. The ranks
~ the regular army were increased to I
~ limits provided by the act of Ap
o' 26th, 1898.
1e, The enlisted force Of tho navy on I
no no 18th day of August, when it reach
IN IN its maximum, numbered "a, 1913 m
" ", and apprentices. One hundred a