The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-20
SAGASrA DETERMINED.
The Prsmier's Speech to His Party
Supporters.
SPAIN WILL NOT YIELD AN INoH.

The Leader OF the Dissident Conserv-
atives Says His Party VIII Support
theGovernmenti IN Providing For the
National Defense-war Inevitable.
Madrid. April 20.-The supporters of
the government In both houses of par
Lament met in the senate chamber at
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Senior
Sagasta, the premier, addressed them
as follows;
1.-The times are so grave and the cir
cumstances are so exceptional that
acts, not words, are necessary TO face
the present difficulty. Attempts are
being made to sully the glorious his
tory of Spain by an Infamous calumny.
The different Spanish governments
have done their utmost to avert the
war to which we are being provoked.
We have now reached the limits Of con-
cession, compatible with honor and ter
ritorial integrity. We consented to the
last concession at the instance of the
pope and the powers. We yielded, in
fact; but now attempts are made upon
our honor and menaces directed against
our territory. That Is thing to which
Spaniards will never consent. This is
not the moment to trace parliament
airy program, but the moment to unite
ourselves, as our fathers have done, in
the face Of an odious attempt against
the integrity Of our territory. The In
suit offered us today is the most ia
famous that has ever been offered"
the rapid constitution of the chambers
In order to accord to the government
the means to defend the country's in
terests.
"Spatn,' he added. twill not allow
q parcel OF her territory to be taken
from her with impunity; nor will she
be q party to any tranicking for her
possessions ''k- u
= Senior 6ilvela, leader of the, Dissident
Conservatives; when addressing his
party, declared It "inopportune to form
ulate political program"
He evoked the memory Of the late
Senior Canovas del Castillo, and de-
clared that he and his party would aid
the government by voting as much as
should be necessary for the national
defense, without any opposition, al
though making note of the RESPONSE
bility incurred, in order to investigate
1t, If need be. at more opportune
time. He declared also that the Dis
sident Conservatives would respect
whatever financial arrangements the
government might enter into, no mat
ter what these might cost, as it was
the "only means of securing, later on,
peace with honor"
Seldom has there been witnessed a
more impressive and significant scene.
The large hall Of the entire senate was
densely crowded with Liberal senator's
and deputies, who listened with breath
less attention to the short speech of
Senior Sagasta, only interrupting him
with unanimous and loud applause. If
the idea still existed in the mind of any
one here that war could be avoided,
Senior Sagasta's firm speech is regarded
as finally settling all doubts.
The Hobbies Of parliament this morn
ing, previous to the opening. were
crowded with members, new deputies
and politicians, all discussing the sit
uation. The one predominating word is |
ws
Ell Correo (ministeriaD says: 1.-THE
resolution of the American congress
not only authorizes the president, as
he desired in his message, to intervene y
in Cuba, but orders him to do so i'm
mediately, and, the independence (rec-
ignition of republic) clause being ex-
plunged. which might have incurred
veto. the president will probably square |
his action with the decree Of the cham
bers. What he will probably do is to |
give the resolution immediate effect, or,
from motives Of precaution and con-
venience, let few days pass inoper-
atively. Any way, the situation is now
the gravest possible"
Ell Epoca Conservative asserts that
anarchy reigns in the legislative and
executive branches of the American
After pointing out the
"unpreparedness for war of the United
States" Ell Epoca says it considers
President Mckinley simultaneously
daring and weak. yielding to lingo de-
mands and yet saddling his parliament
with the responsibility" 1t quotes from
text books to prove that
there has been a violation of the con-
in the latter legislative and
executive procedure" and adds:
while President Mckinley requests
free hand, congress votes a mandate
the president remaining impotent to
resist the war party or to rouse peace
full influences"