The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-06

"a V ANN ALI.
the House of Representatives. passed the
memorable joint resolution declaring:
First, That the peop.e o. the Island of
Cuba are, and of right ought TO be. free
and independent
Second That il 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 once re-
| iinquish its authority and government in
the Island of Cuba and withdraw its land
and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban
waters
Third. That 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 the militia of the several states,
TO such extent may be necessary to
carry these resolutions into effect
Fourth, That the United States hereby
dlsclaims any disposition or intention TO
exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction. or con-
troll over said island except for the pacifi-
cation thereof, and asserts its determina-
ton when that is accomplished TO leave
! the government and control of the is.and
to its people
This resolution was approved by the
executive ON the next day, April 90 a
copy was at once communicated to the
! spanish minister al this capital. who
forthwith announced that his continuance
in Washington had thereby become inpos-
| Sible, and asked for his passports which
were given him. He thereupon withdrew
from Washington, leaving the protection
OF Spanish interests in the United States
10 the French ambassador and the Aus
tro-Hungarian minister simultaneously
| with its communication to the Spanish
minister here, Gen. Woodford, the Ameri-
can minister at Madrid was telegraphed
confirmation of the text of the Joint reso-
luton and directed to communicate it to
the government of Spain, with the formal
demand that it at once relinquish its au
thority an9 government in the Island or
Cuba and withdraw its forces therefrom
coupling this demand with the announce
ment of the intentions of this government
as 90 the future of the island, in conform
ity With the fourth clause Of the resolu-
ton and giving Spain until neon of April,
% to reply.
The Declaration of War.
That demand although as above shown
offtcially made known TO the Spanish en-
voy here, was not delivered at Madrid
After the instruction reached Gen. Wood
ford at Madrid, on the morning of Aprn
q. but before he could present it. the
spanish minister of state notified him thar
upon the Presidents approval of the Joint
resolution the Madrid government regard
ing the act as equivalent to an evident
| declaration of war had ordered its min
lister in Washington to withdraw, thereby
breaking off diplomatic relations between
the two countries and ceasing all official
communication between their respectiva
| representatives. Gen. Woodford there
upon demanded his passports and quilted
Madrid the same day.
Spain having thus denied the demand of
! the -UnIted States and Initiated that com
| plete form of rupture of relations which
attends a state of war, the executive pow
ers authorized by the resolution were ar
once used by me TO meet the enlarged
contingency of actual war between sover
eign states. On April % I proclaimed a.
blockade of the north coast of Cuba. in
cluding ports on said coast between Car
oenas and Bahia Honda and the port of
! Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cnba i.
and on the 23d called for volunteers
to execute the purpose of the resolution
by my message OF April 25 the Congress
was informed of the situation and 7 rec
commended formal declaration Of The ex
istence of a state of war between the
United States and Spain The Congress
accordingly voted on the same day the
act approved April %, 1898, declared the
existence of such war from and including
the 2lst day OF April, and re-enacted the
provision of the resolution of April %
directing the President to use all the
armed forces of the nation to carry that
act into effect Due notification of the
existence of war as aforesaid was given
April % by telegraph to all the govern
ments with which the United States main
tains relations, in order that their neu-
70 ~ oiorbf ha Il
The various governments responded with
proclamations of neutrality, each after it's
own methods. 1t is not among the least
gratifying incidents of the struggle that
the Obligations Of neutrality were i'm
partially discharged by all, often under
delicate and difficult circumstances.
In further fulhllment of International
duty / issued April 26, 1898, a proclamation
announcing the treatment proposed to he
accorded to vessels and their cargoes as
20 blockade. contraband, the exercise of
right of search. and the immunity of neu
trail flags and neutral goods under enc
my's flag. a similar proclamation was
made by the Spanish government. In the
conducting of hostiities the rules of the
declaration OF Paris, including abstention
from resort to privateering have accord
irgly been observed by both bellirerents
although neither was a party to that dec
laration.
The Army and Navy.
Our country thus. after an interval Of
half century of peace with all nations.
found Itse,f engaged in deadly conflict with
a foreign enemy. Every nerve was strained
to meet the emergency. The response 10
the initial call for $4,000 volunteers was
instant and complete, as was also the re-
suit OF the second cali of May 25 for rs.
900 additional volunteers. The ranks OF
the regular army were increased to the
limits provided by the act of April 26. 1898.
The enlisted force of the navy on the 18th
day of August. when It reached its max
imum. numbered 2l,l23 men and appren-
tees. One hundred and three vessels were
added to the navy by purchase. one was
presented to the government, one leased
and the four vessels of the international
navigation company, the ST. Paul, st.
Louis, New York and Paris, we're char
tered. In addition to these the revenue
cutters and lighthouse tenders were turned