The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-04-27
of War as Recommended IN PresI-
dents Message to Congress.
RBAgoNs FoR ZEE AgTI0N.
International Status of United States
as aBelIigerent.
QUICK ACTION BY THE HOUSE.
IN Accordance with Tile Desire Of the
CHIEF Executive the n1esnbers
Consume Less Than Two
Minutes IN Adopting
Resointion.


washington, April 25.-The presi=
dent sent to congress the following
message, recommending a declaration
of war against Spain
i transmit to the congress Tor It's eonsid-
Grafton and appropriate action copies Of
correSpoudence recently had with the rep
resentative OF Spain in the United states,
with the United States minister at Aad7
rid, and through the latter with the gov
ern1nent of Spain, showing tie action taken
under the joint resolution approved April
20. 1893, For the recognition OF the moe
pendence of the people OF Cuba demanaing
that the government of Spain rellnqulsn
It's authority and government IN the lslana
of Cuba. and 10 Withdraw its land and
naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters
and directing the president OF the g sn
States to use the land ana naval forces
of the United States 70 carry these reao-
iutionS Into eject.
Upon communicating to the Spanish
minister In Washington the demand Bshien
It became the duty OF the executive to adj
dress to the government of Spain, IN one
dience to said resolutions, the minister
asked for his passports and withdrew.
The United States minister at Madrid
was In turn notified by the Spanish min
lister for foreign Affairs that the with
drawah OF the Spanish representative from
the United States had Terminated dlplo-
matte relations between the two countries,
and that all Official communications be
tween their respective representatives
ceased Herewith.
i commend TO your special attention the
not addressed to the United States min
lister at Madrid by the Spanish minister for
foreign affairs ON the Dist instant, WHEREBY
the foregoing notification was conveyed.
It will be perceived therefrom that the
government of Spain, having cognizance
of the joint resolution of congress, and In
View OF the things which the president IS
thereby required and authorised to 90, re-
sponds by treating the reasonable demands
of this government as measures of hos
tIItiy following that with instant and COM
plete severance of relations by Its action,
which by the usage of nations accompanies
an existent state of war between sovereign
powers
The position of spain being thus made
known and the demands of the United
Sites being denied, with a complete rup-
ture OF intercourse by the act of Spain,
have been constrained. in exercise OF the
power and authority conferred upon me by
the joint. resolution aforesaid to proclaim,
under date of April -, 1898, blockade OF
certain ports of the north coast of Cuba
lying between Cardenas and Bahia Honda
and-of the Port Cienfuegos, on the south
coast of Cuba; and, further, In exercise
of my constitutional powers and using the
authority conferred upon me by the act
of congress, approved April %, 1898, to is
sue my proclamation, dated April %, 1898,
calling for volunteers in order to carry
into effect the said resolution OF April 20,
1898 Copies of these proclamations nre
hereto appended.
In view of the measures so taken, ana
with view to the adoption OF such other
measures as may be necessary to enable
me to carry out the expressed viii of the
congress of the United States In the prem
isess / now recommend to your honorable
body the adoption of a joint resolution de-
elaring that a state of war exists between
the United Sites of America and the king
dom of Spain, and urge speedy action
thereon to the end that the definition OF
the international status OF the United
States; as a 2beIligerent power may be made
known and the assertion of all its rights
aud the maintenance OF all It's duties on
the conduct of a public war may be as
sured WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
The presidents message was referred
to the committee on foreign relations
in both the house and senate
It took the house one minute and Al
seconds TO pass the declaration of war,
The senate has agreed to the house
war bill. The amendments of the for
eign relations committee were dropped.