The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-26
EXISTENCE Of /
SIllE Of WR.

Continued From Page /
The Wise Young eitc4iom contest from
Virginia was next taken rp.
Mesick made the opening argument in the
election case in favor Of the claims Of the
contestant. Wise.
Burke OF Texas. Ycss Of Virginia and De
Armond q Missouri spoke ca the election
case.
1 Just prior 10 adjournment Speaker Reed
signed the btll declaring the existence Of Q
| state of var When the army recrganixa-
raoa bill with senate amendments came
back TO the house. on melton or HUH, the
amendments were uon-concurred in and
| the bin was sent 10 conference.
Cox Of Tennessee and Marsh Of illinois
were appointed eonferees.
At $40 .. m the house adjourned.
warn DeAate IN secret Sessfoa.
! After . debate Of one hour and half
| conducted In secret sesssan the senate to-
day passed bill declaring that = state OF
war existed between the United States
and Spain. Tho till was In the same Ian
guage as that passed by the house.
| The debate Ia the senate was based on
the amendment offered by Turpie, pnoyid-
ing for the recognition OF the belliGerent
| rights Ct the insurgcnt CAhans, the smend-
/ ment being practically h the feslswing Ian
| guaee:
WE 0eSGbJ IGtO8Q2&e the f1&0I0 Oh the
Cuban army under Gen. Gomez 70 be treat
ed as beingerents, the freedom and indie
pendence OF the Cuban people having here
tofore been recognized by act Of congress"
The same amendment had been urged in
| the committee on foreign relations preyi-
| Gus TO the reporting Of the bill TO the SEN
ate and the Indiana senator only agreed
TO the bringing In OF the bill on condition
that his amendment should be presented to
the senate. Both In Inc committee and in
the senate, Tarpae made elaborate axgu-
ments in support Of his proposition.
TIE roll OF the senate WAS called upon
this amendment and X was defeated by Q
majority OF a. the vote standing n TO IS.
There was also some criticism Of the
| fact that the bill fixed a date in the past
when the war had begun. Senator Petit
/ grew declared that the 2lst was evidently
used in order to make legal the capture
1 OF the lumber vessel Buena Ventura on
that date. He characterized this as a
small piece OF business for either the ad-
ministration or congress to indulge In, and
said that under the circumstances if he
had been president, he would have re-
turned the ship to its owners. He pre-
dicfed that the courts would in the end
settle the claim against Us. regardless OF
its declaration.
Senator Davis replied briefly 10 this
point, saying that the date was not fixed
~ Itt aPt0fE Va tht purffd tCltuf1, pUi
by the recognition Of the Spanish govern
ment Of a state of war, as made on the
2lst, and as outlined IN the presidents
| message.
White took up the Pettigrew coatention,
holding that the president had not indi-
Gated any date for the beginning of Aostii-
ft.es. but that he had rather shown in his
message that the negotiations had BY no
means reached the point of hostinties
White said that 1T was his purpose TO
support the administration in all reason
able measures for the prosecution OF the
war, but he did not regard the fixing of
this date IN any sense response TO a
presidential request. Thsre was a. general
plea for speedy action this bill, and no
amendment was pressed for a change OF
date. This motive also actuated Senator
Davis TO withdraw an amendment sug-
gested by the committee on foreign rela-
lions. directing the president TO carry on
the war to a successful ending This dis
pensed with the necessity of conference
and made ii possible TO send the bill to the
president today
There was no division on the passage OF
| the bill
The war bin vas brought from the cap
itol by the clerk of the enrolling division.
1 and reached the White House a few min
utes before s o'clock The White House
was almost deserted at the time not ore
| OF the cabinet beng with the president ex-
| cept Attorney General Griggs. The en-
1 rolled copy OF the bill was laid before the
| president In his Office Immediately on 10
arrival, and he at once went over the
| phraseology with Attorney General Griggs.
The presidential signature was AFFIXED at
els and the measure was then the law of
| the land
1t Will now follow the regular course OF
executive documents and viii be sent 10 the
rolls division of the state desa TT ment
wb4ra III will ha int "a nj r1,st.g
are other laws. and the original document
will find Itself in a resting place I'm the
archives of the state department. although
as with other niementoes OF the state de
| partment a Photographic copy VIII be even
| ;uaily prepared for exhibition in the de-
partment.
In the correspondence accompanying the
presidents message was the following:
On April a. 1885 Minister woodford tels-
graphed Secretary sherman a. follows:
official note received this morning a. ia
from the Spanish minister of state:
II have the honor 10 acknowledge the
date Informing me that the Spanish minis-
ter at Washington has been ordered TO
/ withdraw with all his legation and with
out Joss Of time from North American ter
iitory. You also inform me that by this
act diplomatic relations between the two
countries are broken OF: that all official
communication between the respective rep
resen.atsves cease. have accordingly
this dav teiegraphed the American consul
general at Barcelona 10 instruct ali the
cosasuls Of the United States In Spain 10
turn their respective cousa!ates over TO
the British consu!s and 10 leave Spain at
once. ] have uyseif turned this legation
over 10 her Britannia nnajesiy's amba ssador
al Madrid.
=" This. embassy will from this time have
/ the care OF all American interests In Spain.
/ now request passports and the safe con-
duct to the French frontier for myself and
| the personnel " this legation. intend ieay-
ing this afternoon for Paris
"'WoODFORD.'
Other correspondence Is as follows:
| Mr. woodforf to Mr.. Sherman ttele-
| gram:
"U s. LEGATION, MADRID. April 81
| 1865 Following "a the text or an Official
| note received this morning AT % from
/ tne Spanish minister OF state:
| "In compliance vita i painfal duty. I
have the heuor fosiafaryn Your ex cei.eriey
l thnt the nresflens. having apr,roved