The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-12-15

shown, officially made known to tina
Spanish Envoy here, was not delivered
at Madrid. After the instruction reach
ed Gen. Woodford on the morning of
April 81, but before he could present
1t, the Spanish Minister of State mott.
fed him that upon the Presidents app
proval of the Joint resolution the Ma
drid Government regarding the act rs
"eQuivelant to an evident declaration
of war;" had ordered its Minister In
| Washington to withdraw, thereby
breaking off diplomatic relations be-
| tween the tive countries and ceasinn
all official communication between
their respective representatives. Gen.
Woodford thereupon demanded his
| passports and quilted Madrid the same
| day.
Spain having thus denied the demand
| of the United States and initiated that
| complete form of rupture of relations
which attends a state of war, the ex-
ecutive powers authorized by the res
olution were at once used by me to
meet the enlarged contingency of act
| ual war between sovereign states.
On April % l proclaimed blockade
| of the north coast of Cuba, including
| ports on said coast between Cardenas
| and Bahia Honda, and the port OF
| Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba,
and on the 23u | called for volunteers
to execute the purpose Of the resolu'
| ton. BY my message of April 20 the
| Congress was informed of the situa-
| ton, and / recommended formal de-
| claration of war between the United
States and Spain. The Congress ac-
| cordingly voted on the same day the
act approved April 25, 1898, declaring
| the existence of such war from and
including the 21st day Of April, and re
enacted the provision Of the resolution
of April 20 directing the President to
use all the armed force of the nation
to carry that act into effect.
Our Country thus, after an interval
of half a century of peace with all
nations, found itself engaged In dead
ly conflict with a foreign enemy.
| Every nerve was strained to meet tho
emergency The response to the initial
call for 125,000 volunteers was instant
and complete, as was also the result
| of the second call OF May 25 for $4,000
| additional volunteers, and the ranks
of the regular army were increased to
the limits provided by the act Of April
26, 1893.
The story of this successful cam.
paign Is told in the report OF the
| Secretary of War, which will be laid
| before you. The individual valor of
officers and soldiers was never more
strikingly shown than in the several
engagements LEADING to the surrender
| of Santiago, while the prompt move
| ments and successive victories won
| instant and universal applause. To
those who gained this complete tri.
umph, which established the ascend
ancy Of the United States upon land,
as the fight off Santiago had fixed our
supremacy on the seas, the earnest
and lasting gratitude of the nation is
unsparingly due. Nor should we alone
remember the gallantry of the living.
The dead claim our tears, and oun
losses by battle and disease must cloud
any exultation at the result and teach
US weigh the awful cost Of war, how
ever rightful the cause or signal tho
victory.
1t is fitting that 1 should bear tes.
timony to the patriotism and devo.
ton Of the large portion Of our army
which, although eager to be ordered t0
the pos. of greatest exposure, fortu'
nately was not required outside of tha
United States. They did their whole
duty, and, like their comrades at the
front have earned the gratitude of tho
| nation.
In like manner the officers and men
of the army and navy who remained in
their departments and stations faith
fully performing most important duties
connected with the war, and whose
requests for assignments in the field
and at sea l was compelled to refuse
because their services were indispen.
sible here, are entitled to the highest
commendation. 1t is my regret that
there seems to be no provision for their
suitable recognition.
In this connection 1t is a pleasure
for me to mention in terms Of cor.
dial appreciation the timely and use.
full work of the American Red Cross,
both in relief measures preparatory to
the campaigns, in sanitary assistance
| at several of the camps of Assem-.
blage, and, later, under the able and
experienced leadership Of the president
of the society, Miss Clara Barton, on
| the fields of battle and in the hospitals
at the front in Cuba. Working in con.
junction with the Governmental au.
| anu LuelT
| approval, and with the enthusiastic
| 20 ooperation of many patriotic women
and societies in the various States, the
Red Cross has fully maintained its
| already high reputation for intense
! earnestness and ability to exercise
| the noble purposes of it's international
| organization, thus justifying the con.
ddence and support which it has re.
| ceived at the hands of the American
people. TO the members and officers
| If this society and all who aided them
in their philanthrcpic work, the sin
cere and lasting gratitude of the sol
1iers and the public is due and freely
accorded.
In tracing these events we are con.
| stantly reminded Of our obligations to
the Divine Master for his watchful
care over us and his safe guidance,
| for which the nation makes reverent
acknowledgment and offers humble
prayers for the continuance of His
lavor.
I do not discuss at this time tho
| government or the future of the new
posessionr which will come to us as
he result of the war with Spain. Such
discussion will be appropriate after
the treaty of peace shall be ratified.
In the meantime, and until the Con-
yress has legislated otherwise, 1t will,
be my duty to continue the military
governments which have existed since
,ur occupation, and give to the people
security in life and property and en-.
couragement under just and bene.
fcent rule
AS soon as we are in possession of