The age-herald., 1898-12-06


 set historical traditions was intervention
 as neutral to stop the war and check the
 hopeless sacrifice of life, even though that resort involved hostile constraint upon
 both parties to the contest as well as to en- force a truce as to guide the eventual set dement,
 The grounds jusifying that step were the interests of humanity; the duty to pro- tect the life and property of our citizens in Cuba; the right to check injury to our commerce and people through the devasta-
 ton of the island, and most important, the need of removing at once and forever the constant menace and the burdens entailed
 upon our government by the uncertainties and perils of the situation caused by the
 uncomfortable disturbance in Cuba. I said:
 "The long trial has proved that the ob- ject for which Spain has waged the war
 cannot be attained. The fire of insurrec- ton may flame or may shoulder with va i rying seasons, but it has not been and IL | is plain that it cannot be extnguished by | present methods The only hope of relief | from condition which can no longer be en- 1 dured. is the enforced pacifcation of Cuba. l Tn the name of humanity. in the name of l civilization, in behalf of endangered Amer l ican interests which give us the right and | the duty to speak and to act the war in | Cuba must stop"
 In view of all this. the congress was | asked to authorize and empower the pres- 1 ident to take measures to secure full and | final termination of hostilties between l Spain and the people of Cuha and to secure l in the island the establishment of n stahle l government capable of maintaining order | and observing it's international obligations, l securing peace and tranquility and the | secnritv of its citizens as well as our own l and of the accomplishment of those ends to l use the military and naval forces of the | United States as might be necessary with added authority to continue generous relief | tO the starving np0p1a of Cuba
 Action and Recognition
 The response of the congress after nine | days of earnest deliberation during which | the almost unanimous sentiment of your body was developed on every point save as | to the expediency of coupling prompt action | with formal recognition of the republic of 1 Cuba as the true and lawful government | of that island-a proposition which failed Of | adopton-the congress after conference on | the 18th of April by vote of AZ to 35 in the | senate. and 311 to 6 in the house of repre- 5entatives, passed the memorable joint res l olution declaring:
 "First-That the people of the island of | Cuba are and of right ought to be free and l independent
 "second-That it is the duty of the United l States to demand and the government of | the United States does hereby demand that | the government of Spain at once reln- | qu'sh it's authority and government in the l island of Cuba and withdraw It's 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 l the actual service of the United States the militia of the several states to such an ex- | tent as may be necessary to carry these resolutions into effect
 "Fourth-That the United States hereby | disclaims any disposition or intention to ex- ercise sovereignty, jurisd' 'ction or control over said islands except for the pacifcation thereof and asserts its determination when l that is accomplished to leave the govern ment and control of the island to its peo- ple."
 This resolution was approved by the ex- ecutive on the next day, April 20. A copy was at once communicated to the Spanish minister at this capitol who forthwith an- nounced that his continuance in Washing ton had thereby become impossible and asked for his~passports, which were given him. He thereupon withdrew from Wash ington, leaving the protection of Spanish papers in the United States to the French ambassador and Austro- Hungarian minis- ter. Simultaneously with its communica- | ton to the Spanish minister. General Wood- 1 ford, the American minister at Madrid, was l teleeraphed confirmation of the text of the 1 joint resolution and directed to communi- cate it to the government of Spain. with | the IOrmal QeIndnu IIdt IL dt OnSC iChh- uuish it's authority and government in the island of Cuba and withdraw It's forces therefrom, coupling this demand with the announcement of the intentions Of this gov ernment as to the future of the island In conformity with the fourth clause of the resolution and giving Spain until noon or April 23 to reply.
 The Demand Not Delivered
 That demand, although as above shown officiallly made known to the Spanish envoy
 here. was not delivered at Madrid. After
 the instructions reached General Wood-
 ford on the morning of April H, but before
 he could present it to the Spanish minis
 ter of state, he notified him that upon the
 presidents approval of the joint resolution
 the Madrid government regarding the act
 as "equivalent of an evident declaration of
 war; had ordered Its minister in Wash
 ington to withdraw, thereby breaking off
 diplomatic relations between the respective
 governments. General 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 at- tends A state of war, the executive powers authorized by the resolutions were used py
 me to meet the enlarged contingency or actual war between sovereign states. On April 22 I proclaimed blockade of the
  coast between Cardenas and Bahia Honda and the port of Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba; and on the 23d called for volunteers to execute the purpose or the resolutions By my message of April 9 the congress was informed of the situation and I recommended formal declaration Of the existence of a state of war between the United States and Spain. The congress &C., cordingly voted on the same day the act approved April 25. 1898, declaring the exist ence of such war from and including the 21st day of April and re-enacted the proviso of the resolution of April 20. 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 25 by tele- graph to all the governments with which the United States maintain relations. in order that their neutrality might be as- sured during the war. The various gov- ernments responded with promises of neu- trality, each after It's own methods. It Is not among the least gratifying Incidents k1,>A kta erok ,<