The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-29


we viii stay until the government can
organize an army at home and trans
port 81 to the seat OF hostilltes.' They
did stay, eheSFfuliy. .uAcomplainInElH
periodically. They suffered and sacri-
feed. they fought and fell. they drove
back and punished the rebels who're
sisted federal authority. and who, with
force, attacked the Sovereignty Of the
United States in It's newly acquired
territory. without them then and
there we would have been practically
helpless on land, our nag would have
had Its first stain and the American
army Its trst igpominy. The brilliant
victories of the army and navy in the
bay and city of Manila would have been
won In vain. our obligations to clyIllEa-
tlon would have remained temporarily
unperformed. chaos would have reIgu-
ed, and whatever government there
was would have been by the will Of one
man, and not by the consent Of the
governed, Who refused to sound the
retreat. Who stood In the breach
when others weakened2 Who reslSt-
ed the suggestion Of the unpatrIotic
that they should come home?
Tho Roll ofHonor,
Let me call the roll OF the regiments
and battallons that deserve to be per-
petuated In the Nations annals. Their
action was not sudden impulse, UNI
der excitement, but a deliberate de-
termination, to sustain. at the cost Of
life II need be, the honor of their gov
eminent and the authority of its flag:
First California; California artillery;
First Colorado; First Idaho; Fifty-hrst
Iowa; Twentieth Kansas; Thirteenth
Minnesota; First Montana; First Me-
hraska; First North Dakota; Nevada
cavalry; Second Oregon; Tenth Penn
sylvanla; First South Dakota: First
Tennessee; Utah artillery; First Wash
Ington; First Wyoming, wyoming bat-
terry.
To these must be added about four
thousand enlisted men Of the regular
army who were entitled to their dis
charge under the peace proclamation
Of April IL. 1889; the greater portion OF
whom participated in the engagements
Of the Eighth corps, and are still per-
forming arduous services in the field.
Nor must the navy be forgotten. SIX
ty-fve devoted sailors participated in
the engagement Of May In Manila
bay. whose terms of service had pre-
viously expired. continuing on duty
quite a year after that action.
For these men of the army and ma
Wy we have only honor and gratitude.
The world viii never know the re-
straint Of our soldiers-their self-con-
troll under the most exaSperating condi-
lions. For weeks subjected to the In
suits and dupllcity of the InsurSent
leaders they preserved the status quo,
remembsring that they were under an
order from their government to sacredly
observe the terms OF the protocol in
letter and spirit. and avoid all con-
aIct, except in defense pending the ne
sptiatlons OF the treaty Of peace. They
were not the agsressors. They did not
begin hoStiIities against the insSrEenta
pending the ratification OF the treaty of
peace in the senate. great as was their
justification, because their orders from
Washington forbade 1t.
President Takes Responsibility.
I take all the responsibility for that
direction. Otis only executed the Or
ders OF his government, and the SOL
diers. under great provocation to AtTIke
back, obeyed. Until the treaty was
ratihed we had no authority beyond
Manila city, bay and harbor, We then
had no other title to defend. no au-
thorlty beyond that to maintain. Spain
was StIll in possession of the remainder
of the archipelago. Spain had sued for
peace. The truce and treaty were not
concluded, The first blow was struck
by the Insurgents. our kindness was
with cruelty, our mercy
-.t,h 4, Nfn,aer Tho flag Of truce was