Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-09-25

I
declared that state of war existed between
| Spain and the United States. On May 1,
| 1888, Admiral Dewey destroyed the Spanish
! fleet in Manila Bay. On May 10, 1893, Mai.
| Gen. Merritt, q. S. A., was placed In COM
| mand of the military expedition to Manila
and directed among other things to immedi-
| ateIy publish proclamation declaring that
| We come not to make war upon the people
or the Philippines nor upon any part or fac
| tion among them. but to protect them In
| their homes, in their employments, and I'M
their personal and religious rights. All per-
| sons who, either by active aid or by honest
submission, cooperate with the United
States in its efforts to give effect to this
benefcent purpose will receive the reward
| of its support and protection"
Some Fortunes of War.
On July 3, 1898, the Spanish feet In al
tempting to escape from Santiago harbo1
was destroyed b. the American feet, and on
July II, 1898, the Spanish garrison In the
city of Santiago surrendered to the comi
| mander of the American forces.
| Following these brilliant victories. on the
18th day of August, 1898, upon the initiative
| OF Spain, hostilities were suspended, and q
protocol was signed with view to arrang1
| ing terms of peace between the two govern1
| ments. In pursuance thereof I appointed al
| commissioners the following distinguished
| ritizers TO conduct the negotiations on th4
Part Of the United States: Hon. William RI
Day Of Ohio. Hon. William p. Frye Of
Minnesota, Hon. George Gray Of Delawafi
| and Hon. Whitelaw Reid Of New York.
Forced Into Conflict.
In addressing the peace commission before
Its deDarture for Paris I said.
at is my wish that throughout the neEo1
| tiations intrusted to the commission the pur!
| pose and spirit with which the United States
| accepted the unwelcome necessity Of was
| should be kept constantly In view. We
| took up arms only In obedience to the do
| tates of humanity and the fulfillment Of high
public and moral obligations We had NO
| design Of aggrandizement and NO ambitioa
| of conquest.
Through the long course of repeated rep
| resentations which preceded and aimed to
| avert the struggle and in the final arbitra-
| ment Of force this country was irpelled sole!
ly by the purpose of relieving grievous
wrongs and removing long existing condi-
tions which disturbed its tranquility. which
| shocked the moral sense Of mankind and
which could no longer be endured.
High Sense of Duty. !
"It Is my earnest wish that the United
States in making peace should follow the
same high rule Of conduct which guided It
in facing war 1t should be as scrupuiouG
and magnanimous in the concluding settle
ment as 1t was just and humane in its orig!
inal action. Our aim in the ADJUST
ment of peace should be directed to lasting
results and to the achievement of the COM
mon good under the demands of civilizations
rather than to ambitious designs. -
without any original thought OF complete
or even partial acquisition, the presence and
success of our arms at Manila impose upon
US obligations which we cannot disregard.
The march of events rules and overruies
human action. Avowing nnreservedly the
purpose which has animated all our efforts,
and still solicitous to adhere to it. we CAM
not be unmindful that without any desire
or design on our part the war has brought
US new duties and responsibilities which we
must meet and discharge as becomes great
nation on whose growth and career, from
the beginning, the Ruler Of Nations has
plainly written the high command and
pledge of civilization"
Shirked No Responsibility.
On Oct. %, 1890, while the peace commits
sion was continuing Its negotiations In Paria.
the following additional instruction Was
sent:
1T is imperative upon us that as victoFs
we should be governed only by motives
which will exalt our nation. Territorial ex-
pansion should be our least concern; that
we shall not shrk the moral obligations OF
our victory Is of the greatest
1T Is undisputed that Spain's authority In
permanently destroyed In every part of the
phiItDnfuas ipaya in her fAehlR
control now would increase our difficulties
and be opposed to the interests Of human.
ity. Nor can we permit Spain to
transfer any of the islands to another
power. Nor can we invite another power
or powers to join the United States in SOW
ereignty ever them. We must either hold
them or turn them back to Spain.
Only One Honorable Course.
Consequently, grave as are the response
bilities and unforeseen as are the difficult
ties which are before u.s. the President car
see but one plain path of duty. the accept
ance of the archipelago. Greater difficulties
and more serious complications-adminis
tive and international-would follow any
other course.
THE President has given to the views OF
the commissioners the fullest consideration
and in reaching the conclusion above an1
nounced, in the light OF Information COM
municated to the commission and to the
President since your departure, he has been
influenced by the single consideration OF
duty and humanity. The President Is not
unmindful Of the distressed financial condl-
tion of Spain, and whatever consideration
the United States may show must come
from Its sense of generosity and benevoi4
ence rather than from any real or technical
obligation"
Could Not Abandon Them.
Again, on Nov. 13. l instructed the COM
mission:
Prom the standpoint of indemnity, both
the archipelago porto Rico and the Phil
ippines) are insufficient to pay our war ex-
penses, but aside from this. do we not owe
an obligation to the people of the Philip
pines which will not permit US to return
them to the sovereignty of Spain? Could We
justify ourselves in such a course, or could
we permit their barter to some other power7
Willingly or not, we have the RESPONSE
binty of duty which cannot escape
= The President cannot believe any