The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-10

AY:r'iAgue Cure Ayers comatone
tive aid or by honesty submission, CO.
operate with the United States In Its
efforts to give effct to this beneficeift
purpose. will receive the reward OF Its
| support and protection"
On July 8, 1898. the Spanish fleet, In
attempting to escape from Santiago
harbor. was destroyed by the American
feet. and on July II. 1885. the Spanish
garrison In the city OF Santiago sur
rendered to the commander Of the
American forces.
Following these brilliant victories, on
the twelfth day OF August, 1893 upon
the Initiative OF Spain. hostllitles were
suspended, and n protocol was signed,
with view to arranging terms OF peace
between the two governments. In
pursuance thereof. appointed as COM
missioners the following distinguished
citizens to conduct the negotiations on
the part Of the United States: Hon.
William R. Day. OF Ohio: Hon. William
P. Frye, OF Maine; Hon. Cushman X.
Davis, Of Minnesota: Hon. George
Gray, OF Delaware, and Hon. White
law Reid. OF New York. In address,
| ing the peace commission before its
departure for Paris, said.
Standing for Humanity.
ut Is my wish that throughout tho
negotiations entrusted TO the commits
sion the purpose and spirit with which
the United States accepted the unwel-
come necessity Of war should be kept
constantly In view. We took up arms
| only In obedience to the dictates OF hui
mainly and In the fulfllment OF high
public and moral obligations. We had
no desire of Acknowledgement, and no
ambition OF conquest Through the
long course of repeated representations
which preceded and aimed to avert the
| struggle and In the Anal arbitrament Of
force this country was impelled solely
by the purpose OF relieving grievous
wrongs and removing long existing
conditions which disturbed Its tram
guilty. which shocked the moral sense
OF mankind, and which could no longer
DO endured.
| 1T Is my earnest wish that the United
States In making peace should follow
the same high rule of conduct which
guided 1t In facing war. It should BIZ
as scrupulous and mugnanlmous 10 the
| concluding settlement as It was tust
and humane In its original action. .
"Our aim in the adjustment OF peace
should be directed to lasting results and
TO the achievement OF the common good
under the demands OF ciyolization,
rather than to ambitious designs.
| without any original thought OF
complete or even partial acquisition. the
| presence and success OF our arms at
| Manila Imposes upon us obligations
which we cannot disregard. The march
| OF events rules and over-rules all our
| effort, and still solicitous to adhere TO
1t, we cannot be unnindtul that without
any desire or design on our part the
| war has brought us new duties and re-
| probabilities which we must meet and
| discharge as becomes great nation on
| whose growth and career from the be-
ginning the Ruler OF nations has plain
~ written the high command anu
| pledge OF civilization"
On October IS. 1905. while the peace
| commission was continuing Its nego-
] tiationsJin Paris. the following addi-
tlonal instruction was sent: :
49, Exalted Motives. :
.'''It is Imperative upon US that as VIC
tors We should be governed only by mo-
tivcs which VIII exalt our nation. Ter
| rltOrlnl expansion should be our least
concern, that we shall not shIrk the
moral obligations OF our victory is of
the greatest. ], Is undisputed tina,
SDain's authority Is permanently de-
stroyed In every part Of the Philippines.
| To leave any part In her feeble control
now would Increase our difficulties and
be opposed TO the interests OF humanity.
Nor can we permit Spain TO
transfer any OF the islands to another
power Nor can we Invite another
power or powers 10 Join the United
States in sovereignty over them. We
must either hold them or turn them
back to Spain.
consequently, grave rs are the re-
spoRsibillties and unforeseen MS are the
difficulties which are before us. the Pres
ident can see but one plain path Of
duty, the acceptance OF the Archipelago.
Greater difficulties and more serious
compiler Observation-Disclosures and In
tcrnational-would follow any other
course. The President has given to the
Views OF the commissioners the fullest
consideration. and In rrHchIng the con-
clusion above. announced In the llght
of Information communicated TO the
commission md to the President since
your departure, he has been Influenced
by the single consideration Of duty and
humanity. The President Ia not mn.
mindful Of the distressed financial con-
dHion OF Spain. and whatever consider
alton the United States may show must
come from Its sense of generosity aud
bcnev0lencr, rather thnn from any real
or technical obligation"
Treaty of Peace Concluded.
Again, on November l3th, Instructed
the commission.
From the standpoint OF Indemnity
both the nrchlpelagos porto Rico md
the Phlllppinrs) are insufficient to pay
our war expenses. but aside from this
do we not owe nm obligation TO the pe0-
pie Of the Philippines which will not
permit VI to return them to the sover-
etcnty of Spainr Could wn Justify our
selves In such n course or could we per-
nit their barter to some other power?
; willing or not We have the responsible
ty OF duty which we cannot escape.
~ The President cannot believe
any division OF the archipelago cun
bring us anything but embarrassment
In the future. The trade and CONNER
the cost OF thu war. are questions wo