The Irish standard., 1901-07-13

this Truce Of God, which 1 now de-
clare i'll His Name, and with the sane
ton Of the Holy Father of all Christen-
dom.
"April 5, 1898.
''Please read this in the light of all
my previous kilograms and letters. 1
believe that this means peace, which
the sober judgment of our people will
approve long before next November,
and which must be approved at the
bar of final history.
81 permit the papal nuncio to read
this telegram, upon my own responsi-
bility, and without committing you in
any manner. dare not reject this
last chance for peace. will show your
reply to the queen in person, and be-
lieve that you will approve this last
conscientious effort for peace"
What could be more moving, more
pathetic, more like an unexpected mes
senger Of peace to be greeted with de-
vout thankfulness by all Christian
hearts?
But how did President Mckinley
greet it? Why, he telegraphed Minis
ter Woodford that he "highly appre-
ciated the queens desire for peace"
but that he could not assume to influ-
ence the action Of the American con-
gress."
Yet, if an armistice were offered, he
would communicate that fact to con-
gress." Yes, but how did he communi-
cate it?
Did he cite a syllable of the pious
and exalted language Of the queen?
Did he explain how the venerable head
of the Catholic church had exerted him
self to prevent a wicked war? No, he
simply added couple of vague and
cold paragraphs at the very end of his
message.
Read the passionate, eager words Of
tire queen of Spain, read the solemn ex-
hortations of Minister Woodford, and
then read how President Mckinley pre-
sentcd the matter to congress:
Yesterday, and since the preparation
Of the foregoing message, official infor-
nation was received by me that the
latest decree of the queen regent Of
Spain direct General Blanco, in order
to prepare and facilitate peace, to pro-
claim a suspension of hostilities, the
duration and details Of which have not
yet been communicated to me.
'"This fact, with every other peril
nent consideration, will, am sure, have
your just and careful attention in the
solemn deliberations upon which you
are about to enter If this measure at
tains successful result, then our aspi-
rations as Christian, peace loving
people will be realized. If it fails, it
will be only another justification for
our contemplated action"
Congress, Of course, paid not the
slightest attention to this perfunctory
tail-end of message, all the previous
trend and argument Of which made for
war. What the president should have
done was to throw away the message
which he. had prepared, face the al
tered situation with an altered policy,
and go boldly to congress and the
country with Woodford's dispatch, in
cluding the queens elevated proclama-
tion. He could have truly hailed it as
a great triumph of American diploma
cy. Our two categorical demands were
both granted, and the third condition
al one would easily follow. The presi-
dent could have appealed to the sober
sentiment Of the country.
He could have especially appealed to
our Catholic population, on the strength
Of the queens references to religious
motives and the sanction Of the pope
He could have made peace certain.
But. alas, the "stop watch" of congress
was held on him, he had promised his
alarmed and excited fellow partisans
to send in war message, and not lei
the Democrats win an advantage, and
so ''this last conscientious effort fol
peace" as Minister Woodford called it
this grandest opportunity that eyel
= n = - = x s