Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-07-04
"AT THE BAR OF HISTORY



but. on second thought, 1t was stated,
MIR. Mckinley determined that 1t would
not be prudent to give nut the docu-
ments at that time. As we read them
now, 1t Ia easy to agree that 1T would
have been piece Of terrible impru-
depoe to give them to the world then,
since they prove that the war was need
less. This tardy publication OF the
dispatches makes 1t impossible to deny
what, in fact, Minister Woodford and
Senator Hoar and Congressman Bontelle
openly asserted in 1893, that there
would have been no war but for the
violence of Congress and the weakness
of the President From the official
correspondence We learn the truth of
the statement made by Mr.. Bontelle in
explanation of his vote against the war
= namely, that Spain had conceded
nearly every one of our demands, and
seemed plainly disposed to meet them
all, y SO that, but for the insane fury
Kinley fell terfcriZed, We should, as
Minister Woodford said publicly 10
Boston In October, 1903, haye seen the
Spanish flag leave Cuba without the
firing of shot or the loss of life. !"
The proof Is very simple. 1t lies
on the face of the dispatches. Passing
by all proliminsries, we find Secretary
Day on March 9th, 1898, telegraphing
Minister Woodford instructions to make
three demands:
First--Armistice until October 1st Nego-
tiations meantime looking for peace between
Splin and insurgents through friendly offices
of President United States.
Second Immediate revocation of recon-
centradu order.
Add II possible @
Thrd-lf terms of peace not satisfactorily
settled by Octoher 1st, President of the
United states to be final nfbiter between
SPAN and insurgents.
Now what followed? On March 3lat
the reooneentrRdo order was revoked,
and a special credit Of 5000, QUO pesetas
put at the disposal Of Governor
General Blanco 10 care for the homeless
Cuhane. There was our demand number
two promptly complied with. The offer
to ooneede demand number one was
cabled by Minister Woodfnrd on April
9th. 1t is the critical dispatch of this
whole volume. and it's suppression until
DOW certainly shows an extraordinary
degree Of prudence, and possibly
something else, 10 the President. We
publish it in full, and we ask for it the
careful attention OF those clergymen
and church people who were driving
Congress- on to war:
Should the queen proclaim the fol.
lowing before II clock noon OF
Wednesday, April 9Th, will you sus.
tain the queen, and can you prevent
hostile action by Congress-?
At the request of the Holy Father, In this
aHstsa Ag1aI. 10
proclaim lmfrediate and unconditional
suspension OF hostilities in the island OF
Cuba
This suspension Is to become immediately
effective go soon as accepted by the incur.
gents in that island, and is to continue foi
the space 81 six months, TO the 9th day oil
do this to give time for passions tc
cease, and IN the sincere hope and BELIEF
thai during this suspension permanent ano
honorable peace may he obtained between
the insular government of Cuba and thost
of my subjects 10 that island who are nov
in rebellion against the authority of Spain,
| prhy the blessing of Heaven upon thi:
truce of God. which ! now declare in His
name, and with the sanction OF the Hol,
Father OF all Christendom.
April 5th, 1898.
Please read this in the light Of all
my previous kilograms and letters.
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.
| permit the papal nuncio to read
this telegram, upon my own respunsi
bilIty, and without committing you ID
any manner. / dare not reject this
last chance for pence. / will show your
reply to the queen In person and /
believe that you will approve this last
conscientious effort for peace.
What could be more moving, more
pathetic, more like an unexrectec
messenger of pence to be greeted with
devout thankfulness by all Christian
hearts2 But how did President Nc
Kinley greet IL? Why, he telegraptled
Minister Woodford that he Hhighly
appreciated the Queens desire fol
peace" but that he could not assume
to influence the action of the American
Congress-. +" Yet ii an armistice were
offered, he would Communicates tina,
fact to Congress- " Yes, bat how die
he communicate it2 Did he cite 4
syllable of the pious and exalted Ian
guage of the queen? Did he explain
how the venerable head Of the Catholic
church had ezerted himself to proven,
a wicked war; No, he simply added {
couple OF vague and cold paragraphs a,
the very end Of his message. Read ths
passionate, eager words OF the queen Of
Spain. read the solemn exhortations o.
Minister Woodford, and then road how
President Mckinley presented tn,
matter to Congress
| Yesterday, and since the preparation o.
the foregoing message. official information
was received by me that the latest deere,
o. the Queen Regent of Spain directs Gen
Blanco, In order to prepare and facilitate
peace, to proclaiin a suspension of ho.tili
ties, the duration and details OF which have
not yet been communicated to me.
This fact, with every other pertinent con
sideration. will. am sure. have your JUS
and careful attention in the solemn de
alterations upon which you are about Il
enter. III this measure attains successful
\ result, then our aspirations as a Christian
| Leuce-loying people will be realized. II il
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 q message, all the previous
trend and argument of which made fol
war. What the President should have
done was to throw away the message
which be had prepared, face the altered
situation with an altered policy, ano
go boldly to Congress aud the country
with Woodford'a dispatch, including
the .queeo's elevated proclamation. He
could have truly hailed it as great
triumph of Amer lean diplomacy. Qui
two categorical demands were both
granted, and the third conditional ons
would easily follow. The President
could have appealed irresistibly to the