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diff --git a/old/13893.txt b/old/13893.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..03d0187 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13893.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5856 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Compilation of the Messages and Papers of +the Presidents, by William McKinley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents + William McKinley, Messages, Proclamations, and Executive Orders + Relating to the Spanish-American War + + +Author: William McKinley + +Release Date: October 29, 2004 [EBook #13893] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILLIAM MCKINLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS + +BY JAMES D. RICHARDSON + +A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF TENNESSEE + + + +PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF CONGRESS + +1902 + + + + + * * * * * + +William McKinley + +Messages, Proclamations, and Executive Orders Relating to the +Spanish-American War + + * * * * * + + + + +William McKinley + +William McKinley, the twenty-fifth President of the United States, was +born in Niles, Trumbull County, Ohio, January 29, 1843. His ancestors on +the paternal side, who were Scotch-Irish, came from Scotland and located +in Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather, David McKinley, after serving in +the Revolution, resided in Pennsylvania until 1814, when he went to +Ohio, where he died in 1840, at the age of 85. The grandmother of the +President, Mary Rose, came from a Puritan family that fled from England +to Holland and emigrated to Pennsylvania with William Penn. The father +of the President, William McKinley, sr., was born in Pine Township, +Mercer County, Pa., in 1807, and married Nancy Campbell Allison, of +Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1829. Both the grandfather and father of the +President were iron manufacturers. His father was a devout Methodist, +a stanch Whig and Republican, and an ardent advocate of a protective +tariff. He died during his son's first term as governor of Ohio, in +November, 1892, at the age of 85. The mother of the President passed +away at Canton, Ohio, in December, 1897, at the advanced age of 89. +William McKinley was educated in the public schools of Niles, Union +Seminary, at Poland, Ohio, and Allegheny College, at Meadville, Pa. +Before attaining his majority taught in the public schools. At the +age of 16 became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. At the +beginning of hostilities in the War between the States Mr. McKinley, +who was a clerk in the Poland post-office, volunteered his services, +and on June 11, 1861, was enlisted as a private in the Twenty-third Ohio +Volunteer Infantry. Participated in all the early engagements in West +Virginia, and in the winter's camp at Fayetteville received his first +promotion, commissary-sergeant, on April 15, 1862. In recognition of his +services at Antietam, Sergeant McKinley was made second lieutenant, his +commission dating from September 24, 1862, and on February 7, 1863, +while at Camp Piatt, he was again promoted, receiving the rank of first +lieutenant. In the retreat near Lynchburg, Va., his regiment marched 180 +miles, fighting nearly all the time, with scarcely any rest or food. +Lieutenant McKinley conducted himself with gallantry, and at Winchester +won additional honors. The Thirteenth West Virginia Regiment failed to +retire when the rest of Hayes's brigade fell back, and, being in great +danger of capture, the young lieutenant was directed to go and bring +it away, which he did in safety, after riding through a heavy fire. +On July 25, 1864, at the age of 21, McKinley was promoted to the rank of +captain. The brigade continued its fighting up and down the Shenandoah +Valley. At Berryville, Va., September 3, 1864, Captain McKinley's horse +was shot from under him. Served successively on the staffs of Generals +R.B. Hayes, George Crook, and Winfield S. Hancock, and on March 14, +1865, was brevetted major of United States Volunteers by President +Lincoln for gallantry in the battles of Opequan, Cedar Creek, and +Fishers Hill. Was detailed as acting assistant adjutant-general of the +First Division, First Army Corps, on the staff of General Samuel S. +Carroll. At the close of the war was urged to remain in the Army, but, +deferring to the judgment of his father, was mustered out of the service +July 26, 1865, and returned to Poland. At once began the study of law +under Glidden & Wilson, of Youngstown, Ohio, and later attended the +law school in Albany, N.Y. Was admitted to the bar in March, 1867, at +Warren, Ohio, and the same year removed to Canton, Ohio, which has since +been his home. In 1867 his first political speeches were made in favor +of negro suffrage. In 1869 was elected prosecuting attorney of Stark +County, and served one term, being defeated two years later for the same +office. Mr. McKinley took an active interest in State politics, and made +speeches in many of the campaigns. On January 25, 1871, married Miss +Ida Saxton. Two daughters were born to them, both of whom died in +early childhood. In 1876 was elected a member of the National House of +Representatives, and for fourteen years represented the Congressional +district of which his county was a part, except for a portion of his +fourth term, when he was unseated late in the first session. While in +Congress served on the Committees on the Judiciary, Revision of the +Laws, Expenditures in the Post-Office Department, Rules, and Ways and +Means. As chairman of the last-named committee in the Fifty-first +Congress, reported the tariff law of 1890. At the beginning of this +Congress was defeated in the caucus of his party for the Speakership of +the House. In the meantime, his district having been materially changed, +he was defeated for reelection to Congress in November, 1890, though he +largely reduced the usual majority against his party in the counties of +which the new district was constituted. In 1891 was elected governor of +Ohio by a plurality of 21,500, and in 1893 was reelected by a plurality +of 80,995. In 1884 was a delegate at large to the Republican national +convention, and supported James G. Blaine for President; was a member +of the committee on resolutions, and presented the platform to the +convention. Also attended the convention of his party in 1888 as a +delegate at large from Ohio, supporting John Sherman for President, +and as chairman of the committee on resolutions again reported the +platform. In 1892 was again a delegate at large from Ohio, and +supported the renomination of Benjamin Harrison, and served as chairman +of the convention. At that convention 182 votes were cast for him +for President, although he had persistently refused to have his name +considered. On June 18, 1896, was nominated for President by the +national convention of his party at St. Louis, receiving on the first +ballot 661-1/2 out of a total of 922 votes. Was chosen President at the +ensuing November election by a plurality in the popular vote of over +600,000, and received 271 electoral votes, against 176 for William J. +Bryan, of Nebraska. + + + + +SPECIAL MESSAGE. + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 17, 1897_. + +_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:_ + +Official information from our consuls in Cuba establishes the fact that +a large number of American citizens in the island are in a state of +destitution, suffering for want of food and medicines. This applies +particularly to the rural districts of the central and eastern parts. + +The agricultural classes have been forced from their farms into +the nearest towns, where they are without work or money. The local +authorities of the several towns, however kindly disposed, are unable to +relieve the needs of their own people and are altogether powerless to +help our citizens. + +The latest report of Consul-General Lee estimates six to eight hundred +Americans are without means of support. I have assured him that +provision would be made at once to relieve them. To that end I recommend +that Congress make an appropriation of not less than $50,000, to be +immediately available, for use under the direction of the Secretary of +State. + +It is desirable that a part of the sum which may be appropriated by +Congress should, in the discretion of the Secretary of State, also be +used for the transportation of American citizens who, desiring to return +to the United States, are without means to do so. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + + +FIRST ANNUAL MESSAGE. + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _December 6, 1897_. + + * * * * * + +The most important problem with which this Government is now called upon +to deal pertaining to its foreign relations concerns its duty toward +Spain and the Cuban insurrection. Problems and conditions more or less +in common with those now existing have confronted this Government at +various times in the past. The story of Cuba for many years has been one +of unrest, growing discontent, an effort toward a larger enjoyment of +liberty and self-control, of organized resistance to the mother country, +of depression after distress and warfare, and of ineffectual settlement +to be followed by renewed revolt. For no enduring period since the +enfranchisement of the continental possessions of Spain in the Western +Continent has the condition of Cuba or the policy of Spain toward Cuba +not caused concern to the United States. + +The prospect from time to time that the weakness of Spain's hold upon +the island and the political vicissitudes and embarrassments of the home +Government might lead to the transfer of Cuba to a continental power +called forth between 1823 and 1860 various emphatic declarations of +the policy of the United States to permit no disturbance of Cuba's +connection with Spain unless in the direction of independence or +acquisition by us through purchase, nor has there been any change of +this declared policy since upon the part of the Government. + +The revolution which began in 1868 lasted for ten years despite the +strenuous efforts of the successive peninsular governments to suppress +it. Then as now the Government of the United States testified its grave +concern and offered its aid to put an end to bloodshed in Cuba. The +overtures made by General Grant were refused and the war dragged on, +entailing great loss of life and treasure and increased injury to +American interests, besides throwing enhanced burdens of neutrality upon +this Government. In 1878 peace was brought about by the truce of Zanjon, +obtained by negotiations between the Spanish commander, Martinez de +Campos, and the insurgent leaders. + +The present insurrection broke out in February, 1895. It is not +my purpose at this time to recall its remarkable increase or to +characterize its tenacious resistance against the enormous forces massed +against it by Spain. The revolt and the efforts to subdue it carried +destruction to every quarter of the island, developing wide proportions +and defying the efforts of Spain for its suppression. The civilized code +of war has been disregarded, no less so by the Spaniards than by the +Cubans. + +The existing conditions can not but fill this Government and the +American people with the gravest apprehension. There is no desire on the +part of our people to profit by the misfortunes of Spain. We have only +the desire to see the Cubans prosperous and contented, enjoying that +measure of self-control which is the inalienable right of man, protected +in their right to reap the benefit of the exhaustless treasures of their +country. + +The offer made by my predecessor in April, 1896, tendering the friendly +offices of this Government, failed. Any mediation on our part was not +accepted. In brief, the answer read: "There is no effectual way to +pacify Cuba unless it begins with the actual submission of the rebels +to the mother country." Then only could Spain act in the promised +direction, of her own motion and after her own plans. + +The cruel policy of concentration was initiated February 16, 1896. The +productive districts controlled by the Spanish armies were depopulated. +The agricultural inhabitants were herded in and about the garrison +towns, their lands laid waste and their dwellings destroyed. This policy +the late cabinet of Spain justified as a necessary measure of war and as +a means of cutting off supplies from the insurgents. It has utterly +failed as a war measure. It was not civilized warfare. It was +extermination. + +Against this abuse of the rights of war I have felt constrained on +repeated occasions to enter the firm and earnest protest of this +Government. There was much of public condemnation of the treatment of +American citizens by alleged illegal arrests and long imprisonment +awaiting trial or pending protracted judicial proceedings. I felt it my +first duty to make instant demand for the release or speedy trial of all +American citizens under arrest. Before the change of the Spanish cabinet +in October last twenty-two prisoners, citizens of the United States, had +been given their freedom. + +For the relief of our own citizens suffering because of the conflict +the aid of Congress was sought in a special message,[1] and under +the appropriation of May 24, 1897,[2] effective aid has been given to +American citizens in Cuba, many of them at their own request having been +returned to the United States. + +The instructions given to our new minister to Spain before his departure +for his post directed him to impress upon that Government the sincere +wish of the United States to lend its aid toward the ending of the war +in Cuba by reaching a peaceful and lasting result, just and honorable +alike to Spain and to the Cuban people. These instructions recited the +character and duration of the contest, the widespread losses it entails, +the burdens and restraints it imposes upon us, with constant disturbance +of national interests, and the injury resulting from an indefinite +continuance of this state of things. It was stated that at this juncture +our Government was constrained to seriously inquire if the time was not +ripe when Spain of her own volition, moved by her own interests and +every sentiment of humanity, should put a stop to this destructive war +and make proposals of settlement honorable to herself and just to her +Cuban colony. It was urged that as a neighboring nation, with large +interests in Cuba, we could be required to wait only a reasonable time +for the mother country to establish its authority and restore peace and +order within the borders of the island; that we could not contemplate an +indefinite period for the accomplishment of this result. + +No solution was proposed to which the slightest idea of humiliation to +Spain could attach, and, indeed, precise proposals were withheld to +avoid embarrassment to that Government. All that was asked or expected +was that some safe way might be speedily provided and permanent peace +restored. It so chanced that the consideration of this offer, addressed +to the same Spanish administration which had declined the tenders of +my predecessor, and which for more than two years had poured men and +treasure into Cuba in the fruitless effort to suppress the revolt, fell +to others. Between the departure of General Woodford, the new envoy, +and his arrival in Spain the statesman who had shaped the policy of his +country fell by the hand of an assassin, and although the cabinet of the +late premier still held office and received from our envoy the proposals +he bore, that cabinet gave place within a few days thereafter to a new +administration, under the leadership of Sagasta. + +The reply to our note was received on the 23d day of October. It is in +the direction of a better understanding. It appreciates the friendly +purposes of this Government. It admits that our country is deeply +affected by the war in Cuba and that its desires for peace are just. +It declares that the present Spanish government is bound by every +consideration to a change of policy that should satisfy the United +States and pacify Cuba within a reasonable time. To this end Spain has +decided to put into effect the political reforms heretofore advocated by +the present premier, without halting for any consideration in the path +which in its judgment leads to peace. The military operations, it is +said, will continue, but will be humane and conducted with all regard +for private rights, being accompanied by political action leading to +the autonomy of Cuba while guarding Spanish sovereignty. This, it is +claimed, will result in investing Cuba with a distinct personality, the +island to be governed by an executive and by a local council or chamber, +reserving to Spain the control of the foreign relations, the army and +navy, and the judicial administration. To accomplish this the present +government proposes to modify existing legislation by decree, leaving +the Spanish Cortes, with the aid of Cuban senators and deputies, to +solve the economic problem and properly distribute the existing debt. + +In the absence of a declaration of the measures that this Government +proposes to take in carrying out its proffer of good offices, it +suggests that Spain be left free to conduct military operations and +grant political reforms, while the United States for its part shall +enforce its neutral obligations and cut off the assistance which it is +asserted the insurgents receive from this country. The supposition of an +indefinite prolongation of the war is denied. It is asserted that the +western provinces are already well-nigh reclaimed, that the planting of +cane and tobacco therein has been resumed, and that by force of arms and +new and ample reforms very early and complete pacification is hoped for. + +The immediate amelioration of existing conditions under the new +administration of Cuban affairs is predicted, and therewithal the +disturbance and all occasion for any change of attitude on the part +of the United States. Discussion of the question of the international +duties and responsibilities of the United States as Spain understands +them is presented, with an apparent disposition to charge us with +failure in this regard. This charge is without any basis in fact. It +could not have been made if Spain had been cognizant of the constant +efforts this Government has made, at the cost of millions and by the +employment of the administrative machinery of the nation at command, +to perform its full duty according to the law of nations. That it has +successfully prevented the departure of a single military expedition or +armed vessel from our shores in violation of our laws would seem to be +a sufficient answer. But of this aspect of the Spanish note it is not +necessary to speak further now. Firm in the conviction of a wholly +performed obligation, due response to this charge has been made in +diplomatic course. + +Throughout all these horrors and dangers to our own peace this +Government has never in any way abrogated its sovereign prerogative of +reserving to itself the determination of its policy and course according +to its own high sense of right and in consonance with the dearest +interests and convictions of our own people should the prolongation of +the strife so demand. + +Of the untried measures there remain only: Recognition of the insurgents +as belligerents; recognition of the independence of Cuba; neutral +intervention to end the war by imposing a rational compromise between +the contestants, and intervention in favor of one or the other party. +I speak not of forcible annexation, for that can not be thought of. +That, by our code of morality, would be criminal aggression. + +Recognition of the belligerency of the Cuban insurgents has often +been canvassed as a possible, if not inevitable, step both in regard +to the previous ten years struggle and during the present war. I am +not unmindful that the two Houses of Congress in the spring of 1896 +expressed the opinion by concurrent resolution that a condition of +public war existed requiring or justifying the recognition of a state +of belligerency in Cuba, and during the extra session the Senate voted +a joint resolution of like import, which, however, was not brought +to a vote in the House of Representatives. In the presence of these +significant expressions of the sentiment of the legislative branch it +behooves the Executive to soberly consider the conditions under which +so important a measure must needs rest for justification. It is to be +seriously considered whether the Cuban insurrection possesses beyond +dispute the attributes of statehood, which alone can demand the +recognition of belligerency in its favor. Possession, in short, of +the essential qualifications of sovereignty by the insurgents and the +conduct of the war by them according to the received code of war are +no less important factors toward the determination of the problem of +belligerency than are the influences and consequences of the struggle +upon the internal polity of the recognizing state. + +The wise utterances of President Grant in his memorable message of +December 7, 1875, are signally relevant to the present situation in +Cuba, and it may be wholesome now to recall them. At that time a ruinous +conflict had for seven years wasted the neighboring island. During all +those years an utter disregard of the laws of civilized warfare and +of the just demands of humanity, which called forth expressions of +condemnation from the nations of Christendom, continued unabated. +Desolation and ruin pervaded that productive region, enormously +affecting the commerce of all commercial nations, but that of the United +States more than any other by reason of proximity and larger trade and +intercourse. At that juncture General Grant uttered these words, which +now, as then, sum up the elements of the problem: + + A recognition of the independence of Cuba being, in my opinion, + impracticable and indefensible, the question which next presents itself + is that of the recognition of belligerent rights in the parties to the + contest. + + In a former message to Congress[3] I had occasion to consider this + question, and reached the conclusion that the conflict in Cuba, + dreadful and devastating as were its incidents, did not rise to the + fearful dignity of war. * * * It is possible that the acts of foreign + powers, and even acts of Spain herself, of this very nature, might be + pointed to in defense of such recognition. But now, as in its past + history, the United States should carefully avoid the false lights + which might lead it into the mazes of doubtful law and of questionable + propriety, and adhere rigidly and sternly to the rule, which has been + its guide, of doing only that which is right and honest and of good + report. The question of according or of withholding rights of + belligerency must be judged in every case in view of the particular + attending facts. Unless justified by necessity, it is always, and + justly, regarded as an unfriendly act and a gratuitous demonstration + of moral support to the rebellion. It is necessary, and it is + required, when the interests and rights of another government or of + its people are so far affected by a pending civil conflict as to + require a definition of its relations to the parties thereto. But + this conflict must be one which will be recognized in the sense of + international law as war. Belligerence, too, is a fact. The mere + existence of contending armed bodies and their occasional conflicts do + not constitute war in the sense referred to. Applying to the existing + condition of affairs in Cuba the tests recognized by publicists and + writers on international law, and which have been observed by nations + of dignity, honesty, and power when free from sensitive or selfish and + unworthy motives, I fail to find in the insurrection the existence of + such a substantial political organization, real, palpable, and + manifest to the world, having the forms and capable of the ordinary + functions of government toward its own people and to other states, + with courts for the administration of justice, with a local + habitation, possessing such organization of force, such material, such + occupation of territory, as to take the contest out of the category of + a mere rebellious insurrection or occasional skirmishes and place it + on the terrible footing of war, to which a recognition of belligerency + would aim to elevate it. The contest, moreover, is solely on land; the + insurrection has not possessed itself of a single seaport whence it + may send forth its flag, nor has it any means of communication with + foreign powers except through the military lines of its adversaries. + No apprehension of any of those sudden and difficult complications + which a war upon the ocean is apt to precipitate upon the vessels, + both commercial and national, and upon the consular officers of other + powers calls for the definition of their relations to the parties to + the contest. Considered as a question of expediency, I regard the + accordance of belligerent rights still to be as unwise and premature + as I regard it to be, at present, indefensible as a measure of right. + Such recognition entails upon the country according the rights which + flow from it difficult and complicated duties, and requires the + exaction from the contending parties of the strict observance of their + rights and obligations. It confers the right of search upon the high + seas by vessels of both parties; it would subject the carrying of arms + and munitions of war, which now may be transported freely and without + interruption in the vessels of the United States, to detention and to + possible seizure; it would give rise to countless vexatious questions, + would release the parent Government from responsibility for acts done + by the insurgents, and would invest Spain with the right to exercise + the supervision recognized by our treaty of 1795 over our commerce on + the high seas, a very large part of which, in its traffic between the + Atlantic and the Gulf States and between all of them and the States on + the Pacific, passes through the waters which wash the shores of Cuba. + The exercise of this supervision could scarce fail to lead, if not to + abuses, certainly to collisions perilous to the peaceful relations + of the two States. There can be little doubt to what result such + supervision would before long draw this nation. It would be unworthy + of the United States to inaugurate the possibilities of such result by + measures of questionable right or expediency or by any indirection. + + +Turning to the practical aspects of a recognition of belligerency +and reviewing its inconveniences and positive dangers, still further +pertinent considerations appear. In the code of nations there is no +such thing as a naked recognition of belligerency, unaccompanied by the +assumption of international neutrality. Such recognition, without more, +will not confer upon either party to a domestic conflict a status not +theretofore actually possessed or affect the relation of either party to +other states. The act of recognition usually takes the form of a solemn +proclamation of neutrality, which recites the _de facto_ condition +of belligerency as its motive. It announces a domestic law of neutrality +in the declaring state. It assumes the international obligations of a +neutral in the presence of a public state of war. It warns all citizens +and others within the jurisdiction of the proclaimant that they violate +those rigorous obligations at their own peril and can not expect to be +shielded from the consequences. The right of visit and search on the +seas and seizure of vessels and cargoes and contraband of war and good +prize under admiralty law must under international law be admitted +as a legitimate consequence of a proclamation of belligerency. While +according the equal belligerent rights defined by public law to each +party in our ports disfavors would be imposed on both, which, while +nominally equal, would weigh heavily in behalf of Spain herself. +Possessing a navy and controlling the ports of Cuba, her maritime rights +could be asserted not only for the military investment of the island, +but up to the margin of our own territorial waters, and a condition of +things would exist for which the Cubans within their own domain could +not hope to create a parallel, while its creation through aid or +sympathy from within our domain would be even more impossible than now, +with the additional obligations of international neutrality we would +perforce assume. + +The enforcement of this enlarged and onerous code of neutrality would +only be influential within our own jurisdiction by land and sea and +applicable by our own instrumentalities. It could impart to the United +States no jurisdiction between Spain and the insurgents. It would give +the United States no right of intervention to enforce the conduct of the +strife within the paramount authority of Spain according to the +international code of war. + +For these reasons I regard the recognition of the belligerency of the +Cuban insurgents as now unwise, and therefore inadmissible. Should that +step hereafter be deemed wise as a measure of right and duty, the +Executive will take it. + +Intervention upon humanitarian grounds has been frequently suggested and +has not failed to receive my most anxious and earnest consideration. +But should such a step be now taken, when it is apparent that a hopeful +change has supervened in the policy of Spain toward Cuba? A new +government has taken office in the mother country. It is pledged in +advance to the declaration that all the effort in the world can not +suffice to maintain peace in Cuba by the bayonet; that vague promises of +reform after subjugation afford no solution of the insular problem; that +with a substitution of commanders must come a change of the past system +of warfare for one in harmony with a new policy, which shall no longer +aim to drive the Cubans to the "horrible alternative of taking to the +thicket or succumbing in misery;" that reforms must be instituted in +accordance with the needs and circumstances of the time, and that these +reforms, while designed to give full autonomy to the colony and to +create a virtual entity and self-controlled administration, shall yet +conserve and affirm the sovereignty of Spain by a just distribution of +powers and burdens upon a basis of mutual interest untainted by methods +of selfish expediency. + +The first acts of the new government lie in these honorable paths. +The policy of cruel rapine and extermination that so long shocked the +universal sentiment of humanity has been reversed. Under the new +military commander a broad clemency is proffered. Measures have already +been set on foot to relieve the horrors of starvation. The power of the +Spanish armies, it is asserted, is to be used not to spread ruin and +desolation, but to protect the resumption of peaceful agricultural +pursuits and productive industries. That past methods are futile to +force a peace by subjugation is freely admitted, and that ruin without +conciliation must inevitably fail to win for Spain the fidelity of a +contented dependency. + +Decrees in application of the foreshadowed reforms have already been +promulgated. The full text of these decrees has not been received, but +as furnished in a telegraphic summary from our minister are: All civil +and electoral rights of peninsular Spaniards are, in virtue of existing +constitutional authority, forthwith extended to colonial Spaniards. A +scheme of autonomy has been proclaimed by decree, to become effective +upon ratification by the Cortes. It creates a Cuban parliament, which, +with the insular executive, can consider and vote upon all subjects +affecting local order and interests, possessing unlimited powers save as +to matters of state, war, and the navy, as to which the Governor-General +acts by his own authority as the delegate of the central Government. +This parliament receives the oath of the Governor-General to preserve +faithfully the liberties and privileges of the colony, and to it the +colonial secretaries are responsible. It has the right to propose to the +central Government, through the Governor-General, modifications of the +national charter and to invite new projects of law or executive measures +in the interest of the colony. + +Besides its local powers, it is competent, first, to regulate electoral +registration and procedure and prescribe the qualifications of electors +and the manner of exercising suffrage; second, to organize courts of +justice with native judges from members of the local bar; third, to +frame the insular budget, both as to expenditures and revenues, without +limitation of any kind, and to set apart the revenues to meet the Cuban +share of the national budget, which latter will be voted by the national +Cortes with the assistance of Cuban senators and deputies; fourth, to +initiate or take part in the negotiations of the national Government for +commercial treaties which may affect Cuban interests; fifth, to accept +or reject commercial treaties which the national Government may have +concluded without the participation of the Cuban government; sixth, +to frame the colonial tariff, acting in accord with the peninsular +Government in scheduling articles of mutual commerce between the mother +country and the colonies. Before introducing or voting upon a bill the +Cuban government or the chambers will lay the project before the central +Government and hear its opinion thereon, all the correspondence in such +regard being made public. Finally, all conflicts of jurisdiction arising +between the different municipal, provincial, and insular assemblies, or +between the latter and the insular executive power, and which from their +nature may not be referable to the central Government for decision, +shall be submitted to the courts. + +That the government of Sagasta has entered upon a course from which +recession with honor is impossible can hardly be questioned; that in +the few weeks it has existed it has made earnest of the sincerity of its +professions is undeniable. I shall not impugn its sincerity, nor should +impatience be suffered to embarrass it in the task it has undertaken. +It is honestly due to Spain and to our friendly relations with Spain +that she should be given a reasonable chance to realize her expectations +and to prove the asserted efficacy of the new order of things to which +she stands irrevocably committed. She has recalled the commander whose +brutal orders inflamed the American mind and shocked the civilized +world. She has modified the horrible order of concentration and has +undertaken to care for the helpless and permit those who desire to +resume the cultivation of their fields to do so, and assures them of the +protection of the Spanish Government in their lawful occupations. She +has just released the _Competitor_ prisoners, heretofore sentenced +to death, and who have been the subject of repeated diplomatic +correspondence during both this and the preceding Administration. + +Not a single American citizen is now in arrest or confinement in Cuba of +whom this Government has any knowledge. The near future will demonstrate +whether the indispensable condition of a righteous peace, just alike to +the Cubans and to Spain, as well as equitable to all our interests so +intimately involved in the welfare of Cuba, is likely to be attained. If +not, the exigency of further and other action by the United States will +remain to be taken. When that time comes, that action will be determined +in the line of indisputable right and duty. It will be faced, without +misgiving or hesitancy, in the light of the obligation this Government +owes to itself, to the people who have confided to it the protection of +their interests and honor, and to humanity. + +Sure of the right, keeping free from all offense ourselves, actuated +only by upright and patriotic considerations, moved neither by passion +nor selfishness, the Government will continue its watchful care over +the rights and property of American citizens and will abate none of +its efforts to bring about by peaceful agencies a peace which shall +be honorable and enduring. If it shall hereafter appear to be a duty +imposed by our obligations to ourselves, to civilization, and humanity +to intervene with force, it shall be without fault on our part and only +because the necessity for such action will be so clear as to command the +support and approval of the civilized world. + + * * * * * + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + +JOINT RESOLUTION appropriating $50,000 for the relief of destitute +citizens of the United States in the island of Cuba. + +_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United +States of America in Congress assembled_, That the sum of $50,000 be, +and the same is hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury +not otherwise appropriated, for the relief of destitute citizens of the +United States in the island of Cuba, said money to be expended at the +discretion and under the direction of the President of the United States +in the purchase and furnishing of food, clothing, and medicines to such +citizens, and for transporting to the United States such of them as so +desire and who are without means to transport themselves. + +Approved, May 24, 1897. + +[Footnote 1: See p. 127.] + +[Footnote 2: See p. 136.] + +[Footnote 3: See Vol. VII, pp. 64-69.] + + + + +SPECIAL MESSAGES. + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 28, 1898._ + +_To the Congress of the United States_: + +For some time prior to the visit of the _Maine_ to Havana Harbor +our consular representatives pointed out the advantages to flow from the +visit of national ships to the Cuban waters, in accustoming the people +to the presence of our flag as the symbol of good will and of our ships +in the fulfillment of the mission of protection to American interests, +even though no immediate need therefor might exist. + +Accordingly, on the 24th of January last, after conference with the +Spanish minister, in which the renewal of visits of our war vessels to +Spanish waters was discussed and accepted, the peninsular authorities at +Madrid and Havana were advised of the purpose of this Government to +resume friendly naval visits at Cuban ports, and that in that view the +_Maine_ would forthwith call at the port of Havana. + +This announcement was received by the Spanish Government with +appreciation of the friendly character of the visit of the _Maine_ +and with notification of intention to return the courtesy by sending +Spanish ships to the principal ports of the United States. Meanwhile the +_Maine_ entered the port of Havana on the 25th of January, her +arrival being marked with no special incident besides the exchange of +customary salutes and ceremonial visits. + +The _Maine_ continued in the harbor of Havana during the three +weeks following her arrival. No appreciable excitement attended her +stay. On the contrary, a feeling of relief and confidence followed the +resumption of the long-interrupted friendly intercourse. So noticeable +was this immediate effect of her visit that the consul-general strongly +urged that the presence of our ships in Cuban waters should be kept up +by retaining the _Maine_ at Havana, or, in the event of her recall, +by sending another vessel there to take her place. + +At forty minutes past 9 in the evening of the 15th of February the +_Maine_ was destroyed by an explosion, by which the entire forward +part of the ship was utterly wrecked. In this catastrophe 2 officers and +264 of her crew perished, those who were not killed outright by her +explosion being penned between decks by the tangle of wreckage and +drowned by the immediate sinking of the hull. + +Prompt assistance was rendered by the neighboring vessels anchored in +the harbor, aid being especially given by the boats of the Spanish +cruiser _Alfonso XII_ and the Ward Line steamer _City of Washington_, +which lay not far distant. The wounded were generously cared for by +the authorities of Havana, the hospitals being freely opened to them, +while the earliest recovered bodies of the dead were interred by the +municipality in a public cemetery in the city. Tributes of grief and +sympathy were offered from all official quarters of the island. + +The appalling calamity fell upon the people of our country with +crushing force, and for a brief time an intense excitement prevailed, +which in a community less just and self-controlled than ours might have +led to hasty acts of blind resentment. This spirit, however, soon gave +way to the calmer processes of reason and to the resolve to investigate +the facts and await material proof before forming a judgment as to the +cause, the responsibility, and, if the facts warranted, the remedy due. +This course necessarily recommended itself from the outset to the +Executive, for only in the light of a dispassionately ascertained +certainty could it determine the nature and measure of its full duty +in the matter. + +The usual procedure was followed, as in all cases of casualty or +disaster to national vessels of any maritime state. A naval court of +inquiry was at once organized, composed of officers well qualified by +rank and practical experience to discharge the onerous duty imposed +upon them. Aided by a strong force of wreckers and divers, the court +proceeded to make a thorough investigation on the spot, employing every +available means for the impartial and exact determination of the causes +of the explosion. Its operations have been conducted with the utmost +deliberation and judgment, and, while independently pursued, no +attainable source of information was neglected, and the fullest +opportunity was allowed for a simultaneous investigation by the Spanish +authorities. + +The finding of the court of inquiry was reached, after twenty-three days +of continuous labor, on the 21st of March instant, and, having been +approved on the 22d by the commander in chief of the United States naval +force on the North Atlantic station, was transmitted to the Executive. + +It is herewith laid before the Congress, together with the voluminous +testimony taken before the court. + +Its purport is, in brief, as follows: + +When the _Maine_ arrived at Havana, she was conducted by the regular +Government pilot to buoy No. 4, to which she was moored in from 5-1/2 +to 6 fathoms of water. + +The state of discipline on board and the condition of her magazines, +boilers, coal bunkers, and storage compartments are passed in review, +with the conclusion that excellent order prevailed and that no +indication of any cause for an internal explosion existed in any +quarter. + +At 8 o'clock in the evening of February 15 everything had been reported +secure, and all was quiet. + +At forty minutes past 9 o'clock the vessel was suddenly destroyed. + +There were two distinct explosions, with a brief interval between them. +The first lifted the forward part of the ship very perceptibly; the +second, which was more open, prolonged, and of greater volume, is +attributed by the court to the partial explosion of two or more of the +forward magazines. + +The evidence of the divers establishes that the after part of the ship +was practically intact and sank in that condition a very few moments +after the explosion. The forward part was completely demolished. + +Upon the evidence of a concurrent external cause the finding of the +court is as follows: + +At frame 17 the outer shell of the ship, from a point 11-1/2 feet from +the middle line of the ship and 6 feet above the keel when in its normal +position, has been forced up so as to be now about 4 feet above the +surface of the water, therefore about 34 feet above where it would be +had the ship sunk uninjured. + +The outside bottom plating is bent into a reversed V shape (*A), the +after wing of which, about 15 feet broad and 32 feet in length (from +frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled back upon itself against the +continuation of the same plating, extending forward. + +At frame 18 the vertical keel is broken in two and the flat keel bent +into an angle similar to the angle formed by the outside bottom plates. +This break is now about 6 feet below the surface of the water and about +30 feet above its normal position. + +In the opinion of the court this effect could have been produced only by +the explosion of a mine situated under the bottom of the ship at about +frame 18 and somewhat on the port side of the ship. + + +The conclusions of the court are: + +That the loss of the _Maine_ was not in any respect due to fault or +negligence on the part of any of the officers or members of her crew; + +That the ship was destroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine, which +caused the partial explosion of two or more of her forward magazines; +and + +That no evidence has been obtainable fixing the responsibility for the +destruction of the _Maine_ upon any person or persons. + +I have directed that the finding of the court of inquiry and the views +of this Government thereon be communicated to the Government of Her +Majesty the Queen Regent, and I do not permit myself to doubt that the +sense of justice of the Spanish nation will dictate a course of action +suggested by honor and the friendly relations of the two Governments. + +It will be the duty of the Executive to advise the Congress of the +result, and in the meantime deliberate consideration is invoked. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _April 11, 1898_. + +_To the Congress of the United States:_ + +Obedient to that precept of the Constitution which commands the +President to give from time to time to the Congress information of the +state of the Union and to recommend to their consideration such measures +as he shall judge necessary and expedient, it becomes my duty to now +address your body with regard to the grave crisis that has arisen in the +relations of the United States to Spain by reason of the warfare that +for more than three years has raged in the neighboring island of Cuba. + +I do so because of the intimate connection of the Cuban question with +the state of our own Union and the grave relation the course which +it is now incumbent upon the nation to adopt must needs bear to the +traditional policy of our Government if it is to accord with the +precepts laid down by the founders of the Republic and religiously +observed by succeeding Administrations to the present day. + +The present revolution is but the successor of other similar +insurrections which have occurred in Cuba against the dominion of Spain, +extending over a period of nearly half a century, each of which during +its progress has subjected the United States to great effort and expense +in enforcing its neutrality laws, caused enormous losses to American +trade and commerce, caused irritation, annoyance, and disturbance among +our citizens, and, by the exercise of cruel, barbarous, and uncivilized +practices of warfare, shocked the sensibilities and offended the humane +sympathies of our people. + +Since the present revolution began, in February, 1895, this country has +seen the fertile domain at our threshold ravaged by fire and sword in +the course of a struggle unequaled in the history of the island and +rarely paralleled as to the numbers of the combatants and the bitterness +of the contest by any revolution of modern times where a dependent +people striving to be free have been opposed by the power of the +sovereign state. + +Our people have beheld a once prosperous community reduced to +comparative want, its lucrative commerce virtually paralyzed, its +exceptional productiveness diminished, its fields laid waste, its mills +in ruins, and its people perishing by tens of thousands from hunger and +destitution. We have found ourselves constrained, in the observance +of that strict neutrality which our laws enjoin and which the law of +nations commands, to police our own waters and watch our own seaports +in prevention of any unlawful act in aid of the Cubans. + +Our trade has suffered, the capital invested by our citizens in Cuba +has been largely lost, and the temper and forbearance of our people +have been so sorely tried as to beget a perilous unrest among our own +citizens, which has inevitably found its expression from time to time in +the National Legislature, so that issues wholly external to our own body +politic engross attention and stand in the way of that close devotion to +domestic advancement that becomes a self-contained commonwealth whose +primal maxim has been the avoidance of all foreign entanglements. All +this must needs awaken, and has, indeed, aroused, the utmost concern on +the part of this Government, as well during my predecessor's term as in +my own. + +In April, 1896, the evils from which our country suffered through the +Cuban war became so onerous that my predecessor made an effort to bring +about a peace through the mediation of this Government in any way that +might tend to an honorable adjustment of the contest between Spain +and her revolted colony, on the basis of some effective scheme of +self-government for Cuba under the flag and sovereignty of Spain. It +failed through the refusal of the Spanish government then in power to +consider any form of mediation or, indeed, any plan of settlement which +did not begin with the actual submission of the insurgents to the mother +country, and then only on such terms as Spain herself might see fit to +grant. The war continued unabated. The resistance of the insurgents was +in no wise diminished. + +The efforts of Spain were increased, both by the dispatch of fresh +levies to Cuba and by the addition to the horrors of the strife of +a new and inhuman phase happily unprecedented in the modern history +of civilized Christian peoples. The policy of devastation and +concentration, inaugurated by the Captain-General's _bando_ of +October 21, 1896, in the Province of Pinar del Rio was thence extended +to embrace all of the island to which the power of the Spanish arms was +able to reach by occupation or by military operations. The peasantry, +including all dwelling in the open agricultural interior, were driven +into the garrison towns or isolated places held by the troops. + +The raising and movement of provisions of all kinds were interdicted. +The fields were laid waste, dwellings unroofed and fired, mills +destroyed, and, in short, everything that could desolate the land and +render it unfit for human habitation or support was commanded by one or +the other of the contending parties and executed by all the powers at +their disposal. + +By the time the present Administration took office, a year ago, +reconcentration (so called) had been made effective over the better part +of the four central and western provinces--Santa Clara, Matanzas, +Havana, and Pinar del Rio. + +The agricultural population to the estimated number of 300,000 or more +was herded within the towns and their immediate vicinage, deprived of +the means of support, rendered destitute of shelter, left poorly clad, +and exposed to the most unsanitary conditions. As the scarcity of food +increased with the devastation of the depopulated areas of production, +destitution and want became misery and starvation. Month by month the +death rate increased in an alarming ratio. By March, 1897, according to +conservative estimates from official Spanish sources, the mortality +among the reconcentrados from starvation and the diseases thereto +incident exceeded 50 per cent of their total number. + +No practical relief was accorded to the destitute. The overburdened +towns, already suffering from the general dearth, could give no aid. +So-called "zones of cultivation" established within the immediate areas +of effective military control about the cities and fortified camps +proved illusory as a remedy for the suffering. The unfortunates, being +for the most part women and children, with aged and helpless men, +enfeebled by disease and hunger, could not have tilled the soil without +tools, seed, or shelter for their own support or for the supply of the +cities. Reconcentration, adopted avowedly as a war measure in order to +cut off the resources of the insurgents, worked its predestined result. +As I said in my message of last December, it was not civilized warfare; +it was extermination. The only peace it could beget was that of the +wilderness and the grave. + +Meanwhile the military situation in the island had undergone a +noticeable change. The extraordinary activity that characterized the +second year of the war, when the insurgents invaded even the thitherto +unharmed fields of Pinar del Rio and carried havoc and destruction up +to the walls of the city of Havana itself, had relapsed into a dogged +struggle in the central and eastern provinces. The Spanish arms regained +a measure of control in Pinar del Rio and parts of Havana, but, under +the existing conditions of the rural country, without immediate +improvement of their productive situation. Even thus partially +restricted, the revolutionists held their own, and their conquest and +submission, put forward by Spain as the essential and sole basis of +peace, seemed as far distant as at the outset. + +In this state of affairs my Administration found itself confronted with +the grave problem of its duty. My message of last December[4] reviewed +the situation and narrated the steps taken with a view to relieving its +acuteness and opening the way to some form of honorable settlement. The +assassination of the prime minister, Canovas, led to a change of +government in Spain. The former administration, pledged to subjugation +without concession, gave place to that of a more liberal party, +committed long in advance to a policy of reform involving the wider +principle of home rule for Cuba and Puerto Rico. + +The overtures of this Government made through its new envoy, General +Woodford, and looking to an immediate and effective amelioration of the +condition of the island, although not accepted to the extent of admitted +mediation in any shape, were met by assurances that home rule in an +advanced phase would be forthwith offered to Cuba, without waiting for +the war to end, and that more humane methods should thenceforth prevail +in the conduct of hostilities. Coincidentally with these declarations +the new government of Spain continued and completed the policy, already +begun by its predecessor, of testifying friendly regard for this nation +by releasing American citizens held under one charge or another +connected with the insurrection, so that by the end of November not a +single person entitled in any way to our national protection remained in +a Spanish prison. + +While these negotiations were in progress the increasing destitution of +the unfortunate reconcentrados and the alarming mortality among them +claimed earnest attention. The success which had attended the limited +measure of relief extended to the suffering American citizens among them +by the judicious expenditure through the consular agencies of the money +appropriated expressly for their succor by the joint resolution approved +May 24, 1897,[5] prompted the humane extension of a similar scheme of +aid to the great body of sufferers. A suggestion to this end was +acquiesced in by the Spanish authorities. + +On the 24th of December last I caused to be issued an appeal to the +American people inviting contributions in money or in kind for the +succor of the starving sufferers in Cuba, following this on the 8th of +January by a similar public announcement of the formation of a central +Cuban relief committee, with headquarters in New York City, composed of +three members representing the American National Red Cross and the +religious and business elements of the community. + +The efforts of that committee have been untiring and have accomplished +much. Arrangements for free transportation to Cuba have greatly aided +the charitable work. The president of the American Red Cross and +representatives of other contributory organizations have generously +visited Cuba and cooperated with the consul-general and the local +authorities to make effective distribution of the relief collected +through the efforts of the central committee. Nearly $200,000 in money +and supplies has already reached the sufferers, and more is forthcoming. +The supplies are admitted duty free, and transportation to the interior +has been arranged, so that the relief, at first necessarily confined to +Havana and the larger cities, is now extended through most, if not all, +of the towns where suffering exists. + +Thousands of lives have already been saved. The necessity for a change +in the condition of the reconcentrados is recognized by the Spanish +Government. Within a few days past the orders of General Weyler have +been revoked. The reconcentrados, it is said, are to be permitted to +return to their homes and aided to resume the self-supporting pursuits +of peace. Public works have been ordered to give them employment and a +sum of $600,000 has been appropriated for their relief. + +The war in Cuba is of such a nature that, short of subjugation or +extermination, a final military victory for either side seems +impracticable. The alternative lies in the physical exhaustion of the +one or the other party, or perhaps of both--a condition which in effect +ended the ten years' war by the truce of Zanjon. The prospect of such a +protraction and conclusion of the present strife is a contingency hardly +to be contemplated with equanimity by the civilized world, and least of +all by the United States, affected and injured as we are, deeply and +intimately, by its very existence. + +Realizing this, it appeared to be my duty, in a spirit of true +friendliness, no less to Spain than to the Cubans, who have so much to +lose by the prolongation of the struggle, to seek to bring about an +immediate termination of the war. To this end I submitted on the 27th +ultimo, as a result of much representation and correspondence, through +the United States minister at Madrid, propositions to the Spanish +Government looking to an armistice until October 1 for the negotiation +of peace with the good offices of the President. + +In addition I asked the immediate revocation of the order of +reconcentration, so as to permit the people to return to their farms and +the needy to be relieved with provisions and supplies from the United +States, cooperating with the Spanish authorities, so as to afford full +relief. + +The reply of the Spanish cabinet was received on the night of the +31st ultimo. It offered, as the means to bring about peace in Cuba, +to confide the preparation thereof to the insular parliament, inasmuch +as the concurrence of that body would be necessary to reach a final +result, it being, however, understood that the powers reserved by the +constitution to the central Government are not lessened or diminished. +As the Cuban parliament does not meet until the 4th of May next, the +Spanish Government would not object for its part to accept at once +a suspension of hostilities if asked for by the insurgents from the +general in chief, to whom it would pertain in such case to determine +the duration and conditions of the armistice. + +The propositions submitted by General Woodford and the reply of the +Spanish Government were both in the form of brief memoranda, the texts +of which are before me and are substantially in the language above +given. The function of the Cuban parliament in the matter of "preparing" +peace and the manner of its doing so are not expressed in the Spanish +memorandum, but from General Woodford's explanatory reports of +preliminary discussions preceding the final conference it is understood +that the Spanish Government stands ready to give the insular congress +full powers to settle the terms of peace with the insurgents, whether by +direct negotiation or indirectly by means of legislation does not +appear. + +With this last overture in the direction of immediate peace, and its +disappointing reception by Spain, the Executive is brought to the end of +his effort. + +In my annual message of December last I said: + + Of the untried measures there remain only: Recognition of the insurgents + as belligerents; recognition of the independence of Cuba; neutral + intervention to end the war by imposing a rational compromise between + the contestants, and intervention in favor of one or the other party. + I speak not of forcible annexation, for that can not be thought of. + That, by our code of morality, would be criminal aggression. + + +Thereupon I reviewed these alternatives in the light of President +Grant's measured words, uttered in 1875, when, after seven years of +sanguinary, destructive, and cruel hostilities in Cuba, he reached the +conclusion that the recognition of the independence of Cuba was +impracticable and indefensible and that the recognition of belligerence +was not warranted by the facts according to the tests of public law. +I commented especially upon the latter aspect of the question, pointing +out the inconveniences and positive dangers of a recognition of +belligerence, which, while adding to the already onerous burdens of +neutrality within our own jurisdiction, could not in any way extend our +influence or effective offices in the territory of hostilities. + +Nothing has since occurred to change my view in this regard, and +I recognize as fully now as then that the issuance of a proclamation of +neutrality, by which process the so-called recognition of belligerents +is published, could of itself and unattended by other action accomplish +nothing toward the one end for which we labor--the instant pacification +of Cuba and the cessation of the misery that afflicts the island. + +Turning to the question of recognizing at this time the independence +of the present insurgent government in Cuba, we find safe precedents +in our history from an early day. They are well summed up in President +Jackson's message to Congress, December 21, 1836, on the subject of the +recognition of the independence of Texas. He said: + + In all the contests that have arisen out of the revolutions of France, + out of the disputes relating to the crowns of Portugal and Spain, out + of the revolutionary movements of those Kingdoms, out of the separation + of the American possessions of both from the European Governments, and + out of the numerous and constantly occurring struggles for dominion in + Spanish America, so wisely consistent with our just principles has been + the action of our Government that we have under the most critical + circumstances avoided all censure and encountered no other evil than + that produced by a transient estrangement of good will in those against + whom we have been by force of evidence compelled to decide. + + It has thus been made known to the world that the uniform policy and + practice of the United States is to avoid all interference in disputes + which merely relate to the internal government of other nations, and + eventually to recognize the authority of the prevailing party, without + reference to our particular interests and views or to the merits of the + original controversy. + + * * * * * + + * * * But on this as on every trying occasion safety is to be found in + a rigid adherence to principle. + + In the contest between Spain and her revolted colonies we stood aloof + and waited, not only until the ability of the new States to protect + themselves was fully established, but until the danger of their being + again subjugated had entirely passed away. Then, and not till then, were + they recognized. Such was our course in regard to Mexico herself. * * * + It is true that, with regard to Texas, the civil authority of Mexico has + been expelled, its invading army defeated, the chief of the Republic + himself captured, and all present power to control the newly organized + Government of Texas annihilated within its confines. But, on the other + hand, there is, in appearance at least, an immense disparity of physical + force on the side of Mexico. The Mexican Republic under another + Executive is rallying its forces under a new leader and menacing a fresh + invasion to recover its lost dominion. + + Upon the issue of this threatened invasion the independence of Texas + may be considered as suspended, and were there nothing peculiar in the + relative situation of the United States and Texas our acknowledgment + of its independence at such a crisis could scarcely be regarded as + consistent with that prudent reserve with which we have heretofore + held ourselves bound to treat all similar questions. + + +Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded to consider the risk that there might +be imputed to the United States motives of selfish interest in view of +the former claim on our part to the territory of Texas and of the avowed +purpose of the Texans in seeking recognition of independence as an +incident to the incorporation of Texas in the Union, concluding thus: + +Prudence, therefore, seems to dictate that we should still stand aloof +and maintain our present attitude, if not until Mexico itself or one of +the great foreign powers shall recognize the independence of the new +Government, at least until the lapse of time or the course of events +shall have proved beyond cavil or dispute the ability of the people of +that country to maintain their separate sovereignty and to uphold the +Government constituted by them. Neither of the contending parties can +justly complain of this course. By pursuing it we are but carrying +out the long-established policy of our Government--a policy which +has secured to us respect and influence abroad and inspired confidence +at home. + +These are the words of the resolute and patriotic Jackson. They are +evidence that the United States, in addition to the test imposed by +public law as the condition of the recognition of independence by a +neutral state (to wit, that the revolted state shall "constitute in fact +a body politic, having a government in substance as well as in name, +possessed of the elements of stability," and forming _de facto_, +"if left to itself, a state among the nations, reasonably capable of +discharging the duties of a state"), has imposed for its own governance +in dealing with cases like these the further condition that recognition +of independent statehood is not due to a revolted dependency until the +danger of its being again subjugated by the parent state has entirely +passed away. + +This extreme test was, in fact, applied in the case of Texas. +The Congress to whom President Jackson referred the question as +one "probably leading to war," and therefore a proper subject for +"a previous understanding with that body by whom war can alone be +declared and by whom all the provisions for sustaining its perils must +be furnished," left the matter of the recognition of Texas to the +discretion of the Executive, providing merely for the sending of a +diplomatic agent when the President should be satisfied that the +Republic of Texas had become "an independent state." It was so +recognized by President Van Buren, who commissioned a charge d'affaires +March 7, 1837, after Mexico had abandoned an attempt to reconquer the +Texan territory, and when there was at the time no _bona fide_ +contest going on between the insurgent province and its former +sovereign. + +I said in my message of December last: + + It is to be seriously considered whether the Cuban insurrection + possesses beyond dispute the attributes of statehood, which alone + can demand the recognition of belligerency in its favor. + + +The same requirement must certainly be no less seriously considered +when the graver issue of recognizing independence is in question, for +no less positive test can be applied to the greater act than to the +lesser, while, on the other hand, the influences and consequences of the +struggle upon the internal policy of the recognizing state, which form +important factors when the recognition of belligerency is concerned, are +secondary, if not rightly eliminable, factors when the real question is +whether the community claiming recognition is or is not independent +beyond peradventure. + +Nor from the standpoint of expediency do I think it would be wise +or prudent for this Government to recognize at the present time the +independence of the so-called Cuban Republic. Such recognition is not +necessary in order to enable the United States to intervene and pacify +the island. To commit this country now to the recognition of any +particular government in Cuba might subject us to embarrassing +conditions of international obligation toward the organization so +recognized. In case of intervention our conduct would be subject to the +approval or disapproval of such government. We would be required to +submit to its direction and to assume to it the mere relation of a +friendly ally. + +When it shall appear hereafter that there is within the island a +government capable of performing the duties and discharging the +functions of a separate nation, and having as a matter of fact the +proper forms and attributes of nationality, such government can be +promptly and readily recognized and the relations and interests of the +United States with such nation adjusted. + +There remain the alternative forms of intervention to end the war, +either as an impartial neutral, by imposing a rational compromise +between the contestants, or as the active ally of the one party or the +other. + +As to the first, it is not to be forgotten that during the last few +months the relation of the United States has virtually been one of +friendly intervention in many ways, each not of itself conclusive, but +all tending to the exertion of a potential influence toward an ultimate +pacific result, just and honorable to all interests concerned. The +spirit of all our acts hitherto has been an earnest, unselfish desire +for peace and prosperity in Cuba, untarnished by differences between us +and Spain and unstained by the blood of American citizens. + +The forcible intervention of the United States as a neutral to stop the +war, according to the large dictates of humanity and following many +historical precedents where neighboring states have interfered to check +the hopeless sacrifices of life by internecine conflicts beyond their +borders, is justifiable on rational grounds. It involves, however, +hostile constraint upon both the parties to the contest, as well to +enforce a truce as to guide the eventual settlement. + +The grounds for such intervention may be briefly summarized as follows: + +First. In the cause of humanity and to put an end to the barbarities, +bloodshed, starvation, and horrible miseries now existing there, and +which the parties to the conflict are either unable or unwilling to stop +or mitigate. It is no answer to say this is all in another country, +belonging to another nation, and is therefore none of our business. +It is specially our duty, for it is right at our door. + +Second. We owe it to our citizens in Cuba to afford them that protection +and indemnity for life and property which no government there can or +will afford, and to that end to terminate the conditions that deprive +them of legal protection. + +Third. The right to intervene may be justified by the very serious +injury to the commerce, trade, and business of our people and by the +wanton destruction of property and devastation of the island. + +Fourth, and which is of the utmost importance. The present condition of +affairs in Cuba is a constant menace to our peace and entails upon this +Government an enormous expense. With such a conflict waged for years +in an island so near us and with which our people have such trade and +business relations; when the lives and liberty of our citizens are in +constant danger and their property destroyed and themselves ruined; +where our trading vessels are liable to seizure and are seized at +our very door by war ships of a foreign nation; the expeditions of +filibustering that we are powerless to prevent altogether, and the +irritating questions and entanglements thus arising--all these and +others that I need not mention, with the resulting strained relations, +are a constant menace to our peace and compel us to keep on a semi war +footing with a nation with which we are at peace. + +These elements of danger and disorder already pointed out have been +strikingly illustrated by a tragic event which has deeply and justly +moved the American people. I have already transmitted to Congress the +report of the naval court of inquiry on the destruction of the battle +ship _Maine_ in the harbor of Havana during the night of the 15th +of February.[6] The destruction of that noble vessel has filled the +national heart with inexpressible horror. Two hundred and fifty-eight +brave sailors and marines and two officers of our Navy, reposing in the +fancied security of a friendly harbor, have been hurled to death, grief +and want brought to their homes and sorrow to the nation. + +The naval court of inquiry, which, it is needless to say, commands +the unqualified confidence of the Government, was unanimous in its +conclusion that the destruction of the _Maine_ was caused by an +exterior explosion--that of a submarine mine. It did not assume to +place the responsibility. That remains to be fixed. + +In any event, the destruction of the _Maine_, by whatever exterior +cause, is a patent and impressive proof of a state of things in Cuba +that is intolerable. That condition is thus shown to be such that the +Spanish Government can not assure safety and security to a vessel of the +American Navy in the harbor of Havana on a mission of peace, and +rightfully there. + +Further referring in this connection to recent diplomatic +correspondence, a dispatch from our minister to Spain of the 26th ultimo +contained the statement that the Spanish minister for foreign affairs +assured him positively that Spain will do all that the highest honor +and justice require in the matter of the _Maine_. The reply above +referred to, of the 31st ultimo, also contained an expression of the +readiness of Spain to submit to an arbitration all the differences which +can arise in this matter, which is subsequently explained by the note of +the Spanish minister at Washington of the 10th instant, as follows: + + As to the question of fact which springs from the diversity of views + between the reports of the American and Spanish boards, Spain proposes + that the facts be ascertained by an impartial investigation by experts, + whose decision Spain accepts in advance. + + +To this I have made no reply. + +President Grant, in 1875, after discussing the phases of the contest as +it then appeared and its hopeless and apparent indefinite prolongation, +said: + + In such event I am of opinion that other nations will be compelled to + assume the responsibility which devolves upon them, and to seriously + consider the only remaining measures possible--mediation and + intervention. Owing, perhaps, to the large expanse of water separating + the island from the peninsula, * * * the contending parties appear to + have within themselves no depository of common confidence to suggest + wisdom when passion and excitement have their sway and to assume the + part of peacemaker. In this view in the earlier days of the contest the + good offices of the United States as a mediator were tendered in good + faith, without any selfish purpose, in the interest of humanity and in + sincere friendship for both parties, but were at the time declined by + Spain, with the declaration, nevertheless, that at a future time they + would be indispensable. No intimation has been received that in the + opinion of Spain that time has been reached. And yet the strife + continues, with all its dread horrors and all its injuries to the + interests of the United States and of other nations. Each party seems + quite capable of working great injury and damage to the other, as well + as to all the relations and interests dependent on the existence of + peace in the island; but they seem incapable of reaching any adjustment, + and both have thus far failed of achieving any success whereby one party + shall possess and control the island to the exclusion of the other. + Under these circumstances the agency of others, either by mediation or + by intervention, seems to be the only alternative which must, sooner or + later, be invoked for the termination of the strife. + + +In the last annual message of my immediate predecessor, during the +pending struggle, it was said: + + When the inability of Spain to deal successfully with the insurrection + has become manifest and it is demonstrated that her sovereignty is + extinct in Cuba for all purposes of its rightful existence, and when a + hopeless struggle for its reestablishment has degenerated into a strife + which means nothing more than the useless sacrifice of human life and + the utter destruction of the very subject-matter of the conflict, a + situation will be presented in which our obligations to the sovereignty + of Spain will be superseded by higher obligations, which we can hardly + hesitate to recognize and discharge. + + +In my annual message to Congress December last, speaking to this +question, I said: + + The near future will demonstrate whether the indispensable condition of + a righteous peace, just alike to the Cubans and to Spain, as well as + equitable to all our interests so intimately involved in the welfare + of Cuba, is likely to be attained. If not, the exigency of further and + other action by the United States will remain to be taken. When that + time conies, that action will be determined in the line of indisputable + right and duty. It will be faced, without misgiving or hesitancy, in + the light of the obligation this Government owes to itself, to the + people who have confided to it the protection of their interests and + honor, and to humanity. + + Sure of the right, keeping free from all offense ourselves, actuated + only by upright and patriotic considerations, moved neither by passion + nor selfishness, the Government will continue its watchful care over + the rights and property of American citizens and will abate none of + its efforts to bring about by peaceful agencies a peace which shall + be honorable and enduring. If it shall hereafter appear to be a duty + imposed by our obligations to ourselves, to civilization, and humanity + to intervene with force, it shall be without fault on our part and only + because the necessity for such action will be so clear as to command + the support and approval of the civilized world. + + +The long trial has proved that the object for which Spain has waged +the war can not be attained. The fire of insurrection may flame or may +smolder with varying seasons, but it has not been and it is plain that +it can not be extinguished by present methods. The only hope of relief +and repose from a condition which can no longer be endured is the +enforced pacification of Cuba. In the name of humanity, in the name of +civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests which give us +the right and the duty to speak and to act, the war in Cuba must stop. + +In view of these facts and of these considerations I ask the Congress +to authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full +and final termination of hostilities between the Government of Spain +and the people of Cuba, and to secure in the island the establishment +of a stable government, capable of maintaining order and observing its +international obligations, insuring peace and tranquillity and the +security of its citizens as well as our own, and to use the military +and naval forces of the United States as may be necessary for these +purposes. + +And in the interest of humanity and to aid in preserving the lives of +the starving people of the island I recommend that the distribution of +food and supplies be continued and that an appropriation be made out of +the public Treasury to supplement the charity of our citizens. + +The issue is now with the Congress. It is a solemn responsibility. +I have exhausted every effort to relieve the intolerable condition of +affairs which is at our doors. Prepared to execute every obligation +imposed upon me by the Constitution and the law, I await your action. + +Yesterday, and since the preparation of the foregoing message, official +information was received by me that the latest decree of the Queen +Regent of Spain directs General Blanco, in order to prepare and +facilitate peace, to proclaim a suspension of hostilities, the duration +and details of which have not yet been communicated to me. + +This fact, with every other pertinent consideration, will, I am sure, +have your just and careful attention in the solemn deliberations upon +which you are about to enter. If this measure attains a successful +result, then our aspirations as a Christian, peace-loving people will be +realized. If it fails, it will be only another justification for our +contemplated action. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +[Footnote 4: See pp. 127-136.] + +[Footnote 5: See p. 136.] + +[Footnote 6: See pp. 136-139.] + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, April 11, 1898_. + +_To the Senate of the United States:_ + +I transmit herewith, in response to a resolution of the Senate of the +14th of February last, calling for information and correspondence in +regard to the condition of the island of Cuba and to negotiations for +commercial relations between the United States and that island, a report +of the Secretary of State, with its accompanying correspondence, +covering the first inquiry of the resolution, together with a report +of the special commissioner plenipotentiary charged with commercial +negotiations under the provisions of the tariff act approved July 24, +1897, in response to the second inquiry. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +DEPARTMENT OF STATE, _Washington_, _April 11, 1898_. + +The PRESIDENT: + +The Secretary of State has had the honor to receive, by reference from +the President, a resolution adopted in the Senate of the United States +on the 14th of February last, reading as follows: + +"_Resolved,_ That the President is requested, if in his opinion it +is not incompatible with the public service, to send to the Senate +copies of the reports of the consul-general and of the consuls of the +United States in Cuba written or received since March 4, 1897, which +relate to the state of war in that island and the condition of the +people there, or that he will send such parts of said reports as will +inform the Senate as to these facts. + +"Second. That the President inform the Senate whether any agent of a +government in Cuba has been accredited to this Government or the +President of the United States with authority to negotiate a treaty of +reciprocity with the United States, or any other diplomatic or +commercial agreement with the United States, and whether such person has +been recognized and received as the representative of such government in +Cuba." + +This resolution contemplates answer being made to two separable +inquiries: First, in relation to the present condition of affairs in +Cuba, and, secondly, with regard to the action had in view of the +overtures of the Government of Spain for a reciprocal commercial +agreement covering particularly the trade between the United States and +the island of Cuba. + +The conduct of commercial negotiations under the authority and in +accordance with the conditions found in sections 3, 4, and 5 of the +existing tariff act, approved July 24, 1897, having been intrusted to a +special commissioner plenipotentiary duly empowered by the President to +that end, it has been deemed convenient to leave to the commissioner the +preparation of a report in answer to the second part of the Senate +resolution, the undersigned reserving to himself the response to the +first part thereof, which concerns the political and consular functions +of the Department of State. The separate report of the Hon. John A. +Kasson, special commissioner plenipotentiary, is therefore herewith +independently submitted to the President with a view to its transmission +to the Senate, should such a course be, in the President's judgment, not +incompatible with the public service. + +The Senate resolution, while in terms calling for the submission to that +honorable body of all or of a practical selection of the reports of the +consul-general and consuls of the United States in Cuba written or +received since March 4, 1897, which relate to the state of war in that +island and the condition of the people there, appears to leave it to the +discretion of the President to direct the scope of the information to be +so reported and the manner of its communication. The undersigned, having +taken the President's direction on both these points, has the honor to +lay before him a selection of the correspondence received by the +Department of State from the various consular representatives in Cuba, +aiming thereby to show the present situation in the island rather than +to give a historical account of all the reported incidents since the +date assigned by the resolution. + +Respectfully submitted. + +JOHN SHERMAN. + + + +DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, + +_Office of Special Commissioner Plenipotentiary_. + +The PRESIDENT: + +In response to the following resolution of the Senate, passed under date +of February 14, 1898, and which was referred to the undersigned for +report, viz-- + +"Second. That the President inform the Senate whether any agent of +a government in Cuba has been accredited to this Government or the +President of the United States with authority to negotiate a treaty +of reciprocity with the United States, or any other diplomatic or +commercial agreement with the United States, and whether such person has +been recognized and received as the representative of such government +in Cuba"-- + +I have the honor to submit the following report: + +In October, 1897, the minister of Spain at this capital verbally advised +the undersigned that so soon as the new government in Spain had leisure +to take up the question he would probably be authorized to enter into +negotiations with the undersigned for reciprocal trade arrangements with +Spain, and that a representative of Cuba would probably be associated +for the interests of that island. + +Under date of December 9, 1897, the minister of the United States at +Madrid was instructed to ascertain the disposition of the Spanish +Government in respect to these negotiations. + +Under date of January 24, 1898, a dispatch from Mr. Woodford (referred +to this office) advised the Secretary of State that arrangements were +made for the negotiation of a commercial treaty between Spain and the +United States; that separate provisions would be made for Cuba, and that +the Cuban insular government would appoint a delegate to represent that +island in the negotiations. This was accompanied by a memorandum from +the Spanish minister of colonies, stating that the same rules as for +Cuba might be applied to Puerto Rico, and suggesting a basis for the +negotiations. This communication was referred to this office on the 4th +of February. + +On the 6th of February the Spanish minister, Mr. Dupuy de Lome, called +on the undersigned and announced that he was authorized to represent +Spain in the pending negotiations and that a special representative +would arrive from Cuba, under appointment of the insular government, to +act as far as the interests of that island were involved. He mentioned +the name of Senor Angulo as the gentleman who had been suggested in Cuba +for that appointment; but the delegate was not officially notified to +this office. + +On March 17 a note from the Spanish minister, Senor Polo y Bernabe, +addressed, under date of the 16th instant, to the Secretary of State, +was referred to this office. In that note his excellency advised this +Government of his appointment by Her Majesty the Queen Regent of Spain +to conduct these negotiations, assisted by Senor Manuel Rafael Angulo as +special delegate of the insular government of Cuba, who would be aided +by two technical assistants, also appointed by the Cuban government; +and, further, that an officer from the treasury department would be +added in the same character. + +His excellency announced his readiness to commence the labors of the +commission so soon as the Government of the United States should +formulate the general plan for carrying on the work. + +Respectfully submitted, March 17, 1898. + +JOHN A KASSON, + +_Special Commissioner Plenipotenitary_. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _April 12, 1898_. + +_To the Senate of the United States:_ + +In response to a resolution of the Senate of the 4th instant, I inclose +herewith a letter from the Secretary of the Navy, inclosing a copy of a +report from the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +NAVY DEPARTMENT, _Washington, April 9, 1898_. + +The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE. + +SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Senate resolution of +April 4, directing that the Senate be informed "of the total number of +human lives that were lost by the sinking of the United States battle +ship _Maine_ in Havana Harbor, Cuba, on the 15th day of February, +1898, the total number of dead bodies rescued from said ship, the total +number remaining unrescued, and what effort, if any, is being made to +rescue them," and in reply thereto inclose a copy of a report from the +Chief of the Bureau of Navigation covering the above inquiry. I have the +honor to be, sir, very respectfully, + +JOHN D. LONG, _Secretary_. + + + MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY. + + BUREAU OF NAVIGATION, _Washington, D.C., April 8, 1898._ + + Number on board the U.S.S. _Maine_ at the time of the disaster: + Officers 26 + Sailors 290 + Marines 39 + --- 355 + Number saved: + Officers 24 + Sailors 60 + Marines 11 + --- + 95 + Number lost: + Officers 2 + Sailors 230 + Marines 28 + --- + 260 + --- 355 + Bodies recovered: + Officers 1 + Sailors and marines 177 + Died from injuries: + Sailors and marines 8 + --- 186 + + Of the number recovered there were buried-- + In the cemetery at Havana 166 + At Key West 19 + At Pittsburg, Pa. (officer) 1 + --- 186 + Number of bodies not recovered: + Officers 1 + Enlisted men and marines 73 + --- 74 + + +The work of recovery was continued until April 6, when the wrecking tugs +were withdrawn, and nothing is now being done in that direction so far +as is known; and the last bodies reported as recovered were sent to Key +West on the 30th ultimo. No estimate has been made of the portions of +bodies which were recovered and buried. The large percentage of bodies +not recovered is due, no doubt, to the fact that the men were swinging +in their hammocks immediately over that portion of the vessel which was +totally destroyed. + +A.S. CROWNINSHIELD, + +_Chief of Bureau_. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, April 25, 1898_. + +_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of +America_: + +I transmit to the Congress, for its consideration and appropriate +action, copies of correspondence recently had with the representative of +Spain in the United States, with the United States minister at Madrid, +and through the latter with the Government of Spain, showing the action +taken under the joint resolution approved April 20, 1898, "for the +recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that +the Government of Spain relinquish its authority and government in the +island of Cuba and to withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and +Cuban waters, and directing the President of the United States to use +the land and naval forces of the United States to carry these +resolutions in to effect."[7] + +Upon communicating to the Spanish minister in Washington the demand +which it became the duty of the Executive to address to the Government +of Spain in obedience to said resolution, the minister asked for his +passports and withdrew. The United States minister at Madrid was in turn +notified by the Spanish minister for foreign affairs that the withdrawal +of the Spanish representative from the United States had terminated +diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that all official +communications between their respective representatives ceased +therewith. + +I commend to your especial attention the note addressed to the United +States minister at Madrid by the Spanish minister for foreign affairs +on the 21st instant, whereby the foregoing notification was conveyed. +It will be perceived therefrom that the Government of Spain, having +cognizance of the joint resolution of the United States Congress, +and in view of the things which the President is thereby required and +authorized to do, responds by treating the reasonable demands of this +Government as measures of hostility, following with that instant and +complete severance of relations by its action which by the usage of +nations accompanies an existent state of war between sovereign powers. + +The position of Spain being thus made known and the demands of the +United States being denied, with a complete rupture of intercourse, +by the act of Spain, I have been constrained, in exercise of the power +and authority conferred upon me by the joint resolution aforesaid, to +proclaim, under date of April 22, 1898,[8] a blockade of certain ports +of the north coast of Cuba lying between Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and +of the port of Cienfuegos, on the south coast of Cuba, and further in +exercise of my constitutional powers and using the authority conferred +upon me by the act of Congress approved April 22, 1898, to issue my +proclamation dated April 23, 1898,[9] calling forth volunteers in order +to carry into effect the said resolution of April 20, 1898. Copies of +these proclamations are hereto appended. + +In view of the measures so taken, and with a view to the adoption of +such other measures as may be necessary to enable me to carry out the +expressed will of the Congress of the United States in the premises, I +now recommend to your honorable body the adoption of a joint resolution +declaring that a state of war exists between the United States of +America and the Kingdom of Spain, and I urge speedy action thereon, to +the end that the definition of the international status of the United +States as a belligerent power may be made known and the assertion of all +its rights and the maintenance of all its duties in the conduct of a +public war may be assured.[10] + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +[Footnote 7: See p. 155.] + +[Footnote 8: See pp. 202-203.] + +[Footnote 9: See pp. 203-204.] + +[Footnote 10: See p. 201.] + + +JOINT RESOLUTION for the recognition of the independence of the people +of Cuba, demanding that the Government of Spain relinquish its authority +and government in the island of Cuba and to withdraw its land and naval +forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the President of the +United States to use the land and naval forces of the United States to +carry these resolutions into effect. + +Whereas the abhorrent conditions which have existed for more than three +years in the island of Cuba, so near our own borders, have shocked the +moral sense of the people of the United States, have been a disgrace to +Christian civilization, culminating, as they have, in the destruction of +a United States battle ship, with 266 of its officers and crew, while on +a friendly visit in the harbor of Havana, and can not longer be endured, +as has been set forth by the President of the United States in his +message to Congress of April 11, 1898,[11] upon which the action of +Congress was invited: Therefore, + +_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United +States of America in Congress assembled_, First. That the people of +the island of Cuba are and of right ought to be free and independent. + +Second. That it is the duty of the United States to demand, and the +Government of the United States does hereby demand, that the Government +of Spain at once relinquish its authority and government in the island +of Cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban +waters. + +Third. That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, +directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the +United States and to call into the actual service of the United States +the militia of the several States to such extent as may be necessary to +carry these resolutions into effect. + +Fourth. That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or +intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over +said island except for the pacification thereof, and asserts its +determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government +and control of the island to its people. + +Approved, April 20, 1898. + +[Footnote 11: See pp. 139-150.] + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 9, 1898_. + +_To the Congress of the United States:_ + +On the 24th of April I directed the Secretary of the Navy to telegraph +orders to Commodore George Dewey, of the United States Navy, commanding +the Asiatic Squadron, then lying in the port of Hongkong, to proceed +forthwith to the Philippine Islands, there-to commence operations and +engage the assembled Spanish fleet. + +Promptly obeying that order, the United States squadron, consisting of +the flagship _Olympia_, _Baltimore_, _Raleigh_, _Boston_, _Concord_, and +_Petrel_, with the revenue cutter _McCulloch_ as an auxiliary dispatch +boat, entered the harbor of Manila at daybreak on the 1st of May and +immediately engaged the entire Spanish fleet of eleven ships, which were +under the protection of the fire of the land forts. After a stubborn +fight, in which the enemy suffered great loss, these vessels were +destroyed or completely disabled and the water battery at Cavite +silenced. Of our brave officers and men not one was lost and only eight +injured, and those slightly. All of our ships escaped any serious +damage. + +By the 4th of May Commodore Dewey had taken possession of the naval +station at Cavite, destroying the fortifications there and at the +entrance of the bay and paroling their garrisons. The waters of the bay +are under his complete control. He has established hospitals within the +American lines, where 250 of the Spanish sick and wounded are assisted +and protected. + +The magnitude of this victory can hardly be measured by the ordinary +standard of naval warfare. Outweighing any material advantage is the +moral effect of this initial success. At this unsurpassed achievement +the great heart of our nation throbs, not with boasting or with greed of +conquest, but with deep gratitude that this triumph has come in a just +cause and that by the grace of God an effective step has thus been taken +toward the attainment of the wished-for peace. To those whose skill, +courage, and devotion have won the fight, to the gallant commander and +the brave officers and men who aided him, our country owes an +incalculable debt. + +Feeling as our people feel, and speaking in their name, I at once sent +a message to Commodore Dewey thanking him and his officers and men for +their splendid achievement and overwhelming victory and informing him +that I had appointed him an acting rear-admiral. + +I now recommend that, following our national precedents and expressing +the fervent gratitude of every patriotic heart, the thanks of Congress +be given Acting Rear-Admiral George Dewey, of the United States Navy, +for highly distinguished conduct in conflict with the enemy, and to +the officers and men under his command for their gallantry in the +destruction of the enemy's fleet and the capture of the enemy's +fortifications in the bay of Manila. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 1, 1898_. + +_To the Congress of the United States:_ + +The resolution of Congress passed May 9, 1898, tendering to Commodore +George Dewey, United States Navy, commander in chief of the United +States naval force on the Asiatic station, the thanks of Congress and of +the American people for highly distinguished conduct in conflict with +the enemy, as displayed by him in the destruction of the Spanish fleet +and batteries in the harbor of Manila, Philippine Islands, May 1, 1898, +and through him extending the thanks of Congress and of the American +people to the officers and men under his command for gallantry and +skill exhibited by them on that occasion, required the President to +communicate the same to Commodore Dewey, and through him to the officers +and men under his command. This having been done, through the Secretary +of the Navy, on the 15th of May, 1898, the following response has been +received and is hereby transmitted to the Congress: + +I desire to express to the Department, and to request that it will be +transmitted to the President and to Congress, my most sincere thanks for +the great compliment paid to me. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + +JOINT RESOLUTION tendering the thanks of Congress to Commodore George +Dewey, United States Navy, and to the officers and men of the squadron +under his command. + +_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United +States of America in Congress assembled_, That, in pursuance of the +recommendation of the President, made in accordance with the provisions +of section 1508 of the Revised Statutes, the thanks of Congress and +of the American people are hereby tendered to Commodore George Dewey, +United States Navy, commander in chief of the United States naval force +on the Asiatic station, for highly distinguished conduct in conflict +with the enemy, as displayed by him in the destruction of the Spanish +fleet and batteries in the harbor of Manila, Philippine Islands, May 1, +1898. + +SEC. 2. That the thanks of Congress and the American people are hereby +extended through Commodore Dewey to the officers and men under his +command for the gallantry and skill exhibited by them on that occasion. + +SEC. 3. _Be it further resolved_, That the President of the United +States be requested to cause this resolution to be communicated to +Commodore Dewey, and through him to the officers and men under his +command. + +Approved, May 10, 1898. + + +JOINT RESOLUTION authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to present a +sword of honor to Commodore George Dewey, and to cause to be struck +bronze medals commemorating the battle of Manila Bay, and to distribute +such medals to the officers and men of the ships of the Asiatic Squadron +of the United States. + +_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United +States of America in Congress assembled_, That the Secretary of the +Navy be, and he hereby is, authorized to present a sword of honor to +Commodore George Dewey, and to cause to be struck bronze medals +commemorating the battle of Manila Bay, and to distribute such medals to +the officers and men of the ships of the Asiatic Squadron of the United +States under command of Commodore George Dewey on May 1, 1898; and that +to enable the Secretary to carry out this resolution the sum of $10,000, +or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of +any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. + +Approved, June 3, 1898. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 27, 1898_. + +_To the Congress of the United States:_ + +On the 11th of May, 1898, there occurred a conflict in the bay of +Cardenas, Cuba, in which the naval torpedo boat _Winslow_ was +disabled, her commander wounded, and one of her officers and a part +of her crew killed by the enemy's fire. + +In the face of a most galling fire from the enemy's guns the revenue +cutter _Hudson_, commanded by First Lieutenant Frank H. Newcomb, +United States Revenue-Cutter Service, rescued the disabled +_Winslow_, her wounded commander and remaining crew. The commander +of the _Hudson_ kept his vessel in the very hottest fire of the +action, although in constant danger of going ashore on account of the +shallow water, until he finally got a line made fast to the +_Winslow_ and towed that vessel out of range of the enemy's guns--a +deed of special gallantry. + +I recommend that in recognition of the signal act of heroism of First +Lieutenant Frank H. Newcomb, United States Revenue-Cutter Service, above +set forth, the thanks of Congress be extended to him and to his officers +and men of the _Hudson_, and that a gold medal of honor be +presented to Lieutenant Newcomb, a silver medal of honor to each of his +officers, and a bronze medal of honor to each member of his crew who +served with him at Cardenas. + +It will be remembered that Congress by appropriate action recognized the +several commanders of ships of war for their services in the battle of +Manila, May 1, 1898. + +The commander of the revenue cutter _Hugh McCulloch_, present and +in active cooperation with the fleet under Commodore Dewey on that +occasion (by Executive order under the provisions of section 2757, +Revised Statutes), is the only commander of a national ship to whom +promotion or advancement was not and could not be given, because he +already held the highest rank known to the Revenue-Cutter Service. + +I now recommend that in recognition of the efficient and meritorious +services of Captain Daniel B. Hodgsdon, United States Revenue-Cutter +Service, who commanded the _Hugh McCulloch_ at the battle of Manila +(that officer being now in the sixty-third year of his age and having +served continuously on active duty for thirty-seven years), he be placed +upon the permanent waiting-orders or retired list of the Revenue-Cutter +Service on the full-duty pay of his grade. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 27, 1898_. + +_To the Congress of the United States:_ + +On the morning of the 3d of June, 1898, Assistant Naval Constructor +Richmond P. Hobson, United States Navy, with a volunteer crew of seven +men, in charge of the partially dismantled collier _Merrimac_, +entered the fortified harbor of Santiago, Cuba, for the purpose of +sinking the collier in the narrowest portion of the channel, and thus +interposing a serious obstacle to the egress of the Spanish fleet which +had recently entered that harbor. This enterprise, demanding coolness, +judgment, and bravery amounting to heroism, was carried into successful +execution in the face of a persistent fire from the hostile fleet as +well as from the fortifications on shore. + +Rear-Admiral Sampson, commander in chief of our naval force in Cuban +waters, in an official report dated "Off Santiago de Cuba, June 3, +1898," and addressed to the Secretary of the Navy, referring to Mr. +Hobson's gallant exploit, says: + + As stated in a recent telegram, before coming here I decided to make the + harbor entrance secure against the possibility of egress of the Spanish + ships by obstructing the narrow part of the entrance by sinking a + collier at that point. Upon calling upon Mr. Hobson for his professional + opinion as to a sure method of sinking the ship, he manifested a most + lively interest in the problem. After several days' consideration he + presented a solution which he considered would insure the immediate + sinking of the ship when she had reached the desired point in the + channel. * * * The plan contemplated a crew of only seven men and Mr. + Hobson, who begged that it might be intrusted to him. + + As soon as I reached Santiago and had the collier to work upon, the + details were commenced and diligently prosecuted, hoping to complete + them in one day, as the moon and tide served best the first night after + our arrival. Notwithstanding every effort, the hour of 4 o'clock in the + morning arrived and the preparations were scarcely completed. After a + careful inspection of the final preparations I was forced to relinquish + the plan for that morning, as dawn was breaking. Mr. Hobson begged to + try it at all hazards. + + This morning proved more propitious, as a prompt start could be made. + Nothing could have been more gallantly executed. * * * A careful + inspection of the harbor from this ship showed that the _Merrimac_ + had been sunk in the channel. + + I can not myself too earnestly express my appreciation of the conduct of + Mr. Hobson and his gallant crew. I venture to say that a more brave and + daring thing has not been done since Cushing blew up the _Albemarle_. + + +The members of the crew who were with Mr. Hobson on this memorable +occasion have already been rewarded for their services by advancement, +which, under the provisions of law and regulations, the Secretary of the +Navy was authorized to make; and the nomination to the Senate of Naval +Cadet Powell, who in a steam launch followed the _Merrimac_ on her +perilous trip for the purpose of rescuing her force after the sinking of +that vessel, to be advanced in rank to the grade of ensign has been +prepared and will be submitted. + +Cushing, with whose gallant act in blowing up the ram _Albemarle_ +during the Civil War Admiral Sampson compares Mr. Hobson's sinking of +the _Merrimac_, received the thanks of Congress, upon recommendation +of the President, by name, and was in consequence, under the provisions +of section 1508 of the Revised Statutes, advanced one grade, such +advancement embracing 56 numbers. The section cited applies, however, to +line officers only, and Mr. Hobson, being a member of the staff of the +Navy, could not under its provisions be so advanced. + +In considering the question of suitably rewarding Assistant Naval +Constructor Hobson for his valiant conduct on the occasion referred +to, I have deemed it proper to address this message to you with the +recommendation that he receive the thanks of Congress and, further, that +he be transferred to the line of the Navy and promoted to such position +therein as the President, by and with the advice and consent of the +Senate, may determine. Mr. Hobson's transfer from the construction +corps to the line is fully warranted, he having received the necessary +technical training as a graduate of the Naval Academy, where he stood +No. 1 in his class; and such action is recommended partly in deference +to what is understood to be his own desire, although, he being now a +prisoner in the hands of the enemy, no direct communication on the +subject has been received from him, and partly for the reason that the +abilities displayed by him at Santiago are of such a character as to +indicate especial fitness for the duties of the line. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + + +SECOND ANNUAL MESSAGE. + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _December 5, 1898_. + +_To the Senate and House of Representatives:_ + +Notwithstanding the added burdens rendered necessary by the war, our +people rejoice in a very satisfactory and steadily increasing degree of +prosperity, evidenced by the largest volume of business ever recorded. +Manufacture has been productive, agricultural pursuits have yielded +abundant returns, labor in all fields of industry is better rewarded, +revenue legislation passed by the present Congress has increased the +Treasury's receipts to the amount estimated by its authors, the finances +of the Government have been successfully administered and its credit +advanced to the first rank, while its currency has been maintained at +the world's highest standard. Military service under a common flag and +for a righteous cause has strengthened the national spirit and served to +cement more closely than ever the fraternal bonds between every section +of the country. + +A review of the relation of the United States to other powers, always +appropriate, is this year of primary importance in view of the momentous +issues which have arisen, demanding in one instance the ultimate +determination by arms and involving far-reaching consequences which will +require the earnest attention of the Congress. + +In my last annual message[12] very full consideration was given to the +question of the duty of the Government of the United States toward Spain +and the Cuban insurrection as being by far the most important problem +with which we were then called upon to deal. The considerations then +advanced and the exposition of the views therein expressed disclosed +my sense of the extreme gravity of the situation. Setting aside as +logically unfounded or practically inadmissible the recognition of the +Cuban insurgents as belligerents, the recognition of the independence +of Cuba, neutral intervention to end the war by imposing a rational +compromise between the contestants, intervention in favor of one or the +other party, and forcible annexation of the island, I concluded it was +honestly due to our friendly relations with Spain that she should be +given a reasonable chance to realize her expectations of reform to which +she had become irrevocably committed. Within a few weeks previously she +had announced comprehensive plans which it was confidently asserted +would be efficacious to remedy the evils so deeply affecting our own +country, so injurious to the true interests of the mother country as +well as to those of Cuba, and so repugnant to the universal sentiment +of humanity. + +The ensuing month brought little sign of real progress toward the +pacification of Cuba. The autonomous administrations set up in the +capital and some of the principal cities appeared not to gain the favor +of the inhabitants nor to be able to extend their influence to the large +extent of territory held by the insurgents, while the military arm, +obviously unable to cope with the still active rebellion, continued many +of the most objectionable and offensive policies of the government that +had preceded it. No tangible relief was afforded the vast numbers of +unhappy reconcentrados, despite the reiterated professions made in that +regard and the amount appropriated by Spain to that end. The proffered +expedient of zones of cultivation proved illusory. Indeed no less +practical nor more delusive promises of succor could well have been +tendered to the exhausted and destitute people, stripped of all that +made life and home dear and herded in a strange region among +unsympathetic strangers hardly less necessitous than themselves. + +By the end of December the mortality among them had frightfully +increased. Conservative estimates from Spanish sources placed the deaths +among these distressed people at over 40 per cent from the time General +Weyler's decree of reconcentration was enforced. With the acquiescence +of the Spanish authorities, a scheme was adopted for relief by +charitable contributions raised in this country and distributed, under +the direction of the consul-general and the several consuls, by noble +and earnest individual effort through the organized agencies of the +American Red Cross. Thousands of lives were thus saved, but many +thousands more were inaccessible to such forms of aid. + +The war continued on the old footing, without comprehensive plan, +developing only the same spasmodic encounters, barren of strategic +result, that had marked the course of the earlier ten years' rebellion +as well as the present insurrection from its start. No alternative save +physical exhaustion of either combatant, and therewithal the practical +ruin of the island, lay in sight, but how far distant no one could +venture to conjecture. + +At this juncture, on the 15th of February last, occurred the destruction +of the battle ship _Maine_ while rightfully lying in the harbor of +Havana on a mission of international courtesy and good will--a +catastrophe the suspicious nature and horror of which stirred the +nation's heart profoundly. It is a striking evidence of the poise and +sturdy good sense distinguishing our national character that this +shocking blow, falling upon a generous people already deeply touched by +preceding events in Cuba, did not move them to an instant desperate +resolve to tolerate no longer the existence of a condition of danger and +disorder at our doors that made possible such a deed, by whomsoever +wrought. Yet the instinct of justice prevailed, and the nation anxiously +awaited the result of the searching investigation at once set on foot. +The finding of the naval board of inquiry established that the origin of +the explosion was external, by a submarine mine, and only halted through +lack of positive testimony to fix the responsibility of its authorship. + +All these things carried conviction to the most thoughtful, even before +the finding of the naval court, that a crisis in our relations with +Spain and toward Cuba was at hand. So strong was this belief that it +needed but a brief Executive suggestion to the Congress to receive +immediate answer to the duty of making instant provision for the +possible and perhaps speedily probable emergency of war, and the +remarkable, almost unique, spectacle was presented of a unanimous vote +of both Houses, on the 9th of March, appropriating $50,000,000 "for the +national defense and for each and every purpose connected therewith, +to be expended at the discretion of the President." That this act of +prevision came none too soon was disclosed when the application of the +fund was undertaken. Our coasts were practically undefended. Our Navy +needed large provision for increased ammunition and supplies, and even +numbers to cope with any sudden attack from the navy of Spain, which +comprised modern vessels of the highest type of continental perfection. +Our Army also required enlargement of men and munitions. The details +of the hurried preparation for the dreaded contingency are told in the +reports of the Secretaries of War and of the Navy, and need not be +repeated here. It is sufficient to say that the outbreak of war when +it did come found our nation not unprepared to meet the conflict. + +Nor was the apprehension of coming strife confined to our own country. +It was felt by the continental powers, which on April 6, through their +ambassadors and envoys, addressed to the Executive an expression of hope +that humanity and moderation might mark the course of this Government +and people, and that further negotiations would lead to an agreement +which, while securing the maintenance of peace, would afford all +necessary guaranties for the reestablishment of order in Cuba. In +responding to that representation I said I shared the hope the envoys +had expressed that peace might be preserved in a manner to terminate the +chronic condition of disturbance in Cuba, so injurious and menacing to +our interests and tranquillity, as well as shocking to our sentiments +of humanity; and while appreciating the humanitarian and disinterested +character of the communication they had made on behalf of the powers, +I stated the confidence of this Government, for its part, that equal +appreciation would be shown for its own earnest and unselfish endeavors +to fulfill a duty to humanity by ending a situation the indefinite +prolongation of which had become insufferable. + +Still animated by the hope of a peaceful solution and obeying the +dictates of duty, no effort was relaxed to bring about a speedy +ending of the Cuban struggle. Negotiations to this object continued +actively with the Government of Spain, looking to the immediate +conclusion of a six months' armistice in Cuba, with a view to effect +the recognition of her people's right to independence. Besides this, +the instant revocation of the order of reconcentration was asked, +so that the sufferers, returning to their homes and aided by united +American and Spanish effort, might be put in a way to support +themselves and, by orderly resumption of the well-nigh destroyed +productive energies of the island, contribute to the restoration of +its tranquillity and well-being. Negotiations continued for some little +time at Madrid, resulting in offers by the Spanish Government which +could not but be regarded as inadequate. It was proposed to confide the +preparation of peace to the insular parliament, yet to be convened under +the autonomous decrees of November, 1897, but without impairment in any +wise of the constitutional powers of the Madrid Government, which to +that end would grant an armistice, if solicited by the insurgents, for +such time as the general in chief might see fit to fix. How and with +what scope of discretionary powers the insular parliament was expected +to set about the "preparation" of peace did not appear. If it were to be +by negotiation with the insurgents, the issue seemed to rest on the one +side with a body chosen by a fraction of the electors in the districts +under Spanish control, and on the other with the insurgent population +holding the interior country, unrepresented in the so-called parliament +and defiant at the suggestion of suing for peace. + +Grieved and disappointed at this barren outcome of my sincere endeavors +to reach a practicable solution, I felt it my duty to remit the whole +question to the Congress. In the message of April 11, 1898,[13] I +announced that with this last overture in the direction of immediate +peace in Cuba and its disappointing reception by Spain the effort of +the Executive was brought to an end. I again reviewed the alternative +courses of action which had been proposed, concluding that the only one +consonant with international policy and compatible with our firm-set +historical traditions was intervention as a neutral to stop the war and +check the hopeless sacrifice of life, even though that resort involved +"hostile constraint upon both the parties to the contest, as well to +enforce a truce as to guide the eventual settlement." The grounds +justifying that step were the interests of humanity, the duty to protect +the life and property of our citizens in Cuba, the right to check injury +to our commerce and people through the devastation of the island, and, +most important, the need of removing at once and forever the constant +menace and the burdens entailed upon our Government by the uncertainties +and perils of the situation caused by the unendurable disturbance in +Cuba. I said: + + The long trial has proved that the object for which Spain has waged + the war can not be attained. The fire of insurrection may flame or may + smolder with varying seasons, but it has not been and it is plain that + it can not be extinguished by present methods. The only hope of relief + and repose from a condition which can no longer be endured is the + enforced pacification of Cuba. In the name of humanity, in the name of + civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests which give us + the right and the duty to speak and to act, the war in Cuba must stop. + + +In view of all this the Congress was asked to authorize and empower the +President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of +hostilities between Spain and the people of Cuba and to secure in the +island the establishment of a stable government, capable of maintaining +order and observing its international obligations, insuring peace and +tranquillity and the security of its citizens as well as our own, and +for the accomplishment of those ends to use the military and naval +forces of the United States as might be necessary, with added authority +to continue generous relief to the starving people of Cuba. + +The response of the Congress, after nine days of earnest deliberation, +during which the almost unanimous sentiment of your body was developed +on every point save as to the expediency of coupling the proposed action +with a formal recognition of the Republic of Cuba as the true and lawful +government of that island--a proposition which failed of adoption--the +Congress, after conference, on the 19th of April, by a vote of 42 to 35 +in the Senate and 311 to 6 in the House of Representatives, passed the +memorable joint resolution declaring-- + + First. That the people of the island of Cuba are, and of right ought + to be, free and independent. + + Second. That it is the duty of the United States to demand, and the + Government of the United States does hereby demand, that the Government + of Spain at once relinquish its authority and government in the island + of Cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban + waters. + + Third. That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, + directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the + United States and to call into the actual service of the United States + the militia of the several States to such extent as may be necessary + to carry these resolutions into effect. + + Fourth. That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or + intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over + said island except for the pacification thereof, and asserts its + determination when that is accomplished to leave the government and + control of the island to its people. + + +This resolution was approved by the Executive on the next day, April 20. +A copy was at once communicated to the Spanish minister at this capital, +who forthwith announced that his continuance in Washington had thereby +become impossible, and asked for his passports, which were given him. +He thereupon withdrew from Washington, leaving the protection of +Spanish interests in the United States to the French ambassador and the +Austro-Hungarian minister. Simultaneously with its communication to +the Spanish minister here, General Woodford, the American minister at +Madrid, was telegraphed confirmation of the text of the joint resolution +and directed to communicate it to the Government of Spain with the +formal demand that it at once relinquish its authority and government +in the island of Cuba and withdraw its forces therefrom, coupling this +demand with announcement of the intentions of this Government as to +the future of the island, in conformity with the fourth clause of the +resolution, and giving Spain until noon of April 23 to reply. + +That demand, although, as above shown, officially made known to the +Spanish envoy here, was not delivered at Madrid. After the instruction +reached General Woodford on the morning of April 21, but before he could +present it, the Spanish minister of state notified him that upon the +President's approval of the joint resolution the Madrid Government, +regarding the act as "equivalent to an evident declaration of war," had +ordered its minister in Washington to withdraw, thereby breaking off +diplomatic relations between the two countries and ceasing all official +communication between their respective representatives. General Woodford +thereupon demanded his passports and quitted Madrid the same day. + +Spain having thus denied the demand of the United States and initiated +that complete form of rupture of relations which attends a state of war, +the executive powers authorized by the resolution were at once used by +me to meet the enlarged contingency of actual war between sovereign +states. On April 22 I proclaimed a blockade of the north coast of Cuba, +including ports on said coast between Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and the +port of Cienfuegos, on the south coast of Cuba,[14] and on the 23d I +called for volunteers to execute the purpose of the resolution.[15] By +my message of April 25 the Congress was informed of the situation, and +I recommended formal declaration of the existence of a state of war +between the United States and Spain. [16] The Congress accordingly voted +on the same day the act approved April 25, 1898, declaring the existence +of such war from and including the 21st day of April,[17] and reenacted +the provision of the resolution of April 20 directing the President +to use all the armed forces of the nation to carry that act into +effect.[18] Due notification of the existence of war as aforesaid was +given April 25 by telegraph to all the governments with which the +United States maintain relations, in order that their neutrality +might be assured during the war. The various governments responded with +proclamations of neutrality, each after its own methods. It is not among +the least gratifying incidents of the struggle that the obligations of +neutrality were impartially discharged by all, often under delicate and +difficult circumstances. + +In further fulfillment of international duty I issued, April 26, 1898, a +proclamation announcing the treatment proposed to be accorded to vessels +and their cargoes as to blockade, contraband, the exercise of the right +of search, and the immunity of neutral flags and neutral goods under +enemy's flag.[19] A similar proclamation was made by the Spanish +Government. In the conduct of hostilities the rules of the Declaration +of Paris, including abstention from resort to privateering, have +accordingly been observed by both belligerents, although neither was a +party to that declaration. + +Our country thus, after an interval of half a century of peace with all +nations, found itself engaged in deadly conflict with a foreign enemy. +Every nerve was strained to meet the emergency. The response to the +initial call for 125,000 volunteers[20] was instant and complete, as was +also the result of the second call, of May 25, for 75,000 additional +volunteers.[21] The ranks of the Regular Army were increased to the +limits provided by the act of April 26, 1898. + +The enlisted force of the Navy on the 15th day of August, when it +reached its maximum, numbered 24,123 men and apprentices. One hundred +and three vessels were added to the Navy by purchase, 1 was presented +to the Government, 1 leased, and the 4 vessels of the International +Navigation Company--the _St. Paul_, _St. Louis_, _New York_, and +_Paris_--were chartered. In addition to these the revenue cutters +and lighthouse tenders were turned over to the Navy Department and +became temporarily a part of the auxiliary Navy. + +The maximum effective fighting force of the Navy during the war, +separated into classes, was as follows: + +Four battle ships of the first class, 1 battle ship of the second +class, 2 armored cruisers, 6 coast-defense monitors, 1 armored ram, +12 protected cruisers, 3 unprotected cruisers, 18 gunboats, 1 dynamite +cruiser, 11 torpedo boats; vessels of the old Navy, including monitors, +14. Auxiliary Navy: 11 auxiliary cruisers, 28 converted yachts, 27 +converted tugs, 19 converted colliers, 15 revenue cutters, 4 light-house +tenders, and 19 miscellaneous vessels. + +Much alarm was felt along our entire Atlantic seaboard lest some attack +might be made by the enemy. Every precaution was taken to prevent +possible injury to our great cities lying along the coast. Temporary +garrisons were provided, drawn from the State militia; infantry and +light batteries were drawn from the volunteer force. About 12,000 troops +were thus employed. The coast signal service was established for +observing the approach of an enemy's ships to the coast of the United +States, and the Life-Saving and Light-House services cooperated, which +enabled the Navy Department to have all portions of the Atlantic coast, +from Maine to Texas, under observation. + +The auxiliary Navy was created under the authority of Congress and was +officered and manned by the Naval Militia of the several States. This +organization patrolled the coast and performed the duty of a second line +of defense. + +Under the direction of the Chief of Engineers submarine mines were +placed at the most exposed points. Before the outbreak of the war +permanent mining casemates and cable galleries had been constructed at +nearly all important harbors. Most of the torpedo material was not to be +found in the market, and had to be specially manufactured. Under date +of April 19 district officers were directed to take all preliminary +measures short of the actual attaching of the loaded mines to the +cables, and on April 22 telegraphic orders were issued to place the +loaded mines in position. + +The aggregate number of mines placed was 1,535, at the principal harbors +from Maine to California. Preparations were also made for the planting +of mines at certain other harbors, but owing to the early destruction of +the Spanish fleet these mines were not placed. + +The Signal Corps was promptly organized, and performed service of the +most difficult and important character. Its operations during the war +covered the electrical connection of all coast fortifications, the +establishment of telephonic and telegraphic facilities for the camps at +Manila, Santiago, and in Puerto Rico. There were constructed 300 miles +of line at ten great camps, thus facilitating military movements from +those points in a manner heretofore unknown in military administration. +Field telegraph lines were established and maintained under the enemy's +fire at Manila, and later the Manila-Hongkong cable was reopened. + +In Puerto Rico cable communications were opened over a discontinued +route, and on land the headquarters of the commanding officer was kept +in telegraphic or telephonic communication with the division commanders +on four different lines of operations. + +There was placed in Cuban waters a completely outfitted cable ship, +with war cables and cable gear, suitable both for the destruction of +communications belonging to the enemy and the establishment of our own. +Two ocean cables were destroyed under the enemy's batteries at Santiago. +The day previous to the landing of General Shafter's corps, at +Caimanera, within 20 miles of the landing place, cable communications +were established and a cable station opened giving direct communication +with the Government at Washington. This service was invaluable to the +Executive in directing the operations of the Army and Navy. With a total +force of over 1,300, the loss was by disease in camp and field, officers +and men included, only 5. + +The national-defense fund of $50,000,000 was expended in large part +by the Army and Navy, and the objects for which it was used are fully +shown in the reports of the several Secretaries. It was a most timely +appropriation, enabling the Government to strengthen its defenses and +make preparations greatly needed in case of war. + +This fund being inadequate to the requirements of equipment and for the +conduct of the war, the patriotism of the Congress provided the means in +the war-revenue act of June 13 by authorizing a 3 per cent popular loan +not to exceed $400,000,000 and by levying additional imposts and taxes. +Of the authorized loan $200,000,000 were offered and promptly taken, the +subscriptions so far exceeding the call as to cover it many times over, +while, preference being given to the smaller bids, no single allotment +exceeded $5,000. This was a most encouraging and significant result, +showing the vast resources of the nation and the determination of the +people to uphold their country's honor. + +It is not within the province of this message to narrate the history of +the extraordinary war that followed the Spanish declaration of April 21, +but a brief recital of its more salient features is appropriate. + +The first encounter of the war in point of date took place April 27, +when a detachment of the blockading squadron made a reconnoissance in +force at Matanzas, shelled the harbor forts, and demolished several new +works in construction. + +The next engagement was destined to mark a memorable epoch in maritime +warfare. The Pacific fleet, under Commodore George Dewey, had lain for +some weeks at Hongkong. Upon the colonial proclamation of neutrality +being issued and the customary twenty-four hours' notice being given, +it repaired to Mirs Bay, near Hongkong, whence it proceeded to the +Philippine Islands under telegraphed orders to capture or destroy the +formidable Spanish fleet then assembled at Manila. At daybreak on the +1st of May the American force entered Manila Bay, and after a few +hours' engagement effected the total destruction of the Spanish fleet, +consisting of ten war ships and a transport, besides capturing the naval +station and forts at Cavite, thus annihilating the Spanish naval power +in the Pacific Ocean and completely controlling the bay of Manila, with +the ability to take the city at will. Not a life was lost on our ships, +the wounded only numbering seven, while not a vessel was materially +injured. For this gallant achievement the Congress, upon my +recommendation, fitly bestowed upon the actors preferment and +substantial reward. + +The effect of this remarkable victory upon the spirit of our people and +upon the fortunes of the war was instant. A prestige of invincibility +thereby attached to our arms which continued throughout the struggle. +Reenforcements were hurried to Manila under the command of Major-General +Merritt and firmly established within sight of the capital, which lay +helpless before our guns. + +On the 7th day of May the Government was advised officially of the +victory at Manila, and at once inquired of the commander of our fleet +what troops would be required. The information was received on the 15th +day of May, and the first army expedition sailed May 25 and arrived off +Manila June 30. Other expeditions soon followed, the total force +consisting of 641 officers and 15,058 enlisted men. + +Only reluctance to cause needless loss of life and property prevented +the early storming and capture of the city, and therewith the absolute +military occupancy of the whole group. The insurgents meanwhile had +resumed the active hostilities suspended by the uncompleted truce of +December, 1897. Their forces invested Manila from the northern and +eastern sides, but were constrained by Admiral Dewey and General Merritt +from attempting an assault. It was fitting that whatever was to be done +in the way of decisive operations in that quarter should be accomplished +by the strong arm of the United States alone. Obeying the stern precept +of war which enjoins the overcoming of the adversary and the extinction +of his power wherever assailable as the speedy and sure means to win a +peace, divided victory was not permissible, for no partition of the +rights and responsibilities attending the enforcement of a just and +advantageous peace could be thought of. + +Following the comprehensive scheme of general attack, powerful forces +were assembled at various points on our coast to invade Cuba and Puerto +Rico. Meanwhile naval demonstrations were made at several exposed +points. On May 11 the cruiser _Wilmington_ and torpedo boat +_Winslow_ were unsuccessful in an attempt to silence the batteries +at Cardenas, a gallant ensign, Worth Bagley, and four seamen falling. +These grievous fatalities were, strangely enough, among the very few +which occurred during our naval operations in this extraordinary +conflict. + +Meanwhile the Spanish naval preparations had been pushed with great +vigor. A powerful squadron under Admiral Cervera, which had assembled at +the Cape Verde Islands before the outbreak of hostilities, had crossed +the ocean, and by its erratic movements in the Caribbean Sea delayed our +military plans while baffling the pursuit of our fleets. For a time +fears were felt lest the _Oregon_ and _Marietta_, then nearing +home after their long voyage from San Francisco of over 15,000 miles, +might be surprised by Admiral Cervera's fleet, but their fortunate +arrival dispelled these apprehensions and lent much-needed +reenforcement. Not until Admiral Cervera took refuge in the harbor of +Santiago de Cuba, about May 19, was it practicable to plan a systematic +naval and military attack upon the Antillean possessions of Spain. + +Several demonstrations occurred on the coasts of Cuba and Puerto Rico in +preparation for the larger event. On May 13 the North Atlantic Squadron +shelled San Juan de Puerto Rico. On May 30 Commodore Schley's squadron +bombarded the forts guarding the mouth of Santiago Harbor. Neither +attack had any material result. It was evident that well-ordered land +operations were indispensable to achieve a decisive advantage. + +The next act in the war thrilled not alone the hearts of our countrymen +but the world by its exceptional heroism. On the night of June 3 +Lieutenant Hobson, aided by seven devoted volunteers, blocked the narrow +outlet from Santiago Harbor by sinking the collier _Merrimac_ in +the channel, under a fierce fire from the shore batteries, escaping with +their lives as by a miracle, but falling into the hands of the +Spaniards. It is a most gratifying incident of the war that the bravery +of this little band of heroes was cordially appreciated by the Spanish +admiral, who sent a flag of truce to notify Admiral Sampson of their +safety and to compliment them on their daring act. They were +subsequently exchanged July 7. + +By June 7 the cutting of the last Cuban cable isolated the island. +Thereafter the invasion was vigorously prosecuted. On June 10, under a +heavy protecting fire, a landing of 600 marines from the _Oregon_, +_Marblehead_, and _Yankee_ was effected in Guantanamo Bay, where it had +been determined to establish a naval station. + +This important and essential port was taken from the enemy, after severe +fighting, by the marines, who were the first organized force of the +United States to land in Cuba. + +The position so won was held despite desperate attempts to dislodge +our forces. By June 16 additional forces were landed and strongly +intrenched. On June 22 the advance of the invading army under +Major-General Shafter landed at Daiquiri, about 15 miles east of +Santiago. This was accomplished under great difficulties, but with +marvelous dispatch. On June 23 the movement against Santiago was begun. +On the 24th the first serious engagement took place, in which the First +and Tenth Cavalry and the First United States Volunteer Cavalry, General +Young's brigade of General Wheeler's division, participated, losing +heavily. By nightfall, however, ground within 5 miles of Santiago was +won. The advantage was steadily increased. On July 1 a severe battle +took place, our forces gaining the outworks of Santiago; on the 2d El +Caney and San Juan were taken after a desperate charge, and the +investment of the city was completed. The Navy cooperated by shelling +the town and the coast forts. + +On the day following this brilliant achievement of our land forces, the +3d of July, occurred the decisive naval combat of the war. The Spanish +fleet, attempting to leave the harbor, was met by the American squadron +under command of Commodore Sampson. In less than three hours all the +Spanish ships were destroyed, the two torpedo boats being sunk and the +_Maria Teresa_, _Almirante Oquendo_, _Vizcaya_, and _Cristobal Colon_ +driven ashore. The Spanish admiral and over 1,300 men were taken +prisoners. While the enemy's loss of life was deplorably large, some 600 +perishing, on our side but one man was killed, on the _Brooklyn_, and +one man seriously wounded. Although our ships were repeatedly struck, +not one was seriously injured. Where all so conspicuously distinguished +themselves, from the commanders to the gunners and the unnamed heroes in +the boiler rooms, each and all contributing toward the achievement of +this astounding victory, for which neither ancient nor modern history +affords a parallel in the completeness of the event and the marvelous +disproportion of casualties, it would be invidious to single out any for +especial honor. Deserved promotion has rewarded the more conspicuous +actors. The nation's profoundest gratitude is due to all of these brave +men who by their skill and devotion in a few short hours crushed the sea +power of Spain and wrought a triumph whose decisiveness and far-reaching +consequences can scarcely be measured. Nor can we be unmindful of the +achievements of our builders, mechanics, and artisans for their skill in +the construction of our war ships. + +With the catastrophe of Santiago Spain's effort upon the ocean virtually +ceased. A spasmodic effort toward the end of June to send her +Mediterranean fleet, under Admiral Camara, to relieve Manila was +abandoned, the expedition being recalled after it had passed through the +Suez Canal. + +The capitulation of Santiago followed. The city was closely besieged by +land, while the entrance of our ships into the harbor cut off all relief +on that side. After a truce to allow of the removal of noncombatants +protracted negotiations continued from July 3 until July 15, when, under +menace of immediate assault, the preliminaries of surrender were agreed +upon. On the 17th General Shafter occupied the city. The capitulation +embraced the entire eastern end of Cuba. The number of Spanish soldiers +surrendering was 22,000, all of whom were subsequently conveyed to Spain +at the charge of the United States. The story of this successful +campaign is told in the report of the Secretary of War, which will be +laid before you. The individual valor of officers and soldiers was never +more strikingly shown than in the several engagements leading to the +surrender of Santiago, while the prompt movements and successive +victories won instant and universal applause. To those who gained this +complete triumph, which established the ascendency of the United States +upon land as the fight off Santiago had fixed our supremacy on the seas, +the earnest and lasting gratitude of the nation is unsparingly due. Nor +should we alone remember the gallantry of the living; the dead claim our +tears, and our losses by battle and disease must cloud any exultation at +the result and teach us to weigh the awful cost of war, however rightful +the cause or signal the victory. + +With the fall of Santiago the occupation of Puerto Rico became the next +strategic necessity. General Miles had previously been assigned to +organize an expedition for that purpose. Fortunately he was already at +Santiago, where he had arrived on the 11th of July with reenforcements +for General Shafter's army. + +With these troops, consisting of 3,415 infantry and artillery, two +companies of engineers, and one company of the Signal Corps, General +Miles left Guantanamo on July 21, having nine transports convoyed by the +fleet under Captain Higginson with the _Massachusetts_ (flagship), _Dixie_, +_Gloucester_, _Columbia_, and _Yale_, the two latter carrying troops. +The expedition landed at Guanica July 25, which port was entered with +little opposition. Here the fleet was joined by the _Annapolis_ and +the _Wasp_, while the _Puritan_ and _Amphitrite_ went to San Juan and +joined the _New Orleans_, which was engaged in blockading that port. The +Major-General Commanding was subsequently reenforced by General Schwan's +brigade of the Third Army Corps, by General Wilson with a part of his +division, and also by General Brooke with a part of his corps, numbering +in all 16,973 officers and men. + +On July 27 he entered Ponce, one of the most important ports in the +island, from which he thereafter directed operations for the capture of +the island. + +With the exception of encounters with the enemy at Guayama, +Hormigueros, Coarno, and Yauco and an attack on a force landed at Cape +San Juan, there was no serious resistance. The campaign was prosecuted +with great vigor, and by the 12th of August much of the island was in +our possession and the acquisition of the remainder was only a matter +of a short time. At most of the points in the island our troops were +enthusiastically welcomed. Protestations of loyalty to the flag and +gratitude for delivery from Spanish rule met our commanders at every +stage. As a potent influence toward peace the outcome of the Puerto +Rican expedition was of great consequence, and generous commendation +is due to those who participated in it. + +The last scene of the war was enacted at Manila, its starting place. On +August 15, after a brief assault upon the works by the land forces, in +which the squadron assisted, the capital surrendered unconditionally. +The casualties were comparatively few. By this the conquest of the +Philippine Islands, virtually accomplished when the Spanish capacity for +resistance was destroyed by Admiral Dewey's victory of the 1st of May, +was formally sealed. To General Merritt, his officers and men, for their +uncomplaining and devoted service and for their gallantry in action, the +nation is sincerely grateful. Their long voyage was made with singular +success, and the soldierly conduct of the men, most of whom were without +previous experience in the military service, deserves unmeasured praise. + +The total casualties in killed and wounded in the Army during the war +with Spain were: Officers killed, 23; enlisted men killed, 257; total, +280; officers wounded, 113; enlisted men wounded, 1,464; total, 1,577. +Of the Navy: Killed, 17; wounded, 67; died as result of wounds, 1; +invalided from service, 6; total, 91. + +It will be observed that while our Navy was engaged in two great battles +and in numerous perilous undertakings in blockade and bombardment, and +more than 50,000 of our troops were transported to distant lands and +were engaged in assault and siege and battle and many skirmishes in +unfamiliar territory, we lost in both arms of the service a total of +1,668 killed and wounded; and in the entire campaign by land and sea we +did not lose a gun or a flag or a transport or a ship, and, with the +exception of the crew of the _Merrimac_, not a soldier or sailor +was taken prisoner. + +On August 7, forty-six days from the date of the landing of General +Shafter's army in Cuba and twenty-one days from the surrender of +Santiago, the United States troops commenced embarkation for home, and +our entire force was returned to the United States as early as August +24. They were absent from the United States only two months. + +It is fitting that I should bear testimony to the patriotism and +devotion of that large portion of our Army which, although eager to be +ordered to the post of greatest exposure, fortunately was not required +outside of the United States. They did their whole duty, and, like their +comrades at the front, have earned the gratitude of the nation. In like +manner, the officers and men of the Army and of the Navy who remained +in their departments and stations faithfully performing most important +duties connected with the war, and whose requests for assignment in the +field and at sea I was compelled to refuse because their services were +indispensable here, are entitled to the highest commendation. It is my +regret that there seems to be no provision for their suitable +recognition. + +In this connection it is a pleasure for me to mention in terms of +cordial appreciation the timely and useful work of the American National +Red Cross, both in relief measures preparatory to the campaigns, in +sanitary assistance at several of the camps of assemblage, and later, +under the able and experienced leadership of the president of the +society, Miss Clara Barton, on the fields of battle and in the hospitals +at the front in Cuba. Working in conjunction with the governmental +authorities and under their sanction and approval, and with the +enthusiastic cooperation of many patriotic women and societies in the +various States, the Red Cross has fully maintained its already high +reputation for intense earnestness and ability to exercise the noble +purposes of its international organization, thus justifying the +confidence and support which it has received at the hands of the +American people. To the members and officers of this society and all who +aided them in their philanthropic work the sincere and lasting gratitude +of the soldiers and the public is due and is freely accorded. + +In tracing these events we are constantly reminded of our obligations to +the Divine Master for His watchful care over us and His safe guidance, +for which the nation makes reverent acknowledgment and offers humble +prayer for the continuance of His favor. + +The annihilation of Admiral Cervera's fleet, followed by the +capitulation of Santiago, having brought to the Spanish Government +a realizing sense of the hopelessness of continuing a struggle now +become wholly unequal, it made overtures of peace through the French +ambassador, who, with the assent of his Government, had acted as the +friendly representative of Spanish interests during the war. On the +26th of July M. Cambon presented a communication signed by the Duke of +Almodovar, the Spanish minister of state, inviting the United States to +state the terms upon which it would be willing to make peace. On the +30th of July, by a communication addressed to the Duke of Almodovar +and handed to M. Cambon, the terms of this Government were announced +substantially as in the protocol afterwards signed. On the 10th of +August the Spanish reply, dated August 7, was handed by M. Cambon to the +Secretary of State. It accepted unconditionally the terms imposed as to +Cuba, Puerto Rico, and an island of the Ladrones group, but appeared to +seek to introduce inadmissible reservations in regard to our demand as +to the Philippine Islands. Conceiving that discussion on this point +could neither be practical nor profitable, I directed that in order +to avoid misunderstanding the matter should be forthwith closed by +proposing the embodiment in a formal protocol of the terms upon which +the negotiations for peace were to be undertaken. The vague and +inexplicit suggestions of the Spanish note could not be accepted, the +only reply being to present as a virtual ultimatum a draft of protocol +embodying the precise terms tendered to Spain in our note of July 30, +with added stipulations of detail as to the appointment of commissioners +to arrange for the evacuation of the Spanish Antilles. On August 12 +M. Cambon announced his receipt of full powers to sign the protocol +so submitted. Accordingly, on the afternoon of August 12, M. Cambon, +as the plenipotentiary of Spain, and the Secretary of State, as the +plenipotentiary of the United States, signed a protocol providing-- + + ARTICLE I. Spain will relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title + to Cuba. + + ART. II. Spain will cede to the United States the island of Puerto Rico + and other islands now under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indies, and + also an island in the Ladrones to be selected by the United States. + + ART. III. The United States will occupy and hold the city, bay, and + harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall + determine the control, disposition, and government of the Philippines. + + +The fourth article provided for the appointment of joint commissions on +the part of the United States and Spain, to meet in Havana and San Juan, +respectively, for the purpose of arranging and carrying out the details +of the stipulated evacuation of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Spanish +islands in the West Indies. + +The fifth article provided for the appointment of not more than five +commissioners on each side, to meet at Paris not later than October 1 +and to proceed to the negotiation and conclusion of a treaty of peace, +subject to ratification according to the respective constitutional forms +of the two countries. + +The sixth and last article provided that upon the signature of the +protocol hostilities between the two countries should be suspended and +that notice to that effect should be given as soon as possible by each +Government to the commanders of its military and naval forces. + +Immediately upon the conclusion of the protocol I issued a proclamation, +of August 12,[22] suspending hostilities on the part of the United +States. The necessary orders to that end were at once given by +telegraph. The blockade of the ports of Cuba and San Juan de Puerto Rico +was in like manner raised. On the 18th of August the muster out of +100,000 volunteers, or as near that number as was found to be +practicable, was ordered. + +On the 1st of December 101,165 officers and men had been mustered out +and discharged from the service, and 9,002 more will be mustered out +by the 10th of this month; also a corresponding number of general and +general staff officers have been honorably discharged the service. + +The military commissions to superintend the evacuation of Cuba, Puerto +Rico, and the adjacent islands were forthwith appointed--for Cuba, +Major-General James F. Wade, Rear-Admiral William T. Sampson, +Major-General Matthew C. Butler; for Puerto Rico, Major-General John R. +Brooke, Rear-Admiral Winfield S. Schley, Brigadier-General William W. +Gordon--who soon afterwards met the Spanish commissioners at Havana and +San Juan, respectively. The Puerto Rican Joint Commission speedily +accomplished its task, and by the 18th of October the evacuation of the +island was completed. The United States flag was raised over the island +at noon on that day. The administration of its affairs has been +provisionally intrusted to a military governor until the Congress shall +otherwise provide. The Cuban Joint Commission has not yet terminated its +labors. Owing to the difficulties in the way of removing the large +numbers of Spanish troops still in Cuba, the evacuation can not be +completed before the 1st of January next. + +Pursuant to the fifth article of the protocol, I appointed William R. +Day, lately Secretary of State; Cushman K. Davis, William P. Frye, and +George Gray, Senators of the United States, and Whitelaw Reid to be the +peace commissioners on the part of the United States. Proceeding in due +season to Paris, they there met on the 1st of October five commissioners +similarly appointed on the part of Spain. Their negotiations have made +hopeful progress, so that I trust soon to be able to lay a definitive +treaty of peace before the Senate, with a review of the steps leading +to its signature. + +I do not discuss at this time the government or the future of the new +possessions which will come to us as the result of the war with Spain. +Such discussion will be appropriate after the treaty of peace shall +be ratified. In the meantime and until the Congress has legislated +otherwise it will be my duty to continue the military governments which +have existed since our occupation and give to the people security in +life and property and encouragement under a just and beneficent rule. + +As soon as we are in possession of Cuba and have pacified the island +it will be necessary to give aid and direction to its people to form +a government for themselves. This should be undertaken at the earliest +moment consistent with safety and assured success. It is important that +our relations with this people shall be of the most friendly character +and our commercial relations close and reciprocal. It should be our +duty to assist in every proper way to build up the waste places of the +island, encourage the industry of the people, and assist them to form a +government which shall be free and independent, thus realizing the best +aspirations of the Cuban people. + +Spanish rule must be replaced by a just, benevolent, and humane +government, created by the people of Cuba, capable of performing all +international obligations, and which shall encourage thrift, industry, +and prosperity and promote peace and good will among all of the +inhabitants, whatever may have been their relations in the past. Neither +revenge nor passion should have a place in the new government. Until +there is complete tranquillity in the island and a stable government +inaugurated military occupation will be continued. + +With the one exception of the rupture with Spain, the intercourse of +the United States with the great family of nations has been marked with +cordiality, and the close of the eventful year finds most of the issues +that necessarily arise in the complex relations of sovereign states +adjusted or presenting no serious obstacle to a just and honorable +solution by amicable agreement. + +A long unsettled dispute as to the extended boundary between the +Argentine Republic and Chile, stretching along the Andean crests from +the southern border of the Atacama Desert to Magellan Straits, nearly a +third of the length of the South American continent, assumed an acute +stage in the early part of the year, and afforded to this Government +occasion to express the hope that the resort to arbitration, already +contemplated by existing conventions between the parties, might prevail +despite the grave difficulties arising in its application. I am happy to +say that arrangements to this end have been perfected, the questions of +fact upon which the respective commissioners were unable to agree being +in course of reference to Her Britannic Majesty for determination. +A residual difference touching the northern boundary line across the +Atacama Desert, for which existing treaties provided no adequate +adjustment, bids fair to be settled in like manner by a joint +commission, upon which the United States minister at Buenos Ayres has +been invited to serve as umpire in the last resort. + +I have found occasion to approach the Argentine Government with a view +to removing differences of rate charges imposed upon the cables of an +American corporation in the transmission between Buenos Ayres and the +cities of Uruguay and Brazil of through messages passing from and +to the United States. Although the matter is complicated by exclusive +concessions by Uruguay and Brazil to foreign companies, there is strong +hope that a good understanding will be reached and that the important +channels of commercial communication between the United States and the +Atlantic cities of South America may be freed from an almost prohibitory +discrimination. + +In this relation I may be permitted to express my sense of the fitness +of an international agreement whereby the interchange of messages over +connecting cables may be regulated on a fair basis of uniformity. +The world has seen the postal system developed from a congeries of +independent and exclusive services into a well-ordered union, of which +all countries enjoy the manifold benefits. It would be strange were the +nations not in time brought to realize that modern civilization, which +owes so much of its progress to the annihilation of space by the +electric force, demands that this all-important means of communication +be a heritage of all peoples, to be administered and regulated in their +common behoof. A step in this direction was taken when the international +convention of 1884 for the protection of submarine cables was signed, +and the day is, I trust, not far distant when this medium for the +transmission of thought from land to land may be brought within the +domain of international concert as completely as is the material +carriage of commerce and correspondence upon the face of the waters +that divide them. + +The claim of Thomas Jefferson Page against Argentina, which has been +pending many years, has been adjusted. The sum awarded by the Congress +of Argentina was $4,242.35. + +The sympathy of the American people has justly been offered to the ruler +and the people of Austria-Hungary by reason of the affliction that has +lately befallen them in the assassination of the Empress-Queen of that +historic realm. + +On the 10th of September, 1897, a conflict took place at Lattimer, Pa., +between a body of striking miners and the sheriff of Luzerne County and +his deputies, in which 22 miners were killed and 44 wounded, of whom +10 of the killed and 12 of the wounded were Austrian and Hungarian +subjects. This deplorable event naturally aroused the solicitude of the +Austro-Hungarian Government, which, on the assumption that the killing +and wounding involved the unjustifiable misuse of authority, claimed +reparation for the sufferers. Apart from the searching investigation and +peremptory action of the authorities of Pennsylvania, the Federal +Executive took appropriate steps to learn the merits of the case, in +order to be in a position to meet the urgent complaint of a friendly +power. The sheriff and his deputies, having been indicted for murder, +were tried, and acquitted, after protracted proceedings and the hearing +of hundreds of witnesses, on the ground that the killing was in the line +of their official duty to uphold law and preserve public order in the +State. A representative of the Department of Justice attended the trial +and reported its course fully. With all the facts in its possession, +this Government expects to reach a harmonious understanding on the +subject with that of Austria-Hungary, notwithstanding the renewed claim +of the latter, after learning the result of the trial, for indemnity for +its injured subjects. + +Despite the brief time allotted for preparation, the exhibits of this +country at the Universal Exposition at Brussels in 1897 enjoyed the +singular distinction of a larger proportion of awards, having regard +to the number and classes of articles entered than those of other +countries. The worth of such a result in making known our national +capacity to supply the world's markets is obvious. + +Exhibitions of this international character are becoming more frequent +as the exchanges of commercial countries grow more intimate and varied. +Hardly a year passes that this Government is not invited to national +participation at some important foreign center, but often on too short +notice to permit of recourse to Congress for the power and means to do +so. My predecessors have suggested the advisability of providing by +a general enactment and a standing appropriation for accepting such +invitations and for representation of this country by a commission. +This plan has my cordial approval. + +I trust that the Belgian restrictions on the importation of cattle from +the United States, originally adopted as a sanitary precaution, will at +an early day be relaxed as to their present features of hardship and +discrimination, so as to admit live cattle under due regulation of their +slaughter after landing. I am hopeful, too, of favorable change in +the Belgian treatment of our preserved and salted meats. The growth +of direct trade between the two countries, not alone for Belgian +consumption and Belgian products, but by way of transit from and to +other continental states, has been both encouraging and beneficial. No +effort will be spared to enlarge its advantages by seeking the removal +of needless impediments and by arrangements for increased commercial +exchanges. + +The year's events in Central America deserve more than passing mention. + +A menacing rupture between Costa Rica and Nicaragua was happily composed +by the signature of a convention between the parties, with the +concurrence of the Guatemalan representative as a mediator, the act +being negotiated and signed on board the United States steamer +_Alert_, then lying in Central American waters. It is believed that +the good offices of our envoy and of the commander of that vessel +contributed toward this gratifying outcome. + +In my last annual message the situation was presented with respect to +the diplomatic representation of this Government in Central America +created by the association of Nicaragua, Honduras, and Salvador under +the title of the Greater Republic of Central America, and the delegation +of their international functions to the Diet thereof. While the +representative character of the Diet was recognized by my predecessor +and has been confirmed during my Administration by receiving its +accredited envoy and granting exequaturs to consuls commissioned under +its authority, that recognition was qualified by the distinct +understanding that the responsibility of each of the component sovereign +Republics toward the United States remained wholly unaffected. + +This proviso was needful inasmuch as the compact of the three +Republics was at the outset an association whereby certain +representative functions were delegated to a tripartite commission +rather than a federation possessing centralized powers of government +and administration. In this view of their relation and of the +relation of the United States to the several Republics, a change +in the representation of this country in Central America was neither +recommended by the Executive nor initiated by Congress, thus leaving one +of our envoys accredited, as heretofore, separately to two States of the +Greater Republic, Nicaragua and Salvador, and to a third State, Costa +Rica, which was not a party to the compact, while our other envoy was +similarly accredited to a union State, Honduras, and a nonunion State, +Guatemala. The result has been that the one has presented credentials +only to the President of Costa Rica, the other having been received only +by the Government of Guatemala. + +Subsequently the three associated Republics entered into negotiations +for taking the steps forecast in the original compact. A convention of +their delegates framed for them a federal constitution under the name of +the United States of Central America, and provided for a central federal +government and legislature. Upon ratification by the constituent States, +the 1st of November last was fixed for the new system to go into +operation. Within a few weeks thereafter the plan was severely tested +by revolutionary movements arising, with a consequent demand for unity +of action on the part of the military power of the federal States to +suppress them. Under this strain the new union seems to have been +weakened through the withdrawal of its more important members. This +Government was not officially advised of the installation of the +federation and has maintained an attitude of friendly expectancy, while +in no wise relinquishing the position held from the outset that the +responsibilities of the several States toward us remained unaltered by +their tentative relations among themselves. + +The Nicaragua Canal Commission, under the chairmanship of Rear-Admiral +John G. Walker, appointed July 24, 1897, under the authority of a +provision in the sundry civil act of June 4 of that year, has nearly +completed its labors, and the results of its exhaustive inquiry into the +proper route, the feasibility, and the cost of construction of an +interoceanic canal by a Nicaraguan route will be laid before you. In the +performance of its task the commission received all possible courtesy +and assistance from the Governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which +thus testified their appreciation of the importance of giving a speedy +and practical outcome to the great project that has for so many years +engrossed the attention of the respective countries. + +As the scope of the recent inquiry embraced the whole subject, with the +aim of making plans and surveys for a canal by the most convenient +route, it necessarily included a review of the results of previous +surveys and plans, and in particular those adopted by the Maritime Canal +Company under its existing concessions from Nicaragua and Costa Rica, so +that to this extent those grants necessarily hold as essential a part +in the deliberations and conclusions of the Canal Commission as they +have held and must needs hold in the discussion of the matter by the +Congress. Under these circumstances and in view of overtures made to the +Governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica by other parties for a new canal +concession predicated on the assumed approaching lapse of the contracts +of the Maritime Canal Company with those States, I have not hesitated +to express my conviction that considerations of expediency and +international policy as between the several governments interested in +the construction and control of an interoceanic canal by this route +require the maintenance of the _status quo_ until the Canal +Commission shall have reported and the United States Congress shall have +had the opportunity to pass finally upon the whole matter during the +present session, without prejudice by reason of any change in the +existing conditions. + +Nevertheless, it appears that the Government of Nicaragua, as one +of its last sovereign acts before merging its powers in those of the +newly formed United States of Central America, has granted an optional +concession to another association, to become effective on the expiration +of the present grant. It does not appear what surveys have been made +or what route is proposed under this contingent grant, so that an +examination of the feasibility of its plans is necessarily not embraced +in the report of the Canal Commission. All these circumstances suggest +the urgency of some definite action by the Congress at this session +if the labors of the past are to be utilized and the linking of the +Atlantic and Pacific oceans by a practical waterway is to be realized. +That the construction of such a maritime highway is now more than ever +indispensable to that intimate and ready intercommunication between our +eastern and western seaboards demanded by the annexation of the Hawaiian +Islands and the prospective expansion of our influence and commerce in +the Pacific, and that our national policy now more imperatively than +ever calls for its control by this Government, are propositions which +I doubt not the Congress will duly appreciate and wisely act upon. + +A convention providing for the revival of the late United States and +Chilean Claims Commission and the consideration of claims which were +duly presented to the late commission, but not considered because of the +expiration of the time limited for the duration of the commission, was +signed May 24, 1897, and has remained unacted upon by the Senate. The +term therein fixed for effecting the exchange of ratifications having +elapsed, the convention falls unless the time be extended by amendment, +which I am endeavoring to bring about, with the friendly concurrence of +the Chilean Government. + +The United States has not been an indifferent spectator of the +extraordinary events transpiring in the Chinese Empire, whereby portions +of its maritime provinces are passing under the control of various +European powers; but the prospect that the vast commerce which the +energy of our citizens and the necessity of our staple productions for +Chinese uses has built up in those regions may not be prejudiced through +any exclusive treatment by the new occupants has obviated the need of +our country becoming an actor in the scene. Our position among nations, +having a large Pacific coast and a constantly expanding direct trade +with the farther Orient, gives us the equitable claim to consideration +and friendly treatment in this regard, and it will be my aim to subserve +our large interests in that quarter by all means appropriate to the +constant policy of our Government. The territories of Kiao-chow, of +Wei-hai-wei, and of Port Arthur and Talienwan, leased to Germany, +Great Britain, and Russia, respectively, for terms of years, will, +it is announced, be open to international commerce during such alien +occupation; and if no discriminating treatment of American citizens and +their trade be found to exist or be hereafter developed, the desire of +this Government would appear to be realized. + +In this relation, as showing the volume and value of our exchanges with +China and the peculiarly favorable conditions which exist for their +expansion in the normal course of trade, I refer to the communication +addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the +Secretary of the Treasury on the 14th of last June, with its +accompanying letter of the Secretary of State, recommending an +appropriation for a commission to study the commercial and industrial +conditions in the Chinese Empire and report as to the opportunities +for and obstacles to the enlargement of markets in China for the +raw products and manufactures of the United States. Action was not +taken thereon during the late session. I cordially urge that the +recommendation receive at your hands the consideration which its +importance and timeliness merit. + +Meanwhile there may be just ground for disquietude in view of the unrest +and revival of the old sentiment of opposition and prejudice to alien +people which pervades certain of the Chinese provinces. As in the case +of the attacks upon our citizens in Szechuen and at Kutien in 1895, the +United States minister has been instructed to secure the fullest measure +of protection, both local and imperial, for any menaced American +interests, and to demand, in case of lawless injury to person or +property, instant reparation appropriate to the case. War ships have +been stationed at Tientsin for more ready observation of the disorders +which have invaded even the Chinese capital, so as to be in a position +to act should need arise, while a guard of marines has been sent to +Peking to afford the minister the same measure of authoritative +protection as the representatives of other nations have been constrained +to employ. + +Following close upon the rendition of the award of my predecessor as +arbitrator of the claim of the Italian subject Cerruti against the +Republic of Colombia, differences arose between the parties to the +arbitration in regard to the scope and extension of the award, of which +certain articles were contested by Colombia, while Italy claimed their +literal fulfillment. The award having been made by the President of the +United States, as an act of friendly consideration and with the sole +view to an impartial composition of the matter in dispute, I could +not but feel deep concern at such a miscarriage, and while unable to +accept the Colombian theory that I, in my official capacity, possessed +continuing functions as arbitrator, with power to interpret or revise +the terms of the award, my best efforts were lent to bring the parties +to a harmonious agreement as to the execution of its provisions. + +A naval demonstration by Italy resulted in an engagement to pay +the liabilities claimed upon their ascertainment; but this apparent +disposition of the controversy was followed by a rupture of diplomatic +intercourse between Colombia and Italy, which still continues, although, +fortunately, without acute symptoms having supervened. Notwithstanding +this, efforts are reported to be continuing for the ascertainment of +Colombia's contingent liability on account of Cerruti's debts under the +fifth article of the award. + +A claim of an American citizen against the Dominican Republic for +a public bridge over the Ozama River, which has been in diplomatic +controversy for several years, has been settled by expert arbitration +and an award in favor of the claimant amounting to about $90,000. It, +however, remains unpaid, despite urgent demands for its settlement +according to the terms of the compact. + +There is now every prospect that the participation of the United States +in the Universal Exposition to be held in Paris in 1900 will be on a +scale commensurate with the advanced position held by our products and +industries in the world's chief marts. + +The preliminary report of Mr. Moses P. Handy, who, under the act +approved July 19, 1897, was appointed special commissioner with a view +to securing all attainable information necessary to a full and complete +understanding by Congress in regard to the participation of this +Government in the Paris Exposition, was laid before you by my message +of December 6, 1897, and showed the large opportunities opened to make +known our national progress in arts, science, and manufactures, as +well as the urgent need of immediate and adequate provision to enable +due advantage thereof to be taken. Mr. Handy's death soon afterwards +rendered it necessary for another to take up and complete his unfinished +work, and on January 11 last Mr. Thomas W. Cridler, Third Assistant +Secretary of State, was designated to fulfill that task. His report was +laid before you by my message of June 14, 1898, with the gratifying +result of awakening renewed interest in the projected display. By a +provision in the sundry civil appropriation act of July 1, 1898, a sum +not to exceed $650,000 was allotted for the organization of a commission +to care for the proper preparation and installation of American exhibits +and for the display of suitable exhibits by the several Executive +Departments, particularly by the Department of Agriculture, the Fish +Commission, and the Smithsonian Institution, in representation of the +Government of the United States. + +Pursuant to that enactment I appointed Mr. Ferdinand W. Peck, of +Chicago, commissioner-general, with an assistant commissioner-general +and a secretary. Mr. Peck at once proceeded to Paris, where his success +in enlarging the scope and variety of the United States exhibit has +been most gratifying. Notwithstanding the comparatively limited area +of the exposition site--less than one-half that of the World's Fair at +Chicago--the space assigned to the United States has been increased from +the absolute allotment of 157,403 square feet reported by Mr. Handy to +some 202,000 square feet, with corresponding augmentation of the field +for a truly characteristic representation of the various important +branches of our country's development. Mr. Peck's report will be laid +before you. In my judgment its recommendations will call for your early +consideration, especially as regards an increase of the appropriation to +at least one million dollars in all, so that not only may the assigned +space be fully taken up by the best possible exhibits in every class, +but the preparation and installation be on so perfect a scale as to +rank among the first in that unparalleled competition of artistic and +inventive production, and thus counterbalance the disadvantage with +which we start as compared with other countries whose appropriations are +on a more generous scale and whose preparations are in a state of much +greater forwardness than our own. + +Where our artisans have the admitted capacity to excel, where our +inventive genius has initiated many of the grandest discoveries of these +later days of the century, and where the native resources of our land +are as limitless as they are valuable to supply the world's needs, it is +our province, as it should be our earnest care, to lead in the march of +human progress, and not rest content with any secondary place. Moreover, +if this be due to ourselves, it is no less due to the great French +nation whose guests we become, and which has in so many ways testified +its wish and hope that our participation shall befit the place the two +peoples have won in the field of universal development. + +The commercial arrangement made with France on the 28th of May, 1898, +under the provisions of section 3 of the tariff act of 1897, went into +effect on the 1st day of June following. It has relieved a portion of +our export trade from serious embarrassment. Further negotiations +are now pending under section 4 of the same act with a view to the +increase of trade between the two countries to their mutual advantage. +Negotiations with other governments, in part interrupted by the war with +Spain, are in progress under both sections of the tariff act. I hope to +be able to announce some of the results of these negotiations during the +present session of Congress. + +Negotiations to the same end with Germany have been set on foot. +Meanwhile no effort has been relaxed to convince the Imperial Government +of the thoroughness of our inspection of pork products for exportation, +and it is trusted that the efficient administration of this measure by +the Department of Agriculture will be recognized as a guaranty of the +healthfulness of the food staples we send abroad to countries where +their use is large and necessary. + +I transmitted to the Senate on the 10th of February last information +touching the prohibition against the importation of fresh fruits from +this country, which had then recently been decreed by Germany on the +ground of danger of disseminating the San Jose scale insect. This +precautionary measure was justified by Germany on the score of the +drastic steps taken in several States of the Union against the spread of +the pest, the elaborate reports of the Department of Agriculture being +put in evidence to show the danger to German fruit-growing interests +should the scale obtain a lodgment in that country. Temporary relief was +afforded in the case of large consignments of fruit then on the way by +inspection and admission when found noninfected. Later the prohibition +was extended to dried fruits of every kind, but was relaxed so as to +apply only to unpeeled fruit and fruit waste. As was to be expected, the +alarm reached to other countries, and Switzerland has adopted a similar +inhibition. Efforts are in progress to induce the German and Swiss +Governments to relax the prohibition in favor of dried fruits shown to +have been cured under circumstances rendering the existence of animal +life impossible. + +Our relations with Great Britain have continued on the most friendly +footing. Assenting to our request, the protection of Americans and their +interests in Spanish jurisdiction was assumed by the diplomatic and +consular representatives of Great Britain, who fulfilled their delicate +and arduous trust with tact and zeal, eliciting high commendation. +I may be allowed to make fitting allusion to the instance of Mr. Ramsden, +Her Majesty's consul at Santiago de Cuba, whose untimely death after +distinguished service and untiring effort during the siege of that city +was sincerely lamented. + +In the early part of April last, pursuant to a request made at the +instance of the Secretary of State by the British ambassador at this +capital, the Canadian government granted facilities for the passage of +four United States revenue cutters from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic +coast by way of the Canadian canals and the St. Lawrence River. The +vessels had reached Lake Ontario and were there awaiting the opening of +navigation when war was declared between the United States and Spain. +Her Majesty's Government thereupon, by a communication of the latter +part of April, stated that the permission granted before the outbreak of +hostilities would not be withdrawn provided the United States Government +gave assurance that the vessels in question would proceed direct to +a United States port without engaging in any hostile operation. +This Government promptly agreed to the stipulated condition, it being +understood that the vessels would not be prohibited from resisting any +hostile attack. + +It will give me especial satisfaction if I shall be authorized to +communicate to you a favorable conclusion of the pending negotiations +with Great Britain in respect to the Dominion of Canada. It is the +earnest wish of this Government to remove all sources of discord and +irritation in our relations with the neighboring Dominion. The trade +between the two countries is constantly increasing, and it is important +to both countries that all reasonable facilities should be granted for +its development. + +The Government of Greece strongly urges the onerousness of the duty here +imposed upon the currants of that country, amounting to 100 per cent or +more of their market value. This fruit is stated to be exclusively a +Greek product, not coming into competition with any domestic product. +The question of reciprocal commercial relations with Greece, including +the restoration of currants to the free list, is under consideration. + +The long-standing claim of Bernard Campbell for damages for injuries +sustained from a violent assault committed against him by military +authorities in the island of Haiti has been settled by the agreement of +that Republic to pay him $10,000 in American gold. Of this sum $5,000 +has already been paid. It is hoped that other pending claims of American +citizens against that Republic may be amicably adjusted. + +Pending the consideration by the Senate of the treaty signed June 16, +1897, by the plenipotentiaries of the United States and of the Republic +of Hawaii, providing for the annexation of the islands, a joint +resolution to accomplish the same purpose by accepting the offered +cession and incorporating the ceded territory into the Union was adopted +by the Congress and approved July 7, 1898. I thereupon directed the +United States steamship _Philadelphia_ to convey Rear-Admiral +Miller to Honolulu, and intrusted to his hands this important +legislative act, to be delivered to the President of the Republic of +Hawaii, with whom the Admiral and the United States minister were +authorized to make appropriate arrangements for transferring the +sovereignty of the islands to the United States. This was simply but +impressively accomplished on the 12th of August last by the delivery of +a certified copy of the resolution to President Dole, who thereupon +yielded up to the representative of the Government of the United States +the sovereignty and public property of the Hawaiian Islands. + +Pursuant to the terms of the joint resolution and in exercise of +the authority thereby conferred upon me, I directed that the civil, +judicial, and military powers theretofore exercised by the officers of +the Government of the Republic of Hawaii should continue to be exercised +by those officers until Congress shall provide a government for the +incorporated territory, subject to my power to remove such officers and +to fill vacancies. The President, officers, and troops of the Republic +thereupon took the oath of allegiance to the United States, thus +providing for the uninterrupted continuance of all the administrative +and municipal functions of the annexed territory until Congress shall +otherwise enact. + +Following the further provision of the joint resolution, I appointed the +Hons. Shelby M. Cullom, of Illinois, John T. Morgan, of Alabama, Robert +R. Hitt, of Illinois, Sanford B. Dole, of Hawaii, and Walter F. Frear, +of Hawaii, as commissioners to confer and recommend to Congress such +legislation concerning the Hawaiian Islands as they should deem +necessary or proper. The commissioners having fulfilled the mission +confided to them, their report will be laid before you at an early day. +It is believed that their recommendations will have the earnest +consideration due to the magnitude of the responsibility resting upon +you to give such shape to the relationship of those mid-Pacific lands to +our home Union as will benefit both in the highest degree, realizing the +aspirations of the community that has cast its lot with us and elected +to share our political heritage, while at the same time justifying the +foresight of those who for three-quarters of a century have looked to +the assimilation of Hawaii as a natural and inevitable consummation, in +harmony with our needs and in fulfillment of our cherished traditions. + +The questions heretofore pending between Hawaii and Japan growing out +of the alleged mistreatment of Japanese treaty immigrants were, I am +pleased to say, adjusted before the act of transfer by the payment of +a reasonable indemnity to the Government of Japan. + +Under the provisions of the joint resolution, the existing customs +relations of the Hawaiian Islands with the United States and with other +countries remain unchanged until legislation shall otherwise provide. +The consuls of Hawaii here and in foreign countries continue to fulfill +their commercial agencies, while the United States consulate at Honolulu +is maintained for all appropriate services pertaining to trade and the +revenue. It would be desirable that all foreign consuls in the Hawaiian +Islands should receive new exequaturs from this Government. + +The attention of Congress is called to the fact that, our consular +offices having ceased to exist in Hawaii and being about to cease in +other countries coming under the sovereignty of the United States, the +provisions for the relief and transportation of destitute American +seamen in these countries under our consular regulations will in +consequence terminate. It is proper, therefore, that new legislation +should be enacted upon this subject in order to meet the changed +conditions. + +The interpretation of certain provisions of the extradition convention +of December 11, 1861, has been at various times the occasion of +controversy with the Government of Mexico. An acute difference arose in +the case of the Mexican demand for the delivery of Jesus Guerra, who, +having led a marauding expedition near the border with the proclaimed +purpose of initiating an insurrection against President Diaz, escaped +into Texas. Extradition was refused on the ground that the alleged +offense was political in its character, and therefore came within the +treaty proviso of nonsurrender. The Mexican contention was that the +exception only related to purely political offenses, and that as +Guerra's acts were admixed with the common crime of murder, arson, +kidnaping, and robbery, the option of nondelivery became void, a +position which this Government was unable to admit in view of the +received international doctrine and practice in the matter. The Mexican +Government, in view of this, gave notice January 24, 1898, of the +termination of the convention, to take effect twelve months from that +date, at the same time inviting the conclusion of a new convention, +toward which negotiations are on foot. + +In this relation I may refer to the necessity of some amendment of +our existing extradition statute. It is a common stipulation of such +treaties that neither party shall be bound to give up its own citizens, +with the added proviso in one of our treaties, that with Japan, that it +may surrender if it see fit. It is held in this country by an almost +uniform course of decisions that where a treaty negatives the obligation +to surrender the President is not invested with legal authority to act. +The conferment of such authority would be in the line of that sound +morality which shrinks from affording secure asylum to the author of a +heinous crime. Again, statutory provision might well be made for what is +styled extradition by way of transit, whereby a fugitive surrendered by +one foreign government to another may be conveyed across the territory +of the United States to the jurisdiction of the demanding state. +A recommendation in this behalf made in the President's message of +1886[23] was not acted upon. The matter is presented for your +consideration. + +The problem of the Mexican free zone has been often discussed with +regard to its inconvenience as a provocative of smuggling into the +United States along an extensive and thinly guarded land border. +The effort made by the joint resolution of March 1, 1895, to remedy the +abuse charged by suspending the privilege of free transportation in +bond across the territory of the United States to Mexico failed of good +result, as is stated in Report No. 702 of the House of Representatives, +submitted in the last session, March 11, 1898. As the question is one to +be conveniently met by wise concurrent legislation of the two countries +looking to the protection of the revenues by harmonious measures +operating equally on either side of the boundary, rather than by +conventional arrangements, I suggest that Congress consider the +advisability of authorizing and inviting a conference of representatives +of the Treasury Departments of the United States and Mexico to consider +the subject in all its complex bearings, and make report with pertinent +recommendations to the respective Governments for the information and +consideration of their Congresses. + +The Mexican Water Boundary Commission has adjusted all matters +submitted to it to the satisfaction of both Governments save in three +important cases--that of the "Chamizal" at El Paso, Tex., where the two +commissioners failed to agree, and wherein, for this case only, this +Government has proposed to Mexico the addition of a third member; the +proposed elimination of what are known as "Bancos," small isolated +islands formed by the cutting off of bends in the Rio Grande, from +the operation of the treaties of 1884 and 1889, recommended by the +commissioners and approved by this Government, but still under +consideration by Mexico; and the subject of the "Equitable distribution +of the waters of the Rio Grande," for which the commissioners +recommended an international dam and reservoir, approved by Mexico, but +still under consideration by this Government. Pending these questions +it is necessary to extend the life of the commission, which expires +December 23 next. + +The coronation of the young Queen of the Netherlands was made the +occasion of fitting congratulations. + +The claim of Victor H. McCord against Peru, which for a number of +years has been pressed by this Government and has on several occasions +attracted the attention of the Congress, has been satisfactorily +adjusted. A protocol was signed May 17, 1898, whereby, the fact of +liability being admitted, the question of the amount to be awarded was +submitted to the chief justice of Canada as sole arbitrator. His award +sets the indemnity due the claimant at $40,000. + +The Government of Peru has given the prescribed notification of its +intention to abrogate the treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation +concluded with this country August 31, 1887. As that treaty contains +many important provisions necessary to the maintenance of commerce +and good relations, which could with difficulty be replaced by the +negotiation of renewed provisions within the brief twelve months +intervening before the treaty terminates, I have invited suggestions by +Peru as to the particular provisions it is desired to annul, in the hope +of reaching an arrangement whereby the remaining articles may be +provisionally saved. + +His Majesty the Czar having announced his purpose to raise the +Imperial Russian mission at this capital to the rank of an embassy, +I responded, under the authority conferred by the act of March 3, +1893, by commissioning and accrediting the actual representative +at St. Petersburg in the capacity of ambassador extraordinary and +plenipotentiary. The Russian ambassador to this country has since +presented his credentials. + +The proposal of the Czar for a general reduction of the vast military +establishments that weigh so heavily upon many peoples in time of peace +was communicated to this Government with an earnest invitation to be +represented in the conference which it is contemplated to assemble with +a view to discussing the means of accomplishing so desirable a result. +His Majesty was at once informed of the cordial sympathy of this +Government with the principle involved in his exalted proposal and of +the readiness of the United States to take part in the conference. +The active military force of the United States, as measured by our +population, territorial area, and taxable wealth, is, and under any +conceivable prospective conditions must continue to be, in time of peace +so conspicuously less than that of the armed powers to whom the Czar's +appeal is especially addressed that the question can have for us no +practical importance save as marking an auspicious step toward the +betterment of the condition of the modern peoples and the cultivation +of peace and good will among them; but in this view it behooves us as +a nation to lend countenance and aid to the beneficent project. + +The claims of owners of American sealing vessels for seizure by Russian +cruisers in Bering Sea are being pressed to a settlement. The equities +of the cases justify the expectation that a measure of reparation will +eventually be accorded in harmony with precedent and in the light of the +proven facts. + +The recommendation made in my special message of April 27 last is +renewed, that appropriation be made to reimburse the master and owners +of the Russian bark _Hans_ for wrongful arrest of the master and +detention of the vessel in February, 1896, by officers of the United +States district court for the southern district of Mississippi. The +papers accompanying my said message make out a most meritorious claim +and justify the urgency with which it has been presented by the +Government of Russia. + +Malietoa Laupepa, King of Samoa, died on August 22 last. According to +Article I of the general act of Berlin, "his successor shall be duly +elected according to the laws and customs of Samoa." + +Arrangements having been agreed upon between the signatories of the +general act for the return of Mataafa and the other exiled Samoan +chiefs, they were brought from Jaluit by a German war vessel and landed +at Apia on September 18 last. + +Whether the death of Malietoa and the return of his old-time rival +Mataafa will add to the undesirable complications which the execution of +the tripartite general act has heretofore developed remains to be seen. +The efforts of this Government will, as heretofore, be addressed toward +a harmonious and exact fulfillment of the terms of the international +engagement to which the United States became a party in 1889. + +The Cheek claim against Siam, after some five years of controversy, has +been adjusted by arbitration under an agreement signed July 6, 1897, an +award of 706,721 ticals (about $187,987.78), with release of the Cheek +estate from mortgage claims, having been rendered March 21, 1898, in +favor of the claimant by the arbitrator, Sir Nicholas John Hannen, +British chief justice for China and Japan. + +An envoy from Siam has been accredited to this Government and has +presented his credentials. + +Immediately upon the outbreak of the war with Spain the Swiss +Government, fulfilling the high mission it has deservedly assumed as the +patron of the International Red Cross, proposed to the United States and +Spain that they should severally recognize and carry into execution, +as a _modus vivendi_, during the continuance of hostilities, the +additional articles proposed by the international conference of Geneva, +October 20, 1868, extending the effects of the existing Red Cross +convention of 1864 to the conduct of naval war. Following the example +set by France and Germany in 1870 in adopting such a _modus vivendi_, +and in view of the accession of the United States to those additional +articles in 1882, although the exchange of ratifications thereof still +remained uneffected, the Swiss proposal was promptly and cordially +accepted by us, and simultaneously by Spain. + +This Government feels a keen satisfaction in having thus been enabled to +testify its adherence to the broadest principles of humanity even amidst +the clash of war, and it is to be hoped that the extension of the Red +Cross compact to hostilities by sea as well as on land may soon become +an accomplished fact through the general promulgation of the additional +naval Red Cross articles by the maritime powers now parties to the +convention of 1864. + +The important question of the claim of Switzerland to the perpetual +cantonal allegiance of American citizens of Swiss origin has not made +hopeful progress toward a solution, and controversies in this regard +still continue. + +The newly accredited envoy of the United States to the Ottoman Porte +carries instructions looking to the disposal of matters in controversy +with Turkey for a number of years. He is especially charged to press for +a just settlement of our claims for indemnity by reason of the +destruction of the property of American missionaries resident in that +country during the Armenian troubles of 1895, as well as for the +recognition of older claims of equal justness. + +He is also instructed to seek an adjustment of the dispute growing +out of the refusal of Turkey to recognize the acquired citizenship of +Ottoman-born persons naturalized in the United States since 1869 without +prior imperial consent, and in the same general relation he is directed +to endeavor to bring about a solution of the question which has more or +less acutely existed since 1869 concerning the jurisdictional rights of +the United States in matters of criminal procedure and punishment under +Article IV of the treaty of 1830. This latter difficulty grows out of a +verbal difference, claimed by Turkey to be essential, between the +original Turkish text and the promulgated translation. + +After more than two years from the appointment of a consul of this +country to Erzerum, he has received his exequatur. + +The arbitral tribunal appointed under the treaty of February 2, 1897, +between Great Britain and Venezuela, to determine the boundary line +between the latter and the colony of British Guiana, is to convene at +Paris during the present month. It is a source of much gratification to +this Government to see the friendly resort of arbitration applied to the +settlement of this controversy, not alone because of the earnest part we +have had in bringing about the result, but also because the two members +named on behalf of Venezuela, Mr. Chief Justice Fuller and Mr. Justice +Brewer, chosen from our highest court, appropriately testify the +continuing interest we feel in the definitive adjustment of the question +according to the strictest rules of justice. The British members, +Lord Herschell and Sir Richard Collins, are jurists of no less exalted +repute, while the fifth member and president of the tribunal, M.F. +De Martens, has earned a world-wide reputation as an authority upon +international law. + +The claim of Felipe Scandella against Venezuela for arbitrary expulsion +and injury to his business has been adjusted by the revocation of the +order of expulsion and by the payment of the sum of $16,000. + +I have the satisfaction of being able to state that the Bureau of +the American Republics, created in 1890 as the organ for promoting +commercial intercourse and fraternal relations among the countries of +the Western Hemisphere, has become a more efficient instrument of the +wise purposes of its founders, and is receiving the cordial support of +the contributing members of the international union which are actually +represented in its board of management. A commercial directory, in two +volumes, containing a mass of statistical matter descriptive of the +industrial and commercial interests of the various countries, has been +printed in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and a monthly +bulletin published in these four languages and distributed in the +Latin-American countries as well as in the United States has proved to +be a valuable medium for disseminating information and furthering the +varied interests of the international union. + +During the past year the important work of collecting information of +practical benefit to American industries and trade through the agency +of the diplomatic and consular officers has been steadily advanced, and +in order to lay such data before the public with the least delay the +practice was begun in January, 1898, of issuing the commercial reports +from day to day as they are received by the Department of State. It is +believed that for promptitude as well as fullness of information the +service thus supplied to our merchants and manufacturers will be found +to show sensible improvement and to merit the liberal support of +Congress. + +The experiences of the last year bring forcibly home to us a sense of +the burdens and the waste of war. We desire, in common with most +civilized nations, to reduce to the lowest possible point the damage +sustained in time of war-by peaceable trade and commerce. It is true we +may suffer in such cases less than other communities, but all nations +are damaged more or less by the state of uneasiness and apprehension +into which an outbreak of hostilities throws the entire commercial +world. It should be our object, therefore, to minimize, so far as +practicable, this inevitable loss and disturbance. This purpose can +probably best be accomplished by an international agreement to regard +all private property at sea as exempt from capture or destruction by the +forces of belligerent powers. The United States Government has for many +years advocated this humane and beneficent principle, and is now in +position to recommend it to other powers without the imputation of +selfish motives. I therefore suggest for your consideration that the +Executive be authorized to correspond with the governments of the +principal maritime powers with a view of incorporating into the +permanent law of civilized nations the principle of the exemption of +all private property at sea, not contraband of war, from capture or +destruction by belligerent powers. + +The Secretary of the Treasury reports that the receipts of the +Government from all sources during the fiscal year ended June 30, +1898, including $64,751,223 received from sale of Pacific railroads, +amounted to $405,321,335 and its expenditures to $443,368,582. There +was collected from customs $149,575,062 and from internal revenue +$170,900,641. Our dutiable imports amounted to $324,635,479, a decrease +of $58,156,690 over the preceding year, and importations free of duty +amounted to $291,414,175, a decrease from the preceding year of +$90,524,068. Internal-revenue receipts exceeded those of the preceding +year by $24,212,067. + +The total tax collected on distilled spirits was $92,546,999; +on manufactured tobacco, $36,230,522, and on fermented liquors, +$39,515,421. We exported merchandise during the year amounting to +$1,231,482,330, an increase of $180,488,774 from the preceding year. + +It is estimated upon the basis of present revenue laws that the +receipts of the Government for the year ending June 30, 1899, will +be $577,874,647, and its expenditures $689,874,647, resulting in a +deficiency of $112,000,000. + +On the 1st of December, 1898, there was held in the Treasury gold coin +amounting to $138,441,547, gold bullion amounting to $138,502,545, +silver bullion amounting to $93,359,250, and other forms of money +amounting to $451,963,981. + +On the same date the amount of money of all kinds in circulation, or not +included in Treasury holdings, was $1,886,879,504, an increase for the +year of $165,794,966. Estimating our population at 75,194,000 at the +time mentioned, the per capita circulation was $25.09. On the same date +there was in the Treasury gold bullion amounting to $138,502,545. + +The provisions made for strengthening the resources of the Treasury in +connection with the war have given increased confidence in the purpose +and power of the Government to maintain the present standard, and have +established more firmly than ever the national credit at home and +abroad. A marked evidence of this is found in the inflow of gold to the +Treasury. Its net gold holdings on November 1, 1898, were $239,885,162 +as compared with $153,573,147 on November 1, 1897, and an increase of +net cash of $207,756,100, November 1, 1897, to $300,238,275, November 1, +1898. The present ratio of net Treasury gold to outstanding Government +liabilities, including United States notes, Treasury notes of 1890, +silver certificates, currency certificates, standard silver dollars, +and fractional silver coin, November 1, 1898, was 25.35 per cent, as +compared with 16.96 per cent, November 1, 1897. + +I renew so much of my recommendation of December, 1897, as follows: + + That when any of the United States notes are presented for redemption + in gold and are redeemed in gold, such notes shall be kept and set + apart and only paid out in exchange for gold. This is an obvious duty. + If the holder of the United States note prefers the gold and gets it + from the Government, he should not receive back from the Government a + United States note without paying gold in exchange for it. The reason + for this is made all the more apparent when the Government issues an + interest-bearing debt to provide gold for the redemption of United + States notes--a non-interest-bearing debt. Surely it should not pay + them out again except on demand and for gold. If they are put out in + any other way, they may return again, to be followed by another bond + issue to redeem them--another interest-bearing debt to redeem a + non-interest-bearing debt. + + +This recommendation was made in the belief that such provisions of law +would insure to a greater degree the safety of the present standard, and +better protect our currency from the dangers to which it is subjected +from a disturbance in the general business conditions of the country. + +In my judgment the present condition of the Treasury amply justifies the +immediate enactment of the legislation recommended one year ago, under +which a portion of the gold holdings should be placed in a trust fund +from which greenbacks should be redeemed upon presentation, but when +once redeemed should not thereafter be paid out except for gold. + +It is not to be inferred that other legislation relating to our currency +is not required; on the contrary, there is an obvious demand for it. + +The importance of adequate provision which will insure to our future a +money standard related as our money standard now is to that of our +commercial rivals is generally recognized. + +The companion proposition that our domestic paper currency shall be kept +safe and yet be so related to the needs of our industries and internal +commerce as to be adequate and responsive to such needs is a proposition +scarcely less important. The subject, in all its parts, is commended to +the wise consideration of the Congress. + +The annexation of Hawaii and the changed relations of the United States +to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines resulting from the war, compel +the prompt adoption of a maritime policy by the United States. There +should be established regular and frequent steamship communication, +encouraged by the United States, under the American flag, with the newly +acquired islands. Spain furnished to its colonies, at an annual cost of +about $2,000,000, steamship lines communicating with a portion of the +world's markets, as well as with trade centers of the home Government. +The United States will not undertake to do less. It is our duty to +furnish the people of Hawaii with facilities, under national control, +for their export and import trade. It will be conceded that the present +situation calls for legislation which shall be prompt, durable, and +liberal. + +The part which American merchant vessels and their seamen performed +in the war with Spain demonstrates that this service, furnishing both +pickets and the second line of defense, is a national necessity, and +should be encouraged in every constitutional way. Details and methods +for the accomplishment of this purpose are discussed in the report of +the Secretary of the Treasury, to which the attention of Congress is +respectfully invited. + +In my last annual message I recommended that Congress authorize the +appointment of a commission for the purpose of making systematic +investigations with reference to the cause and prevention of yellow +fever. This matter has acquired an increased importance as a result +of the military occupation of the island of Cuba and the commercial +intercourse between this island and the United States which we have +every reason to expect. The sanitary problems connected with our new +relations with the island of Cuba and the acquisition of Puerto Rico +are no less important than those relating to finance, commerce, and +administration. It is my earnest desire that these problems may be +considered by competent experts and that everything may be done +which the most recent advances in sanitary science can offer for the +protection of the health of our soldiers in those islands and of +our citizens who are exposed to the dangers of infection from the +importation of yellow fever. I therefore renew my recommendation that +the authority of Congress may be given and a suitable appropriation made +to provide for a commission of experts to be appointed for the purpose +indicated. + +Under the act of Congress approved April 26, 1898, authorizing the +President in his discretion, "upon a declaration of war by Congress, or +a declaration by Congress that war exists," I directed the increase of +the Regular Army to the maximum of 62,000, authorized in said act. + +There are now in the Regular Army 57,862 officers and men. In said act +it was provided-- + + That at the end of any war in which the United States may become + involved the Army shall be reduced to a peace basis by the transfer + in the same arm of the service or absorption by promotion or honorable + discharge, under such regulations as the Secretary of War may establish, + of supernumerary commissioned officers and the honorable discharge or + transfer of supernumerary enlisted men; and nothing contained in this + act shall be construed as authorizing the permanent increase of the + commissioned or enlisted force of the Regular Army beyond that now + provided by the law in force prior to the passage of this act, + except as to the increase of twenty-five majors provided for in + section I hereof. + + +The importance of legislation for the permanent increase of the Army is +therefore manifest, and the recommendation of the Secretary of War for +that purpose has my unqualified approval. There can be no question that +at this time, and probably for some time in the future, 100,000 men +will be none too many to meet the necessities of the situation. At all +events, whether that number shall be required permanently or not, the +power should be given to the President to enlist that force if in his +discretion it should be necessary; and the further discretion should +be given him to recruit for the Army within the above limit from the +inhabitants of the islands with the government of which we are charged. +It is my purpose to muster out the entire Volunteer Army as soon as the +Congress shall provide for the increase of the regular establishment. +This will be only an act of justice and will be much appreciated by the +brave men who left their homes and employments to help the country in +its emergency. + +In my last annual message I stated: + + The Union Pacific Railway, main line, was sold under the decree of the + United States court for the district of Nebraska on the 1st and 2d of + November of this year. The amount due the Government consisted of the + principal of the subsidy bonds, $27,236,512, and the accrued interest + thereon, $31,211,711.75, making the total indebtedness $58,448,223.75. + The bid at the sale covered the first-mortgage lien and the entire + mortgage claim of the Government, principal and interest. + + +This left the Kansas Pacific case unconcluded. By a decree of the court +in that case an upset price for the property was fixed at a sum which +would yield to the Government only $2,500,000 upon its lien. The sale, +at the instance of the Government, was postponed first to December 15, +1897, and later, upon the application of the United States, was +postponed to the 16th day of February, 1898. + +Having satisfied myself that the interests of the Government required +that an effort should be made to obtain a larger sum, I directed the +Secretary of the Treasury, under the act passed March 3, 1887, to pay +out of the Treasury to the persons entitled to receive the same the +amounts due upon all prior mortgages upon the Eastern and Middle +divisions of said railroad out of any money in the Treasury not +otherwise appropriated, whereupon the Attorney-General prepared a +petition to be presented to the court, offering to redeem said prior +liens in such manner as the court might direct, and praying that +thereupon the United States might be held to be subrogated to all the +rights of said prior lien holders and that a receiver might be appointed +to take possession of the mortgaged premises and maintain and operate +the same until the court or Congress otherwise directed. Thereupon the +reorganization committee agreed that if said petition was withdrawn and +the sale allowed to proceed on the 16th of February, 1898, they would +bid a sum at the sale which would realize to the Government the entire +principal of its debt, $6,303,000. + +Believing that no better price could be obtained and appreciating the +difficulties under which the Government would labor if it should become +the purchaser of the road at the sale, in the absence of any authority +by Congress to take charge of and operate the road I directed that upon +the guaranty of a minimum bid which should give the Government the +principal of its debt the sale should proceed. By this transaction the +Government secured an advance of $3,803,000 over and above the sum which +the court had fixed as the upset price, and which the reorganization +committee had declared was the maximum which they would pay for the +property. + +It is a gratifying fact that the result of these proceedings against the +Union Pacific system and the Kansas Pacific line is that the Government +has received on account of its subsidy claim the sum of $64,751,223.75, +an increase of $18,997,163.76 over the sum which the reorganization +committee originally agreed to bid for the joint property, the +Government receiving its whole claim, principal and interest, on the +Union Pacific, and the principal of its debt on the Kansas Pacific +Railroad. + +Steps had been taken to foreclose the Government's lien upon the Central +Pacific Railroad Company, but before action was commenced Congress +passed an act, approved July 7, 1898, creating a commission consisting +of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney-General, and the +Secretary of the Interior, and their successors in office, with full +power to settle the indebtedness to the Government growing out of the +issue of bonds in aid of the construction of the Central Pacific and +Western Pacific bond-aided railroads, subject to the approval of the +President. + +No report has yet been made to me by the commission thus created. +Whatever action is had looking to a settlement of the indebtedness in +accordance with the act referred to will be duly submitted to the +Congress. + +I deem it my duty to call to the attention of Congress the condition of +the present building occupied by the Department of Justice. The business +of that Department has increased very greatly since it was established +in its present quarters. The building now occupied by it is neither +large enough nor of suitable arrangement for the proper accommodation of +the business of the Department. The Supervising Architect has pronounced +it unsafe and unsuited for the use to which it is put. The +Attorney-General in his report states that the library of the Department +is upon the fourth floor, and that all the space allotted to it is so +crowded with books as to dangerously overload the structure. The first +floor is occupied by the Court of Claims. The building is of an old and +dilapidated appearance, unsuited to the dignity which should attach to +this important Department. + +A proper regard for the safety, comfort, and convenience of the officers +and employees would justify the expenditure of a liberal sum of money in +the erection of, a new building of commodious proportions and handsome +appearance upon the very advantageous site already secured for that +purpose, including the ground occupied by the present structure and +adjoining vacant lot, comprising in all a frontage of 201 feet on +Pennsylvania avenue and a depth of 136 feet. + +In this connection I may likewise refer to the inadequate accommodations +provided for the Supreme Court in the Capitol, and suggest the wisdom of +making provision for the erection of a separate building for the court +and its officers and library upon available ground near the Capitol. + +The postal service of the country advances with extraordinary growth. +Within twenty years both the revenues and the expenditures of the +Post-Office Department have multiplied threefold. In the last ten years +they have nearly doubled. Our postal business grows much more rapidly +than our population. It now involves an expenditure of $100,000,000 a +year, numbers 73,000 post-offices, and enrolls 200,000 employees. This +remarkable extension of a service which is an accurate index of the +public conditions presents gratifying evidence of the advancement of +education, of the increase of communication and business activity, and +of the improvement of mail facilities leading to their constantly +augmenting use. + +The war with Spain laid new and exceptional labors on the Post-Office +Department. The mustering of the military and naval forces of the United +States required special mail arrangements for every camp and every +campaign. The communication between home and camp was naturally eager +and expectant. In some of the larger places of rendezvous as many as +50,000 letters a day required handling. This necessity was met by the +prompt detail and dispatch of experienced men from the established force +and by directing all the instrumentalities of the railway mail and +post-office service, so far as necessary, to this new need. Congress +passed an act empowering the Postmaster-General to establish offices or +branches at every military camp or station, and under this authority the +postal machinery was speedily put into effective operation. + +Under the same authority, when our forces moved upon Cuba, Puerto +Rico, and the Philippines they were attended and followed by the postal +service. Though the act of Congress authorized the appointment of +postmasters where necessary, it was early determined that the public +interests would best be subserved, not by new designations, but by the +detail of experienced men familiar with every branch of the service, +and this policy was steadily followed. When the territory which was the +theater of conflict came into our possession, it became necessary to +reestablish mail facilities for the resident population as well as to +provide them for our forces of occupation, and the former requirement +was met through the extension and application of the latter obligation. +I gave the requisite authority, and the same general principle was +applied to this as to other branches of civil administration under +military occupation. The details are more particularly given in the +report of the Postmaster-General, and, while the work is only just +begun, it is pleasing to be able to say that the service in the +territory which has come under our control is already materially +improved. + +The following recommendations of the Secretary of the Navy relative to +the increase of the Navy have my earnest approval: + +1. Three seagoing sheathed and coppered battle ships of about 13,500 +tons trial displacement, carrying the heaviest armor and most powerful +ordnance for vessels of their class, and to have the highest practicable +speed and great radius of action. Estimated cost, exclusive of armor and +armament, $3,600,000 each. + +2. Three sheathed and coppered armored cruisers of about 12,000 tons +trial displacement, carrying the heaviest armor and most powerful +ordnance for vessels of their class, and to have the highest practicable +speed and great radius of action. Estimated cost, exclusive of armor and +armament, $4,000,000 each. + +3. Three sheathed and coppered protected cruisers of about 6,000 tons +trial displacement, to have the highest practicable speed and great +radius of action, and to carry the most powerful ordnance suitable for +vessels of their class. Estimated cost, exclusive of armor and armament, +$2,150,000 each. + +4. Six sheathed and coppered cruisers of about 2,500 tons trial +displacement, to have the highest speed compatible with good cruising +qualities, great radius of action, and to carry the most powerful +ordnance suited to vessels of their class. Estimated cost, exclusive +of armament, $1,141,800 each. + +I join with the Secretary of the Navy in recommending that the grades +of admiral and vice-admiral be temporarily revived, to be filled by +officers who have specially distinguished themselves in the war with +Spain. + +I earnestly urge upon Congress the importance of early legislation +providing for the taking of the Twelfth Census. This is necessary in +view of the large amount of work which must be performed in the +preparation of the schedules preparatory to the enumeration of the +population. + +There were on the pension rolls on June 30, 1898, 993,714 names, an +increase of nearly 18,000 over the number on the rolls on the same day +of the preceding year. The amount appropriated by the act of December +22, 1896, for the payment of pensions for the fiscal year of 1898 +was $140,000,000. Eight million seventy thousand eight hundred and +seventy-two dollars and forty-six cents was appropriated by the act of +March 31, 1898, to cover deficiencies in army pensions, and repayments +in the sum of $12,020.33, making a total of $148,082,892.79 available +for the payment of pensions during the fiscal year 1898. The amount +disbursed from that sum was $144,651,879.80, leaving a balance of +$3,431,012.99 unexpended on the 30th of June, 1898, which was covered +into the Treasury. There were 389 names added to the rolls during the +year by special acts passed at the second session of the Fifty-fifth +Congress, making a total of 6,486 pensioners by Congressional enactments +since 1861. + +The total receipts of the Patent Office during the past year were +$1,253,948.44. The expenditures were $1,081,633.79, leaving a surplus +of $172,314.65. + +The public lands disposed of by the Government during the year reached +8,453,896.92 acres, an increase of 614,780.26 acres over the previous +year. The total receipts from public lands during the fiscal year +amounted to $2,277,995.18, an increase of $190,063.90 over the preceding +year. The lands embraced in the eleven forest reservations which were +suspended by the act of June 4, 1897, again became subject to the +operations of the proclamations of February 22, 1897, creating them, +which added an estimated amount of 19,951,360 acres to the area embraced +in the reserves previously created. In addition thereto two new reserves +were created during the year--the Pine Mountain and Zaca Lake Reserve, +in California, embracing 1,644,594 acres, and the Prescott Reserve, in +Arizona, embracing 10,240 acres--while the Pecos River Reserve, in New +Mexico, has been changed and enlarged to include 120,000 additional +acres. + +At the close of the year thirty forest reservations, not including those +of the Afognak Forest and the Fish-Culture Reserve, in Alaska, had been +created by Executive proclamations under section 24 of the act of March +3, 1891, embracing an estimated area of 40,719,474 acres. + +The Department of the Interior has inaugurated a forest system, made +possible by the act of July, 1898, for a graded force of officers in +control of the reserves. This system has only been in full operation +since August, but good results have already been secured in many +sections. The reports received indicate that the system of patrol has +not only prevented destructive fires from gaining headway, but has +diminished the number of fires. + +The special attention of the Congress is called to that part of +the report of the Secretary of the Interior in relation to the Five +Civilized Tribes. It is noteworthy that the general condition of the +Indians shows marked progress. But one outbreak of a serious character +occurred during the year, and that among the Chippewa Indians of +Minnesota, which happily has been suppressed. + +While it has not yet been practicable to enforce all the provisions +of the act of June 28, 1898, "for the protection of the people of the +Indian Territory, and for other purposes," it is having a salutary +effect upon the nations composing the five tribes. The Dawes Commission +reports that the most gratifying results and greater advance toward the +attainment of the objects of the Government have been secured in the +past year than in any previous year. I can not too strongly indorse the +recommendation of the commission and of the Secretary of the Interior +for the necessity of providing for the education of the 30,000 white +children resident in the Indian Territory. + +The Department of Agriculture has been active in the past year. +Explorers have been sent to many of the countries of the Eastern and +Western hemispheres for seeds and plants that may be useful to the +United States, and with the further view of opening up markets for our +surplus products. The Forestry Division of the Department is giving +special attention to the treeless regions of our country and is +introducing species specially adapted to semiarid regions. Forest fires, +which seriously interfere with production, especially in irrigated +regions, are being studied, that losses from this cause may be avoided. +The Department is inquiring into the use and abuse of water in many +States of the West, and collating information regarding the laws of the +States, the decisions of the courts, and the customs of the people in +this regard, so that uniformity may be secured. Experiment stations are +becoming more effective every year. The annual appropriation of $720,000 +by Congress is supplemented by $400,000 from the States. Nation-wide +experiments have been conducted to ascertain the suitableness as to soil +and climate and States for growing sugar beets. The number of sugar +factories has been doubled in the past two years, and the ability of the +United States to produce its own sugar from this source has been clearly +demonstrated. + +The Weather Bureau forecast and observation stations have been extended +around the Caribbean Sea, to give early warning of the approach of +hurricanes from the south seas to our fleets and merchant marine. + +In the year 1900 will occur the centennial anniversary of the founding +of the city of Washington for the permanent capital of the Government of +the United States by authority of an act of Congress approved July 16, +1790. In May, 1800, the archives and general offices of the Federal +Government were removed to this place. On the 17th of November, 1800, +the National Congress met here for the first time and assumed exclusive +control of the Federal district and city. This interesting event assumes +all the more significance when we recall the circumstances attending the +choosing of the site, the naming of the capital in honor of the Father +of his Country, and the interest taken by him in the adoption of plans +for its future development on a magnificent scale. + +These original plans have been wrought out with a constant progress and +a signal success even beyond anything their framers could have foreseen. +The people of the country are justly proud of the distinctive beauty and +government of the capital and of the rare instruments of science and +education which here find their natural home. + +A movement lately inaugurated by the citizens to have the anniversary +celebrated with fitting ceremonies, including, perhaps, the +establishment of a handsome permanent memorial to mark so historical an +occasion and to give it more than local recognition, has met with +general favor on the part of the public. + +I recommend to the Congress the granting of an appropriation for this +purpose and the appointment of a committee from its respective bodies. +It might also be advisable to authorize the President to appoint a +committee from the country at large, which, acting with the +Congressional and District of Columbia committees, can complete the +plans for an appropriate national celebration. + +The alien contract law is shown by experience to need some amendment; a +measure providing better protection for seamen is proposed; the rightful +application of the eight-hour law for the benefit of labor and of the +principle of arbitration are suggested for consideration; and I commend +these subjects to the careful attention of the Congress. + +The several departmental reports will be laid before you. They give in +great detail the conduct of the affairs of the Government during the +past year and discuss many questions upon which the Congress may feel +called upon to act. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +[Footnote 12: See pp. 127-136.] +[Footnote 13: pp. 139-150.] +[Footnote 14: See pp. 202-203.] +[Footnote 15: See pp. 203-204.] +[Footnote 16: See pp. 153-155.] +[Footnote 17: See p. 201.] +[Footnote 18: See p. 155.] +[Footnote 19: See pp. 204-205.] +[Footnote 20: See pp. 203-204.] +[Footnote 21: See pp. 205-206.] +[Footnote 22: See pp. 206-207.] +[Footnote 23: See Vol. VIII, pp. 501-503.] + + + +AN ACT declaring that war exists between the United States of America +and the Kingdom of Spain. + +_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the +United States of America in Congress assembled_, First. That war be, +and the same is hereby, declared to exist, and that war has existed +since the 21st day of April, A.D. 1898, including said day, between the +United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain. + +Second. That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, +directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the +United States and to call into the actual service of the United States +the militia of the several States to such extent as may be necessary to +carry this act into effect. + +Approved, April 25, 1898. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, February 10, 1899_. + +_To the Senate and House of Representatives_: + +As a consequence of the ratification of the treaty of peace between the +United States and Spain and its expected ratification by the Spanish +Government, the United States will come into possession of the +Philippine Islands, on the farther shores of the Pacific. The Hawaiian +Islands and Guam becoming United States territory and forming convenient +stopping places on the way across the sea, the necessity for speedy +cable communication between the United States and all these Pacific +islands has become imperative. + +Such communication should be established in such a way as to be wholly +under the control of the United States, whether in time of peace or of +war. At present the Philippines can be reached only by cables which +pass through many foreign countries, and the Hawaiian Islands and Guam +can only be communicated with by steamers, involving delays in each +instance of at least a week. The present conditions should not be +allowed to continue for a moment longer than is absolutely necessary. + +So long ago as 1885 reference was made in an Executive message to +Congress to the necessity for cable communication between the United +States and Hawaii. This necessity has greatly increased since then. +The question has been discussed in the Fifty-second, Fifty-fourth, and +Fifty-fifth Congresses, in each of which some effort has been made +looking toward laying a cable at least as far as the Hawaiian Islands. +The time has now arrived when a cable in the Pacific must extend at +least as far as Manila, touching at the Hawaiian Islands and Guam on +the way. + +Two methods of establishing this cable communication at once suggest +themselves: First, construction and maintenance of such a cable by +and at the expense of the United States Government, and, second, +construction and maintenance of such a cable by a private United States +corporation, under such safeguards as Congress shall impose. + +I do not make any recommendations to Congress as to which of these +methods would be the more desirable. A cable of the length of that +proposed requires so much time for construction and laying that it is +estimated that at least two years must elapse after giving the order for +the cable before the entire system could be successfully laid and put in +operation. Further deep-sea soundings must be taken west of the Hawaiian +Islands before the final route for the cable can be selected. Under +these circumstances it becomes a paramount necessity that measures +should be taken before the close of the present Congress to provide such +means as may seem most suitable for the establishment of a cable system. + +I commend the whole subject to the careful consideration of the Congress +and to such prompt action as may seem advisable. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + + +PROCLAMATIONS. + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +Whereas by a joint resolution passed by the Congress and approved April +20, 1898,[24] and communicated to the Government of Spain, it was +demanded that said Government at once relinquish its authority and +government in the island of Cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces +from Cuba and Cuban waters, and the President of the United States was +directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the +United States and to call into the actual service of the United States +the militia of the several States to such extent as might be necessary +to carry said resolution into effect; and + +Whereas in carrying into effect said resolution the President of the +United States deems it necessary to set on foot and maintain a blockade +of the north coast of Cuba, including all ports on said coast between +Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and the port of Cienfuegos, on the south coast +of Cuba: + +Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, in +order to enforce the said resolution, do hereby declare and proclaim +that the United States of America have instituted and will maintain a +blockade of the north coast of Cuba, including ports on said coast +between Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and the port of Cienfuegos, on the +south coast of Cuba, aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United +States and the law of nations applicable to such cases. An efficient +force will be posted so as to prevent the entrance and exit of vessels +from the ports aforesaid. Any neutral vessel approaching any of said +ports or attempting to leave the same without notice or knowledge of the +establishment of such blockade will be duly warned by the commander of +the blockading forces, who will indorse on her register the fact and the +date of such warning, where such indorsement was made; and if the same +vessel shall again attempt to enter any blockaded port she will be +captured and sent to the nearest convenient port for such proceedings +against her and her cargo as prize as may be deemed advisable. + +Neutral vessels lying in any of said ports at the time of the +establishment of such blockade will be allowed thirty days to issue +therefrom. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the +seal of the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington, this 22d day of April, A.D. 1898, and of +the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-second. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + JOHN SHERMAN, + _Secretary of State_. + +[Footnote 24: See p. 155.] + + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +Whereas a joint resolution of Congress was approved on the 20th day of +April, 1898,[25] entitled "Joint resolution for the recognition of the +independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the Government of +Spain relinquish its authority and government in the island of Cuba and +to withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and +directing the President of the United States to use the land and naval +forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect;" and + +Whereas by an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for +temporarily increasing the military establishment of the United States +in time of war, and for other purposes," approved April 22, 1898, the +President is authorized, in order to raise a volunteer army, to issue +his proclamation calling for volunteers to serve in the Army of the +United States: + +Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, by +virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution and the laws, and +deeming sufficient occasion to exist, have thought fit to call forth, +and hereby do call forth, volunteers to the aggregate number of 125,000 +in order to carry into effect the purpose of the said resolution, the +same to be apportioned, as far as practicable, among the several States +and Territories and the District of Columbia according to population and +to serve for two years unless sooner discharged. The details for this +object will be immediately communicated to the proper authorities +through the War Department. + +In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington, this 23d day of April, A.D. 1898, and of +the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-second. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + JOHN SHERMAN, + _Secretary of State_. + +[Footnote 25: See p. 155.] + + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +Whereas by an act of Congress approved April 25, 1898,[26] it is +declared that war exists and that war has existed since the 21st day of +April, A.D. 1898, including said day, between the United States of +America and the Kingdom of Spain; and + +Whereas, it being desirable that such war should be conducted upon +principles in harmony with the present views of nations and sanctioned +by their recent practice, it has already been announced that the policy +of this Government will be not to resort to privateering, but to adhere +to the rules of the Declaration of Paris: + +Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States of +America, by virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution and the +laws, do hereby declare and proclaim: + +1. The neutral flag covers enemy's goods with the exception of +contraband of war. + +2. Neutral goods not contraband of war are not liable to confiscation +under the enemy's flag. + +3. Blockades in order to be binding must be effective. + +4. Spanish merchant vessels in any ports or places within the United +States shall be allowed till May 21, 1898, inclusive, for loading their +cargoes and departing from such ports or places; and such Spanish +merchant vessels, if met at sea by any United States ship, shall be +permitted to continue their voyage if on examination of their papers +it shall appear that their cargoes were taken on board before the +expiration of the above term: _Provided_, That nothing herein +contained shall apply to Spanish vessels having on board any officer in +the military or naval service of the enemy, or any coal (except such as +may be necessary for their voyage), or any other article prohibited or +contraband of war, or any dispatch of or to the Spanish Government. + +5. Any Spanish merchant vessel which prior to April 21, 1898, shall have +sailed from any foreign port bound for any port or place in the United +States shall be permitted to enter such port or place and to discharge +her cargo, and afterwards forthwith to depart without molestation; and +any such vessel, if met at sea by any United States ship, shall be +permitted to continue her voyage to any port not blockaded. + +6. The right of search is to be exercised with strict regard for the +rights of neutrals, and the voyages of mail steamers are not to be +interfered with except on the clearest grounds of suspicion of a +violation of law in respect of contraband or blockade. + +In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington on the 26th day of April, A.D. 1898, and +of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and +twenty-second. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + ALVEY A. ADEE, + _Acting Secretary of State_. + +[Footnote 26: See p. 201.] + + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +Whereas an act of Congress was approved on the 25th day of April, +1898,[27] entitled "An act declaring that war exists between the United +States of America and the Kingdom of Spain;" and + +Whereas by an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for +temporarily increasing the military establishment of the United States +in time of war and for other purposes," approved April 22, 1898, the +President is authorized, in order to raise a volunteer army, to issue +his proclamation calling for volunteers to serve in the Army of the +United States: + +Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, by +virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution and the laws, and +deeming sufficient occasion to exist, have thought fit to call forth, +and hereby do call forth, volunteers to the aggregate number of 75,000 +in addition to the volunteers called forth by my proclamation of the 23d +of April, in the present year,[28] the same to be apportioned, as far as +practicable, among the several States and Territories and the District +of Columbia according to population and to serve for two years unless +sooner discharged. The proportion of each arm and the details of +enlistment and organization will be made known through the War +Department. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused +the seal of the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington, this 25th day of May, A.D. 1898, and of +the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-second. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + WILLIAM R. DAY, + _Secretary of State_. + +[Footnote 27: See p. 201.] + +[Footnote 28: See pp. 203-204.] + + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +Whereas, for the reasons set forth in my proclamation of April 22, +1898,[29] a blockade of the ports on the northern coast of Cuba from +Cardenas to Bahia Honda, inclusive, and of the port of Cienfuegos, on +the south coast of Cuba, was declared to have been instituted; and + +Whereas it has become desirable to extend the blockade to other Spanish +ports: + +Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, +do hereby declare and proclaim that in addition to the blockade of the +ports specified in my proclamation of April 22, 1898, the United States +of America has instituted and will maintain an effective blockade of all +the ports on the south coast of Cuba from Cape Frances to Cape Cruz, +inclusive, and also of the port of San Juan, in the island of Puerto +Rico. + +Neutral vessels lying in any of the ports to which the blockade is by +the present proclamation extended will be allowed thirty days to issue +therefrom with cargo. + +In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington, this 27th day of June, A.D. 1898, and of +the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-second. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + J.B. MOORE, + _Acting Secretary of State_. + +[Footnote 29: See pp. 202-203.] + + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +Whereas by a protocol concluded and signed August 12, 1898[30] by +William R. Day, Secretary of State of the United States, and His +Excellency Jules Cambon, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of +the Republic of France at Washington, respectively representing for this +purpose the Government of the United States and the Government of Spain, +the United States and Spain have formally agreed upon the terms on which +negotiations for the establishment of peace between the two countries +shall be undertaken; and + +Whereas it is in said protocol agreed that upon its conclusion and +signature hostilities between the two countries shall be suspended and +that notice to that effect shall be given as soon as possible by each +Government to the commanders of its military and naval forces: + +Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, +do, in accordance with the stipulations of the protocol, declare and +proclaim on the part of the United States a suspension of hostilities +and do hereby command that orders be immediately given through the +proper channels to the commanders of the military and naval forces +of the United States to abstain from all acts inconsistent with this +proclamation. + +In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington, this 12th day of August, A.D. 1898, and +of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and +twenty-third. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + WILLIAM R. DAY, + _Secretary of State_. + +[Footnote 30: See p. 174.] + + + +BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. + +A PROCLAMATION. + +The approaching November brings to mind the custom of our ancestors, +hallowed by time and rooted in our most sacred traditions, of giving +thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings He has vouchsafed to us +during the year. + +Few years in our history have afforded such cause for thanksgiving as +this. We have been blessed by abundant harvests; our trade and commerce +have wonderfully increased; our public credit has been improved and +strengthened; all sections of our common country have been brought +together and knitted into closer bonds of national purpose and unity. + +The skies have been for a time darkened by the cloud of war, but as we +were compelled to take up the sword in the cause of humanity we are +permitted to rejoice that the conflict has been of brief duration and +the losses we have had to mourn, though grievous and important, have +been so few, considering the great results accomplished, as to inspire +us with gratitude and praise to the Lord of Hosts. We may laud and +magnify His holy name that the cessation of hostilities came so soon as +to spare both sides the countless sorrows and disasters that attend +protracted war. + +I do therefore invite all my fellow-citizens, as well those who may be +at sea or sojourning in foreign lands as those at home, to set apart +and observe Thursday, the 24th day of November, as a day of national +thanksgiving, to come together in their several places of worship for a +service of praise and thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings of +the year, for the mildness of the seasons and the fruitfulness of the +soil, for the continued prosperity of the people, for the devotion and +valor of our countrymen, for the glory of our victory and the hope of a +righteous peace, and to pray that the divine guidance which has brought +us heretofore to safety and honor may be graciously continued in the +years to come. + +In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +[SEAL.] + +Done at the city of Washington, this 28th day of October, A.D. 1898, and +of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and +twenty-third. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +By the President: + JOHN HAY, + _Secretary of State_. + + + + +EXECUTIVE ORDERS. + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, May 7, 1898_. + + +DEWEY, + _Care American Consul, Hongkong_: + +The President, in the name of the American people, thanks you and your +officers and men for your splendid achievement and overwhelming victory. + +In recognition he has appointed you acting rear-admiral and will +recommend a vote of thanks to you by Congress as a foundation for +further promotion. + +LONG. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, May 19, 1898_. + +The SECRETARY OF WAR. + +SIR: The destruction of the Spanish fleet at Manila, followed by the +taking of the naval station at Cavite, the paroling of the garrisons, +and the acquisition of the control of the bay, has rendered it +necessary, in the further prosecution of the measures adopted by this +Government for the purpose of bringing about an honorable and durable +peace with Spain, to send an army of occupation to the Philippines for +the twofold purpose of completing the reduction of the Spanish power in +that quarter and of giving order and security to the islands while in +the possession of the United States. For the command of this expedition +I have designated Major-General Wesley Merritt, and it now becomes my +duty to give instructions as to the manner in which the movement shall +be conducted. + +The first effect of the military occupation of the enemy's territory is +the severance of the former political relations of the inhabitants and +the establishment of a new political power. Under this changed condition +of things the inhabitants, so long as they perform their duties, are +entitled to security in their persons and property and in all their +private rights and relations. It is my desire that the people of the +Philippines should be acquainted with the purpose of the United States +to discharge to the fullest extent its obligations in this regard. +It will therefore be the duty of the commander of the expedition, +immediately upon his arrival in the islands, to publish a proclamation +declaring that we come not to make war upon the people of the +Philippines, nor upon any party or faction among them, but to protect +them in their homes, in their employments, and in their personal and +religious rights. All persons who, either by active aid or by honest +submission, cooperate with the United States in its efforts to give +effect to this beneficent purpose will receive the reward of its support +and protection. Our occupation should be as free from severity as +possible. + +Though the powers of the military occupant are absolute and supreme and +immediately operate upon the political condition of the inhabitants, the +municipal laws of the conquered territory, such as affect private rights +of person and property and provide for the punishment of crime, are +considered as continuing in force, so far as they are compatible with +the new order of things, until they are suspended or superseded by the +occupying belligerent; and in practice they are not usually abrogated, +but are allowed to remain in force and to be administered by the +ordinary tribunals substantially as they were before the occupation. +This enlightened practice is, so far as possible, to be adhered to on +the present occasion. The judges and the other officials connected with +the administration of justice may, if they accept the authority of the +United States, continue to administer the ordinary law of the land as +between man and man under the supervision of the American commander +in chief. The native constabulary will, so far as may be practicable, +be preserved. The freedom of the people to pursue their accustomed +occupations will be abridged only when it may be necessary to do so. + +While the rule of conduct of the American commander in chief will be +such as has just been defined, it will be his duty to adopt measures +of a different kind if, unfortunately, the course of the people should +render such measures indispensable to the maintenance of law and order. +He will then possess the power to replace or expel the native officials +in part or altogether, to substitute new courts of his own constitution +for those that now exist, or to create such new or supplementary +tribunals as may be necessary. In the exercise of these high powers the +commander must be guided by his judgment and his experience and a high +sense of justice. + +One of the most important and most practical problems with which the +commander of the expedition will have to deal is that of the treatment +of property and the collection and administration of the revenues. +It is conceded that all public funds and securities belonging to the +government of the country in its own right and all arms and supplies and +other movable property of such government may be seized by the military +occupant and converted to the use of this Government. The real property +of the state he may hold and administer, at the same time enjoying +the revenues thereof; but he is not to destroy it save in the case +of military necessity. All public means of transportation, such as +telegraph lines, cables, railways, and boats belonging to the state may +be appropriated to his use, but unless in case of military necessity +they are not to be destroyed. All churches and buildings devoted to +religious worship and to the arts and sciences, all schoolhouses, are, +so far as possible, to be protected, and all destruction or intentional +defacement of such places, of historical monuments or archives, or of +works of science or art is prohibited save when required by urgent +military necessity. + +Private property, whether belonging to individuals or corporations, is +to be respected, and can be confiscated only as hereafter indicated. +Means of transportation, such as telegraph lines and cables, railways, +and boats, may, although they belong to private individuals or +corporations, be seized by the military occupant, but unless destroyed +under military necessity are not to be retained. + +While it is held to be the right of a conqueror to levy contributions +upon the enemy in their seaports, towns, or provinces which may be in +his military possession by conquest, and to apply the proceeds to defray +the expenses of the war, this right is to be exercised within such +limitations that it may not savor of confiscation. As the result of +military occupation the taxes and duties payable by the inhabitants to +the former government become payable to the military occupant, unless he +sees fit to substitute for them other rates or modes of contribution to +the expenses of the government. The moneys so collected are to be used +for the purpose of paying the expenses of government under the military +occupation, such as the salaries of the judges and the police, and for +the payment of the expenses of the army. + +Private property taken for the use of the army is to be paid for when +possible in cash at a fair valuation, and when payment in cash is not +possible receipts are to be given. + +In order that there may be no conflict of authority between the army and +the navy in the administration of affairs in the Philippines, you are +instructed to confer with the Secretary of the Navy so far as necessary +for the purpose of devising measures to secure the harmonious action of +those, two branches of the public service. + +I will give instructions to the Secretary of the Treasury to make a +report to me upon the subject of the revenues of the Philippines, with a +view to the formulation of such revenue measures as may seem expedient. +All ports and places in the Philippines which may be in the actual +possession of our land and naval forces will be opened, while our +military occupation may continue, to the commerce of all neutral +nations, as well as our own, in articles not contraband of war, and upon +payment of the prescribed rates of duty which may be in force at the +time of the importation. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, May 19, 1898_. + +The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. + +SIR: The destruction of the Spanish fleet at Manila, followed by the +taking of the naval station at Cavite, the paroling of the garrisons, +and the acquisition of the control of the bay, has rendered it +necessary, in the further prosecution of the measures adopted by this +Government for the purpose of bringing about an honorable and durable +peace with Spain, to send an army of occupation to the Philippines for +the twofold purpose of completing the reduction of the Spanish power in +that quarter and of giving to the islands order and security while in +the possession of the United States. For the command of this expedition +I have designated Major-General Wesley Merritt, and it now becomes my +duty to give instructions as to the manner in which the movement shall +be conducted. + +It is held to be the right to levy contributions upon the enemy in all +places which may be in military possession by conquest, and to apply +the proceeds to defray the cost of the war, including the expenses of +government during the military occupation. It is desirable, however, +and in accordance with the views of modern civilization, to confine +the exercise of this power, so far as possible, to the collection of +such contributions as are equivalent to the duties and taxes already +established in the territory. I have determined to order that all ports +or places in the Philippines which may be in the actual possession +of our land and naval forces by conquest shall be opened, while our +military occupation may continue, to the commerce of all neutral +nations, as well as our own, in articles not contraband of war, upon +payment of the rates of duty which may be in force at the time when the +goods are imported. In the execution of this policy it may be advisable +to substitute new rates of duty and new taxes for those now levied in +the Philippines. You are therefore instructed to examine the existing +Spanish laws in relation to duties and taxes, and to report to me such +recommendations as you may deem it proper to make with respect either +to the rates of duties and taxes or to the regulations which should be +adopted for their imposition and collection. + +As the levy of all contributions in territory occupied by a belligerent +is a military right derived from the law of nations, the collection and +distribution of duties and taxes in the Philippines during the military +occupation of the United States will be made, under the orders of the +Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, by the military or naval +commanders, as the case may be, of the ports or places which may be in +the possession of our forces. Your report is desired in order that I may +be able to give the proper directions to the Department of War and of +the Navy. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, May 19, 1898_. + +The SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. + +SIR: The destruction of the Spanish fleet at Manila, followed by the +taking of the naval station at Cavite, the paroling of the garrisons, +and the acquisition of the control of the bay, has rendered it +necessary, in the further prosecution of the measures adopted by this +Government for the purpose of bringing about an honorable and durable +peace with Spain, to send an army of occupation to the Philippines for +the twofold purpose of completing the reduction of the Spanish power in +that quarter and of giving to the islands order and security while in +the possession of the United States. For the command of this expedition +I have designated Major-General Wesley Merritt, and it now becomes my +duty to give instructions as to the manner in which the movement shall +be conducted. + +I inclose herewith a copy of an order which I have this day addressed +to the Secretary of War, setting forth the principles on which the +occupation of the Philippines is to be carried out.[31] You are +instructed to confer with the Secretary of War in order that measures +may be devised by which any conflict of authority between the officers +of our army and navy in the Philippines may be avoided. + +I have given instructions to the Secretary of the Treasury to examine +the subject of the duties and taxes imposed by Spain in the Philippines +and to report to me any recommendations which he may deem it proper to +make in regard to the revenues of the islands.[32] I have informed him, +however, that the collection and disbursement of the duties and taxes +collected there will, as a measure of military right derived from the +law of nations, be made, under the orders of the Secretary of War and +the Secretary of the Navy, by our military or naval commanders, as the +case may be, at the ports or places which may be in possession of our +forces. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +[Footnote 31: See pp. 208-211.] + +[Footnote 32: See pp. 211-212.] + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, July 4, 1898._ + + +Admiral SAMPSON, + _Playa del Este, Cuba_: + +You have the gratitude and congratulations of the whole American people. +Convey to your noble officers and crews, through whose valor new honors +have been added to the American Navy, the grateful thanks and +appreciation of the nation. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + + +THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE FOR THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER. + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, July 6, 1898._ + +_To the People of the United States of America_: + +At this time, when to the yet fresh remembrance of the unprecedented +success which attended the operations of the United States fleet in the +bay of Manila on the 1st day of May last are added the tidings of the no +less glorious achievements of the naval and military arms of our beloved +country at Santiago de Cuba, it is fitting that we should pause and, +staying the feeling of exultation that too naturally attends great deeds +wrought by our countrymen in our country's cause, should reverently bow +before the throne of divine grace and give devout praise to God, who +holdeth the nations in the hollow of His hands and worketh upon them the +marvels of His high will, and who has thus far vouchsafed to us the +light of His face and led our brave soldiers and seamen to victory. + +I therefore ask the people of the United States, upon next assembling +for divine worship in their respective places of meeting, to offer +thanksgiving to Almighty God, who in His inscrutable ways, now leading +our hosts upon the waters to unscathed triumph; now guiding them in +a strange land, through the dread shadows of death, to success, even +though at a fearful cost; now bearing them, without accident or loss, to +far distant climes, has watched over our cause and brought nearer the +success of the right and the attainment of just and honorable peace. + +With the nation's thanks let there be mingled the nation's prayers that +our gallant sons may be shielded from harm alike on the battlefield and +in the clash of fleets, and be spared the scourge of suffering and +disease while they are striving to uphold their country's honor; and +withal let the nation's heart be stilled with holy awe at the thought +of the noble men who have perished as heroes die, and be filled with +compassionate sympathy for all those who suffer bereavement or endure +sickness, wounds, and bonds by reason of the awful struggle. And above +all, let us pray with earnest fervor that He, the Dispenser of All Good, +may speedily remove from us the untold afflictions of war and bring to +our dear land the blessings of restored peace and to all the domain now +ravaged by the cruel strife the priceless boon of security and +tranquillity. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +WASHINGTON, D.C., _July 8, 1898_. + +General SHAFTER, + _Playa, Cuba_: + +Telegram which it appears you did not receive read as follows: + +The President directs me to say you have the gratitude and thanks of the +nation for the brilliant and effective work of your noble army in the +fight of July 1. The sturdy valor and heroism of officers and men fill +the American people with pride. The country mourns the brave men who +fell in battle. They have added new names to our roll of heroes. + +R.A. ALGER, _Secretary of War_. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, July 13,1898._ + +The SECRETARY OF WAR. + +SIR: The capitulation of the Spanish forces in Santiago de Cuba and in +the eastern part of the Province of Santiago, and the occupation of the +territory by the forces of the United States, render it necessary to +instruct the military commander of the United States as to the conduct +which he is to observe during the military occupation. + +The first effect of the military occupation of the enemy's territory is +the severance of the former political relations of the inhabitants and +the establishment of a new political power. Under this changed condition +of things the inhabitants, so long as they perform their duties, are +entitled to security in their persons and property and in all their +private rights and relations. It is my desire that the inhabitants of +Cuba should be acquainted with the purpose of the United States to +discharge to the fullest extent its obligations in this regard. It will +therefore be the duty of the commander of the army of occupation to +announce and proclaim in the most public manner that we come not to make +war upon the inhabitants of Cuba, nor upon any party or faction among +them, but to protect them in their homes, in their employments, and in +their personal and religious rights. All persons who, either by active +aid or by honest submission, cooperate with the United States in its +efforts to give effect to this beneficent purpose will receive the +reward of its support and protection. Our occupation should be as free +from severity as possible. + +Though the powers of the military occupant are absolute and supreme and +immediately operate upon the political condition of the inhabitants, the +municipal laws of the conquered territory, such as affect private rights +of person and property and provide for the punishment of crime, are +considered as continuing in force, so far as they are compatible with +the new order of things, until they are suspended or superseded by the +occupying belligerent; and in practice they are not usually abrogated, +but are allowed to remain in force and to be administered by the +ordinary tribunals substantially as they were before the occupation. +This enlightened practice is, so far as possible, to be adhered to on +the present occasion. The judges and the other officials connected with +the administration of justice may, if they accept the supremacy of the +United States, continue to administer the ordinary law of the land as +between man and man under the supervision of the American commander +in chief. The native constabulary will, so far as may be practicable, +be preserved. The freedom of the people to pursue their accustomed +occupations will be abridged only when it may be necessary to do so. + +While the rule of conduct of the American commander in chief will be +such as has just been defined, it will be his duty to adopt measures +of a different kind if, unfortunately, the course of the people should +render such measures indispensable to the maintenance of law and order. +He will then possess the power to replace or expel the native officials +in part or altogether, to substitute new courts of his own constitution +for those that now exist, or to create such new or supplementary +tribunals as may be necessary. In the exercise of these high powers the +commander must be guided by his judgment and his experience and a high +sense of justice. + +One of the most important and most practical problems with which it +will be necessary to deal is that of the treatment of property and the +collection and administration of the revenues. It is conceded that all +public funds and securities belonging to the government of the country +in its own right and all arms and supplies and other movable property of +such government may be seized by the military occupant and converted to +his own use. The real property of the state he may hold and administer, +at the same time enjoying the revenues thereof; but he is not to destroy +it save in the case of military necessity. All public means of +transportation, such as telegraph lines, cables, railways, and boats, +belonging to the state may be appropriated to his use, but unless in +case of military necessity they are not to be destroyed. All churches +and buildings devoted to religious worship and to the arts and sciences, +all schoolhouses, are, so far as possible, to be protected, and all +destruction or intentional defacement of such places, of historical +monuments or archives, or of works of science or art is prohibited +save when required by urgent military necessity. + +Private property, whether belonging to individuals or corporations, +is to be respected, and can be confiscated only for cause. Means of +transportation, such as telegraph lines and cables, railways, and boats, +may, although they belong to private individuals or corporations, be +seized by the military occupant, but unless destroyed under military +necessity are not to be retained. + +While it is held to be the right of the conqueror to levy contributions +upon the enemy in their seaports, towns, or provinces which may be in +his military possession by conquest, and to apply the proceeds to defray +the expenses of the war, this right is to be exercised within such +limitations that it may not savor of confiscation. As the result of +military occupation the taxes and duties payable by the inhabitants to +the former government become payable to the military occupant, unless he +sees fit to substitute for them other rates or modes of contribution to +the expenses of the government. The moneys so collected are to be used +for the purpose of paying the expenses of government under the military +occupation, such as the salaries of the judges and the police, and for +the payment of the expenses of the army. + +Private property taken for the use of the army is to be paid for when +possible in cash at a fair valuation, and when payment in cash is not +possible receipts are to be given. + +All ports and places in Cuba which may be in the actual possession of +our land and naval forces will be opened to the commerce of all neutral +nations, as well as our own, in articles not contraband of war, upon +payment of the prescribed rates of duty which may be in force at the +time of the importation. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +WASHINGTON, D.C., _July 16, 1898_. + +General SHAFTER, + _Commanding United States Forces, Santiago, Playa_: + +The President of the United States sends to you and your brave army the +profound thanks of the American people for the brilliant achievements at +Santiago, resulting in the surrender of the city and all of the Spanish +troops and territory under General Toral. Your splendid command has +endured not only the hardships and sacrifices incident to campaign and +battle, but in stress of heat and weather has triumphed over obstacles +which would have overcome men less brave and determined. One and all +have displayed the most conspicuous gallantry and earned the gratitude +of the nation. The hearts of the people turn with tender sympathy to the +sick and wounded. May the Father of Mercies protect and comfort them. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, July 21, 1898_. + +In view of the occupation of Santiago de Cuba by the forces of the +United States, it is ordered that postal communication between the +United States and that port, which has been suspended since the opening +of hostilities with Spain, may be resumed, subject to such military +regulations as may be deemed necessary. + +As other portions of the enemy's territory come into the possession of +the land and naval forces of the United States, postal communication may +be opened under the same conditions. + +The domestic postal service within the territory thus occupied may be +continued on the same principles already indicated for the continuance +of the local municipal and judicial administration, and it maybe +extended as the local requirements may justify, under the supervision of +the military commander. + +The revenues derived from such service are to be applied to the expenses +of conducting it, and the United States postage stamps are therefore to +be used. + +The Postmaster-General is charged with the execution of this order in +cooperation with the military commander, to whom the Secretary of War +will issue the necessary directions. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, August 6, 1898_. + +_Ordered_, That the graves of our soldiers at Santiago shall be +permanently marked. The present marking will last but a short time, and +before its effacement occurs suitable and permanent markers should be +put up. + +The Secretary of War is charged with the execution of this order. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, _Washington, August 17, 1898._ + +Major-General MERRITT, + _Manila, Philippines_: + +The President directs that there must be no joint occupation with the +insurgents. The United States, in the possession of Manila City, Manila +Bay and Harbor, must preserve the peace and protect persons and property +within the territory occupied by their military and naval forces. +The insurgents and all others must recognize the military occupation +and authority of the United States and the cessation of hostilities +proclaimed by the President. Use whatever means in your judgment are +necessary to this end. All law-abiding people must be treated alike. + +By order Secretary War: + +H.C. CORBIN, + _Adjutant-General._ + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, August 21, 1898._ + +Major-General MERRITT, + _United States Army, Manila_: + +In my own behalf and for the nation I extend to you and the officers +and men of your command sincere thanks and congratulations for the +conspicuously gallant conduct displayed in your campaign. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, August 21, 1898_. + +Admiral DEWEY, + _Manila_: + +Receive for yourself and for the officers, sailors, and marines of your +command my thanks and congratulations and those of the nation for the +gallant conduct all have again so conspicuously displayed. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, _Washington, December 4, 1898_. + +General OTIS, + _Manila, Philippine Islands_: + +By direction of the Secretary of War, following from the President is +sent you for your early consideration. + +CORBIN. + + +The President desires that Admiral Dewey and General Otis shall have +an early conference and advise him what force and equipment will be +necessary in the Philippine Islands. The President would be glad to have +suggestions from these commanders as to the government of the islands, +which of necessity must be by the Army and the Navy for some time to +come. When these islands shall be ceded to us, it is his desire that +peace and tranquillity shall be restored and as kind and beneficent a +government as possible given to the people, that they may be encouraged +in their industries and made secure in life and property. The fullest +suggestions are invited. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _December 9, 1898_. + +By virtue of the authority vested in me as Commander in Chief of the +Army and Navy of the United States, I hereby order and direct that +during the occupancy by the military authorities of the United States +of the island of Cuba and all islands in the West Indies west of the +seventy-fourth degree, west longitude, evacuated by Spain, said islands +shall constitute a collection district for customs purposes. Havana +shall be the chief port of entry. An officer of the Army shall be +assigned to such port, who shall be the collector of customs of the +islands and of the chief port and shall have general jurisdiction over +the collection of customs in the islands. + +The ports of Matanzas, Cardenas, Cienfuegos, Sagua, Caibarien, Santiago, +Manzanillo, Nuevitas, Guantanamo, Gibara, and Baracoa, in said islands, +are hereby declared to be subports of entry, and an officer of the Army +will be assigned to each of the subports, who will be the collector +of customs of a subport and shall have general jurisdiction of the +collection of customs at such port. He shall make weekly reports to +the collector of customs of the islands at the chief port of all +transactions at the subport over which he has jurisdiction, with copies +of all entries of merchandise, duly certified. + +The Secretary of War shall appoint such civilian deputy collectors, +inspectors, and other employees as may be found necessary. + +The collectors of the subports shall deposit all moneys collected by +them with the collector of the islands, and a receipt from the collector +of the islands must be taken in duplicate for all such deposits. + +There shall be appointed an auditor, who shall be stationed at the chief +port, whose duty it shall be to examine all entries of merchandise and +if found correct to certify to them. Such auditor shall on the first +of each month make a full and complete report, duly certified, to the +Secretary of War of all duties collected at each port, with an itemized +report of all expenditures made therefrom, which shall be referred to +the Auditor for the War Department for audit. + +All questions arising in the administration of customs in the islands +shall be referred to the collector of the islands at the chief port for +decision, from which there shall be no appeal, except in such cases as +may be referred by the collector of the islands to the Secretary of War +for his decision. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, December 21, 1898_. + +The SECRETARY OF WAR. + +SIR: The destruction of the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Manila by the +United States naval squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Dewey, followed +by the reduction of the city and the surrender of the Spanish forces, +practically effected the conquest of the Philippine Islands and the +suspension of Spanish sovereignty therein. + +With the signature of the treaty of peace between the United States +and Spain by their respective plenipotentiaries at Paris, on the 10th +instant, and as the result of the victories of American arms, the future +control, disposition, and government of the Philippine Islands are ceded +to the United States. In fulfillment of the rights of sovereignty thus +acquired and the responsible obligations of government thus assumed, +the actual occupation and administration of the entire group of the +Philippine Islands become immediately necessary, and the military +government heretofore maintained by the United States in the city, +harbor, and bay of Manila is to be extended with all possible dispatch +to the whole of the ceded territory. + +In performing this duty the military commander of the United States is +enjoined to make known to the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands +that in succeeding to the sovereignty of Spain, in severing the former +political relations of the inhabitants, and in establishing a new +political power the authority of the United States is to be exerted for +the security of the persons and property of the people of the islands +and for the confirmation of all their private rights and relations. + +It will be the duty of the commander of the forces of occupation to +announce and proclaim in the most public manner that we come, not as +invaders or conquerors, but as friends, to protect the natives in +their homes, in their employments, and in their personal and religious +rights. All persons who, either by active aid or by honest submission, +cooperate with the Government of the United States to give effect to +these beneficent purposes will receive the reward of its support and +protection. All others will be brought within the lawful rule we have +assumed, with firmness if need be, but without severity so far as may +be possible. + +Within the absolute domain of military authority, which necessarily is +and must remain supreme in the ceded territory until the legislation of +the United States shall otherwise provide, the municipal laws of the +territory in respect to private rights and property and the repression +of crime are to be considered as continuing in force and to be +administered by the ordinary tribunals so far as practicable. The +operations of civil and municipal government are to be performed by such +officers as may accept the supremacy of the United States by taking the +oath of allegiance, or by officers chosen as far as may be practicable +from the inhabitants of the islands. + +While the control of all the public property and the revenues of the +state passes with the cession, and while the use and management of all +public means of transportation are necessarily reserved to the authority +of the United States, private property, whether belonging to individuals +or corporations, is to be respected, except for cause duly established. +The taxes and duties heretofore payable by the inhabitants to the late +government become payable to the authorities of the United States, +unless it be seen fit to substitute for them other reasonable rates or +modes of contribution to the expenses of government, whether general or +local. If private property be taken for military use, it shall be paid +for when possible in cash at a fair valuation, and when payment in cash +is not practicable receipts are to be given. + +All ports and places in the Philippine Islands in the actual possession +of the land and naval forces of the United States will be opened to the +commerce of all friendly nations. All goods and wares not prohibited for +military reasons, by due announcement of the military authority, will be +admitted upon payment of such duties and other charges as shall be in +force at the time of their importation. + +Finally, it should be the earnest and paramount aim of the military +administration to win the confidence, respect, and affection of the +inhabitants of the Philippines by assuring to them in every possible +way that full measure of individual rights and liberties which is the +heritage of free peoples, and by proving to them that the mission of the +United States is one of benevolent assimilation, substituting the mild +sway of justice and right for arbitrary rule. In the fulfillment of this +high mission, supporting the temperate administration of affairs for the +greatest good of the governed, there must be sedulously maintained the +strong arm of authority to repress disturbance and to overcome all +obstacles to the bestowal of the blessings of good and stable government +upon the people of the Philippine Islands under the free flag of the +United States. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, _Washington, December 21, 1898_. + +General OTIS, + _Manila_: + +Answering your message of December 14, the President directs that you +send necessary troops to Iloilo to preserve the peace and protect life +and property. It is most important that there should be no conflict with +the insurgents. Be conciliatory, but firm. + +By order of the Secretary War: + +CORBIN. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, December 22, 1898_. + +Until otherwise ordered no grants or concessions of public or corporate +rights or franchises for the construction of public or _quasi_ +public works, such as railroads, tramways, telegraph and telephone +lines, water works, gas works, electric-light lines, etc., shall be made +by any municipal or other local governmental authority or body in Cuba, +except upon the approval of the major-general commanding the military +forces of the United States in Cuba, who shall before approving any such +grant or concession be so especially authorized by the Secretary of War. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +[Similar orders applying to Puerto Rico and to the Philippines were +issued.] + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, December 22, 1898_. + +The SECRETARY OF WAR: + + * * * * * + +The major-general commanding the United States forces in Cuba and the +senior naval officer of the American fleet in the port of Havana are +directed to observe such arrangements and ceremonies for the evacuation +of Havana, to take place on January 1, 1899, as may be communicated to +them by the United States commissioners on evacuation. They will aid +in carrying out such arrangements. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + + + +ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, _Washington, January 1, 1899--4.30 p.m._ + +General OTIS, + _Manila_: + +The President considers it of first importance that a conflict brought +on by you be avoided at this time, if possible. Can not Miller get into +communication with insurgents, giving them President's proclamation and +informing them of the purposes of the Government, assuring them that +while it will assert its sovereignty its purpose is to give them a good +government and security in their personal rights. + +By order Secretary War: + +CORBIN. + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, January 20, 1899._ + +The SECRETARY OF STATE: + +My communication to the Secretary of War dated December 21, 1898,[33] +declares the necessity of extending the actual occupation and +administration of the city, harbor, and bay of Manila to the whole of +the territory which by the treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, +passed from the sovereignty of Spain to the sovereignty of the United +States and the consequent establishment of military government +throughout the entire group of the Philippine Islands. + +While the treaty has not yet been ratified, it is believed that it will +be by the time of the arrival at Manila of the commissioners named +below. In order to facilitate the most humane, specific, and effective +extension of authority throughout these islands and to secure with the +least possible delay the benefits of a wise and generous protection of +life and property to the inhabitants, I have named Jacob G. Schurman, +Rear-Admiral George Dewey, Major-General Elwell S. Otis, Charles Denby, +and Dean C. Worcester to constitute a commission to aid in the +accomplishment of these results. + +In the performance of this duty the commissioners are enjoined to meet +at the earliest possible day in the city of Manila and to announce by a +public proclamation their presence and the mission intrusted to them, +carefully setting forth that while the military government already +proclaimed is to be maintained and continued so long as necessity may +require, efforts will be made to alleviate the burdens of taxation, to +establish industrial and commercial prosperity, and to provide for the +safety of persons and of property by such means as may be found +conducive to these ends. + +The commissioners will endeavor, without interference with the military +authorities of the United States now in control of the Philippines, to +ascertain what amelioration in the condition of the inhabitants and what +improvements in public order may be practicable, and for this purpose +they will study attentively the existing social and political state of +the various populations, particularly as regards the forms of local +government, the administration of justice, the collection of customs +and other taxes, the means of transportation, and the need of public +improvements. + +They will report through the State Department, according to the forms +customary or hereafter prescribed for transmitting and preserving such +communications, the results of their observations and reflections, and +will recommend such executive action as may from time to time seem to +them wise and useful. + +The commissioners are hereby authorized to confer authoritatively +with any persons resident in the islands from whom they may believe +themselves able to derive information or suggestions valuable for the +purposes of their commission, or whom they may choose to employ as +agents, as may be necessary for this purpose. + +The temporary government of the islands is intrusted to the military +authorities, as already provided for by my instructions to the Secretary +of War of December 21, 1898,[34] and will continue until Congress shall +determine otherwise. The commission may render valuable services by +examining with special care the legislative needs of the various groups +of inhabitants and by reporting, with recommendations, the measures +which should be instituted for the maintenance of order, peace, and +public welfare, either as temporary steps to be taken immediately for +the perfection of present administration or as suggestions for future +legislation. + +In so far as immediate personal changes in the civil administration may +seem to be advisable, the commissioners are empowered to recommend +suitable persons for appointment to these offices from among the +inhabitants of the islands who have previously acknowledged their +allegiance to this Government. + +It is my desire that in all their relations with the inhabitants of +the islands the commissioners exercise due respect for all the ideals, +customs, and institutions of the tribes and races which compose the +population, emphasizing upon all occasions the just and beneficent +intentions of the Government of the United States. + +It is also my wish and expectation that the commissioners may be +received in a manner due to the honored and authorized representatives +of the American Republic, duly commissioned, on account of their +knowledge, skill, and integrity, as bearers of the good will, the +protection, and the richest blessings of a liberating rather than +a conquering nation. + +WILLIAM McKINLEY. + +[Footnote 33: See pp. 219-221.] + +[Footnote 34: See pp. 219-221.] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Compilation of the Messages and Papers +of the Presidents, by William McKinley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILLIAM MCKINLEY *** + +***** This file should be named 13893.txt or 13893.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/8/9/13893/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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