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* SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 3l»'.) SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. successfully with the insurrection should become manifest. In Congress feeling was much more radical, and the President's 'timidity' was vigor- ously criticised. President McKinley, at tlie out- set of his administration, devoted special atten- tion to the situation in Cuba. In May, 1897, Congress appropriated $50,000 for the relief of the Cubans, and on ilay "20, 18117, the Senate passed a resolution recognizing the belligerency of Cuba, which, however, was never acted upon by the House, Meanwhile, the activity of Cuban agents in the United States caused almost con- stant diplomatic friction between the two gov- ernments, A new Ministry under Sagasta in Spain made an efl'ort to ameliorate conditions, and on October G, 1897, recalled Captain-General Weyler, who had been held responsible for much of the Spanish cruelty to the Cubans, General Blanco being sent out in liis stead, Stewart L. Woodford, of New York, had been sent as United States Minister to Spain, with special instruc- tions to urge that country to establish civil order in Cuba, and to announce that the United States could not view with indift'erence the in- definite prolongation of the existing conditions. The representations of the American jSIinister were met with promises from Spain to give Cuba local autonomy and to ameliorate the conditions which the war methods had created. In view of these assurances, the President, in his annual message of December, 1897, recoiiuiiended to Con- gress the postponement of action until Spain had been given ample opportunity to redeem her prom- ises. On December 24th an appeal was issued by Secretary Sherman in the President's name, calling for contributions for the relief of the Cuban recoyicentrados. This appeal met with a hearty response. At the opening of 1898 the Government began to concentrate its naval forces, and to accumulate war supplies. The tone of the press and the expressions of public ojiinion gen- erally showed that the nation was ready for war. The relations with Spain were further strained on February Sth, when a Cuban sympathizer pur- loined from the mail a letter from the Spanish IMinister at Washington, .Sefior Dupuy de Lome, addressed to a Spanish editor, and containing severe strictures on President JIcKinley and his policy. The Minister at once admitted that he had written the letter and resigned. The prompt disavowal on the part of Spain of any sympathy with the Jlinister's conduct closed the" incident so far as official circles were concerned. On the evening of February 15th the battleship Maine (Captain Charles D. Sigsbee), which had been sent to Cuba on the representation of Fitzhugh Lee, the American Consul at Havana, liut not for unfriendly purposes, according to official an- nouncement, was blown up in Havana harbor and 266 of the crew killed. The United States and Spain at once appointed separate boards of investigation. Congress immediately appropri- ated .$50,000,000 for national defense. On March 28th the .merican commission reported. It at- tributed the catastrophe to the explosion of a sub- marine mine in the harbor, but in view of the lack of evidence declined to fix responsibility. Public opinion, however, at once decided that the Span- ish officials in Cuba were responsible for the dis- aster. On the day before the report of the Maine commission, the President made overtures to Spain for a cessation of hostilities and a peace- able settlement of difficulties. He tendered his good offices in the negotiation of peace and pro- posed a dissolution of the concentration camps and the relief of the sullering Cubans by the United States through the mediation of Spanish officers. In reply, Spain ofiered to leave the peace negotiations to the Cuban I'arliament ap- pointed to meet on May 4th. and to cease hostili- ties when the Cuban insurgents asked for it. Spain added that the concentration orders had been revoked, agreed to a joint relief of distress, voted .$600,000 for that purpose, and offered to arbitrate the Maine case. The President re- garded this reply as unsatisfactory and an- nounced his intention of submitting the whole matter to Congress in the forthcoming message. Meanwhile, in anticipation of the war, American inhabitants left Cuba, the Cuban Government de- clared against interference on the part of the United States, the Cuban 'junta' demanded recog- nition of independence before intervention, and Spain on -Aiivil' 10th declared a general armistice. On the following day the President's message, describing the situation in Cuba and giving an account of the state of diplomatic relations with Spain, was laid before Congress, The President did not favor the recognition of Cuban belliger- ency or independence, but advocated intervention- as a neutral. At all events, he declared, the war in Cuba must he ended, and he accordingly asfced Congress for authority to use the army and iKivy to secure the formation of a Cuban govemment capable of discharging its international obliga- tions and maintaining internal onler. Congress promptly replied by a joint resolution declaring the people of Cuba free and independent, demand- ing the surrender of all Spanish authority over the island, and directing as well as empowering- the President to enforce the Vesolv.tioh oy the army and navy. Congress further declared that the United States was not "to exercise sover- eignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island except for the pacification thereof." The Presi- dent signed the measure, and on -April 20th sent the ultimatum to Spain, fixing the hour of noon, April 2.3d, as the last date "for a satisfactory reply. This was a practical declaration of war, for the Spanish Government had already an- nounced its intention to oppose the policy out- lined in the President's message. Both Powers at once defined their attitude on questions of in- ternational law. and preparations that had been going nn in both countries were quickened, the United States devoting special attention to the equipment of the navy. Almost immediately the Spanish Minister de- manded his passports and the American Minister at Madrid was notified by the Sp.nnish Govern- ment that diplomatic relations between the two nations had ceased. On April 2.3d President McKinley called for 125,000 volunteers and ordered the North Atlantic squadron to blockade Havana and other Cuban ports. Formal dec- laration of war by Spain on the 24th and by tlie United States on the 25th inst. were followed by the proclamations of neutrality by Great Britain and other foreign Powers. The first gun of the Spanish-American War was fired (April 23d) by the U. S. S. Nashville across the bows of the Bveiia Ventura, a Spanish merchantman, and the first action occurred on the 27th, when three vessels of the United States