President and Congress act.

After a period of restlessness in Congress which was shared by the whole country, the President finally transmitted an important message.  It included a resume of the progress of the Cuban revolution from its beginning and considered in some detail the workings of that devastating policy of General Weyler, known as reconcentration.  The message related the progress of diplomatic negotiations with Spain, and disclosed a surprising succession of events in which the Spanish government had submitted to various requests and recommendations of the American government.  The message ended with a request that Congress authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of the intolerable conditions on the island of Cuba.  Having exhausted the powers of the executive in these efforts, it was left to the legislative authority of the American people to establish such policies as would be finally efficient.

Congress rose to the occasion.  The facts were at command of both houses, their sympathies were enlisted at the side of their reason and there was little time lost in acting.  The House and the Senate, after mutual concessions on minor details, passed as a law of the land for the President’s signature, an act directing him and empowering him to require Spain to withdraw her troops and relinquish all authority over the island of Cuba.  The President was authorized to employ the army and navy of the United States for the purpose of carrying into effect this instruction and the interference was directed to be made at once.  Best of all, from the point of view of the Cuban patriots, the act declared that the people of Cuba are and ought to be free and independent.  But a few days more of diplomacy, and war was to begin.

Spain defies America.

It was hardly to be expected that the Spanish government and the Spanish people would yield to the demands of the United States without a protest.  So feeble is the hold of the present dynasty upon the throne of Spain, that it was readily understood that any concession upon the part of the Queen Regent would arouse Spanish indignation beyond the limits of endurance.  The Queen-mother had to think of her baby son’s crown.  If she were to yield to the superior power of the United States without a struggle, Spanish revolutionists would overthrow the dynasty before he could come to the throne.  However well she might know that the logical outcome of a war would be overwhelming defeat to Spanish arms, political necessities compelled her to take the position dictated by Spanish pride.