ar 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 o