Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1898 — VOICES ITS PRAISE. [ARTICLE]

VOICES ITS PRAISE.

The Nation, Through Congress, Expresses Gratitude to Dewey. VOTE THANKS TO HERO AND HIS MEN. Brave Commander Made a Rear AdX miral—The Action Is Taken in Response to a Special Message from the President. - - < Washington, May 10. —The greater part of Monday in the house was consumed by war measures. The recommendation of the president that a vote of thanks be tendered Commodore Dewey and his associate officers and men was followed quickly with a unanimous vote, apd with equal concept the house passed the bill creating an additional rear admiralship for the hero of Manila. The bill providing for the organization of a volunteer engineer brigade and enlistment of 10,000 volunteer troops immune to tropical diseases was passed after two hours of debate. The senate bi’l authorizing the armv

to distribute food among the suffering Cubans and to arm the Cuban people was passed. So soon as the journal had been read the president’s message was presented and read. The closest attention was given by everyone in the chamber. The reading was not interrupted by applause, but at the conclusion a demonstration on the floor and in the galleries followed, which continued several minutes. The message is as follows: The President’s Message. "To the congress of the United States: "On the 4th 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 Hong Kong, to proceed forthwith to the Philippine Islands, there to commence operations and engage the 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 Ist of May, and immediately engaged the entire Spanish fleet of 11 ships, which were under the protection of the fire of the land fort*. After a stubborn fight, in which the enemy suffered great loss, these vessel* 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 patroling their garrisons. The waters of the bay are under hl* 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 standards 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 ha* thus been taken toward the attainment of the wlshed-for peace. To those whose skill, pourage and devotion have won tbe fight, to the gallant commander and the brave officer* and men who aided him, our country owe* an incalculable debt. "Feeling a* our people feel, and speaking tn their name, I at once sent a message to Commodore Dewey, thanking him and hi* 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 precedent* and expressing the fervent gratitude of every patriotic heart, the thank* of congress be given Acting Rear Admiral George Dewey, of the United States navy, for hl* highly distinguished conduct in conflict with the enemy, and to the officer* and man under hl* 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 M'KINLEY." "Executive Mansion. May 9, 1898." Mr. Dockery (Mo.), a minority member of the house committee on appropriations, introduced a concurrent resolution declaring that when the two houses adjourn on Monday, June 6, they stand adjourned until 12 o'clock meridian on Tuesday, July 19,1898.

Thanks to Dewey sad Hie Men. The congressional resolution of thanks to Admiral Dewey and hi* officer* and men is as follows: "Joint resolution, tendering the thanks of congress to Commodore Georg* Dewey, V. 8. N., and to the officers and mon 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 1,608 of the revised statutes, the thanks of congress and the American, pepple are hereby tendered to

vOmxuariaer ueorge xrewe;, u. b. jv., com-mander-in-chief of 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. "Section 2. That the thanks of congress and of the American people are hereby tendered through Commodore Dewey to the officers and men under his command, for the gallantry and skill exhibited by them on that occasion. "Section 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.” Action of the Senate. Washington, May 10.—Fitting tribute was paid by the senate Monday to Commodore Dewey for the magnificent victory he achieved in the battle of Manila bay. A message from the president was received recommending that a vote of thanks be extended by congress to Commodore Dewey and the gallant officers and men of his command. Without a word of debate and without a dissenting voice the senate agreed to the resolution carrying into effect the recommendation of the president. The senate went farther even than that. A bill was presented increasing the number of rear admirals in the navy from six to seven, in order that the might nominate Commodore

Dewey to the highest position in the navy within his gift, and that, too, was passed without dissent. In addition a joint resolution was unanimously agreed to directing the secretary of the navy to present to Commodore Dewey a sword and medal of honor, and to )iave struck, in commemoration of the battle of Manila, a bronze medal for each of the officers and men who participated iii the gallant fight. The resolution appropriates SIO,OOO to enable the secretary to carry its provisions into effect. The bill offered last Friday authorizing the postmaster-general to establish post offices at military posts and camps in order to facilitate the delivery of mail to soldiers was reported favorably by the post offices aiM post roads committee and unanimously passed. Subsequently an amendment to the post office appropriation bill was agreed to appropriating $50,000 to carry the bill into effect. The post office appropriation bill was under discussion during almost the entire session.