WILLIAM McKINLEY. Executive Mansion, Washington, April 25, 1898.

WAR IS DECLARED.

The formal declaration of war as passed by the houses of Congress
was short and pointed, worthy of recollection as a model for such
unpleasant documents. It read as follows:

A BILL DECLARING THAT WAR EXISTS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA AND THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN.

Be it enacted, etc.:

First--That war be and the same is hereby declared to exist and
that war has existed since the 2lst 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.

Diplomacy was still taking a hand in the war. Spain was indignant
at the attack on Spanish possessions and endeavored to arouse
sympathy among her European neighbors. The Queen Regent addressed
telegrams to all the sovereigns of Europe protesting against the
vitiation of the rights of Spain by the United States, and