Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/95

WILLIAM McKINLEY 67 munication they had made on behalf of the powers, stated the confidence of this government for its part, that equal appreciation would be shown for its own earnest and unselfish endeavors to fulfil a duty to humanity by ending a situation the indefi nite prolongation of which had become insufferable. The Queen Regent directed that Gen. Blanco should be authorized to grant a suspension of hos tilities, the form and duration being left to his dis cretion, to enable the insurgents to submit and con fer as to the measure of autonomy to be granted to them. This was a very different thing from as sent to the president s demand for an armistice from April to October, with an assurance that ne gotiations for independence should be opened with the insurgents. No real armistice being offered them, there was nothing for the Cubans to decline. It was this evasive outcome of the labors of the president for the past two months that caused him to abandon all hope of an adequate settlement by negotiation and to send in his message of April 11, which reviewed at length the negotiations and ended by leaving the issue with congress. On April 13 a resolution was passed by the house authorizing the president to intervene to pacify Cuba. On April 16 the senate amended the house resolution by striking out all except the number, and substituting a resolution recognizing Cuba s independence. April 19 these two resolutions were