Famous documents: Destruction of the Battleship Maine

Object/Artifact

-

McKinley Birthplace Museum

Name/Title

Famous documents: Destruction of the Battleship Maine

Entry/Object ID

95.01.539a

Description

Document with colored graphic featuring McKinley and the battlehsip Maine on the front. The following is printed on the back: "Treaty with Spain President McKinley, in his message to Congress, December 5, 1898, gave the following account of his reception of overtures from Spain for the termination of the war and the negotiations wchi resulted in a treaty of peace: 'the annhilation of Admiral Cervera's fleet followed by the capitulation of Santiago, having brought to the Sanish government a realizing sense of the hopelessness of continuing a struggle now become wholly unequal, it made overtures of peace through the French Ambassador, who with the assent of his government had acted as the friendly representative of Spanish interests during the war.' spain accepted the treaty unconditionally but appeared to seek to introduce inadmissable reservations in regard to our demand as to the Philippine Islands. On the afternoon of August 12th, M. Cambon as the plenipotentiary of Spain and the Secretary of State as plenipotentiary of the United States signed a protocol providing: I, Spain will relinguish all claim of sovereignty over and claim to Cuba. Art. II: Spain will cede to the United States the Island of Porto Rico annd other islands under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indies and also an island in the Ladrones to be selected by the United States. Art. III, The United States will occupy the city, bay and harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall determine the control, disposition, and government of the Philippines. The three remaining articles provided for the carrying out of and restriction of these provisions. Immediately upon the conclusion of the protocol President McKinley issued a proclamation suspending all hostilities and soon after our soldiers were mustered out, thus ending America's War for Humanity."

Collection

unknown

Acquisition

Accession

95.01.539

Source or Donor

Unknown

Acquisition Method

Gift