Sunday, the 3d of April, a cablegram from General Woodford was received
by the State Department indicating that Spain was seeking a formula for
an armistice that should not too obviously appear to be submission and
suggesting that the President ask the Pope to intervene and that the
United States abstain from all show of force. "If you can still give me
time and reasonable liberty of action," ran Woodford's message, "I will
get you the peace you desire so much and for which you have labored
so hard." To this the Secretary of State immediately replied that the
President would not ask the intervention of the Pope, and that the
Government would use the fleet as it saw fit. "Would the peace you are
so confident of securing," asked the Secretary, "mean the independence
of Cuba? The President cannot hold his message longer than Tuesday." On
Tuesday, the 5th of April, General Woodford cabled:

"Should the Queen proclaim the following before twelve o'clock noon of
Wednesday, April 6th, will you sustain the Queen, and can you prevent
hostile action by Congress? At the request of the Holy Father, in
this Passion Week and in the name of Christ, I proclaim immediate and
unconditional suspension of hostilities in the island of Cuba. This
suspension is to become immediately effective as soon as accepted by
the insurgents of that island, and is to continue for the space of
six months to the 5th day of October, 1898. I do this to give time for
passions to cease, and in the sincere hope and belief that during this
suspension permanent and honorable peace may be obtained between the
insular government of Cuba and those of my subjects in that island who
are now in rebellion against the authority of Spain...." "Please read
this in the light of all my previous telegrams and letters. I believe
this means peace, which the sober judgment of our people will approve
long before next November, and which must be approved at the bar of
final history."

To this message the Secretary of State replied:

"The President highly appreciates the Queen's desire for peace. He
cannot assume to influence the action of the American Congress beyond a
discharge of his constitutional duty in transmitting the whole matter to
them with such recommendations as he deems necessary and expedient."

On the 9th of April the Queen granted the amnesty, on the formula of a
request by the European powers. On the next day, General Woodford cabled
that the United States cou