The herald., 1898-04-12


Second-We owe it to our citizens IN
Cuba to afford them that protection and
indemnity for life and property which no
government there can or will afford, and
to that end to terminate the conditions
that deprive them of legal protection.
Third-The right to intervene may be
justified by the very serious injury to the
commerce, trade and business of our people
and by the wanton destruction of property
aud devastation of the island.
Fourth-And which is of the utmost i'm
pOrtance, the present condition of affairs
in Cuba is constant menace to our
peace and entails upon this government
an enormous expense. With such q con-
fict waged for years in an island SO near
us and with which our people have such
trade and business relations - when
the lives and liberty of the citi-
zens are in constant danger and
their property destroyed and them
selves ruined when our trading ves-
sells are liable to seizure and are seized
at our very door by warships of a foreign
nation, the expeditions of filibustering
that we are powerless to prevent alto
gether. and the irritating questions and
entanglements thus arising-all these and
others that l need not mention, with the
resulting strained relations are a constant
menace to our peace and compel us to
keep on semi-war footing with that ma
tion with which we are at peace.
The Maine Disaster
These elements of danger and disorder
already pointed out have been strikingly
Illustrated by tragic event which has
deeply and justly moved the American peo-
pie. 1 have already transmitted to Con-
yress the report Of the Naval Court of In
CURRY on the destruction of the battleship
Maine in the harbor of Havana during the
night of the 18th Of February. The de-
struction of that noble vessel has filled the
national heart with inexpressible horror
Two hundred and fifty-eight brave sailors
and marines and two officers of our navy,
reposng in the fancied security of q
friendly harbor, have been hurled to death
grief and want brought in their homes
and sorrow to the nation.
The Naval Court Of Inquiry, which, it is
needless to say, commands the unqualified
confidence of the government, was unani-
nous in its conclusion that the destruc-
tion Of the Maine was caused by an exter-
ior explosion, that Of q submarine mine
1t did not assume to place the RESPONSE
bility. That remains to be fixed.
In any event the destruction of the Maina
by whatever exterior cause, is patent, ami
impressive proof of a state of things In
Cuba that Is intolerable. That condition is
thus shown to be such that the Spanish
government cannot assure safety and Sc
curity to a vessel of the American navy in
the harbor Of Havana on a mission of
peace and rightfully there.
Further referring in this connection to
recent diplomatic correspondence, a dis
patch from our Minister to Spain, of the
26th ultimo, contained the statement that
the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs
had assured him positively that Spain will
do all that the highest honor and justice
requires in the matter of the Maine The
reply above referred to of the 31st ultimo
also contained an expression of the readi-
the differences which can arise In this mat
ter, which Is subsequently explained by the
note of the Spanish Minister at Washing
ton of the 10th instant, as follows:
"As to the question Of fact which springs
from the diversified views between the re-
port of the American and the Spanish
certained by an impartial investigation by
experts, which decision Spain acc,>pts in
advance"
To this have made 10 reply.
General Grants Views
President Grant, in 1875, in discussing
the phases of the contest as 1t then an
peared, and its hopeless and apparent in
definite prolongation, said:
I'm such event I am of the opinion that
other nations will be compelled to assume
the responsibility which devolves upon
them and to seriously consider the only
remaining measures possible, mediation
and Intervention. Owing, perhaps, to the
large expanse Of water separating the
island from the peninsula, the contending
parties appear to have within them
selves no depository Of common confidence,
to suggest wisdom when passion and ex-
citement have their sway, and thus assume
the part of peacemaker. In this view, in
the earlier days of the contest, the good
offices of the United States as the medi-
ator were rendered in good faith without
any selfish purpose, in the interest of hu-
manity and in sincere friendship for both
parties, but were at the time declined by
Spain with the declaration nevertheless
that at future time they would be inde-
spensable.
mo intimation has been received that in
the opinion of Spain that time has been
reached. And yet the strife continues with
all its dread horrors and all it's injuries
to the United States and of other nations.
Each party seems capable of working
great injury and damage to the other, as
well as to all the relations and interes to
dependent on the existence of peace in the
island; but they seem incapable of reaching
any adjustment and both have thus far
failed of achieving any success whereby
one party shall possess and control the
island to the exclusion of the other. Under
the circumstances the agency Of others,
either by mediation or by intervention,
seems to be the only alternative which
must, sooner or later, be invoked for the
termination Of the strife"
In the last annual message Of my i'm
mediate predecessor during the pen ing
struggle it was said:
when the inability of Spain to deal
successfully with the insurgents has be-
come manifest, and If demonstrated that
her sovereignty in Cuba is extinct to all
purposes of it's rightful existence. and
when a hopeless struggle. for Its re-es-
tabishment has degenerated into the strife
which means nothing more than the use
less sacrifice of human life and the utter
destruction Of the very subject matter of
the conflict, situation will be presented
in which our obligations to the sovereignty
of Spain will be superseded by higher OBJ
legations which we can hardly hesitate to
recognize and discharge"