The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-03-31
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The President sent the following
message to Congress Monday:
To the Congress OF the United States ::
For some time prior to the visit OF
the Maine to Havana harbor our con-
sular representative pointed out the
advantages to flow from the visit OF
national ships to the Cuban waters, in
accustomlng the people to the presence
of our flag as the symbol OF good will
and of our ships in the fulfillment OF
the mission of protection to American
interests, even though no Immediate
need therefor might exist.
Accordingly, on the Oath OF January
last, after conference with the Spanish
Minister, in which renewal OF visits OF
our war vessels to Spanish waters was
discussed and accepted; the peninsular
authorities at Madrid and Havana were
advised of the purpose of this govern
ment to resume friendly naval visits
at Cuban ports, and that in that view
the Maine would forthwith call at the
port of Havana.
| This announcement was received by
the Spanish government with apprecia-
ton of the friendly character OF the
visit of the Maine and with notification
of intention to return the courtesy by
sending Spanish ships to the principal
ports of the United States. Meanwhile
! the Maine entered the port of Havana
on the 25th of January, her arrival be-
ing marked with no special incident
besides the exchange OF customary sa-
lutes and ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor
of Havana during the three weeks fol-
lowing her arrival. No appreciable ex-
element attended her stay on the con-
trary, feeling of relief and confidence
followed the resumption of the long in
terrupted friendly intercourse. So no
ticeable was this immediate effect of
her visit that the Consul General
strongly urged that the presence of our
ships in Cuban waters should be kept
up by retaining the Maine at Havana
or, In the event OF her recall, by send
ing another vessel there to take her
place.
At forty minutes past nine, in the
evening Of the 18th of February, the
Maine was destroyed by an explosion
by which the entire forward part of
the ship was utterly wrecked. In this
catastrophe two officers and two hun
dred and sixty-four of her crew perish
ed, those who we're not killed outright
by her explosion being penned between
decks by the tangle of wreckage and
drowned by the immediate sinking of
the hull. Prompt assistance was rem
dered by the nelghboring vessels an
chored in the harbor, aid being espe-
cialIy given by the boats of the Span
ish cruiser Alphonso XII. and the
Ward Line .steame" City of Washing
ton, which lay not far distant. The
wounded were generously cared for by
the authorities of Havana, the hospi-
tails being freely opened to them, while
the earliest recovered bodies of the dead
were inferred by the municipality In a
public cemetery In the city. Tributes
of grief and sympathy were offered from
all official quarters of the island.
The appalling calamity fell upon the
people OF our country with crushing
force, and for brief time an intense
excitement prevailed, which in COM
munity less just and self-controlled
than ours might have led to hasty acts
of blind resentment. This spirit, how
ever, soon gave way to the calmer pro-
cesses OF reason and to the resolve to
investigate the facts and await mate
rial proof before forming a judgment
as to the cause, the responsibility, and,
if the facts warranted, the remedy due.
This course necessarily recommended
itself from the outset to the executive,
for only in the light of dlspassionate-
~ ascertained certainty could it deter
mine the nature and measure of its full
duty In the matter.
The usual procedure was followed as
in all cases of casualty or disaster to
national vessels of any maritime State.
A naval court of inquiry was at once
organized, composed OF officers we'll
qualified by rank and practical expert
ence to discharge the onerous duty i'm
posed upon them. Aided by strong
force of wreckers and divers, the court
proceeded to make thorough investi-
cation on the spot, employing every
available means for the impartial and
exact determination of the causes of
the explosion. Its operations have
been conducted with the utmost de-
liberation and judgment, and. while in
dependently pursued, no source of in
formation was neglected, and the full
est opportunity was allowed for stimuli
taneous Investigation by the SPANS
authorities.
The finding Of the court of inquiry
was reached after twenty-three days of
continuous labor, on the 81 st of
March, instant, and having been ap-
proved on the 22d by the commander
ln-chief of the United States naval
force of the North Atlantic station,
was transmitted to the Executive. 1t
is herewith laid before the Congress, to-
gether with the volumlnous testimony
taken before the court.
have directed that the finding of
the court OF inquiry and the views of
this government thereupon be commu-
nicated to the government of her ma
jesty, the Queen Regent, and do not
permit myself to doubt that the sense
Of justice of the Spanish nation will
dictate course of action suggested by
honor and the friendly relations of the
two governments.
It will be the duty OF the executive
to advise the Congress of the result,
al