Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-03-31
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Thinks Spain's Sense of Justice VIII
Dictate a Course of Action.
Washington, March 28.-The presi-
dent today sent the following message
to congress:
To the congress of the United States;
For some time prior to the visit of the
Maine to Havana harbor our consular
representatives pointed out the ad-
vantages to flow from the visit of ma
tional ships to the Cuban waters in
accustoming the people to the pres
ence of our flag as the symbol of good
will and of our ships in the fuIfillment
of the mission of protection to Ameri-
can interests, even though no immedi :
ate need therefor might exist.
Accordingly on the oath of January
last, after conference with the Spanish
minister, in which the renewal of visits
of our war vessels to Spanish waters
was discussed and accepted. the penin-
sular authorities at Madrid and Ha-
vana were advised of the purpose of
this government to resume friendly ma
val visits at Cuban ports, and that in
that view the Maine would forthwith
call at the port of Havana. This an
nouneement was received by the Span
ish government with appreciation of
the friendly character of the visit of
the Maine, and with notification of the
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-
Iutes land ceremonial visits.
The Maine continued in the harbor
of Havana during the three weeks fol-
lowing her arrival. No appreciable ex-
citement attended her stay: on the
contrary, a telling of relief and con
fidence followed the resumption of the
long interrupted friendly intercourse.
So noticeable was this immediate ef-
| feet of her visit that the consul gem
eral 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 sending another vessel there to take
| her place.
| At 40 minutes past 9 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 catas-
trophe two officers and 264 of her crew
perished, those who were not killed out
right by her explosion being penned
between decks by the tangle of wreck
| age and drowned by the immediate
| sinking of the hull. Prompt assistance
was rendered by the neighboring yes
| sells anchored in the harbor, aid being
especially given by the boats of the
Spanish cruiser A1phonse XII and the
Ward line steamer City of Washington
| which lay not far distant. The wound
| ed were generously cared for by tht
| authorities of Havana, the hospitals
being freely opened to them. while tht
earliest recovered bodies of the deac
were inferred by the municipality il
4 tne puDHc ctfnelery IN the cily. LTD
utes of grief and sympathy were of
fered from all official quarters of ths
4 island
i The appalling calamity fell upon tn
people of our country with crushing
force, and for brief time an intens'
| excitement prevaned. which in a com
munify less just and self controlled
i than ours might have led to hasty act.
Of blind resentment This spirit how