Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-03-02

we have assembled here this morning to
assist at the holy sacrifice offered up for
the souls Of the brave officers and men who
nave lost their lives at the post of duty.
We are also called together to give eX-
preston to our heartfelt coincidence and
sympathy for the bereaved relatives, those
faithful defenders Of their country whom
the nation mourns. l see before me rep
reSentatives Of our army and navy; I see
representatives Of our state militia and of
our fellow citizens at large. You represent
a sorroWing nation, for every home in our
broad country feels the loss as a personal
one.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed on
the President and on the members of the
cabinet, and particularly on the secretary
of the navy and his able assistant, as well
as on the Houses of Congress, for the
calmness and tranquility, the self-controI
and the self-pOssession which they have ex-
hibited during the fearful ordeal through
which the country has been passing in the
last few days.
1t needs only a spark to kindle a great
conhagration, and the patient and dignifed
bearing OF the executive and the legislative
bodies all the more commendable in
view Of the mischievous and Incorporate
utteranceS Of some sensational newspapers
This nation is too brave, too strong too
powerful and too just to engage in
righteous war. Let us remember that the
eyes of the world are upon US, whose judg
ment we cannot despise, and that will
gain more applause and credit for ourselves
by calm elaboration and mastery inactiv-
ity than by recourse to arms. Thrice is
[ hope and believe, for the honor of hu-
mainly, that the destruction of the Maine
was caused by an accident, and in that case
Spain cannot be responsible. But suppose
some fendish Cuban had occasioned this
fearful loss Of life in order to embroil
nation in with his mother country.
In that case Spain should not be held re-
SponSibe. And even had some fanaticat
Spaniard perpetrated this atrocious crime,
there would be no necessity for recourse
to arbitrament of the sword.
The only circumstance that would war
dence that the Spanish government con-
nived at the placing of tOrpedoes or eX-
plOSiVes in the harbOr of Havana TO de-
str0y our vessel. But | do not believe, and
DO sane man can believe, that chivalric
nation would be guilty of such inhumanity.
An able commission has been appointed
by the government to investigate the cause
of the disaster. Let calmly and dis
paSSiOnately await the result of their YER
dict and not anticipate their Judgment. One
thing is certain, this country knows how
in any emergency TO defend her honor and
protect her interests
These brave men did not die, indeed, on
the deck of ship with weapons III their
hands Nevertheless, must regard them
the heroes or martyrs to this country
who died at the post to which the call to
duty assigned them. | earnestly hope that
the day Is not far off when a grateful na-
tion will show her appreciation of the serv-
ices of those brave and faithful public
servants by erecting to their memory Il
suitable monument, monument which will
not only commemorate the dead. but which
viii be incentive of patriotism to the
living by keeping before them the senti-
ment well expressed by the Roman
1T is sweet and honorable to die for ones
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