Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-04-16

to that end to terminate the conditions
that deprive them of legal protection.
justified by the very serious injury to the
commerce., trade and business of our
people and by the wanton destruction of
property and devastation of the island.
Fourth-And which is of the utmost i'm
portance. The present condition of affairs
In Cuba Is a constant menace to our peace
enormous expense. With such conflict
waged for years in an island SO near US
and business retntions-when the lives and
liberty OF our citizens are in constant dan
ger and their property destroyed and them
selves ruined-where our trading vessels
are liable to seizure and are seized at our
very door, by warships of a foreign ma
ton, the expeditions of flibustering that
the irritating questions and entanglements
thus arising-an these and others that
need not mention, with the resulting
strained relations, are constant menace
to our peace and compel us to keep on a
semi-war footing with nation with which
We are at peace.
Destruction of the Maine.
These elements OF danger and disorder
already pointed out have been strikingly
illustrated by a tragic event which has
deeply and justly moved the American peo-
pie have already transmitted to con-
gress the report of the naval court of in
quiry 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 inexpressGble hor-
ror. Two hundred and fifty-eight brave
sailors and marines and two officers of our
navy, reposing in the fancied security OF a
friendly harbor. have been hurled to death
grief and want brought to their homes
and sorrow to the nation.
The naval court of inquiry, which, II is
needless to say, commands the unqual.hed
confidence of the government, was unan-
imous in it's conclusion that the destruc-
ton of the Maine was caused by an eN-
terior explosion. that of a submarine mine.
Il 20 VAln q l.
bility. That remains to be fixed
Proof of Spain's Weakness.
In any event the destruction of the Maine,
by whatever exterior cause, is patent ana
proof of STATE That 9t t6mTs
il thus shown TO be such that the Span,
ish government cannot assure safety ana ma
in the harbor OF Havana on mission OF
peace and rightfully there.
Further referring In this connection 20
recent Diplomatic correspondence, dis
patch from our minister to Spain, OF the
26th ut, contained the statement that
the Spanish minister for foreign anairs
all that the highest honor and justice re-
qulre In the NATTER OF the Maine The re-
ply above referred to OF the Slst UT also
contained an expression OF the readiness
OF Spain to submit TO an arbitration all the
differences which can arise in this matter
which is subsequently, explained by the
note OF the Spanish minister at washing
ton of the 10th Inst. as follows:
A Note from Spain.
"As to the question OF fact which springs
from the diversity OF views between the
report of the American and Spanish
boards, Spain proposes that the fact be
ascertained by an impartial investigation
by experts. which decision Spain accepts
in advance"
To this have made no reply,
Grant Is Quoted.
President Grant In 1875. after discussing
tho phases of the contest as It then ap-