Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-16
WHAT OF THE MAINE?

From Senator Lodges speech.
And now. in conclusion what Of
the Maine? | am so merely human
that that ship is nearer my heart than
anything else Suppose she had gone
down to her death in an English har
Dor. blown up as she was carrying her
men with her. what do you think would
have been the voice of England-the
land of Nelson? | believe if it had
happened in an English port. England
would have said: We regard this
with horror, we believe that it must
have been an accident, but it happened
in our harbor under our flag. If you
think otherwise, name the reparation
that you want Such, Mr.. President.
| believe would have been the reply
of England, such | believe would have
been our reply, or that of any of the
great powers. LCok now at Spain She
has done nothing but Islander the dead
officers and the living officers of the
Maine. Her Ambassador to Rome said
but weak ago to all Europe in a pub
lished Interview that that ship went
down because her captain neglected her,
and was not on board
I'VE have the evidence of Captain
Sigsbee before our committee as to the
character of examination which the
Spaniards made, trivial. slight, care
less. done for a form. to back up story
which they had already made up their
minds to stand by and put forth. That
has been the attitude of Spain towards
an awful disaster happening in her
own harbor'
Mr.. Frye-Will the Senator from,
| Massachusetts please add right here
| that the death of our sailors, the de-
struction of our ships. according to
Gen. Lees testimony. was celebrated
with banduets and champagne by the
Spanish officers in Cuba?
Mr.. LodgeMr President, | thank the
| Senator from Maine for scaling to
me the testimony of Gen Lee on that
| point yesterday. They rejoiced in Ha-
! vana. and they explained the explosion
| by throwing it upon our officers, SLAM
| dering their character, and denying
| their words. We cannot take money
| for the dead men of the Maine. There
| is only one reparation. There is only
| one monument to raise over that grave,
and that is free Cuba and peace in
| that island That is a worthy monu-
! ment worthy of men who died un1er
| the flag they loved, died in the cold
| language of the law, Sin the lire of
| duty"
We are told that we must not go to
| war on the narrow ground of rfvenge
| No. not revenge. but we must have rep
| aration for the Maine We cannot as
| a nation. belittle that case or refuse to
| demand in great and shining separation
i for our dead sailors If we allow that
| to drop aside 10 pass away into an
| endless tangle of negotiation and law
, and discussion, we are lost To all sense
! Of brotherhood; We are lost to all love
! of kith and kin; our uniform will no
| longer be an honor and protection; it
will be disgrace and danger to wear.
! Your men on your ships are sullen to-
| day bs ause they think that the gov
] eTnmeIt is not behind them. There are
mutterings among the men who wear
YOUR uniform because they think YOU
have not striven TO redress the awful
| slaughter of their comrades You must
maintain the honor of the uniform and
| the flag under which the men died .
| Surely there never was a more right
| eous cause than this for any nation
to ask for justice. That gigantic muir