lowered over the misgovernment
of Cuba, and that there was a thunder-cloud in the north that must
burst--with more than the force of the hurricanes that spin on their
dizzy way of destruction from the Caribbean Sea--aroused the fury of
passion, of jealous hatred and thirst for revenge, in anticipation of
the inevitable, that caused the catastrophe of the blowing up of the
Maine, and kindled with the flame of the explosion, the conflagration
of warfare in the Indies West and East, that has reddened the seas and
the skies with the blood of Spain and the glow of America's victory
both in the Antilles and the Philippines, wiping from the face of the
earth the last vestiges of the colonial imperialism of Spain that gave
her mediaeval riches and celebrity, for which--as the system always
evil became hideous with malignant growth, so that each colony was
a cancer on the mother country--there has been exacted punishment of
modern poverty, and finally the humiliation of the haughty, with no
consolation for defeat, but the fact that in desperate and forlorn
circumstances there were seen glimpses of the ancient valor in Spanish
soldiers, that was once their high distinction among the legions of
embattled Europe.

The United States was not ready for war. Our regular army was a 16
to 120 Spanish troops in Cuba, our field guns 1 to 6 of Blanco's
batteries, our siege train nowhere, and fortified cities to assail;
and the ability and industry of the Spaniards as well as their
skill and strength in surveying and fortifying military lines,
and their food resources were dangerously undervalued. The war was
rushed upon the country, contrary to the calm executive judgement of
the President. The army and navy were admirable but faulty in hasty
equipment, the navy a perfect machine in itself, but without docks
and arsenals in the right place for the supply of a fleet in the old
battle field of European navies, the West Indies. The energies of the
Government were put forth as soon as the war was seriously threatened,
and the mighty people arose and swiftly as the aptitudes of Americans
in emergencies could be applied, deficiencies were supplied. The first
stroke of arms came as a dazzling flash from the far southwest, in
the story of the smashing victory of Dewey at Manila. That splendid
officer, gentleman and hero did not signal his fleet as Nelson
at Trafalgar, that every man was expected to do his duty, but he
reported that every man did h