ace to our peace and entails upon this
Government an enormous expense. With such a conflict waged for years
in an island so near us and with which our people have such trade and
business relations; when the lives and liberty of our citizens are in
constant danger and their property destroyed and themselves ruined;
where our trading vessels are liable to seizure and are seized at
our very door by war ships of a foreign nation; the expeditions of
filibustering that we are powerless to prevent altogether, and the
irritating questions and entanglements thus arising--all these and
others that I need not mention, with the resulting strained relations,
are a constant menace to our peace and compel us to keep on a semi war
footing with a nation with which we are at peace.

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 people. I have already transmitted to Congress the
report of the naval court of inquiry on the destruction of the battle
ship _Maine_ in the harbor of Havana during the night of the 15th
of February.[6] The destruction of that noble vessel has filled the
national heart with inexpressible horror. 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, it is needless to say, commands
the unqualified confidence of the Government, was unanimous in its
conclusion that the destruction of the _Maine_ was caused by an
exterior explosion--that of a submarine mine. It did not assume to
place the responsibility. That remains to be fixed.

In any event, the destruction of the _Maine_, by whatever exterior
cause, is a patent and impressive proof of a state of things in Cuba
that is intolerable. That condition is thus shown to be such that the
Spanish Government can not assure safety and security to a vessel of the
American Navy in the harbor of Havana on a mission of peace, and
rightfully there.

Further referring in this connection to recent diplomatic
correspondence, a dispatch from our minister to Spain of the 26th ultimo
contained the statement that the Spanish minister for foreign affairs
assured him positively that Spain will do all that the highest honor
and justice require in the matter of the _Maine_