Also the promise made to my lovely partner as
to the voice for Cuba--Cuba Libre!--when I took my seat in Congress; the
warm pressure of her arms around my neck--and the kiss! How could I
forget it? But that was two summers ago, and my views now and then were
vastly different. Whatever I may have said under the combined witchery
of Mercedes, the moonlight, and the champagne was not to be seriously
considered now. Like all Americans and lovers of liberty, I thought of
course that Cuba should be free, that she should make every effort
toward that much-to-be-desired end, but the idea of my own country
stepping in to aid her did not strongly appeal to me. While Cuban
affairs elicited the warmest interest in the States, those of our people
who had actively assisted the patriots had become involved in endless
trouble both with the home government and that of Spain. Filibustering
was severely frowned upon, and many recent attempts had proven most
disastrous, jeopardizing both the lives of the 'patriots' and the
_entente cordiale_ between two great and friendly nations. The blowing
up of the _Maine_, undoubtedly the work of Cuban insurgents in order to
hasten hostilities with Spain, had rendered the situation most acute.
Pledged to the Administration, I was a conservative of conservatives. I
was therefore opposed to any interference in Cuban affairs, and I
regarded a conflict with Spain as the height of folly.
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