But recently a most
flagrant outrage on the rights of American citizens, and on the
flag of the United States, was perpetrated in the harbor of Havana
under circumstances which, without immediate redress, would have
justified a resort to measures of war in vindication of national
honor. That outrage is not only unatoned, but the Spanish
government has deliberately sanctioned the acts of its
subordinates, and assumed the responsibility attaching to them.
Nothing could more impressively teach us the danger to which those
peaceful relations it has ever been the policy of the United
States to cherish with foreign nations, are constantly exposed,
than the circumstances of that case. Situated as Spain and the
United States are, the latter has forborne to resort to extreme
measures.
But this course cannot, with due regard to their own dignity as an
independent nation, continue; and our recommendations, now
submitted, are dictated by the firm belief that the cession of
Cuba to the United States, with stipulations as beneficial to
Spain as those suggested, is the only effective mode of settling
all past differences, and of securing the two countries against
future collisions.
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