Moreover，thenationhadjustescapedaterriblecatastropheatthelastgeneralelection;theignorant，careless，andperversevotehavinggonealmostsolidlyforafinancialpolicywhichwouldhavewreckedustemporarilyanddisgraceduseternally。
Timewill，nodoubt，developamoreconservativesentimentintheStateswherethisvoteforevilwascast;ascivilizationdeepensandadvances，betterideaswilldoubtlessgrowstronger;butitissurethattheadditionofCubatotheUnitedStates，ifitevercomes，meanstheaddingofavastilliteratemassofvoterstothosewhoatthatelectionshowedthemselvessodangerous。
OnalltheseaccountsIhadfeltveryanxioustoputoffthewholeCubanquestionuntilourRepublicshouldbecomesomuchlargerandsomuchmorematurethattheadditionofafewmillionsofSpanish—Americanswouldbeofbutsmallaccountinthetotalvoteofthecountry。
Then，too，IhadlittlesympathywithaspirationsforwhatSpanishrevolutionistscallfreedom，andnoadmirationatallforCentralAmericanrepublics。Ihadofficiallyexaminedoneofthemthoroughly，hadknownmuchofothers，andhadnobeliefinthecapacityofpeopleforcitizenshipwhoprefertocarryongovernmentbypronunciamtentos，whoneveracknowledgetherightsofmajorities，whoarereadytostartcivilwarontheslightestpretext，andwho，wheninpower，exerciseadespotismmorepersistentandcruelthananysinceNeroandCaligula。NoRussianautocrat，claimingtogovernbydivineright，haseverdaredtocommitthehigh—handedcrueltieswhicharecommoninsundryWestIndianandequatorialrepublics。Ifeltthatthegreatthingwastogaintimebeforedoinganythingwhichmightresultintheadmissionofthemillionstrainedundersuchinfluencesintoalltherights，privileges，andpowersofAmericancitizenship。
ButtherecamethedestructionoftheMaineintheharborofHavana，andthenceforwardwarwascertain。ThenewswasbroughttomeatagalarepresentationoftheoperaatBerlin，when，oninvitationfromtheEmperor，theambassadorswereoccupyingalargeboxoppositehisown。HardlyhadthetelegramannouncingthecatastrophebeenplacedinmyhandswhentheEmperorentered，andonhisaddressingmeIinformedhimofit。Hewasevidentlyshocked，andexpressedaregretwhich，Ifullybelieve，wasdeeplysincere。Heinstantlyasked，withapiercinglook，\"Wastheexplosionfromtheoutside？\"MyanswerwasthatIhopedandbelievedthatitwasnot;thatitwasprobablyaninteriorexplosion。Tomygreatregret，theofficialreportafterwardobligedmetochangemymindonthesubject;butIstillfeelthatnoSpanishofficerortrueSpaniardwasconcernedinthematter。IthasbeenmygoodfortunetoknowmanySpanishofficers，anditisimpossibleformetoconceiveoneoftheirkindashavingtakenpartinsofrightfulapieceoftreachery;