Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 5.djvu/481

Rh in power has elicited from the citizenship of the country; and proud of the fact that a bill to put the Republic in a state of defense could pass both Houses of Congress without hot appeals to warlike passions. This gives us a taste of that sense of National honor which draws its inspiration not from hysterical spasms, but from sober wisdom; not from the brutal wantonness of superior strength, but from the noble resolve to be all the more just and generous, because strong. 



&emsp; Accept my sincere thanks for the cordial reception which, as your secretary, Mr. Porter, informs me, you have given to my letter of April 1st.

Permit me now to send you a report of the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of New York in which a resolution drawn by me was adopted commending your peace policy. It faithfully represents the feelings of the best part of the community.

Unless I am much mistaken, the war fever stirred up by the “yellow journals” is on the point of receding. Owing partly to the indiscreet and impudent utterances of the Cuban Junta, partly to the immediate imminence of war, many people who but yesterday talked fluently about “liberating Cuba at any cost,” begin to open their eyes to the dreadful and thankless impossibility we shall impose upon this Republic if by warlike action we make it answerable for the future peace and orderly conduct of the people of that island. If availing yourself at the last moment of the last chance, you succeed in saving the Republic from so terrible and hopeless an estrangement, the American people will never cease to be grateful to you. I think you can frankly and boldly take the people