promptly and readily recognized and the relations and interests of the
United States with such nation adjusted.

There remain the alternative forms of intervention to end the war,
either as an impartial neutral, by imposing a rational compromise
between the contestants, or as the active ally of the one party or the
other.

As to the first, it is not to be forgotten that during the last few
months the relation of the United States has virtually been one of
friendly intervention in many ways, each not of itself conclusive, but
all tending to the exertion of a potential influence toward an ultimate
pacific result, just and honorable to all interests concerned. The
spirit of all our acts hitherto has been an earnest, unselfish desire
for peace and prosperity in Cuba, untarnished by differences between us
and Spain and unstained by the blood of American citizens.

The forcible intervention of the United States as a neutral to stop the
war, according to the large dictates of humanity and following many
historical precedents where neighboring states have interfered to check
the hopeless sacrifices of life by internecine conflicts beyond their
borders, is justifiable on rational grounds. It involves, however,
hostile constraint upon both the parties to the contest, as well to
enforce a truce as to guide the eventual settlement.

The grounds for such intervention may be briefly summarized as follows:

First. In the cause of humanity and to put an end to the barbarities,
bloodshed, starvation, and horrible miseries now existing there, and
which the parties to the conflict are either unable or unwilling to stop