And State Papers 49 



That is the deed that was consummated to-day; 

 now for the other. 



Ten days or a fortnight ago an appalling calamity 

 befell another portion of the West Indies; befell 

 islands not in any way under our flag islands own 

 ing allegiance to two European powers. But their 

 need was great and our people met that need as 

 speedily as possible. Congress at once appropriated 

 a large sum of money and through private gifts 

 great additions were made to that appropriation ; and 

 I found, as usual, the army and navy the instruments 

 through which the work could be done. I wanted 

 to get men whom I could call on instantly to drop 

 whatever their work was and go down, with the cer 

 tainty that neither pestilence nor the danger from 

 volcanoes or anything else would make them 

 swerve a half inch men upon whose absolute in 

 tegrity and capacity I could count, as well as on their 

 courage. When I wanted these men and wanted 

 them at once I turned to the army and the navy. 

 I am sure that we all feel proud that ships bearing 

 the American flag should have been the first to 

 carry relief to those who had been stricken down by 

 so appalling a disaster. 



It seems to me that while there is much evil 

 against which we need to war with all the strength 

 there is in us, and while there are many tendencies 

 in the complex forces about us which are fraught 

 with peril to the future welfare of the Republic and 

 of mankind, yet it is a fine thing to see at the open 

 ing of this century such omens of international 



