Thousands upon thousands of Armenians were savagely murdered or left exposed to every variety of plunder and disease. President Cleveland was deeply frustrated by the unending bloodshed. By his next annual message to Congress on December 7. 1896. he had reached the point of exasperation: At the outset of a reference to the more important matters affecting our relations with foreign powers it would afford me satisfaction if I could assure the Congress that the disturbed condition in Asiatic Turkey had during the past year assumed a less hideous and blody aspect and that. either as a consequen.e of the awakening of the TurkIsh Government to the demands of humane civilization or as the result of decisive action on the part of the great nations ... the shocking features of the situation had been mitigated. Instead. however. of welcoming a softened disposition or protective intervention we have been afflicted by continued and not unfrequent reports of the wanton destruction of homes and the bloody butchery of men. women. and children. made martyrs to their profession of Christian faith. Presidential concern over the Armenian massacres of 189496 did not end with President Cleveland.