Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-06-22

proacbed on the floor of the House, in the
MASSAGE WAYS, at their hotels, at their resi-
dences ; and not a word of objection is raised
by ANYBODY; certainly no % friend of Cuba
objected. /
Ma. BoYD. Does the gentleman object
because an ex-cOnfederate general Is now en-
gagged in a good cause?
MR WILLARD have made no objection
to this course of Gen. Jordan. | am making
a contrast the force of which L trust the
gentleman will see when | get through.
This ex-confederate general may be to day |
as good a Union man as the gentleman from
Missouri Mr.. B0YD) or anybody else (; but /
he is not an officer of this Government with /
special privileges on this floor, or with the |
Constitutional right to recommend measures
for the adoption of Congress. Yet he has
audience with members of the House, and /
New York newspaper says that he has met
one hundred members, and has received re- /
buff from only one, and that one was, be- 4
lieve. the gentleman from Massachusetts (MR. /
HOAR), whom | have now IN my eye. he /
does this without one word of protest In this 1
House, without objection from any gentle
man on this side or the other and do not
make objection to it. But when the PresI-
dent of the United States, in the exercise of !
his constitutional rights and duties, sees ht
to send TO this House a message giving the
reasons for the course he has deemed 1t
proper to pursue for the last twenty months
In relation To affairs in Cuba, members rise
here anssSs&sgd Indignation declare
that ssnterfering with the
Congress OF the United States Well, SIR,
think he has a right to interfere with the bust
ness of Congress to that extent. If the agents
of Cuba. whether ex-rebels or loyal men,
whether Cubans or their hired attorneys in
this country, have liberty to come here and
attempt to influence the action of members
of the House. think the President OF the
United States, one of the coordinate branches
of this Government, the person whose official
duty il Is to give this House information
from time to time of the state of the country
and to recommend TO Congress such measures
as he deems necessary and proper to be adopt
ed, has at least equal right. and 1t Is not IN
bad taste, it is not out of character, 1t ought
not to be made the subject of criticism or OF
severe apprehension. Democrats may, Tor po-
litical effect, assail Republican President
for such an act. but | am unable To see any
thing in it to merit the severity of repre-
henson which has been expressed here by
many gentlemen on this side of the House
OF indeed of any apprehension at all.
am not Directing, Mr.. Speaker, to any
fair criticism of the positions taken by the
President in his message. W hen he gives US
reasons for any policy he pursues, those rea-
sons are uuquestionably open to objection or
criticism If any one can show that they
are unsound in any particular, that may be
a good ground why we should not follow
them OF adopt the measures he recommends
But. sir. it Is unreasonable for US, IN passion
because message has been sent 10 US at all,
to refuse to listen 10 this fair, statesmanlIke,
able document, because 1t happens that the
matter to which It refers Is under consIdera-
ton in this House. Ii the President has
10 rnuphIUr narrIgular
measures. when could he more appropriately
send IN such suggestions than when those
measures are under consideration
But. Mr. Speaker, | wish to call attention
1 To another phase of this debate which L
/ think ought to arrest the attention OF the
/ House II mean the charges and insinuatlons
that have been made respecting the author
ship Of this message and II this Is to be
made personal matter 1t is worth while tor
members of the House TO consider, before
they refuse to listen 10 the Presldents rec
concentrations, how much weight such retu-
sal would give 10 the charges made here
/ a..ainst him We are told by one gentleman
who desires To break bv his criticism the
] force of that message, that the President did
not prepare IL that he recognizes another
hand in some of the expressions OF that doc
! tgnant and that ne believes 1t was written
~ a person in the pay OF Spain. Well, SIT,
that message was not submitted 70 the House
i except with the signature of the President of
the United States. IL was not sent here IN
I'll after he mad read it and until after he
had agreed 10 all its positions and argu-
ments and cOncurred in every recOmmeuda-
ZION in 1t The President Is responsible for
that message in all its parts AMI when it Is
asserted that It was written by some person
in the pay of Spain, OF an attorney for Spain,
/ as q reason why we should not consider it.
the President of the United States is either
charged with being IN the pay of Spain, OF,
what IL scarcely less Objectionable, with be
ing the tool OF cunning men who are IN the
employ of Spanish uffi :ials. | regard the
charges as little less grave than an assertion
that the President knew that this was done
+ IN the interest Of Spain by those who are IN
/ der the pay of Spain. The cause of - free
Cuha will not be helped by such outrage
Gus attacks upon the President of the United
States.
/ Il has also been said in this debate that
/ the Secretary OF State, one of the highest
officers of the government, a gentleman whose
honor IS beyond reproach, a gentleman whose
/ life is unblemished, gentleman who has
conducted with great ability, in my judg-
ment, the foreign affairs of this govern
ment since he was placed in his present
/ positiOu-lt has been sand that the Secretary
/ Of State, in consideration of retainer paid
/ to his son-in-law. has sold himself to Spain.
/ That, Mr. Speaker, may be convenient II
not satisfactory way OF answering an argu-
ment that cannot be otherwise met. When
reason and faetsare brought before the House
which gentlemen are unanswerable
\ by any logic, they give the strongest evidence
/ OF the weakness OF their cause when they
/ begin to abuse the officials who in the per-
/ Torrance of their duties have so ably con-
Quoted the difficult and delicate matters
connected with the relations of this govern
ment with foreign powers.
Mr.. Speaker, the cause which ne DIS such
aid on tins floor, which when failing IN facts
| resorts to calumny, which assails the pri
vate and public reputation of men holding
/ high official trusts under this government,
denouncing them as the tools of Spain and
under the control of Spanish officials, the
cause which brings to its aid such malicious
ISLANDERS as these and attempts to strengthen
itself by assailing the character of the high
est government officials, is only keeping up
its consistency. The Cuban republic began
its existence by violating our laws 1t has
had from the first base of operations in
this country, and has been making war on
Spain from the safe distance of Washington
and New York; and now its only hope of
success is in bringing our government into
complications with Spain and consequently
into a war with that power. The cause
which has so often attempted 70 gain Its
objects, not only by violating the neutrality
laws of the United States, but by violating
the laws which all honorable men everywhere
respect, might naturally be expected to en-
deavor to advance its object on this floor by
maligning and slandering men whose repu-
tation and whose honor are above reprOach
But when it does this, is there any need that
| should ask members of the House TO stop
and consider what they are asked to do? to
pause and reflect that the only result of
i nassinrr the nnainritu resolutions will he To