The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-06-21
The Cuban Revolution.
eenern, Bank. Goes For Grant.

General Banks Goes For Grant.
In Congress, on the 14th inst, GenclN
81 Banks. Chairman Of the Committee
on Foreign Afrairs, pitched into GRANT
and the Spanish Miriste in the follow
ing style:
The ftotst Proceeded with TIE cola
sfderation of the JOINT resolution repor-
ted from the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, rs follows; :,
Resolcct, BY the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America, in Congress assembled,
That the President of the United States
be and is hereby authorized and instruct
ed to declare and maintain strictly i'm
partial neutrality on the part Of the
Government of the United States in the
contest now existing between the people
Of Cuba and the Government Of Spain.
SECTION g That all provisions of the
statute approved the goth of April, 1878,
entitled an act to enact for the punish
ment of certain crimes against the Uni
ted States, and to repeal the acts therein
mentioned, shall be construed so as to
spply equally to each of the parties in
the existing contest between the people
of Cuba and the Government of Spain.
SEC 3. That the President is hereby
authorized and requested to rcmoustrate
against the barbarous manner in which
the war is carried on in Cuba, and if ne
shall deem it expedient, to solicit the
co operation of other Governments in
such manner as he may deem necessary,
to secure from both contendmg parties
an observance of Tire laws Of wsr recogr
nized by all civilized nations.
Amendments were offered by Messrs.
Orth and Logan, the latter being tie the
second section, to make it be construed.
sc rs to give both contendng parties
the saTae advantages of intercourse sad
trade with the United States consistent
with &e law of nations which have been
or may be accorded to Use Goreansaent
of Spain.
MIR. BANKS addressed the House at
length in support of thejois,t resolution.
In the course of his speech he referred
to the arguments on international law in
the Presidents message yesterday, and
compared them with sieailar arguments
communicated some time ago by the
Secretary of State, and said he could
not but feel instinctively, on hearing the
message read, that the perscn who had
prepared them for the one party had
done it also for the other and, that that
same person might be in the pay of the
exiled Queen of Spain, in the pay of
the Spanish Government: and in pay of
the Government of the United States
that it mi ght be an error on his part and
he hoped it was, but he was inclined to
believe it,.
Mr.. INGERSOLL-Wiu the gentle
man state to whom he alludes?
Mr.. BANKS-No sir not at all.
Mr.. INGERSOLL-I would like to
be informed on that point.
Mr.. BANKS proceeded to refer to
that part Of the Presidents message re-
lating to brutalities being committed on
both sides, all of which he said might
have come from, the Spanish Minister
[sensation. 1t would become the Span
ish Minister better than an American
Minister of State. He would say for
Cubans who were instinct with the char
acter of the American people, that if
they had been left to conduct their con-
test under the rules of civilized warfare,
not one man would have been butchered
by them in cruel and unjustifiable man.
ner. He would not attempt to justify
the reported murder on the wholesale
of six hundred prisoners. of war, by one
of the chiefs of the insurgents, thought
they could do nothing else but retaliate
or see the country depopulated by Span
iards. He did not blame the President
for not interfering. Congress had
taught the President that it was danger
GUS for him to entertain an opinion or
do an act that might be called impolicy.
Laughter on the Democratic side 4;
And, therefore, if he saw those things
done and said nothing, it was his fault !;
but if members of Congress would
claim absolute and unlimited power in
the administration of the Government
saw these things, and permitted them,
and justified them, or gloated over them,
they ought to be numbered among the
damned forever and ever The curse
of God should rest upon them Applause
suppressed by the Speaker. They
were responsible for these things. There
had not been prisoner of war butcher
ed in Cuba, not woman or child sent
to eternity, for which Congress was not
responsible, for it had the power TO
check such barbarity, and did not exer-
else it. Twelve million of people would
join the United States in the cry of con-
demnation against it,but Congress dared
not utter word against such whole
sale butchery of defenseless people of
Cuba, and now they were told that so
long there was no war, aud the United
States had no right to Interfere with
them in.any way. That was what was
called law. He did not blame the Pres
ident for 1t, not at all, but la,cyer, .for
anything bit pay, that could send to Rep
resentatires Of the people a doctrine like
hdtJor them to act upon ought to be for
erer fepadiated and forbidden the pres.
ence Of ciUilized men. Applause in the
gallery and laughter among Democrats
The SPEAKER stated that any man,
ifestations of applause were positively
forbidden by the rules, but in conclu.
sion lie said he would let us have little
liberty to-day.
Mr.. BANKS went on to say that there
were other passages which he noticed
in the Presidents message which had Q
familiar ring to his ear, and which he
had also foupd in the Spanish Minister'S
instructions to the Committee on For
eIgn Affairs through the Secretary Of
State. 1t was said the Cubans had nc
town nor no city, and, therefore, nc
rights. Where did doctrine or author.
| ity like that come from? It has beer
said aforetime, that God made the'coun