The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-06
CONG r ES
FoRrY.FIRsT TERM-TBIRD sEssIC
House orRepresentatives.

House Of Representatives.
Continued from Firet Page.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-Mr Sargent advocated
the resolutions, and denounced the sauguinary
character of the lG. President Lopez.
Mr.. Beck also supported the resolutions, and
criticized severely the action OF Admrals Godon
Mr.. Dawes regretted the necessity of voting
on the resolution censuripg Admirals Godon
and Davis, but said that he could not vote no
without approving their conduct, and he could
not in bis heart say that be did approve it.
Mr.. Banks, chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, said that the resolution had
been drawn very mild by the committee, and
did not amount to q censure on any naval officer.
The language was that these officers had failed
to discharge their duty. The reason why they
failed to discharge their duty was the fault of
the Navy Department, and 1t was against the
policy of the department that the Committee
on Foreign Affairs protested most solemnly. On
that point he quoted from the testimony of Ad-
niral Porter, showing that naval officers may
disregard the advice of United States Ministers,
and we're not to be governed by 1t unless they
had instructions from the Navy Department.
He also quoted the following paragraph from
Admiral Porter's testimony:-'We look upon it
that minister is sent abroad to preserve peace,
and not to make war; and naval officers having
SO much intercourse, with the world consider
that they are perhaps as well informed about
diplomatic matters as persons who have entered
upon their diplomatic duties for the first time.
Now in England it is different
There persons are educated for the diplomatic
profession, and a British naval officer in many
cases is put under the orders of the minister.
In case we had any difficulty with a foreign
power, the Navy Department would instruct the
admirals at that point to cooperate with the
minister in that particular case, but in no other
case.
Mr.. Banks went on to say that the committee
did notS censure Admiral Godon Admiral
Davis, but censured the practice and policy of
the Navy Department, which set itself up
against the State Department and against the
Government of the country, and assumed to
hold itself the judge of what should be done for
American citizens in foreign countries.
Mr.. Maynard offered an additional resolution,
censuring Fleet Captain Ramsey and Lieutenant
Commander Kirkland for going to the camp of
Lopez and acting with the inquisitors who eX-
torted false confessions from Bliss and Master
man, an act In which they were guilty OF
| grave offense, dishonoring to the American
| navy and to the country, and for which they
merit the censure of the House. He spoke in
| support of the resolution.
Mr.. Farnsworth offered an additional resolu-
! tion requesting the Secretary of the Navy to in
! stitpte proceedings by court of inquiry or court
martial for the trial of Admirals Godon and
| Davis for the offenses described in the report
He said that if these officers had only carried
out the order of their chief then these resolu-
| tions should not be passed, no matter how mild
| they were. They should not be even mildly
| censured, but should be commended for doing.
| their duty.
Mr.. Wood referred to the whole matter as
| mere controversy between individuals, and ar
| gued that the whole trouble grew out of the
| Vagueness and Indebtedness of the law governing
! the relations between the diplomatic and naval
| officers of the Government. Under these cir
| cumstances he did not wish the House to pass
censure on either party. If the officers of the
navy had done wrong they should be court mar
| tailed; but for the House of Representatives to
act as q court of inquiry and punish naval Off
] GERS without having all the testimony and facts
before them was wrong in principle and dam
| gerous in practice. He was therefore in favor of
| laying the whole subject on the table, and he
| hoped the House would take that course.
! New York Produce Market.
NEW YORK, Jan. 6.-COtton dull and nominal
sales 2400 bales uplands at 15c. Orleans at 15H
| Flour easier but unchanged; sales or
600 bbls. Wheat dull and market faVOrs buVerS.