Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-26
IN THE HOUSE.

Mr.. Banks Offered a resolution calling
on the President for copy of the Brit
ish counter case. Adopted.
The House resumed the consideration
of the case of DR.. Houard. -~.
Mr.. Wood, a member of the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, addressed
the House in support of the resolution.
Mr.. Wood said that there was no doubt
but Houard was an American citizen
all the evidence in the case showed this.
He stated that at the time of Houard' g
arrest the fact of his being registered as
an American citizen, and of his having,
with other Americans, applied to have
an American man-of-war sent there,
was known to the Spanish authorities.
He protested that he was not actuated
by any partisan motives in the position
which he took, knowing that It might
involve the country in war, but still he
was for his country, right or wrong, and
he would not, by any act Or word of his,
Justify the position of any foreign gov
ernment as against the United States,
unless the case was so Overwhelmingly
against us that there could be no pOssi-
bic room for division of sentiment
among the American people.
Mr.. w. r. Roberts supported the resO-
luton.
Mr.. Willard, member of the Conn
mittee on Foreign Affairs, opposed the
resolution, and reminded the House of
the grave Importance of the subject.
He had noticed that the Democratic
side of the House was always ready and
eager to stretch the powers of the gov
eminent for naturalized citizens who
had gone abroad and rendered them
selves amenable to justice in other coun-
tries, while, at the same time, when it
came to the question of protecting
American citizens at home from masked
marauders the Democratic side of the
House always held it to be uneOnstitu-
tiOnal to interfere for their protection.
When members were found occupying
those opposite positions it was a fair
case of suspicion that their zeal was rath-
er zeal to make a point against the
Republican administration of affairs,
than to protect honestly the rights of
American citizens. He regarded il as
nothing short of impertinence for the
House to declare what the foreign policy
of the government should be. This reso--
luton was virtually a declaration of
war, for if the demand of the govern
ment for the unconditional release of
Houard should be met with perepap-
tory refusal on the part of the Spanish
Government, it would have to be fol-
lowed up by the strong arm of the
United States Government.
Mr.. Poland stated that in his judg-
ment the pending resolution was un-
American, and utterly hostile and con-
trary to the whole doctrine that had
been peculiar to this country as against
the doctrine of mOnarchial country.
The consequence of this doctrine would
be TO say to the English and German
Governments, that although their sub
jects chose to expatiate and settle per-
manently in the United States, still they
owed obligations to their governments.
He denied that doctrine, and this conn-
try had denied it for half a century.
MIR. l.. Myers, a member of the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, advocated
the resolution, and argued in favor of
the support of the claim of HouaTd's
citizenship. The object of the resolution
was to strengthen the hands of the ad-
He replied to the legal
arguments made on the other side of the
question, and claimed that Houard had
never lost the quality of American citi-
zenship - HH# wax
MIR. Packard [Indianal another mem-
Der OF the Committee on Foreign At |
fairs, said he had voted for the resOlu- |
ton IN the committee, but he would not |
have done so had he supposed that it /
would have been made, as it had been /
made to-day, medium of attack on
the administration. He claimed that |
the administration had been diligent in
the matter, and had even stretched what |
1t considered to be its duty.
Mr.. Bingham offered an amendment I
to add to the resolution the woFdsi HDn- |
less II snail be made to appear, on in |
Yesdgatlon, to the satifaction of the /
Executive Department, that said Howard \
had been held for and duly convicted Of
an ottense committed by him within the |
of Spain, and has been pros
ecHted Therefor under authority Of law
and according to the usual course of pro-
ceedings usual in like cases, and
that the privileges secured to the citi-
Eeps0r the United States by theseYenth
article OF the treaty with Spain, al tbe
twenty seventh of October, l7d5, We're
aeither denied nor lisregaried on his
Mr.. Banks moved To amend Mr..
amandment hy Substituting
for il these words; nUnless It shall BE
Established t9 the satisfaction Of the
'resldeni, that from any cause said i
houaFd bad forfeited his right to protec- I
ion by the government or taken the /
lath Of allegiance TO the Government of
SPAIN"