Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-15
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT De
NOUNCED.
Ringing speech from Mr.. VOOr-
bees on American Suspects--The
Bio dy Shirt Waved In the House
- ShlPherd and Blaine - PIedgeE
Confirmed.

bees on American SusPects--The
Bio dy Shirt Waved In the House
- ShIPherd and Blaine - PIedger
Confirmed.
WASHINGTON, April 14.-In the Senate,
Mr.. Lspham presented a remonstrance
transmitted to him by the Chamber of
Commerce Of New York, from business
men Of that city engaged in the china,
dry goods, iron and cotton trade, and
embracing the signatures of banks,
bankers and insurance companies,
against the passage of any law prohibiting
Chinese immigration. It sets forth that
such legislation is contrary to our national
policy and an unnecessary affront to q
friendlY nation, preiudicial to the CONNER
cial interest Of the country in reducing, II
not destroying, our growing commerce with
China, which promises to be of vast import
ance.
Mr.. Lapham said the petitioners were
animated by that spirit which so universally
prevailed IN his boyhood, and which was
exposed In one stanza in the song of "Jef-
ferson and Liberty" with which all were
familiar:
Here the strangers from thousand shores.
Compelled by tyranny to roam,
Shall find, amid abundant stores,
freer and happier home"
The paper went to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Maxey, from the Committee on
Claims, reported favorably, with amend
ments, bill to respprOprisEe and apply the
amount appropriated by the ac, OF March,
1917, to psy certain Southern mail contrac-
tors.
On motion of Mr.. Cameron, Of Wisconsin,
the House bill was passed, allowing about
! 800 claims arising under the act of July
b, 1864, for stores and supplies furnished
to the army OF the United States, all Of
which have been reported by the account
ing officer OF the Treasury.
The Senate then took up the calendar,
and on motion Of Mr.. Teller, devoted the
morning hour to pension bills, OF which a
number were passed. At the expiration of
the morning hour Cat two o'clock, the bill
for the Improvement Of the navig alton of
the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, which
came up as the regular order, was temrOra-
rily laid aside. Sixty pension bills were
passed.
After disposing of this business the regu-
lar order was again passed over, and Mr..
VOORHEES, addressed the Senate upon the
| resolution recently introduced DF MN, Oe-
claring that the conduct of the State Depart
ment In relation to the arrest and imprisOn-
ment By the British authorities OF Daniel
| McSweenY and other American citizens is 10
/ violation Of American law, Inconsistent with
| the value of American citizenship, and de-
rOyatOry to the honor of the United States.
He said the Secretary OF State failed to
| respond to the Senate resolution of March
| 9th, peremptorily instructing him TO report
/ m MaQ xrfc of ba ,4o u
| possible until March 20th, although every
/ item of information transmitted on the lat
/ ter dats was in the hands of that officer
/ when the resolution reached him and could
| have been sent in within twenty four hours
| thereafter The American State Depart
ment, be asserted, of late years had always
| proceeded very slowly when appealed to in
| behalf of an American citizen In g
| foreign prison. He proceeded as follows
| "A government which is Indifferent to the
| fate Of its own citizens, whether At home OF
/ abroad, which fails 70 respond boldly and
swiftly 10 their appeals for justice and
| leaves them to waste away their lives IL
| prisons, uptried and uncOnvcted, IS IN
| worthy or allegiance and ought not to have
/ aud will not long retain, q respectable posi-
| tiOn among the independent powers of the
/ eartb." The speaker then reviewed the
case of McSweeny, naturaliZed American
| citizen, who was arrested by the British 6u
! thoritias in Ireland and imprisoned on the
| 2i of June, 1881, aud who has been il
prison without trial ever since, notWith-
| standing the repeated appeals OF the prisoner
ard his wife to our government for protec
| tion and redress.
TIE unmsnlv and pusillanimous silence
| of the State Department throughout the
| whole case was, Mr.. voorhees, said, such
| that eveiy American head would be bowed
and every American heart filed with hu
initiation as the facts became known. he
| (Mr. VOcrhees) felt degraded IN his pride a;
| a citizen, when compelled to state, as he
| now did with the communication of the
Ssste Deplr5ment in his hand, that for
six long snd weary mOn'hs7 10 the
| prisoner, after this government had received
| the letter Of Mr.. McSweenY, not a single
/ step was taken by the authorities here fOl
an inquiry into the circumstances of his ar
rest, and they were then Influenced to take
action by considerations other than a just
| appreciation of the claims Of McSweeny tc
! protection.
| Mr. Jones, Of Florida, asked whether Me
| Sweenv was in prison row.
| Mr.. Voorhees, said he understood he was
as no notice had been given OF his release
| Commenting upon the prisoners recital oil
/ his sufferings in jail, be said the picture wat
one OF wsntOn brutality such as barbarlanE
slOne irfic ed upon pris 0ners, whether
! guilty or innocent, aud showed that the
| spirit OF torture, which for so many year'
blsckened English history, is active, espe-
cialy when the victim belongs to q govern
ment whose administration cares nothing
for his safety and still less for its own honor
| Upon the history of the case, Mr.. Voorhees,
/ charged that there had been a gross anC
| fagrant violation of the act of July %
1868 (section 2,00l Of the Revised Statutes)
for which somebody ought to answer at the
bar Of the Senate under articles Of impeach
ment.
At the close Of Mr.. Voorhees, remarkl
the galleries, which contained many mem
beTs of the Land League Convention recent
| ly in session in this city, Doisily manifested
their appreciation of his effort.
Upon the suggestion of Mr. Sherman the
| resolution Of Mr.. VOORHEES, was referred &c
the Committee on Foreign Relations witt
the view to an inquiry into all the facts oi
| the case.
The senate, at 4:50, went into executive
session, aud, when the doors were reOpened
adjourned until Monday.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House. Mr. Willis, of Kentucky
| presented the minority report on the anti
| Chinese bill, and it was referred to the
| House calendar.
! The report states that the minority mem
bers had desired to report bill fixing the
! term of suspension at hfteen years, ana
restoring the penalty clause, but in view Of
the statement that Mr.. Page would, On
| Monday, endesvor to pass his bill unders
| suspension of the rules, they had deter
mined not TO report the fifteen years hll, +,
| but to vote for Mr.. Pages motion. Mey
| fl ed the report, however, for the purpoe OF
| formally stating their preference for fifteen
wears suspension. They base their Srgu-
ment in support of that proposition
upon the popular demand OF the Pacific
coast as asserted at public meetings, and ON
| the fact that to that people suspension or
/ even twenty years would not be acceptable.
/ J. F. Swift, the only member of the com
| mission, who represented tt-Chinese sen
| timent, had declared that ten years. sus
| pension was worse thsn nothing, and tnat it
| would not restore to their normal condition
the industrial and business interests of
/ California or come up to the expectation of
| the people of that section.
| The report then proceeds to argue that
| the Government OF the United States was
givep by the treaty absolute discretion as to
| determining the time and manner of such
suspension.
The House then proceeded to the con-
| sideratiou of private business, and, at 1890,
went into committee of the whole on the
/ private calendar. The hrst bill on the
| calendar, for the relief Of Edward B. Arm
strong, one of the heirs of James B. Arm
| strong of Missouri met with some opposi-
ton on the grounC that, though the origi-
nal claimant had been loyal, E. B. Arm
strong had been unible to prove his loyalty.
Mr.. White, Of Kmtucky, advocated the