Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-25
TO KEEP THE PEACE.
The Senate Considering Violations
Of Treaty Rights.
NEW ORLEANS AFFAIR THE THEME
The River and Harbor Appropriation Bill
Back in the House.
SENT TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

WASHINGTON, May 24-Vice President
Morton presided over the Senate to-day. A
number of personal bills of sectional inter-
est were passed. The calendar was laid
aside at p. NJ and the bill for the punish
ment Of violations of treaty rights of aliens
was taken up, Mr.. Morgan continuing his
argument in advocacy of the bill
Referring to the case of the Italians killed
in New Orleans Mr.. Morgan said that if
American citizens had been maltreated in
Italy and if the Italian Government had
given to the Government of the
United States such an answer as the Ameri-
can Government had given to Italy the CON-
ment would be: ''Your Government is a very
imperfect one and you ought to have in
formed us of it when the treaty was pend
ing"
Mr.. Blaine, he said, had been compelled
(acting exactly rightly to use the Secret
Service fund to pay S25, 600 to the families
of the men massacred in the prison of New
Orleans 9
The Government of the United States wa
in a pitiable condition when the Secretary
of State was compelled to resort to the
Secret Service fund to keep peace with a
foreign Government 1t would be impos-
sible to frame and pass through Congress a
Federal code that would cover all cases of
violations of the rights of aliens, and the
only way to do SO was (as provided in the
pending BILLY to adopt the laws of the sew
eral States and let those laws operate on the
Federal courts
Mr.. Gray asked Mr.. Morgan whether if
the New Orleans outrage had happened in
England Lord Salisbury would not have
been compelled to tell the Italian Govern
ment that it would have to wait until the
ordinary judicial tribunal had taken action,
and would have to abide by that action.
How England Would Reply.
Mr. Morgan replied that his opinion was
that Lord Salisbury and every other En-
glish statesman, in such case, would reply
to Italy that the English Government had
put in operation the necessary methods of
procedure to have a fair judicial investiga-
ton He would not turn the matter over
to the Town Council of Glasgow or Liver
pool The English Government would al
ways answer 1--WE are able to stand up to
our treaties, and to meet our engagements,
and to do what we have agreed to do, be-
cause our system of laws enables US to lay
this question before the judicial tribunals
of the country"
Mr.. Gray-Do you suppose that the
Foreign Affairs Department of Great Brit
ain has any control over the action of the
courts; or that such control would be tolera-
ted for one moment?'
Mr.. Morgan-No; and nothing of that
sort is in this bill We do not propose to
control the action of the courts. We pro-
pose to provide courts to take action. As
it is we have no courts that can take action
in behalf of the Government of the United
States The bill is misunderstood if Sena-
tors have the conception of it that it is in
tended to give the United States Govern
ment any control over the courts. All that
we can do is TO provide proper Jurisdiction
for the courts.
The matter went over without action.
Mr.. Pettigrew, from the Committee on the
Quadro- Centennial, reported a Joint resolu-
tion directing the President to proclaim q
general holiday commemorating the four
hundredth anniversary of the discovery of
America, on October II, 1892. Placed on
the calendar.
Rivers and Harbors In the House.
About IS members of the House were
present at the opening hour. Mr.. Stewart,
of Texas from the Committee on Rivers and
Harbors, reported back the river and
harbor appropriation bill with the Senate
thereto, with the recommends
tion that the Senate amendments be nom
in. He asked unanimous consent
that his course be followed and that q con-
ference be ordered.
Messrs. Holman and Bynum, of Indiana,
objected, and the bill was referred to the |
of the whole.
The House then went into committee of |
the whole, Nh. Lester, of Georgia, in the |
chair.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Taylor, Of |
Illinois, appropristing s12 900 for the con-
struction Of steam vessel, to be used in |
boarding vessels at the port OF Chicago, in |
addition to the sum of SIS, 600 appropriated |
by the last sundry civil act, was adopted
The paragraphs relative to the Coast and |
Geodetic Survey were then taken up. Mr.. |
Dingley, of Maine, offered substitute for |
the provision with reference to the Alaska |
survey, the substitute being to |
provide for ajoint survey under the recent |
treaty between Great Britain and the |
United States to settle the boundary line
dispute. The amendment was agreed to,
after the appropriation as proposed by Mr.. |
Dingley was reduced from S35, 900 to S10,-
OO0
Mr.. Holman offered an amendment pro-
viding that the position Of all persons en-
ployed in field work or in the office
whose services can be dispensed with shall |
be vacated. Agreed to. Without dispos- |
ing of the bill the committee rose.