New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-27
A RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY.
The HOUSE REFERS IT TO THE COMMITTEE
ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
TIN, pRFsrprNr ASKED TO STATE WHETHER
CHILL HAS ANSWERED THE UL1lMATCM-
MP rRECKIERIDGE OPPOSED BY


DEMOCRATS AND EEPUBL1cAN=
Washington, Jan. 2G.-Mr. breckenridge OF Ken
iucly in the House today asked for tire ifheuia'c
consideration Of the following resolution:
Resolved That the President Of the United states
be respectfully requested inform tie House whether
any answer la, been received e4thcr RON our M't
to ChlE, Patrick Eean ESQ., o. IRON te &C. ,
Chill 10 tine dispach sent by the Government VI .c
United States to the Republic OF Cm on Ja'aS ma a,
and il So fom whom such answer was rcceVed ano az
What time, and that he Will communicate W uIe e
blouse all the corespondenCe between me and ts
Of the United states its Minister to O.iil Hnu ee
CMlan Government not communicated 10 lhe Noisie''
witt the message heretofore sent in. ,
There attempt made 10 nave NE Iesoiu .
ton referred to the Committee on Foreign Anurs' anu
made motion TO that effect But ,he speaker , rueD
that the motion came too late ne IvniS sppIu n,"
Mr. Breckinrldge said that If the chairman OF tne
Committee Foreign Affairs desired tne rt s,tt
Jt he wished to say few words on the subject Son-
gress had recently received message from tne riesi
Srcnmsances Which in the nature Of the must be
grave the President would hot have S ~. s th
at ALL NoW w. appe assw pg'f to disateh
repeated the the President mad sem. tT-
patch was sent to the Republic of Chill: lie did not
now critcise the President for not waiting unui on
had been ssn ce Stae Or sn di the to
Congress. He did not now make any ci1uci'm ether
on the nats WIN %c e.s ,e lending the consder
ton by that republc Of Its action on me ospac. 81
fSa cI ai Of a ms De to Congress could have
been communicated to the authorities OF Chill ana
nsary a 10 aeC Inc nature Ct The answer that that
Government would feel called upon to make -
indulge in that President of great and free people
dealing with free but feeble people, woni0 ~, hsto
Chill Of its answer to that dispatch. II was not TOO
great i presumption to indulge IN tha' a., s IN
emergency like that wOuld have called from tIi,
President consideration and ample time II ne So ma
not had had ntmaon OF what the answer mo he
would not say insulting-but SO severe used by MN
would tave been used if he had believed 1nar AIDA
friendly and sufficient response would have been h"oc
TO the dis patch Of January 81 ~. =, ,. bsro
il therefore not mpos,Gle that he I my nI be
and vet that II was in such all uhQc d h, IN mot
manner received by him as 10 !ustny mn mnuncraHc
ns The in noTer esnisd oRs Congress
clare the President has Rqt upon hand an tie honor
and the dignity of the American people SHAH DC up
held No man in this House. no matter IRON win,.
S NAV We h SS but ' viii at ali hazards protect the
Hmbt that wear The h AneTGa na aorT D"
or guard at whatever expense the honor anu so'' '"
The American people. Great appia"Se''
MI Breckenridge continued:
II will be received by every honorable man IN an
,ha counry that the honor, the glory, the dignity OF
i've pcnuhc tLe safety and security .of its seamen are
safe in the hands of this Congress but on .e JI
so %be T' te war must be with Republic 1ke us
anxious for liberty, desiring to malna. % t.ednm
and with the gravity greatly increased by the lac,
fSat that Republic Is in the midst OF great inteI ha
seeking Congressional liberty under CONSTITUTIONS rnn
guarantee All great men all generous men i ai snrH
people passing through such state III the niuS, , ~
such desperate conditions as long as our Ioy
TnorefoSe IL is our duty TO know all the facts.
Every fact that can bear any reialon .. u
hal we must reach upon matter so important as THIS
And confess it Dever urred to me ty ny on
fncuished friend. the chairman OF tne Lnlu!'.ro -,
Tm,sirn Affairs or any member OF the House woul
hesitate to submit this REQUEST TO the lresoem} o. ' n
r delay of any SORT weaken the attitude that We
ought to bear to This question. ,tye ne the IN.
formation send to that which has been comm mnns
sryze CONVICTIONS before we become Nh sa' se
by tho reading OF tins ace, iempers Arc
aroused by the offensive utterances which may nave
Ieen made before any conclusion Is reacneo NV set
until we have all that is possible OF truth and Lgt 70
base our conclusions upoa nave n oramna,ibe with
tie public service" because 1t docs not apply 70 TINS
case When the House asks the President Tor tne III
Gated then 1t but courteous 20 let him decide wheheI
the Information of which he Is the cus'oua Ian b o
taken the initiative when he has sent corI9spolucho
10 CopN when he has felt st tcs a snS m ns
now he decided by Congressional decision, then we are
entitled to all the coIrsspondence to all oe nronary
nat under the technical and formal language III ho'
Mr. Speaker this Is a more Important qnesuon .r,.n
any question which will probably arise before Congress T
during this session We ARE now we csn e the Haons
of the American hemisphere closer together. me 'lI
desire o. Bolivar in some way or Q'nSr, a nS m oiract
10 bring about union of the Amer leolle a." %
preserve this hemisphere ron fpopsa ,,cbe bv the
Of the present generation, kepnniTi W.
Democrat each is looking FOR some wav-hy TeciprNi!
or Other agreement by Pan-Amercan Congresses or by
other associated meetings Of REPRESENTATIVES eo'
closer together Surely at the beginning OF ths ao'e,no
ptfon l,yl{in
munion but to blOpdshef. the House VIII not hes'tate
W neces"nrv light, II fhe gentleman from Georgia
M R1cnntl thinks the resolution ought not to come
tbonS cn Wit most seriously think it Is mistake.
Mr. Roatner OF Louisiana, asked what information
the gentleman had
Dir. Breckinrdge said:
only m, q pr fre .pi S9 oas tie
Minister TO the RepIblic Of Chill on January 20 "1e
Is 6 Unfair 10 presume that he had either received
intlmation Of what the answer would he, giving tne
had that Animation we ought to know what he has
ceved If he has desparcd of getting an answer and
Know lDs,S what il is That is my frank answer
Mr. Blount OF Georgia. chairman Of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, replying to Mr. Brechnndge spoke
as follows
Whether or not this House hereafter in its wisdom
and in view OF the gravity Of the situation in the
matter OF our relations with Chill sees HI to consider
item session at least 1t seems to me that at
This time before that course shall have been con
sldered ALL there ought not to be thrust upon TINS
JIouse and the country by any mode OF procedure,
discussion OF that situation applause on the Repub-
lIcan sideD remember, and Ii Is familiar TO you
ali the course pursued in the war Of 1912. message
Was sent IL the Congress OF the United states. the
senate and House went into secret session. the Com.
n,itees on Foreign Affairs resolved upon secrecy OF
procedure the report Of the Committee Oh Foreign
Affairs was made TO this House. accompanied by a
declaration of ana other measures subsequently
In relation TO the regulations OF pnvateering; yet
nothing was given TO the public. Ihc Injunction OF
recS was never removed until the Executive sig
nature had been affixed to the bill declaring Is
there anything II! that procedure directed by the
eminent men oi those times TO admOnsh that either
by indlrecuon or by direction We shah deviae from
that deliberate, calm course In which the safety OF
the country rests ,,. - -, >,
Sir. there Is great responsibility upon Gs House
al this time. | that this resolution VIII be
ferrcd Ia the Committee on Foreign Affairs 0nd that
every matter touching this question Will be 30 referred
expectedly To everybody the situation has been
brought to the consideration OF the House and the