Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-12
CONGRESS NO. SO.
Pretty Sharp Discussion Of the Ha-
Ealian ImbrOSlio.
GRAY DEFENDS THE PRESIDENT.
The Matter Of Repeal of the FederaI-Eiec-
ton Laws-Utah Statehood Bill
Proposed Postal Changes.

''N "''eiA't'-iist lot tnlS session were
present to-day. They were Messrs: Col
Quit of Georgia). Irby Cof South Carollna),
Lindsay of Kentucky Morgan (of Ala
bama), and Perkins (of California; In
the absence OF the Vice President at Au-
gusta, Ga, the Senate was presided over
by Mr. Harris, OF Tennessee.
Mr.. Hoar offered a resolution (and
asked for it's immediate consideration,
calling upon the President for state
ment touching the appointment by him,
without submission 10 the Senate, of a
Hawaiian commissioner, and the exact
functions of that official. and for other
matters Of Information.
The resolution having been read, Mr..
Gray objected to its discussion to-day.
and asked that the resolution go over
till tomorrow II was Of sufficient inn
portance. he said. to lie over Mr.. Hoar
claimed that IT was the unvarying GUS
tom OF the Senate to allow a senator TO
explain bill or resolution offered by
him. and that was all that he proposed
to do Mr.. Gray withdrew his objection.
and Mr.. Hoar proceeded with his remarks.
Mr.. Hoar commented upon the fact
that the information communicated by
the President TO the Senate under the
seal Of confidence had been freely given
out to the representatives, Of four
newspapers that We're known TO be zeal
Gus. thorough going. he had almost said
INSCRIPTIONS, supporters OF the admins
tratlon.
CHARGE OF USURPATION.
One of tina allegations made was that
the President on the 7th OF March. 1898.
Ohe Senate being then in SESSION. COM
missioned a person 10 proceed 10 the
Hawaiian Islands accrcditing him by n
letter as a commissioner from this gov
crnmcnt to that government, and said In
the letter of instructions that he was TO
be paramount as IA representative Of the
United States in those islands. If that
allegation. said Mr.. Hoar, were true 1t
seemed to him as gross a violence Of the
Constitution Of the United States as ever
was charged upon or imputed to any pub
lie official. II was not necessary 10 say
TO the Senate. or to the American people,
that an attempt to gsurp the power of
appointing and commissioning such an Of
ficcr without the consent Of the Senate.
was an attempt 10 usurp all the diplo-
mntic relations Of the government.
Mr.. Hoar alluded to the dispatches from
London attributing to Mr. Bayard the
statement that there could be no reversal
Of a policy based simply on justice ana
magnanimity. and that no ADVANTAGE
would be taken Of the weakness Of the
~ .r.,.fes ATTY or -
If the dispatches were true II was also
true that Great Britain had been taken
into a confidence which the American
Serate or people had not shared.
He wanted this matter to In separated
from all questions Of dealing with Hawaii
from all questions of annexation, or pro-
tectorate. or Experimentation all ques-
lions with reference to which the two par
ties were divided
MIR. GRAY REPLIES.
Mr.. Gray said that he did not inteh1
TO be drawn into discussion or inc Ia
waian matter, even though the Srhp'1II
from Massachusetts, could not withhoiu
or restrain himself from an indulgence IN
his habit Of scolding an administration
belonging to party opposed 60 his own.
This was the commencement Of the op-
uortunitles that would come TO MIN IN
this second administration OF Cleveland ).
The Senator had scdded an through
Cleveland's first administration. ana hhd
scolded him back into the White Hous-
again. He Gray) did not think that the
Senator from Massachusetts, was to gain
anvthing from the sober. second thought
Of the American people (Which, after an
had vindlcated itself time and time again
in our history by putting up hypo-
thetical cases in order to deliver hlmsrH
Of the wcl-connected vituperatiNe phrases
with which he had entertained the senate
mis- morning. Nor did he think that the
honorable American representative at tne
Court Of St James CAlr. Bayard would
take much detriment by his share OF the
scolding. because when that honored rep
resentative occupied another hlgh posi-
tion in the government of the L llte6 St"ic"
he came In for vehement occurring from
Inc Senator from Massachusetts, ana had
actually survived It.
THE RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY.
Mr.. Gray thought it would have been
IN better taste all round If the senator
from Massachusetts had quietly waited
until the official information, when was
asked for a day or two ago, ana Which
he 0Ioar) must know there had been no
onnortunitv yet to prepare and furnish,
cama 10 the Senate. If he had waited
Tor that the discussion could have gone
ON In the light al the patriotic duty oi
senator's. leaving partisanship Dehihu
tbom. In the dark places to which TIDE
lnnged i'm a discussion of this kind.
Uo wanted to know whether the state
ments alluded 10 by the Senator from
Massachusetts,, and with which the pup
Iic nress had been fun for weeks past
80 true or not; whether II was lact
,bot the flag of the United States haa
hen diseraced and dishonored by
1ner-serviceable agent of the govern
mont. and had been made to symooIl%e
an act Of piracy and aggression ~.
which every honorable American ouen'
10 hang his head in shame. If TINS were
tg,,n a. uas very we'll for the Senator
from Massachusetts, and for others WHO
aercsd with him. to ask senator's AGAIN
md again 10 avert their gaze from what
vas said 20 have gone on in those us
tant islands OF the Pacific in the hiluuI7
OF last January. ...u,, wanted
10 know something of what hau lnhs,l
Mace. And it was for that purpose ne
bod cordially co-operated with the Seha-
tor from Massachusetts last wen ~ ~ 81
norting a resolution requesting the fIvsi
dcnt 10 furnish as speedily as possiple
The information promised in his message
THE CoUNTRYs HONOR SAFE.
And until he Gray felt that the giving
of that information had been uhuuiy uO
Iaved he would possess his sour III p"
tIence. fully believing and quite conten. .
int the honor of this great government
n'as safe In the hands Of the president
H,,t.to,,t ot,emnting to go into a discus
SION not Of any Of the hypothetical cases cases
which had been made by the Senator IRON ron
Nfassachusetts-the ground OF ms anilii"u
versions upon the adminlstratioh.H
fGray1 would simply remind the Senator
and the Senate and the people Oh tile
Ilnited States that the special connuls-
etnner had been sent to the Hawaiian
islands because there had been transac-
tlon there involving the honor OF tle
United States, and 1t was the duty oil the
Government OF the United States 10 pos.
sess itself OF information on the subject
by sending out gentleman VINO eouIu
see with his eyes and hear with MS ear
what Il was impossible for the President
ana the Secretary OF state ate, TO see see WIN n1
their eyes and hear with their ears Gnu anu
,be President and Secretary OF state
would have been derelict in their duty
~ they had not awaited themselves OF the