Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-01-04
FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4

OF war WAS lalu DCloie Iho 1oCHt..'
transmitting the report ofthe board Of
officers convened in Chicago to estimate
the damage done to private property n
that city by the explosion of an an :
munition chest during the riots las
summer. The board estimated tie
damage at S15,S45, which sum Gen.
Miles recommended should be apprt-
priated by Congress. In this recon-
mendation Gen. Scho6eld concurred.
The resolution heretofore introduced
by Mr.. Lodge calling on the Secretary
OF, the Navy to inform the Senate Why
all ships Of war have been withdraw n
from the Hawaiian Islands, was laid b, :
fore the Senate and Mr.. Lodge spoke in
favor ofits adoption.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Lodges
speech somewhat prolonged discussion
followed the motion by Mr.. Butler that
the resolution be referred to the CON-
mittee on foreign relations. In the
course of his remarks Mr.. Butler ex-
pressed the belief that the whole
question was of no Importance, and
that the people of this country had
little interest in the Hawaiian question;
that there had been moro TODD about
it than its Importance warranted.
Mr.. Lodge iutimated that the desire
to refer it to the foreign affairs COM
mittee was actuated by the hope that
it might be killed there, and suggest
ed that better way to accomplish that
end would be by an immediate vote on
the resolution.
Mr.. Aldrch suggested that the Presi-
dent might have his own good reasons
for not making public the cause of his
withdrawal Of the naval force from
Hawaii, and proposed that the resolu-
ton be amended by inserting the words:
'If not incompatible with the public
interests" in which form it might be
Immediately acted on.
Mr.. Lodge agreed to this.
Mr.. Sherman favored immediate ac-
ton on the resolution as amended; for.
while he believed it to be purely dip
omatic question, and while he usual
ly favored the reference of all such
matters to the committee on foreign af-
fairs, he thought this question of such
moment and one on which the people
felt so deeply that they were entitled
to its immediate passage and the
prompt transmittal of the Presidents
reasons for his actions.
Mr. Morgan, the chairman of he
foreign relations committee, urged the
reference OF the resolution to that com.
mittee.
Mr.. Hawley spoke of conspira.
cy in the Hawaiian Islands to
restore the royal authority there,
and said that it was matter OF
! very considerable anxiety on the part
of the people engaged in that conspir
acy to know what was to be the pol
icy CT the United States government in
case there should break out revolu-
ton in favor of a restoration of the
Queen. If they could be assured that
there would be no American vessel OF
war there, or that there would be no
interference with them, that would be
very valuable and interesting informa
ton to the rOyalists there.
Mr.. Butler said the whole matter W.
based upon the opinion of naval Off
Ger who had simply given his opinion as
70 what Great Britain would do in GER
in contingencies and under certain
circumstances and he did not think
that that was of sufficient consequence
to justify the Senate ip adopting the
resolution without giving an oppor
tunity to the appropriate committee to
inquire into the circumstances and
facts as stated by Admiral Walker
He (Mr. Butler) undertook to
say that Great Britain would do
no such thing as Admiral Walker
thought it would; and no other foreign
government would attempt to do it,
There was not the lightest apprehen-
sion in his mind on that subject. He
did not see what the government ofthe
United States had to do with the
Internal affairs of the Sandwich Isl
ands. If there was q conspiracy
against the existing government
in the Sandwich Islands, that govern
ment should be able to suppress il; anC
certainly the United States government
should not interfere in purely demo-
cratic controversy. He should therefore
insist upon his motion to refer the res
oiution to the committee on foreign le
ations.
The debate on the Lodge Hawaiian
resolution was kept up until near 2
o'clock, when Palmer took the floor
and suggested that the resolution
should go over till to morrow, as he
desired to speak on it.
The Nicaraguan canal bill was then
taken up, aud Mr.. Morgan continued
his speech in advocacy of it. Il
HOUSE.