The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-20
CASH FOR THE CAUSE OF CUBA
OLNEI ADVISED 4 BANK NOT TO
RECEIVE DEPOSITS.


Ger OF the NichtherOy at Fernnn-
dina Relieved TO BE Connected
With the Revolution.
! Washington, June l9-Secretary
/ Olney has practically defined
the position American citizens should as
sumo toward the Cuban insurrection. in
a letter 10 a Cuban sympathizer, the
cashier of a bank, who wrote Mr.. Olney
for advice with regard to receiving con-
tributions to the Insurgents cause on de-
posit at the institution with which he is
/ connected. The bank cashier wrote as
follows:
Farmers and Merchants National
Bank Waco. Tex. June 1S, 1Ss5.-IIon.
Richard Olnoy. Secretary of State: have
been approached by alleged agents of the
/ Cuban insurgents with views Of securing
this banks consent 10 act as a deposit
/ tory for contributions from sympathizers
in the United States. but withheld consent
until such time as l could hear from your
department as to whether we would. by
so doing, lay ourselves liable to prosocu-
! tion under the neutrality laws. This we
desire to avoid not only technically but
morally, as we are too loyal TO our coun-
try to seek to overturn, in any sense, her
laws.
l, myself, am in entire sympathy with
the cause of Cuban independence, and 1
attribute the singing out of this bank
TO that fact being known to a few who
are identified with the cause in that coun-
try.
1t is needless to say that from business
standpoint it would result in great advan-
tage TO this bank, and 1 hope you will
see you way clear to allowing us to pub
lsh acceptance to the trust to the world.
John p. Massey, Cashier"
To this the Secretary of State replied:
Washington, June 1S.-Whether the
bank or its officers could be criminally
prosecuted under the neutrality laws of
the United States, because the bank had
knowingly made itself a depository of
funds contributed by sympathizers in the
| United States, In support of the present
Cuban insurrecton, is a question as to
which opinions may differ, and which can
| be satisfactorily settled only by the ad-
| Judication of the proper court. Should a
| bank engage in transaction, and, as
| you suggest publish its acceptance of
| such a trust to the world, it would be my
duty to call upon the department of
| justice to test the question whether OF
not the proceeding was a crime against
the United States. 1t might also be my
/ duty 10 suggest whether a bank holding
a United States charter does not abuse
it's franchises and furnish ground for
their forfeiture by acts in aid of hostilities
against a nation with which the United
States is a peace.
81 do not anticipate, however that any
thing done by your bank or it's officers
is likely to promote the solution of the in
teresting legal question your letter pre-
sents.
You ask me not merely as to your
technical legal liability. but also as TO
your moral obligations, adding, For we
are too loyal to our own country to seek
to overturn in any sense her laws
Il heartily commend the sentiment of
the quotation and am in position to say
/ that your moral duty in the premises
does not admit of the least question. 1t
/ has been expounded by no less authority
/ than the supreme court in the following
/ language: The intercourse of this coun-
| try with foreign nations and its policy
/ in regard to them are placed by the con-
stitution of the United States in the
/ hands of the government and its decis-
/ ions on the subject are obligatory upon
every citizen of the union. He is bound
! to be at war with the nation against which
| the war-making power has declared war,
and equally bound to commit no act of
hostility against nation with which the
/ government is in amity and friendship
/ This principle is universally acknowl-
edged by the laws of nations. 1t lies a:
| the foundation of all governments, as
there could be no social order or peaceful
relations between the citizens of different
countries without it. 1t is however, more
emphatically true in relation to citizens
of the United States. For as the sover-
eighty resides in the people every citizen
! is a portion of it, and is himself person
ally bound by the laws which the repre-
/ sentatives of sovereignty may pass or the
/ treaties into which they may enter within
/ the scope of their delegated authority.
/ And when that authority has plighted its
/ faith to another nation that there shah
/ be peace and friendship between the citi-
zens of the two countries, every citizan
/ of the United States is equally and person
/ ally pledged. The compact is made by
| the department Of the government upon
which he himself has agreed to confer
the power 1t is his own personal com
| pact as a portion Of the sovereignty in
/ behalf of which it is made. And he can
| do no act, nor enter into any agreement
| to promote or encourage revolt or hos
/ tiiities against the territories of a country
| with which our government is pledged by
treaty to be at peace without a breach
of his duty as citizen and a breach Of
/ faith pledged to the foreign nation
Trusting you viii find the foregoing a
1 satisfactory answer to your inquiries and
( that your bank, yourself and its other
officers will proceed accordingly. l am, sir
your obedient servant, Richard Olney..'
Fernandina, June 19.-CharIes II. Hill.
who was the fighting officer of the Mic
theroy and destroyed the vessels that
were intended to blow Admiral Mello and
! the Aquidaban out of the water in 1893,
was here yesterday. and it IS suggested
that his visit had some conn ection with
the cause OF the Cuban revolution. He is
also known as Don Ceaser de Bazan. He
claims to be representing the Glen Cove
Machine Company of Brooklyn. great
many rumors are afloat connecting him
with revolutionary matters, but none can
be traced to a satisfactory foundation.
Dispatches we're sent out from here
last night by special correspondents al
leging that Lieut.. Fenger, commander Of
the revenue cutter Boutwell,, now in this
mort. had visited vessels in the harbor
here for the purpose of searching for
contraband OF war destined for the Cuban
insurgents. The statement was also cir
-..f,+ol l,.r ,ta Chfcaqo Aesocfated FDreee