The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-10
referred TO the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs.
SPEECH BY SENATOR MORGAN.
He Says President Cleveland Misin-
terprets the Paris Award.
Ahe international Tribunal Did Not
Attempt 10 Determine the Liability
OF the United states for Seizures or
the Amount Of the Liability.

Washington City. Dec. 9.-The feature Of
the senate session today was a speech by
Senator Morgan. Of Alabama. chairman or
The committee on foreign relations. a mem
Der Of the Paris Bering sea tribunal. upon
a resolution offered by him last week, in
slructinS The foreign relations committee
70 investigate the question of liability OF
the United States for the Sc cures OF Brit
ish ships n BeFing sea in 1s90. Mr Morgan
took the position IN the last congress that
the settlement Of these claims by the pay
rnent Of lump sum or Sac. 900. as recon-
mended by the president. was not w.se or
proper. His remarks on that occasion vera
t.ae subject OF some sarcastic comment
from the British ambassador here in the
satter's Official correspondence with Lord
Kimberly. The correspondence was print
ed recently from the British blue book. and
most Of Hr. Morgsns speech today was
devoted 20 paying his respects 10 Sir Ju-
Tan Pauncefote. His resolution. which
was as follows. was unanimously adopted
al the conclusion Of his speech
Resolved That the message OF the pres
ident received by the senate on February
II. 1850. and his message received IN the
senate today tmeaning December 81. re-
latlng to the payment by the United States
OF the claim Of Great Britain arising out
Of The Ber-ng sea controversy, he refer
red 20 the committee on foreign relations,
with instructions that said committee eX-
Great Britain and the amount thereof. Il
any. and OF any liability on The part Of
Great Britain or Canada arising oHt of said
controversy. and that said committee shall
have authority TO report by bill or other
wise"
Senator Morgan said he felt Il incumbent
upon himself 70 reply 10 certain published
comments made upon his course IN the
senate by the British premier and the Brit
ish ambassador He declared that the Paris
tribunal did not attempt to determine the
question of the liability Of the United
States for seizures or the amount Of such
lab.Ety. Great Britain conteuded. how
ever. that tine liability Was decided as a
necessary inference, and President Cleve-
land. proceeding on that assumption. had.
through the state department agreed 10
pay S425.GDo IN discharge Of this alleged
liability OF the United States. But that
agreement could noo be carried out with
oUt the ratification OF cOngres. The ind
inRs OF the tribunal rested entirely upon
the treaty making power of the two gov
eruments, and the United States and Great
Britain were bound to carry out the regu-
latons decided for the protection
OF the seals. as much If the regu-
lat.ons had been incorporated in a treaty
Bat neither government was bound FUR
ther. AT most the award of the arbtrat-
ors would only furnish a remote argument
for Sc 'zures. He would be loyal To the
findings of the tribunal. he sad but Great
Britain conveniently sought 10 oterstate
them. Through negotiations the state de-
partment agreed 20 pay vt47.no for dam
ages, and President Cleveland recommend
ed that that sum be appropriated Con-
gress refused TO make the appropriation
At this point MIR. Morgan turned his at
tention 20 Sir Julian Pauucefote, the Brit
ish ambassador, and his "doleful plants
70 Lord Kimberly. Mr.. Morgan was scora-
ful and sarcastic. Does he not know
the senator asked, that no eXecutory
agreement Is binding until ratified by con-
gress2' He quoted from Sir Juhan's re-
port 10 Lord Kimberly that the Republic
ans ana Populisis and foTty-four Demo
Gratis had voted against the appropriation.
apd his comment, attrihuting the action
of The house 10 the necessity OF party eX-
ptdiency. Mr.. Morgan declared contempt
uouSly that IL was going TO be the fash
ion abroad to attribute everything that
did not please them 10 the influence of
party politics Tie characterized Sir Ju-
Naa's comments as unjust" and 'cfien-
stve' in the case OF the house. But, not
content with these reflections on the
house" said Mr Morsan. The refers to
senators 10y name IN cratuitous aod In
sulting manner. lie does this under the
cover of the British flag" After quoting
Sir JuIians comment cD his tMorgan's)
charayte yterizatioU OF some Of the alleged
British claimants as 'recaiCitraCt and
rascnIly Americans" he declared that the
British ambassadors structures were
based on the mistaken notion tn2t the
British navigation laws should cover vio-
latI0us Of United states statutes. Crimes
against the feraioEac could not, he said,
be found in the Koran. lie denounced the
action of The American marauders IN Be
ring sea who had placed themselves under
the protection ~ the British flag as guilty
OF surrcpiitious piracy tie did not object
90 the British ambassador criucIS21c his
course. either as senator or as a member
OF the Paris tribunal. i'm his private com
rnunjcatio1s 30 his government. bat be cfu-
phaticaliy protested that DE had no right
- give his criticism 90 the Ame~i-
can papers In pamphlet and
thus forestaH reply. Mr. Morgan was ex-
ceed.rglv ironi"al .n his references 20 the
ira5--rtnl.ra-e ratHre ~ the "a ms Eng
laas had bundled togeiher a7d asked Us 20
eettla for a .'Hmn' sum The proposition
70 paw -'iunn sum. 80 He ~8tf. ouEht 20 he
.a,s raVe}tinE IN IL cu tra Christian stow-
aca ~ -he English ambassador. The corr
~esooutenre la.a before tas honse. Mr.
Morgan s813. demonstrated tait trere WAS
no Deg1t.at. .onS over 'Ne alfETt claims
a-f evidently Gtt.e Investigation. Eng
1ar1 baa sinalv Fups3 ~ -Es "luup
sum proposition made hy Secretary Grss-
Nurn fa~ tne settlement of claims -n8t had
neither Histsre nor morality oeTort tAe ls-
ea~tlou soy 8p hut ra'paly false. that the
award ~ the psr's- 'r flnsl n'1a" II oH.lEa-t
-a~- ,t~o~ fha TU.ta3 : atfs tl satisfy srv
.ls5,s f>~ damage Nhic1 Gre8t R-.t4f1
rn{gh- make Mr Morgan insisted .he' r.
v,s~ +fs,. clear DUTY ~ ta- senate t9 oaS.~1.t
,s,., action az ths o~t st5rrt fu an attempt
o., r.4. down .ha powrr of taa senate - uf-
,-7,sstfnx far tNe settlement ~ arv i7ter-
...sorat controversy without f-s adv -e o~
4rsH IL o.. asr eva. - Il