The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-25
MILLS WANTS TO SEIZE CUBA.
THE SENATOR ADVOCATES HIS
JOINT RESOLUTION.

ment for Cuba-In the Event of
spain's Refusal the Resolution
Provides for Armed Occupation of
the Island.
Washington March 2L-The matter of
chief interest in the Senate to-day was the
speech of Mr.. Mills in support of his joint
resolution requiring the President to Sc
cure from the Spanish government the
right Of self-government for Cuba: or, in
the event of Spain's refusal, to take mill
tary possession of the island and hold it
until the Cubans organize a government
and raise military and naval forces for
its defense
Mr. Mills took the ground that inasmuch
as the United States would not permit
England, France or any other country to
purchase or obtain the island from Spain
and thus to ameliorate the condition of
its inhabitants, the United States was
morally bound to put a stop to the cru
elites and misgovernment there, and to
aid the Cubans to-establish a government
of their own. This idea was elaborated
| by Mr.. Mills in a passionate speech which,
at times, drew applause from the galleries
He asserted that the United States had
rights, not only in Cuba, but in every foot
of soil in the western hemisphere; that
that was the Monroe doctrine; that that
doctrine was as old as humanity; and
that God Almighay was it's author, as it
was the right of elf-preservation. 1.-The
United States should say to Spain," Mr
Mills exclaimed, you must give that is
| land self-government or we will. And
| we are able to doc il. too"
After Mr. Mills speech some additional
| correspondence bearing on the Cuban
| question was brought forward by Mr.
Morgan, and then the joint resolution
| was placed on the calendar.
| The rest of the day was given up to
the consideration of the legislative. exec
| utive and judicial appropriation bill
| Without final disposition of it, the
| tomorrow.
Mr.. Mills. in opening his speech upon
| his joint resolution, said he would have
voted for all the resolutions offered on
the subject of Cuba because they were
| steps-although short steps-in the line of
march, which it was the duty of the peo-
pie of the United States to take The
| fathers had, for a century, asserted and
| maintained that the people Of the United
States had rights in Cuba-had rights in
| every foot of soil on the western hemis-
| phere, rights which they were not only
| ready to assert, but to maintain by the
| the republic. The United states had never
asserted that it had any rights in Ire
| land, Hungary, Poland or elsewhere in
Europe; but it had asserted it's rights
in every solitary acre OF land on the
! western hemisphere. 1t had there the
highest right-the right of selfzpreserva-
ton. The Monroe doctrine, he declared,
was as old as humanity, and God Al
mighty was its author for when he made
man he placed in him the right to pre-
serve his life and liberty.
Mr. Mills reviewed, on this point, the de-
clarations of President Jefferson in re-
| lation to the Louisiana purchase, when
! the American minister to France was IN
| structed to notify Napoleon that II ne
would not sell the territory to the United
| o. nj f.
| self to Great Britain and sweep the
| French fleets off the ocean in order to
maintain INT the G Tghbf b NJ she HIeT TTeF ao
| withstanding that France had perIecI
Mr.. Mills also referred to the forced
| Withdrawals of French troops from Mex
leo, on the ground that the planting of
| monarchy at the doors of the United
| government within the American Jurls-
diction. Cuba was not only the key or
the Gulf of Mexico, but was the fortress
! of America. The fathers OF the repub-
| lie had said for a hundred years to CUBA,
| to England, to France, to all the earth,
| You shall not touch one solitary acre of
| this land with your sovereignty.
I'VE have said" Mr.. Mills continued,
''that we will resist. with all the power
| of this government the transfer of the Is
land of Cuba to any European power. %ef-
ferson said it. Gallatin said it. John Quin-
cy Adams said it. Henry Clay said II; Mar
tin Van Buren said it. James Buchanan
said it. William E. Marcy said it,. 1t has
been the unchailenged Americon doctrine
that the island of Cuba shall remain with
| Spain unless it comes to us; that Spain
| shall hold it in trust; that we shall resist
| it's transfer by the whole power of the ar
my and navy: and there we have held 1t
| for hundred years And now come 10
| the point. If we have held that position
| by an assertion of the right to protect our
selves to secure our own homes, to secure
| our own commerce, and trade on the
| ocean; if we have said that Cuba shall not
go out of the hands of Spain, notwith-
| standing that England might say to Gu
| ba L will give you the government that
| l give to Canada: | will give you par
lament, an executive of your own seiec-
tion 1 will give you the power to levy
your own taxation if you please; l will
| give you home government; L Will not In
! terfere except to protect you in case any
| other power interferes with you: yet the
! United States has stood by as Jailer and
! has said: That trade shall not be made.
wherever there are rights" Mr.. Mills,
continued, there are corresponding du-
| United States owe to that depressed and
| down-trodden people of Cuba to, say to
stop your iniquities. We are responsible
| for the slavery of that people We are re-
| spopsible for every drop OF blood you
/ have She'd we are responsible for every
| dollar you have stolen; our conscience is
| involved in this matter. Cuba has a right
to appeal to us and we intend that you
| shall give her free government.
Mr. Mills read a letter detailing afro
cities said to have been perpetrated by
| Gen, Weyler IN the last CUBAN war; ana
| he characterized him as an "atrocious
| scoundrel," who would not be in Cuba
| to-day if the United States had drawn
1 her sword as it was her duty to do, and
established a government that would pro-
| tect helpless females in their homes.
But this great republic he exclaimed,
1 whose light illuminates the world, holds
/ the keys of Spain dangling at her belt,
| stands at the dungeon door of Spain and
/ compels helpless women to be put in the
power of such an atrocious villain as that
| IL is the duty of the American people to
| make such an occurrence impossible in
| any country over which it has even an
1 equitable right"
| Mr. Mills compared the protection which
/ Spain gives to Cuba to that which the
/ hawk gives TO the dove and said that all
i these atrocities were committed while the
/ limited States was acting as jailor and
/ guardian. They were told that the Gu
! ban government had no habitation or
/ name but the Cuban people had voices
| to cry to the people Of the United States,
| ssAcutlit us; deliver us from this monster,
/ or see that Spain gives us protection"
! why was It." said Mr. Mills, that, Of
| late years, every time an attempt was
/ made to maintain the honor and dignity
! OF the United States, some tremendous
! nower began to manifest itself in an op-