The herald., 1896-02-28

committee on foreign relations, should
close the debate.
Mr.. White, Democrat, of California
thereupon resumed his speech on the
Cuban resolutions.
The senator laid down the principles
that the United States could not recognize
the independence of an insurgent govern
ment until the vital disturbance is clio sed
and actual indepe ldenceis an established
| fact.
Mr.. Vest disagreed with this proposition.
Was it not for us to determine facts as to
whether the uprising had not gone SO far
| that Spain was poweriess to suppress it..
| "I&nStS' asked Mr.. Vest, "the condition Of
! Spain today desperate?"
| Mr.. White answered that there was an
| opening for doubt. He hoped the Cubans
would win their cause, but with Spanish
power encircling the island and Spain hold
ing every post in Cubs, with insurg-
ents unrecognised anywhere abroad, he
| could not concede that independence in
the island had been accomplished.
Mr.. Vest pointed out, however, that the
Cubans, without ships, without arms ex-
cept those made by themselves, MAIN
tanned q rebellion for ten years. If this
has been, why cannot the insurgents again
maintaip a warfare until Spain is forced to
| yield?
Mr.. Vest added: "If this proposed &C.
ton is mere sympathy, let us drop the
Y
bic farce from beginning to end"
pc Mr.. White closed with the statement
that while he hoped to see Cuba free, yet
the United States could not now declare
that Cuba was free and independent with
out belying established facts. At this
point, Mr.. Vest came forward with a
characteristic speech. His words came
! with such fire and such beauty OF diction
that the senate chamber was quickly
crowded to hear him.
Where would the United States be to-
day, asked Mr.. Vest, if the policy urged by
the California senator had been followed? :?
Instead of assembling here as q congress,
this would be another British colony and
appendage of the British crown. France
Recognised the Independence of the United
States and sent her armies with fleets and
placed on us debt of undying gratitude.
In ringing tones Mr.. Vest declared that
if we, as the great republic of the world,
proposed to stand by people engaged in q
struggle akin to our own we must stand UP
for them in their hour of need. At least
we should state to the whole world what
the senator believed before God to be true,
that Spain would never re-establish her
rule over that island. He drew q vivid pic
ture of Spain's bloody rule over the old
Spanish-American dependencies.
"Of all these vast dotninions won by
BLOOD" he added, ''won through torture
and fire. there remains today to the tooth
less old wolf the island Of Cuba, and Spain
today, like the giant Despair in that won
derful picture of Bunyan's, almost help
less. sits at the door of the dark cave of
despotism and grins with impotent rage at
the procession of splendid republics that
march on in the progress toward civiliza-
ton and liberty. That wolf can never re-
tain that single cub. Never can Spain hold
the island of Cuba after she has been un.
able to hold one foot of soil south of US in
| all the wide area of the southern half of
this continent"
Gray interrupted to ask if, as q matter of
existing fact, Cuba had now established q
condition of existence.
With burst of eloquence Vest respond
ed that it was not for us to determine
whether the Cubans had completely estab.
lished themselves. The question for us to
power and dominion over Cuba? The
Cubans demonstrated that they had the
power to resist Spain. A year ago their
uprising was q mere emeute. Now every
Cuban was rebellious patriot.
They have abandoned homes and fam
! lilies for the cause Of freedom. "Spain
| may exterminate them, but" said Mr..
Vest, with impassioned tones, "Spain will
never, never, never again make them the
| willing subjects of her power"
| The senator spoke with contempt of the
| statements that the Cubans were negroes
and mulattoes.
Liberty" he said, .lives with the poor
and oppressed, not with the wealthy and
powerful. 1t throbs in the breast of the
Gagged bird, and has gone with martyrs to
the stake and kissed their burning lips as
the spirit winged it's flight to God. 1t can.
not be extinguished when q people are
unanimous in defense of the rights which
| God has given them."
An expression of sympathy was farce.
He desired 10 repudiate the doctrine that
every vestige of Spanish power must dis
| appear from the island before we could
recognize Cuba as independent. Were we
God-fearing people to stand dumbly by
while this bloody Spanish general drove
these people into pom and slaughtered
them?
Vest closed as follows:
"Chall we, the great exemplar of repub-
lican institutions throughout the world,
declare that in our opinion the people of
Cuba are able 10 maintain their independ-
ence and have achieved it? Are we to
wait until that island is desolated by fire
and sword? Are we. a Christian and God.
fearing people, to stand silent and dumb
while the Spanish governor-general declares
that he intends to pen up the people of
Cuba and butcher them into subjueation to
the Spanish throne?
"If we do it, God will curse us.
''If we do this thing ard stand here until
desert has been made of that splendid
island you may be certain that the time
will come when there will be retributiou
on us as people because we have not
been true to the legacy of freedom given to
us by providence"
Mr.. Gray responded briefly. He said
that if eloquence could free Cuba, the
burning words just uttered would set her
free. But he looked at the question from
a dispassionate standpoint, aud he could
not see how Cuba had established an actual
state of independence warranlinQ a recog-
milton of such state by the United states.
Mr.. Vest-Was not our condition more
desperate when France recognized US?
Mr.. Gray-Yes, but France sent her
fleet and her armies and made war against
the country expressing us.
Mr.. Vest pointed out that Holland and
Belgium had recognized the independence
of the United Sta ies without sending fleets
and armies, and had acted long before
British dominion had entirely disappeared
in this country. In war, as in politics, he
said, the expression of the belief of the
times brought about the realization of the
belief expressed.
Mr.. Gray argued es legal proposition
that the United States could not yet recog-
nize the Cubans as independents.
At o'clock MIR. Sherman suggested that
adjournment accordingly was taken.
IN The HOUSE
Tarsney of 1issouri Loses His Scat-The Gu.
ban Question
At 8 O'Clock this afternoon an ex-mem.