The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-12
ARMENIA'S CRY HEARD,
Congress Warns the Turkish Sultan
to Stop the Atrocities.
SENATE AND HOUSE CONCUR,

BY Heavy Majority the Lower Body
Passes tho Resolutions Sent to It by the
United States senate---Hepburn Favo
ored the Terminating OF Diplomatic Re-
latlons With Turkey.
After lively debate, which lated nearly
four hours, the House OF Representatives at
Washington passed by vote Of 143 to 26 the
| United States Senate concurrent resolutions
on the Armenian outrages. The House Com
| mittee on Foreign Affairs had already
adopted and reported similar resolutions,
but when the Senate resolutions were re-
ceived, MIR. Quigg, of New York City, who
had made the report from the House Com
mittee. asked and obtained unanimous con-
| sent for their immediate consideration, and
the resolutions from the Committee on For
eign Affairs we're not taken from the Speak
er's table.
The opposition to the Senate resolutions
| was not strong In numbers, nor was It united,
but 1t contributed several vigorous speeches
to the discussion. Colonel Hepburn, Of
Iowa, was opposed to the resolutions because
and he offered an amendment providing for
| the immediate severance Of diplomatic rela-
| tions between the United States and Turkey,
an amendment against which Chairman Hit
| protested. General Grosvenor attacked the
preamble to the Senate resolutions and took
sides with Colonel Hepburn, whose amend
ment was finally rejected by vote Of 10 yeas
| to 121 nays.
Mr.. Adams, of Pennsylvania, who is q
| member Of the Committee on Foreign Az
fairs, also spoke against the Senate resolu-
tions, taking the ground that they COM
mitted Congress to position which
titude In regard to the Monroe doctrine.
Mr.. Turner, of Georgia, delivered AN impas-
stoned speech, in which he not only at
tackled the resoiutions-which he character
lied as an act Of fimpertinence-but opposed
| any action whatever by Congress in regard
| to the subject. He especially condemned
| the last resolution Of the Senate, which
pledges Congress "to support the President
In the most vigorous action he may
| take for the protection of American citizens
| In Turkey and to obtain redress for injuries
committed upon the persons or property OF
Esuch citizens" By virtue of that resolu-
| ton, Mr.. Turner said. the Executive might
| send feet Of war vessels to lombard and
OCStIOy SOuStdulLAOpio onO 10Y nesSi0 ti2O
! coast of Turkey. '.......- 2.
The speeches In favor of the resolution
were temperate, considering the nature OF
| the subject, and 1t was evident that at least
seven-eighths OF the members present sympa-
| thized with the speakers. In the course OF
| the discussion. Chairman Hit, Of the Com
| mittee on Foreign Affairs, said that so far
as the State Department had been able to as
| certain. not single American citizen, native
| or rnaturalized, had been murdered since the
| Armenian outrages began, and, moreover,
| that the Turkish Government was not only
willing and ready, but anxious and even
| eager to pay for the losses of and damages
TO the property owned by American citizens
| In Turkey.
The concurrent resolution as passed reads
| as follows: This Senate concurrent resolution
declares 1t to be an imperative duty, In the
interest OF humanity, to express the earnest
hope that the European concert brought
about by the Berlin Treaty may be speedily
| given its just effect in such decisive
| measures as shall stay the hand ol
fanaticism and lawless violence, and as
shall secure to the unoffendtng Chris.
tians of the Turkish Empire all the rights
| belonging to them as men and Christians
and as benefciaries Of the explicit pro.
visions Of that treaty; requests the President
! to communicate these resolutions to the five
signat ory Powers thereof, and declares that
Congress will support the President in the
| most vigorous action he may take for the
| protection and security Of American citizens
| In Turkey, and to obtain redress for injuries
committed upon the persons or property o.
| such citizens.