Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-30
AMUSED AND SURPRISED Were Grave and Reverend Selg- niors of the Senate. BEN TILLMANWAS RAMPANT ] Fierce Assault Upon the Democracy of Clese-
 land and Carlisle. HE PREDICTS A NATIONAL CATAClYSM Unless "You Take Your Hands of the Peoples Throats and Give Them an
 Opportunity to Breathe, to
 Work, to Live.
BEN ILLMANWAS RAMPANT l
HE PREDICTS A NATIONAL CATACLYSM

Washington, Jan. 29-The senate cham Der was today a theater, in which scenes of history were enacted in the presence of crowded galleries.
 First came a concurrent resolution re- ported from the committee on foreign re- latons requesting the president of the United States to use his good offices With a the government of Spain to have bellig- erent rights extended to the Cuban rev olutionists. This was followed by mi nority report from the same committed, MT. Cameron composing the minority, with a concurrent resolution requesting the president to use his good offices with the government of Spain flor the recog- milton of the independence of Cuba" The reports accompanying the resolutions, lengthy documents, were read, and the resolutions were placed on the calendar. to be taken up for debate and action whenever the committee on foreign rela- tions may deem it advisable.
 The resolution heretofore offered by Mr. Call requesting the president to re- port to the senate in regard to the ar rest at Havana of three American cti- zens-Mark E. Rodriguez and Louis Sou
 
 mediate release was reported back from the committee on foreign relations with the last clause struck out and was placed on the calendar.
 The event of the day. however. was the speech made by MT. Tillman, ostensibly in favor of the free coinage substitute for the house bond bill but in reality denuncia tion of the president and the secretary of the treasury.
 MT. Tillman was on this occasion a splendid combinatio of orator and actor, giving to senators and spectators two hours of entertainment The way in which he spoke of the president might have exposed him to interruption and censure but seemed rather to be enjoyed than found fault with. He described him as bull-headed and self-idolatrous. Ney- er he said, had the high office of presi- dent been so prostituted and never had the appointing power been so abused With relentless purpose he had ignored his. oath of office and given no heed to the interests of any but his moneyed friends-his owners or partners. He spoke of Secretary Carlisle as that Ju- das from Kentucky, who had in his old age come to pitiful pass" and referred to the other two southern members of the cabinet tthe secretaries of the navy and of the interioD as "apostates from their principles"
 At the close of MT 'Tillman's speech the senate chamber and galleries, which had been thronged for two hours, were prac- tically vacated and the senate at 4:30 D. m. adjourned until tomorrow
 During the morning business, and when reports of committees were called for, MT. Morgan said that he reported back from the committee on foreign re- lations number of petitions on the sub ject of recognizing belligerent rights in Cuba; also resolution offered by MT. Call declaring that state of public war existed in Cnha bof rights should be accorded to the Cuban government. He reported back he said as substitute two resolutions accom- panied by a written report.
 The resolutions were as follows:
 Resolved, By the senate (the house of representatives concurring) that the present deplorable war in the island of Cuba has reached magnitude that con- cerns all civilized nations to the extent that it should be conducted, if unhappily it is longer to continue. on those princi- ples and laws of warfare that are &C., knowledged to be obligatory on civilized nations when CT ged in open hostilities including the satment of captives who to cartels for exch.A se of prisoners and for other military purposes, truces and flags of truce; the provision of proper hospitals and supplies and services to She sick and wounded of either army: be it further
 Resolved, That this representation of the views and opinions of congress be sent to the president. and if he concurs therein that he will. in a friendly spirit use the good offices of this government to the end that Spain shall be requested to accord to the armies with which it is engaged in war the rights of belligerents as the same are recognized under the laws Of nations.
 MT. Cameron presented minority re- port, closing with a resolution that "the president is hereby requested to inter- pose his friendly offices with the Spanish government for the recognition of the in- dependence of Cuba"
 The reading of the full minority report being called for. 1t was read by the clerk.
 The minority report was quite long, and when its reading was concluded the whole matter went to the calendar.
 MT. Gray of Delaware, also from the committee on foreign relations reported back the resolution introduced on the 21st instant by MT. Call, with an amendment striking out the sentence requiring the president to demand the immediate re- lease of Mark E. Rodiguez and Louis Someillan and his son. American citizens arrested in Havana. The resolution sim ply requests the president to report the facts of such arrests. The resolution was placed on the calendar.
 At D. m. the vice-president laid be- fore the senate the unfinished business, being the house bond bill with the finance committees free coinage substitute, and MT. Tillman addressed the senate. com ing to the front row of seats on the dem- ocratic side and speaking from the desk of MT Jones of Arkansas on that sena- tors invitation.
 MT. President" the senator began, "it is not saying too much,and feel war ranted in charging that the Arrangement in our finances and all this cry about sound money and maintaining the honor and credit of the United States are all part and parcel of a damnable scheme of robbery which had for It's object, first, the utter destruction of silver as money metal; second, the increase of public debt by the issue of bonds payable in gold. ara third. the surrender to corporations