The record-union., 1896-02-28


interesting than the issuance Of that
proclamation of neutrality declaring
that the people of the United States
would remain neutral in the struggle
between France and the combined ar
mics of Europe.
France" Vest continued, with a
disinterestedness which has put a debt
Of undying gratitude upon us and our
children. had sent her armies and fleets
to help US in our struggle with Eng
land. But when the continental armies
combined against France when the sol
diers of France had marched across
the continent fighting world in arms.
with a flag on which was inscribed,
Death to Tyranny and Liberty to ALL
Washington refused to give dollar or
send a man to assist our former allies,
although England headed the combina-
tion against Republican France Wash
irgton was right, and his greatness was
never so much demonstrated as when
he stood against public clamor in the
United States and declared that we
could never safely vary from the doc
trine of absolute neutrality in the af-
fairs and wars of Europe
If we mean to stand by these peo-
are endeavoring to make a Government
for themselves, we must help them in
their hour of need. I do not go so far as
to say that we should dc so by arms.
That is not advocated by anyone in this
chamber, or out of it. We can al least
Go it by stating to the world that we be-
lieve the attempt of this monarchy of
Spain 10 suppress the insurrection-the
attempt to form a republics abso
lutely hopeless and helpless, as 1 believe
under God it is to-day. Never will come
an hour when Spain can reassert her
dominion over the island of Cuba. 1t
is impossible for her to do it. I take the
great teachings of history and exPAi
ence.
The course of Spain on this continent
is marked with blood. There was a
time when Spanish dominion extended
from the southern limits of the United
States to the most southerly point of
South America. No American can ever
forget those burning pages of Prescott,
which described the conquest of Mexico
and Peru, when the Spaniards, with the
lust of gold and the lust of blood,
marked their terrible pathway across
those countries. OF all that vast do
minion, won by blood, won through
torture and fire, there remains to-day
to that toothless old wolf the single
island of Cuba, and Spain to-day, like
Giant Despair in that wonderful pict-
IRE of Bunyan's, sits almost helpless at
the door Of the dark cave of despair
and grins with impotent rage at the
procession of splendid republics that
march on in the progress of civilization
and the future.
Mr. President, that wolf can never
retain that single cub Never can
Spain hold the island OF Cuba after she
has lost all these South American pro-
vinces."
Gray asked Vest whether there was
any remedy for the Cubans except
through the United States going to war
with Spain.
'The Senator from Delaware" Vest
remarked, ASSUMES that the Cubans
cannot achieve independence for them
selves"
4 have not said tnat,'' Gray replied.
q believe that Cuba can achieve her
independence, but whether she has done
so or not is a matter of fact"
s'The question" Vest went on, ''is not
whether Cuba has achieved her indie
pendence. The question is. Can Spain
conquer Cuba? Can Spain continue to
hold Cuba as a province / deny 1T. 1
say that the ten long years of successful
resistance to Spain by Cuba shows that
Cuba to-day has the power to and will
maintain successful resistance. This
thing a year ago was what the French
call an emeute-a mere handful of men
called brigands on the east coast, some
of whom were hung as pirates-hostis
humani generis-to-day 1t is an insur-
rection. Every Cuban Is patriot. The
Cubans have given up homes, families,
everything, through the hope of liberty.
Tell me that a people like that can be
conquered. Never. neVe never viii
they be again willing subjects to the
throne Of Spain.
Even in the Spanish press of Cuba,
under the espionage of Spain, it can be
said that no Cuban is not in sympathy
with the patriotic endeavor to achieve
independence and safe government for
that island No instance can be found
in which a million and half of people,
combined and confederated SO unani-
mously as they are, has ever been sub
iugated except by determination. What
American boy does not remember the
burning grafton of Henry Clay, when
he spoke for Greece in 1924, and when he
predicted that so long as Thermopylae
and Marathon were remembered no
Greek would lay down his arms before
the Turkish power.
I'VE are told that these Cuban insur-
gents are negroes. mulattoes, Indians.
So much the more reason why we should
sympathize with them and say: God
help them in their dire extremity. Lib
erty lives with the poor and oppressed,
not with the wealthy and powerful. 1t
throbs in the breast of the imprisoned
bird; it has driven the martyr to the
stake, and has taken its flight with
his soul to God. Liberty cannot be ex-
tinguished when the people are unani-
nous in demands for the rights which
God has given them. And if these peo-
pie ignorant and poor, struggling
against despotism. have called upon
US. should we content ourselves with a
hare declaration Of sympathy with
their case? 1t would be a mere farce
for US to do anything else than declare
in their favor. Are we to wait until the
island is made desolate by fire and
sword? Are we to stand silent and
dumb while a Spanish Governor (ealled
a GeneraD declares his intention to.
bayonet the people Of Cuba, and to
butcher them into subsection to the
Spanish Queen? I say that if We do
God viii curse US. / say that if we do
and sit here idle, until a desert has been
made in that splendid island we may
be sure that the time will come when