The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-06
The President Should Give Con-
gress Information.
THINKS SENATOR MORGAN
Tales of Terrible Butchery and
Bloodshed.
AMERICAN CITIZEN CONDEMNED
The Senate Twice Went Into Secret
Session During the Dis
cussion of the Cuban
Question.

Washington, June 5.-Mr. Morgan
gave the Senate spirited revival of
the Cuban question to-day after which
most of the day was spent in waiting
for conference agreements on appro-
priation bills.
Mr.. Morgan urged the adoption of
his resolution calling on the President
for information of the Americans tax
EN- on the Competitor and now under
sentence of death at Havana. The
Senator said that while the case was
one of great gravity, involving the un-
warranted condemnation to death of
American citizens, yet no information
was available except through press
reports and rumor. The executive
branch had not given the slightest in
formation on the subject.
Mr.. Morgan read the statutes re-
quiring the President to make a de-
mand for the release of an American
citizen. He argued that it was the
duty of the President, under the Con-
stitution, to keep Congress advised
on the State of the union, and in par
ticular of foreign affairs. Of late a
courteous custom had arisen to adopt
resolutions making requests on the
President for information, but this
did not relieve the President from the
duty of giving full information. And
it was only of late days, Mr.. Morgan
said, that the failure of the executive
to give information to Congress had
grown up.
When some question was raised by
Mr.. Sherman as to the propriety of
Mr.. Morgan's making public use of
the testimony of Mr.. Lawrence, before
the committee on Foreign Relations,
the Alabama Senator sharply rejoined
that there should be no such conceal
ment and hiding of facts from the
country.
Mr.. Morgan said the testimony of
Lawrence, who was present at the
Competitor trials at Havana, showed
the grossly irregular character of the
proceedings.
'And yet,' declared the Senator,
1.-The President pays no more attention
to the subject than though it had been
the slaughter of some poor negro or
Mr.. Morgan said he did not want
Congress to leave Washington, thus
committing to the President the whole
authority to demand or withhold a
demand for the release of Americans,
to recognize or withhold recognition
of belligerency.
Mr.. Mills, reminded Mr.. Morgan that
the Lawrence testimony had shown
that the American on trial at Havana
had not understood any of the pro-
ceedings which were conducted in
Spanish.
Yes Mr. Morgan said, ''the testi-
mony of Mr.. Lawrence shows that the
entire trial was III the Spanish Ian
guage. When the American prisoner
was told to stand up, he said, i do
not understand what you have been
saying. How am / to answer you" A
brief explanation was made. Then the
sentence of death was pronounced on
the American citizen"
The Senator said occasional groans
and shrieks were heard from the
stricken country, telling us of the ter
rible butchery going on there. But SO
far as authentic and official informa-
ton was concerned, it was withheld
He had received several letters from
Cuba, some with the seals broken, de-
failing the conditions prevailing. Be
fore Congress adjourned it should
know from the President what the
situation i'm Cuba is, whether it is true
that hundreds of men are penned in
a single small room; whether these
American citizens are to meet death
without a demand. Mr.. Morgan said
he had great respect for the office of
President, it was an American charac
teristic to be proud of their govern
ment. But this was government of
law, not of private will. The Presi
dent is enjoined to execute the laws;
he swears in his official oath to obey
the law. The Senate had requested in
formation of the President and he had
replied that it was incompatible with
the public interest although section
2001 of the statutes provided when a
demand was made for the release of an
American citizen that ''all the facts
relative thereto shall as soon as prac-
ticable, be communicated by the Pres
ident to Congress"
The Senator declared that every day
of the confinement of the American
prisoners at Havana was a day of Am
erican dishonor
He did not know what would come of
the delay and inaction. Possibly in
the end the Americans would be SO
humbled as to sue to Spain for pardon.
But Congress, which was the sole war
power, should not leave without au-
thorizing that power to be used If nee
essary.
''ln the event that those American
prisoners are not released and deliver
ed TO the President" concluded Mr..
Morgan, ''we should authorize him to
send ships of war to Cuba and make