Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-03-13
FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, March IS.
SENATE.

WASH1NGTON, NdICu 10,
SENATE.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal. Mr.. Lodge called attention to
an incidental statement made yesterday
by Mr.. Sherman as to communication
which be (A1r. LODGE was supposed to
have had with the Secretary OF
State and to private papers which he
was supposed to have received concern.
ing affairs in Cuba The statement OF
the Senator from Ohio was. Mr.. Lodge
said, an uninternatioDal error. He had
had no communication with Mr.. Olney
and received from him 10 private
papers. The paper referred to was a
full statement from the Spanish minis
ter, giving the Spanish side of the
question, and which was sent to the
committee from the State Department,
and wss read to the full committee
by one of its members, Mr.. Frye. The
reading of those papers, MIR. Lodge
said, had been confidential, and had
been mentioned. by the Senator from
Ohio simply by inadyertence.
Mr.. Sherman now recalled the fact
that the paper to which he had referred
had come from the State Department,
at the request of the committee, and
had been fully read by the Senator
from Maine.
Dir. Hoar commented upon these
disclosures as presenting remarkable
condition CT afairs: and asked whether
the papers referred to ought not be laid
bsfore the Senate.
Certainly, in executive session, F."
said Mr.. Sherman.
'.All right" said Mr. Hoar, ''let the
Senator from Ohio move an executive
session.
Mr.. Wolcott suggested that the Sen
ate found itselfin an unusual dilemma.
If it were essential (he did not think it
was) that Congress should act on the
question of Cuban belligerency, the
Senate was confronted with the posi-
ton OF having to vote on questions Of
fact, on testimony reposing in the
breasts of the members of the commit
Zee on foreign relations alone-testl-
mopy which they could not divulge to
The public. and could divulge only in
executive SESSION. Then the resolution
had to go to the House, where there
was no executive session and where the
iac,s could never be known. The mem
oers OF that body were absolutely with
out know ledge Of q single one OF
the facts which the committee on
foreign relations had considered,
and on which it would have TO
vote for or against belligerency.
He would be glad to have explained to
him whether or not Senators were ex-
pected to yield their own judgment
and conscience, and to follow the opin-
ion (intelligently formed, no doubi) of
the committee on foreign relations
based upon information which could
not be divulged.
Mr.. Hale called for the regular order
of business.
Mr.. Hawley expressed hope that
there might be some declaration pre-
pared by the committee on foreign re-
lations in which all Senators could join
with satisfaction, and he said that he
would at the proper time move to insist
upon the Senate's disagreement to the
House substitute for the Cuban resolu-
ton and ask for a further conference.
The House bill providing for tenn
por4ry increase of the revenue was
taken up 10 order to give Mr. Cockrel!
an opportunity to address the Senate in
favor of free silver, which ne did st
length.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Payne called up and the House
passed the bill to require engineers and
assistant engineers on steamers sailing
under American registers to be citizens
OF the United States.
The House also passed the tonnage
tax bill, intended to repeal the recipro-
cal provisions of the law of 1884, which
are now employed only by the vessels
OF Germany and the Netherlands, and
to reduce the tax on vessels engaged IN
the coast trade between the United
States and the West ladies' and South
America from to 2 cents ton.
The House then resumed consldera-
ton of the contested election case IF
Aldrich vs. Robbins from the Fourth
District of Alabama. Mr.. Dinsmore
was first recognized to make the closing
argument in behalf of the contestee,
Mr.. Robbins.