The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-12
LACK MEANING.
Senator Hoar Says Cuban Resolu-
tionS Are Pickwickian,
Facts Before III. Senate Insufficient to
Overrule International Law.

"hu prishsoss speeches OF his lie, anu
demonstrated that the senate does not
possess his intellectual superior. His
story about circumstantial evidence could
not have been improved upon.
Mr.. Hoar said there was an old Judge in
CanibriGge, Mass, near the Charlcstown
navy yard, that onco gave q definition OF
clrcumstantial evidence applicable to this
affair. A case was on trial in which tho
mysteries OF circumstantial evidence
played considerable part in the discus.
sion OF the attorneys on both sides. Said
the old Judge:
There Is nothing extraordinary about
circumstantinl evidence. When certain
facts are known to exist, our human ex.
perience warrants us in supposing that
certain other fncts exist also. When you
prove one you have circumstantial evi
uence Of the other. For instance, IL you
should see great activity in the navy yard
over there tomorrow, that would be cir
cumstantiai evidence, not that a war was
near, but that an olection was approach.
ing"
In drawing the comparison, Mr.. Hoar
said; Now when we see great activity
among the grave, reverend and serene
members OF our foreign affairs committee
you may know that there is no great
trouble In our foreign relations, but that
a presidential election is approaching"
On commenting on the meaninglessness
OF tho concurrent resolutions, Senator
Hoar referred to them rs Pic6wickian, and
signifying nothing but the opinion OF
some estimable gentlemen in very ex-
cited frame OF mind
Senator Hoar Is decidedly opposed to the
wholesale meddling in foreign relations
which has characterized this congress. In
the Venezuelan affair, he believes the part
OF patriotism demanded the upholding OF
the presidents acts as such, without refer
ence to the reasons which lead up to them
Secretary oiney Compiimented.
To Secretary Olnoy, Senator Hoar paid
q high tribute. saying: "Mr. Olney has
q very good head, in my opinion. AL
though differ from him in politics,
think he is n good, honest, clear-headed
old-fashioned Massachusetts, Yankee, and
/ lam willing 10 trust him with the diplo.
macy OF this government"
Continuing. Senator Hoar said that the
question of belligerency was n question OF
fact, and II was reasonable that the usual
precautions should be taken. The senate
should have before IL the finding of facts
by the proper committee charged with its
Investigation.
This subject was discussed I'm the com.
mittee for several days. and was tn
brought into the senate without any re
port, but accompanied by speech from
Senator Morgan. who laid his sword on
the table, and asked Spain to take IL up
and declared his belief in the power OF
congress, without the president, 20 grant
belligercnt rights. The other speech. that
OF Mr.. sherman, contained quotations
from work that was repudiated. Upon
these statements, and without any presen-
tation OF facts, congress was asked TO act
Mr.. Morgan interrupted Mr.. Hoar TO say
that he was entitled TO his own opinion as
70 the authority to grant belligerent
rights, and would express them whenever
he saw 1T. AS n matter of fact, Mr. Nor.
gan said, the cAmmittee on the judiciary,
of which Mr.. Hoar was chairman, had be.
fore IL the question determining the ma
ture OF n concurrent resolution, and In.
voiving the status of the Cuban resolu.
tionk themselves. There had been un-
usual delay there, and the committee on
foreign relations waited patiently but in
vain For tho light from that committee.
Mr.. Hoar accused the committee of bas-
ing its resolutions upon statement con-
tanned In n letter from the agent of the
Cuban iupta.
Mr.. sherman took exceptions to this
statement, declaring that the letter cemc
from tho state department itself
Sherman aud Morgan outmatched.
Mr. Hoar was complaining Of the lack
OF information before the senate on the
Cuban question, when Mr. Sherman called
his attention 20 n printed document OF 200
pages, containing II message from tho
president and all the correspondence cor.
ductod by the state department.. "Tl 3
document has been before the senate for
more than two weeks, and was open to
the senate all the time" said Mr.. Sher-
man somewhat pctulantly.
"I don't believe anybody ever read II, I"
retoried Mr.. Hoar.
"I quoted from. TINT document In my
speech literally" said Mr.. Morgan, ''and
that speech was In the nature OF report
from the committed"
"Then." said Mr.. Hoar with apparent
glee, "you spoke for the committee when
you laid the sword on the table and asked
Spain TO take t up. Is that not so, and
did you not speak for the committee when
ecuted In Cuba?'
Mr. Morgan said he did not speak for
the committee with regard TO the execu.
ton of prisoners, and added that Tho
Record had been deliberately mlsquoted.
He gave that as y quotation from printed
work, and not rs u statement of his own.
Mr.. Hoar, quoting from one of the let
ters OF Mr.. Seward on the subject of bell
ligcrency 10 be read i'm the ear OF Great
Britain by the United States minister dur
ing our Civil War, laid particular EN- phasls
upon the word deliberate" and leaning
towards Mr. sherman. he said with "a
touch OF sarcasm I'm his voice.. I'm
afraid that word deliberate Is new TO my
honorable friend from Ohio and my hon.
orable friend from Alabama" (Mr. Nor
gam.
Mr. Hoar said he did not believe the
alleged facts before tho senate were suffi
cient 10 ovcrrule tho great American au-
thorities on international law. The sem
Nc was asked 90 put the seal OF it's c. d.
denination on the doctrine Of Lincoln and
Seward aud later the doctrine of Grant