Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-13


.,oH a. tIiI came to the cause which
declares that the Government OF the
United states should be prepared 10 pro
tect tho legitimate interests OF our citi-
yens by Intervention. II necessary ana ne
asked: what does that meanF AZ ~
means that we should increase our navy
and our army, let II proceed by bill. duly
introduced and passed, and 10 which the
President OF the United States SHAH De-
come a party. Let US proceed 10 prepare,
not by threatening preparations; not Dy
idle boasts of preparation but by o,hs.
Let us raise the necessary revenue. Let
ms prove IN the forms Of law what VIC
are going to do 10 prepare for war.
MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS.
"There Is hardly any necessity, / think
for the declaration about protecting the
legitimate interests or the people OF the
Irnited states. What interests? NOT
their lives; not their safety; not their
comfort why are we TO interfere! Noe
on the score OF humanity. The resoiu'io,i
does not put our Intervention on any such
high ground Not for the purpose Oh stop
ping bloodshed. Not for libertys sake
Not because we want 10 help along free
institutions. No such words are utte,eu,
The House resolution says: The united
legitimate interests Of our citizens.
MIR. Hi repeated this phrase with m
tense scorn. and he added: This Is
placing our proposed action on very low
Ground. IL there must be intervention, let
II be placed on some higher grounu
than the mere losses to some OF the
business interests of the country. Let II
be nut upon the broad ground OF stopping
bloodshed. Let II be put upon the Droau
ground Of doing something for a people
struggling 10 be free. Let it be put upon
the ground of our sympathy with the es-
adjustment Of republics. But don't put II
on the low ground that we are loslhs
few dollars by this contest between Spain
and Cuba"
Mr.. Hill read a telegram which, he had
received from a merchant in New YORK
city. TO the effect that the present att-
tude of the United States toward Cuba
Is seriously affecting the commerce oil
New York, and that the Spanish ner-
chants were boycotting American pro-
ducts in consequence OF congressman ac-
ton. and were cancelling all orders. Com
menting upon this dispatch, and others
of a similar character, Mr.. Hill exciaim-
ed. contemptuously: And they expect
me TO place my vote upon a great inter-
national question of right and wrong on
the mere point that some Spanish mer-
chants in Cuba are boycotting my con-
stituents i'm New York. With all due re-
spect to these gentlemen. our action here
proceeds. or should proceed. on higher
grounds, or better grounds, on more ten
able grounds than that"
BEEF. BEEF, BEET
Mr.. Hill read the anecdote about Pa
trick Henry's speech In defence OF
Revolutionary officer who was sued Tor
the value of cattle taken by him from
man named John Hook for the use of the
army. and he quoted the closing words
of the speech. to the effect that the gene
raj JOY and reclamation OF victory were
changed into tones Of discord by John
Hook believing through the American
camp. Beef, beef beef" So in the years
10 come, MIR. Hill said, when this resolu-
ton, if il be adopted, shall pass into his
tory, It will be said that the American
Congress voted to intervene in this quar-
rel between Spain and Cuba on the low
ground that IL was entailing losses on the
people OF the United States-"Beefi
Beef Beef" For that reason. Mr.. Hill
said, he was opposed to the third reso-
luton. and he should vote against the
conference report because IL contained It..
lie was In favor of the other sections Of
the conference report, because they were
substantially the same as the Senate res
olutlons. He would not retrace his ac-
ton on those resolutions. He favored
those resolutions because they expressed
the opinion of Congress. He was not TO
be deferred by recent events. or any
change In sentiment that may have
been brought about. He was not, he
said, TO be frightened off by the acts OF
a few Spanish students who had stoned
our consulate and despoiled the Ameri-
IL ue1f-Ctyf1apf that a a 8
If war existed in Cuba. The newspapers
were full of It, and Mr.. Hin declared that
there were some reliable newspaper cor
respondents, and their reports gave an
accurate account of the condition of af-
fairs In the island Mr.. Hill was willing
to stand by what these correspondents
said.
II had been said by some that the adj
ministration was being embarrassed by
these resolutions. IF the administration
thought these resolutions were embar-
RAISING to IT," said Mr.. Hin, some one
here would have knowledge of that fact.
| cannot believe the administration would
keep it's own counsel so close that no
one would know what il desired"
FORCE OF CONCURRENT"
In response to query from Mr.. Hoar,
Mr. Hill said he did not believe a single
law would be changed by the passage OF
a concurrent resolution which did not
receive the signature of the President
For that reason he believed the Tesolu-
tions in concurrent form were proper
and II was IN that light that he proposed
TO discuss them.
In 1896, Mr. Clay, in discussing this
question. did not think resolution ex-
pressing the opinion of Congress was
Plckwickian. Had the resolutions been
made joint the argument would have
been made that they were interfering
with the rights Of the Executive.
Mr.. Hill said he was for the concur
rent resolutions because they only eX-
pressed the opinion Of Congress. and
were respectful, not only TO our Presi-
dent. but to the Government of Spain.
He believed the President would carefully
consider the resolutions. They would
have a moral effect throughout this
country and throughout the world. When
Jackson was President Congress adopted
| concurrent resolutions expressing rs
| opinion. not upon the question OF belli-
| gerency, but upon the greater question
| Of the Independence Of a country. Such
resolutions were the only safe ones;
| thus far should Congress go. and nc
| farther
In 1851 several foreign governments
properly recognized the belligerency OF
| the Southern Confederacy. not its indie
pendence. The United States itself re-
cognlzed the Confederates as belligerents
| by exchanging prisoners and recognizing
flags OF truce. The interests of humanity
| demanded that the Cubans should be-
| treated as beligerents; their execution
be stopped. They must be treated as
| prisoners of war when captured. TheiI
recognition could not be offensive to
| Spain and II should be granted by this
| government in the interests OF humanity
and in accordance with customs Of all
| civilized nations.
| OUR POLICY PEACEFUL.