The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-19

to fight us and we would wind up war
with Spain in short order"
The opinion was also expressed that
President Cleveland would veto the joint
resolution when it come TO him. A
member of the committee believed
that in case the President should veto
the resolution it would pass over the veto
as there was more than two-thirds of both
Senate and House in favor of it.
Recognition would give the Cuban gov
ernbment the right to enter American
ports under the Cuban flag and purchase
munitions of war. Cuba could purchase
cruisers and war vessels could, hire sol
diers and horses and in fact would be
entitled to secure in this country any
of the supplies for carrying on the war
that Spain can now secure in this coun-
try. There seems to be no doubt on this
point and all authorities on international
law agree ON this The other point, as
to whether Congress or the executive
has the right of recognition, seems 10 be
more difficult to determine. OF course,
if the President should sign the resolu-
ton there would be no further question
except as to when he would act or take
steps to recognize the Cuban government.
If the resolution should he vetoed and
then pass over the veto, then very pecu-
liar condition would ensue especially if
the President should declare that recogni-
tion was power resting with the execu-
tive and not with Congress.
A Senator discussing this matter in
stanced case which might arise if there
was a conflict between the executive and
Congress on this point. A Cuban expedi-
ton might be fitted out and would at
tempt to sail from a port of the United
States. Under orders of the executive
the revenue cutters would seize the ves-
sci for violation of the neutrality laws.
The case would then be taken into the
courts on the legality of the joint resolu-
tien which became a law without the
signature of the President and the issue
would be whether or not Cuba had been
recognized by the action of Congress a.
lone.
All these various questions have been
discussed and it is believed will be quite
thoroughly gone over when the resolu
ton comes up in the Senate.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, Dec. 1S.-This was private
bill day in the House, but most of the
session was devoted TO the passage of the
thirty-seven pension and relief bills, IA
vorably acted upon by the committee of
the whole last Friday The bill to pay
Flora A. Darling, wife of Confederate
general $5,6S3 for Tennessee and Louis
lana bank notes, taken from her in 1864,
while under a flag of truce, which was
attacked by Mr.. Dazell last Friday, was
laid on the table. Only FIVE bills were
favorable acted upon to-day.
One of them, a bill to refer a claim of
Thos B. Reed, a Pennsylvania soldier
during the war, an unpaid balance of
salary to the Court Of Claims, created
some merriment owing to the fact that his
name was indentical with that of the
| Speaker of the House. The other bills
were to pay the officers and crews Of
the United States gunboats Kines and
| Chocura $12, ,474 prize money; to pay VIM.
b. Isaac & Co. $169S7, the finding of the
Court of Claims; to pay George McAlpin,
the sutler of the Eleventh Pennsylvania
Cavalry $6,906, illegally collected from
him, and to repay Matthias Peterson, of
| Spring Valley, Wis, $500 paid by him
for substitute during the war, Peterson
not at that time being a citizen OF the
United States.
A might session was held for private
pension legislation.
GRINDING OUT PENSIONS.
At the evening session of the House, IA
private pension bills were fayorably pass
ed upon. OF these one grants pension
Of 500 per month to the widow Of the
late General John Gibbon and another
of $50 per month to the widow of the
late General w. A Nichols. A large
part of the evening was devoted to an
effort to defeat the consideration of
bill giving a pensionable statue to the
survivors Of Gray's battalion Of Arkansas
volunteers of the Mexican war. The bill
was opposed by chairman Pickler, Of the
Pension committee, and others on the
ground that it was a general rather than
private BILL 1t was, however. voted
upon and laid aside by the committee
with favorable recommendation. The
House adjourned at / I D. M