The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-03
CUBAN RESOLUTIONS
Chairman Hit, Of the Foreign Affairs Com
rhlttee, Calls Them Up In the House.
AND SPEAKS IN ADVOCACY OF THEM.
The Revolutions Arc Discussed nj
Length By Messrs. Hit. McCrcary
and Adams Ia favor and Messrs.
Turner ana Tuck cr In Opposition
Agreed 10 by Vote of ao3 to II.

Washington, D. c.. March 2.-(House) }
In the proceedings of the House to-day
The Senate joint resolution authorizing
the continuance of the improvements OF
Mobile harbor, Alabama. was agreed to.
Also a bill authorizing the Arkansas and
Northwestern Railroad Company to
construct and operate a road through
Indian Territory.
On motion of MIR. Willis (Rep). of
Delaware. the rules We're suspended.
Senate joint resolution was agreed to
authorizing and directing the Secretary
OF Agriculture to purchase and distri-
bute seeds. etc, as has been done In
preceding years.
Mr.. Hit, chairman of the Foreign AZ
fairs Committee. then called up the
Senate Cuban resolutions and moved to
suspend the rules and pass the rcsolu-
tions reported by the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, in lieu Of the Senate
resolutions. The House resolutions
were then read at the Clerks desk. The
text follows:
Resolved. by the House of Representa-
tives (the Senate concurring), That in
the opinion of Congress a state of pub
lie war exists in Cuba. the parties 10
which are entitled to belligerent rights
and the United States should observe n
strict neutrality between the bellger-
ents.
Resolved, That Congress deplores the
destruction of life and property caused
by The war now waging in that Island,
ind believing that the only permanent
solution OF the contest. equally in the
interest OF Spain. the people OF Cuba
and other nations would be In the estab-
lishment of a Government by choice OF
the people Of Cuba. 1t is the sense OF
Congress that the Government of the
United States should use its good offices
and friendly influence to that end
Resolved. That the United States has
not interviewed In struggles between
any European government and their
colonies on this continent. but from the
very close relations between the people
OF the United States and those of Cuba
in consequence of its proximity and the
extent of commerce between the two
peoples, the present war is entailng
such losses upon the people of the United
States that Congress Is of opinion that
tho Government nf the United States
should he prepared TO protect the legiti-
mate interests of Americans by interven-
ton. il necessary.
MIR. McCreary Oem.l. OF Kentucky
desired to know why the fourth in the
above series OF resolutions was not
read.
This resolution pledged to the Presi-
dent the support of Congress in carry
ing ont the foregoing resolutions.
Mr.. Hit replying. said that the
fourth resolution had been omitted be-
cause of the greater number OF the com
mittee had requested him to drop IT,
Rincc. in their opinion. the sense was
contained in the preceding resolutions
and was therefore unnecessary.
Mr.. Routelle demanded a second to
the motion. and 1t was ordered by a vote
of LA to 10.
AT the request OF Mr.. Hit. thirty min
utes on each side was allowed for de-
bate
The debate was opened by Mr.. Hit.
The resolution. he said. had been consid-
cred wiki great care by the committee
in many meetings, passed through sew
eral months. and after consultation with
many eminent iurists, II was the belief
OF the committee that. In the interest
OF peace. In the interest or the United
States and in the interests of those who
were struggling I'm Cuba and with whom
inc committee sympathZed. the resolu-
tionS presented were q practical, CON
servative and effective mode of action.
The United States Government. he said.
should be prepared to protect the inter
ests of American citizens, but to inter
vene II necessary. All the RESOLUTIONS
iad peen carefully considered so that
they could not and certainly ought not
cause any 'trouble between the United
States and any country that was not
seeking to pick trouble with us" That
belligerency was fact was proved, not
by newspaper reports alone. but the re-
'iNS VI DuIttli states SOnSulS In Cuba.
The war In Cuba was not rcprotluc-
tion of that which prevailed from 1865
10 1878. II was a far greater one. three
times greater. II had gone until it had
swept from one end of the island to the
other until to-day Spanish authority was
not. in fact exercised over more than
one-third. probably not more than one
fourth of the 410.0 square miles of the
surface of the isand. The Spanish Min
lister at Washington had made n state
lnent on the 22d of February TO the ef-
1ect that $4,000 troops had been sent
10 Cuba by spain Was not that war?
was that a police putting down disturb
ances? Recently the Captain General
OF cuba had Issued two long pvoclama-
alohs which had been read with hor-
ror II would not do. Mr.. Hit said. TO
say that the struggle in Cuba was guer-
rsiia war merely. Guerrilla warfare was
sreat and terrible instrument In the
genus OF the Spanish race. One hun
oreu and fifty thousand of the finest
soiuiery of the world had been marched
INTO spain and attempted to subdue a
people which could only resist by e,ler-
rllia warfare and the Spaniards des-
Iroyed that French army. Was not that.
Mr: Hit asked, war? Would any Span-
lafd deny that II WASP There was NOT n
opanlard who was not proud of that his
tory. Mf, Hit recaliad the fact tnat