New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-18
r,tIC nERATE IN DETAIL.

r. oso,rt,on offered yesterday by Mr. EiKihs
<po w Va, instructing the Committee on FOR
eien Relations to report material lacls DIS ~ -, 49,
IN Cuba was laid before the Senate ou' a. Wv go
pestion Of Mr. Elkins 1t went over tiii
x. cho-man CRep Ohio) IN charge OF the CUBAN
.,,,,,o,s. EXPRESSED the hope that after senators
who had given notice Of their purpose 10 auui rs
Senate had made their speeches. the oe"a'e .
90 ON and dispose of the privileged question Vno
Conference report on the Cuban resoutons) without
further delay. 49,, Co,,
Mr. Morgan (Dem. Ala), a member OF 'he Oo'',
,r,,,ee On Foreign Relations. continued the speech
heeun by him yesterday In favor OF the ieSo'"
Ye began by speaking Of the super-sehsi'i'e" "
snain because she felt the sand sliding from u"ue'
her feet while 1.-THE Gem Of the Antilles was pass
ing out OF her grasp. Spain had sucked 'ne o.""e
wellnigh dry until its sweetness was aoo"' az
sone Mr. Morgan spoke of the "furive alusion 10
sugar, In the paper of the Spanish Minister maue
public Yesterday, and said that II was iH'eiiueu ~
sweeten the invocation for American sympathy anu
ala "a crush the rebellion. He sent to me clerk
desk and had read what he called the spanish MIN.
,.,er.s .datribe against the Senate and Senator'S
He smoke OF Senior de LONE "a supercious foreigh
Minister" and said that II was high time lot 'ne
House and the Senate TO close their doors asaln't
such attempts to influence them. This was the hrs'
time he said when the foreign representative OF
,,orarchv could call IN question the members OK
+hose bodies for words uttered In debate. Senor de
I6me's statement to the press having been reao oy
the clerk Mr. Morgan resumed his speech. -.
He spoke of the censorship OF the cable between
Cuba and America by the Spanish authorities, ana
said that SO far as the mails were concerned ne
had been informed yesterday by Catholic priest
who knew both Spain and Cuba perfectly well. that
the mails between Cuba and the United States were
constantly opened and their contents examined. IL
was perfectly well known. Mr. Morgan added. mat
all the Geographic information from CUBA was
doctored unless 1t happened to be favorable to the
Ind 1Oc q
who undertook to misquote Senator as the Spanish
Minister had misquoted him. and he read from THE
Congressional Record the statement which he (Mr
Morgan) had made in the Senate. and which, ne
said the Spanish Minister had misquoted.
The facts cited by him (Mr. Morgan) In that
speech stood confessed by Spain through the lips OF
her own Minister. who. having the opportunity to
make a denial evaded the statements and left them
unanswered. He dssented entirely from the opinion
expressed In the Senate. that foreign Minister in
this country had the right TO resort 10 the press Tor
the purpose OF affecting any matter pending in Con-
gress. in respect to any policy OF the United
States which ne might consider to be offensive or
Injurious TO his country. He characterized Senior
de Lome's statement to the press as "a fragrant
abuse of privilege" 1t was certainly time. he
added that the diplomatic affairs OF the United
states withdrawn from public tinkerng and
lampering. II the Senate was TO be continuously
kept in uproar and confusion by kilograms coming
In the United States-to be read In the Senate as
authoritative statements-the State Department
might as we'll be abolished, leaving the people to
rely on those men who had acquired emnence In
newspaperdom for the purpose Of gaining knowledge
Of what is happening In foreign countries
THE RIGHT OF FREE DEBATE.
Mr. Morgan then discussed the point Of the consti-
tutionai guarantee against Senators and Repre-
sentatves being held TO account for words spoken In
debate He might. In his place In the Senate. calum-
Mate any citizen of the United States having some
connection with public affairs without being ac-
countable for libel.
Mr. Gray Dem. Dell asked Mr.. Morgan whether
the citizen in question would not have the same
freedom OF speech
Mr.. Morgan admitted that he would; but 1t turned
out In this case he said. that the Minister from
cro,n was not q citizen OF the United States He
eas protected by the law OF nations agains
snv proceeding TO hold him accountable for libel
et,her crminally or civily. There was where the
ruia came in which sealed Minister'S lips.
Mr. Morgan read the historical incident or tn
,nterview between jefferson and the French MIN
;.ter Genet. and exclaimed passionately: would
N Cod that we had SOMEBODY here now VINO had {
tust concept!on OF the constitutional rlghts Oh th
1ioferent parts OF this Government! ~ -. a..
III have not asked, he contlhueo ioi tne u,e
=