The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-05-28
SENATOR MORGAN ON CUBA.
strong appeal for Help froun tn,
United StatcS-A Warninr Gi,,u

tOSDain.
The Cuban question was revived in
tho Senate on the 10Th inst. wnen Mr..
Morgan. Of Alabama, who reported
the original resolutions, spoke In favor
OF further and more decisive action
towards the recognition Of the Cubans
as bclligercnts. The Senator declare d
tito b, the duty of Congress to adopt
JOINT resolutions on belligcrency which,
unlike the previous concurrent resOlu-
tlons. would require the approval OF
bility.
At the close Of Mr.. Morgan's speech,
the Senate adopted, without division,
the resolutions introduced by him, di-
recting the Committc on Foreign III,
latlons to inquire into the report on
Inc treaty relations betwecn the United
otatcs ana Spain relating to the Amcl
cans now under condemnation at ua-
vana, also requesting tho President to-
furnish tho recent diplomatic corrC-
spondcnco with Spain on the subject.
Inc resolutions have no reference +,
the recognition Of bolligcrency, al
thoug n they served Mr.. Morgan as Il
text Tor his speech on tha. line.
Mr. Morgan, in the course OF hi,
speech on tho Cuban situation. suio
shores, our commercial relations with
the Cubans, the American ownership
Of much property there. the actua,
residence of many Americans there, al
combine to compel us TO examine into
the conditions existing in Cuba and To
detcrmine for ourselves whether a
state OF war existed.
He spoke OF the impatience Of Amcri-
can people in witnessing the DaiuIul
occurrences in Cuba, while our gov
ornment measured the losses by dollars
and submitted claims for compensation
for individual losses. n great civil
conflict had been waged in Cuba sine,
the fall Of '94, he said, and had in.
creased with startling magnitude
until $50 600 Spanish troops were in
tho fields. Yet, upon a denial of these
self-cvidcnt facts rests the position OF
the United States must not recogniz /,
condition Of war as existing.
Mr. Morgan said the nAgrant condi-
lions existing might escape the alton
tion OF those in authority, yet it mus,
shock the world that diplomatic
faliacy permits the assertion that no
war exists. This diplomatic fallacy il
sustained by the claim that the Cubans
have no forts, when the wise general
ship of the Cubans kept them from,
concentrating in forts. 1t was sus-
tanned also by the claim that the Gu
bans had no fleet and no scuports,
when it was evident that these cuulu
be maintained only by heavy artillery
and equipments not possessed by the
Insurgents.
These, said the Senator, were the as
sertiOns of carpet knight and chivulric
warriors, but to those sensible miliLrry
L. a ID lf Il J
rather than display Of sentiment,
they were the climax OF absurdity.
The Senator declared that tho of.
lenses committed by those Americans
10" held ut Havana were no more
serious than smuggling. 1t was the
first duty OF this government to dc
mand that the military trial OF the
American citizens be set aside. Until
this WAS done, no other or further ne
should be considered. Until
set aside, declared Mr.. Morgan, every
day is day OF national humiliation to
Us as u people.
After reviewing the course OF the
l nitcd States IN the struggles for free
institutions, the Senator compared it
with the search for 'tcchnical and friv-
olous excuses to debar us from
against "such tyrants as
Weylcr." He referred to the conclu-
sivc evidences Of atrocities and the
SHOOTING Of non com batants.
With war recognized as existing,
the laws OF war, aa applied by tho law
Of nations, would become applicable to
our citizens now serving in Cuba and
would forbid Spain from treating them
rs insurrcctiOnists.
Mr.. Morgan said in conclusion cit
Is, therefore, the proper course for
Congress to observe to send Joint
resolution to the President, declaring
That state Of public war exists in
cuba and that the parties engaged
IN that war are bclligcrcnts, to each OF
W hOm the laws OF nations equally an
ply, IL such is the opinion Of Congress.
This Is ~ duty Of wise and sincere Dn-
triotism, although it may not bc other
wise imperative for the reason lhn,
such q declaration is not a legislative
net and Is not, therefore, required TO
be sent to the President for his an.
proval. Congress can waive that uucs-
tlon, and should not raise it in IL mat
ter mat docs not necessarily involve
the status OF the constitutional dis
trlDutlCn OF the powers Of our own
government, whether it is in q state OF
war or peace, but only concerns Il
duty we owe to our own people in de-
forming for ourselves whether Il state
Of war or a condition OF peace exists in
Cuba. If the President, acting on the
assumption that declaration OF the
existence of war in Cuba, and recog.
milton of the rights Of the parties en-.
gagged in that war as bcllignr.nts
falls within his exclusive constitutional
p1wcr in conducting diplomatic inter
course with foreign governments,
should choose to ignore the existence
of sach war, Congress, after the al.
most unanimous expression OF opinion
on that subject, owed it to the houor
or tho body to dcvolvc the response
bility upon the President. Under cX.
lstlng circumstances, some department
VI tho government must become re-
sponslblc to our own people, and to the
Judgment Of mankind, for continuing
to permit tho fa!schOod TO remain un-
rebuked, that peace prevails in Cuba
and that war does not exist there.
Whether il is Congress or the prcsi-
don't that denies the facts and rcpu-
dates the appeal to the sentiments Of
n, hn hn l,l,