The herald., 1896-12-22

representatives in congress assembled,
That it is hereby declared that a state
OF public war exists in Cuba, and that
the parties thereto are entitled to and
are hereby accorded belligerent rights in
accordance with the principles of inter-
national war. and the United States will
preserve strict neutrality between the
belligerents.
Two more Cuban resolutions made
their appearance, one from Mr.. Bacon,
Democrat, of Georgia, and another from
Mr.. Chiffon, Democrat, of Texas.
Mr. Bacon said his resolution was de-
signed to get from the Judiciary COM
mittee an authoritative statement as to
| the power of the executive and the legis-
lative concerning recognition His reso-
! luton reciteS that the power of recog-
milton resides exclusively with the legis-
| lative branch and the prerogative does
| not belong to the executive. except so
| far as his veto may affect it. The reso-
| luton is as follows:
Resolved, by the senate. the house of
representatives corcurring, That the
recognition by this government of any
people as a free and independent ma
ton is one exclusively for the deter
miHation of cor gress in its capacity as
the law making power.
Resolved. Further that this preroga-
tive of sovereignty does not appertain to
the executive department of the govern
,!nent except in so far as the president
IS under the constitution. by the exer-
else of the veto, made part of the law
making power of the government.
| The Bacon resolution was referred to
| the judiciary committee.
The Chiffon resolution recites that a
state of war exists in Cuba which enti-
| ties the parties to recognition as bellig-
erents and that the United States should
| maintain a strict neutrality Chiffon
| said he would urge the resolution as an
amendment to those reported from the
| committee on foreign relations.
| The resolution is as follows:
| Resolved, That a condition Of public
war exists between the government of
! Spain and the government which has
| for some time been maintained by force
of arms by the people of Cuba. and that
! the United States of America shall
maintain strict neutrality between the
contending powers, according to each
| the rights of belligerents in the ports
and the territory of the United States.
| On motion of Sherman, the Call reso-
lutiou, favorably reported by him. ask
ing for a report on American citizens
| held in Spanish prisons, was agreed to
without division. 1t is as follows:
Resolved, That the secretary of state
| be and is hereby directed to send to the
| senate a report of all citizens of the
| United States of whose arrest and i'm
prisonment, trial or conviction or SEN
| tence either to imprisonment at the
| penal colony of Ceuta or elsewhere he
| has any Information, and that he shall
| inform the senate in such report of the
persons now held in confinement al
| Ceuta and of the charges, briefly stated
| on which they were condemned and the
| nature of the evidence so far as the
same appears on the files of the state
| department.
This disposed OF the cuban question
| for the time being.
The brief discussion covering hardly
more than half an hour, had been sim
gularly eventful in bringing forward
| reports and resolutions. The various fea-
lures had developed in rapid succession
and had been followed with the keenest
interest by the crowded galleries and
te intent body of senators.
The status of the various resolution;
as they were finally left is as follows:
The Cameron and Morgan reports ari
! on the table until after the holidays; the
| Vest resolution is on the table to be call
ed up tomorrow; the Hill and Chiltor
| resolutions are on the table; the Bacor
resolution is referred to the committee
on judiciary.
While the debate proceeded Sir Ju
lian Pauncefote, British ambass ador
and several otlier foreign representa-
tives Joined those already in the dip.o
matte gallery.
Mr.. Mitchell (Oregon, Republican
made an appeal to the senate for tn
| early consideration of the Nicaragua
canal bill. He urged its Importance t
all sections OF the country. but said !:
was especially important to the Pac:h
coast Deep draught steamers touche.
! at the ports of San Francisco, Astori,
and Portland, and at points on Puge
Sound, and he called attention to TIL
saving there would be in the distance fo
these vessels If they were allowed to gs
! Continued on page ~