Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-03

He reminded the House that the Spanish
Government had made the amende honor
able TO the Government OF the United
States for what had occurred yesterday
In Spain. and had apologized for IT. The
Spaniards, Mr.. Turner said. might be
high-blooded people, out they had within
their breasts the spirit of ancient chival-
ry. The stories told Of Spanish outrages
in Cuba were utterly incredible. He did
not believe I'm the unspeakahle outrages
said to have been perpetrated under the
orders Of General Weyler during the
last insurrection in Cuba. Besides. at that
time General Weyler was not in com
mand, but was a subordinate officer. lie
recalled General Grants statement in
one Of his messages TO Congress on the
subject, that during those ten years OF
struggle the Cuban general. Quesada, had
at one time executed $50 prisoners OF
war "at one fell swoop." SO that. after
all. it was only a story Of mutual afro
cities He did not believe that state
Of war such as was understood under
international law. existed i'm Cuba. and
he again referred 10 General Grant. who
had laid down the rule that in order TO
recognize belligerency IL must be made
to appear that the insurgents held an
extensive territory. had an organized
government. a capital, at least one sea-
port and that they could give protection
TO citizens, and could levy and collect
taxes.
INFORMATION WANTED.
"What information" Mr.. Turner asked,
have we from the gentlemen represent
ing these resolutions on a single one Of
these important and material questions?
Who is the President Of this so-called re-
public? / understand that he is citizen
of the United States. And | understand
that he is now in the United states In
stead of taking his fate along with the
patriots fighting for freedom Where IS
the capital of that country? How many
men have the insurgents in their army?
Who knows? What great battles have
they fought? Where are their gallant
chieftains? Who have met the enemy in
the open plain? Instead Of war we have
had only stories of conilagration, incen-
diarism, dynamite destruction of proper
ty. and assassination.
MAKE HASTE SLOWLY.
If had my way, the first time an out
rage is committed on any one OF our own
citizens I'm Cuba | would send our navy
to the island. ] would send 1000 men
to rescue any American citizen from
wrong and oppression. The question ls'
Shall we in the dark without informa-
ton. take a measure which would affect
our friendly relations with Spain. and
on which may depend such momentous
question as that OF peace and war?
Mr.. Turner was followed on the oppo-
site side Of the question by Mr.. Smith
Republican). of Michigan. And he
by Mr. Boutele on the same side He
argued against haste. He did not mean
TO say that the adoption of the resolu-
fions would necessarily produce war;
but he would say that it is the entering
wedge: that the House was entering
upon a course which might lead TO war;
and that. whether rightfully or wrong
fully. the House ought not to do
that under a suspension of the rules, but
only in accordance with every rule of
deliberaiion to safeguard such action.
Some appiause)
CALLED WEYLER NAMES.
Mr. Cummings. Of New York, advo-
Gated the resolutions. He called General
WevIer "a gigantic monster of despot-
ISM daughter and applause. poisoning
with his breath the atmosphere Of Ameri-
can civilization. In answer TO Mr. Tur-
ner's argument as TO the Cuban patriots
having no territory or capital. Mr.. Cum
mlngs asserted that they held moro
ground I'm Cuba than the Confederacy
had held On proportion one year after
the firing on Fort Sumter And he also
declared that If General John c. Breck-
inridee and Jubal A. Early had maintain
ed their position around Washington as
long as Maceo and Gomez had maintained
theirs around Habana, the prospects or
the Confederacy would have been mucn
brighter than they were at the time of
the battle of Bull Run. Applause)
Mr.. Mccall Republican), of Massachu-
setts. opposed the resolution. He yield
ed to no one I'm sympathy for the Cuban
notriots. but the House of Representa-
tives should be governed not by its sym
pathv. but by its judgment: and should
not start out with haste and enthusiasm
on pathway which might lead the coun-
.ry into war
MI. Moody Repubican). OF Massachu-
setts also opposed the resolutions and
expressed his concurrence with the views
OF Mr. Routeue.
MIR. fuckers STAND.
Mr.. Tucker DemocraD. Of Virginia,
said that. as the only member Of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs who op
posed the resolutions. ''he felt like one
who treads along some banquet hall de-
serted; that he was not TO be diverted
because Of the unanirnity Of sentiment
EXPRESSED by his brother members of the
committee from expressing his honest
sentiment about "the dangerous charac-
ter Of those resolutions" The second
resolution. if presented 10 Great Britain
in the case of the Irish people. who had
been struggling for 100 years for local
self-eovernment. would be considered by
Great Britain as an affront. II declared
that the people of the United States be
lieved that other nations believed, that
the only permanent solution OF the con-
test was recognizing the independence OF
Cuba. lie expected that other nations
would rather do their own thinking and
ne asked. "What right have we to dictate
10 q foreign country with which we were
on friendly relations what sort of a gov
ernrnent any Of her people should have?'
(Applause) The plain English OF the
resolution is that If Spain does not
grant 70 the CUBAN patriots (so-calleD
government of their own. based upon
tba choice Of the people, then the United
states was to give II to them by force
of arms "The southern people," Mr.
Tucker continued ARE not for war. They
have had enough Of IT, They know
what II Is They have borne the bur
den and heat Of the day through four
wears OF war; and they know what IT
means They are to-day pursuing their
peaceful avocatlOns. When the proper
time comes they will come To the support
OF this government and defend its In
terests against any attack. But to-day.
without cause. except sympathy, we are
boidly and denantly challenging war with
spain. This resolution. in my judgment.
should not be passed
MIR. fuckers speech closed the argu-
ment In opposition 10 the resolutions. and
the arguments In support or them were
wound up by Mr. Hit. Several PROPOSE
tons for division OF the resolutions
and for separate votes upon them were
ruled out by the Speaker.
A CHORUS OF YEAS.
At 3:45 o'clock the previous question
was ordered and on viva-voce vote
N H0noe