The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-01

Cuba, and that war exists. there. II we
0isperse without giving relief TO our
people from this situation. we can find
no excuse for abandoning them to this
dreadful fate. except that we are ready
10 abdicate our power In favor of ths
supposed power or wishes of the presI-
dent. The presidents powers are no,
increased by our refusal to exercise
powers that rightfully belong 10 con-
gress alone, or jointly to both depart.
ments OF the government SO far as I
am concerned. this will not be done
through any want of effort on my part
For more than seven weeks the presi
dent has known the will of congress
which expresses, consttutionally, the
will of the people If that declaration Is
not sufficient TO give our people security
against Spanish barbarity in violation
Of our treaties. or to impress the presi'
dent with its solemnity, we should not
and cannot in justice TO ourselves. omit
TO present the same facts and convic.
tions to the president In definite form
OF action that he cannot refuse To con-
slider.
Neither Spain nor the president
with the armies and navies OF both coun-
tries. and the aid of civil power given
the president under our laws; with the
terrors of Spanish cruelty, or the aid OF
our police and the Spanish police and the
Pinkertons in our ports-have been able
to prevent carrying OF men and muni-
tions OF war from the United States TO
Cuba. This effort has been prosecuted
with faithfulness and vigilance worthy
OF a better cause.
Spain fully understands the cause OF
our resentment and the justice OF the
Indignation of ctr people, and boasts
h. speeches from the throne that the
president is not IN sympathy with con-
Gress or the people. and for this cause
she adheres the more savagely to her
resolution that this shall be a war OF
determination and that we shall be COM
PEELED to call It peace and shall refuse
on that false declaration to give the
shelter OF the laws OF the war to those
who are moved by humanity TO help the
Cubans If an American who thus aids
q people fighting for liberty against
tyrannical monarhy escapes our peni
tentiaries and meets death IL he is cap
tured by the Spaniards. congress cannot
be justified in leaving him TO that fate.
when the declaration OF the government
that public war exists in Cuba would
save him from death under the inter
rational laws OF war.
THE president has refused to inform
congress of the attitude OF the execu-
tive department as to the conviction and
sentence TO Death OF our citizens who
were captured on the Competitor. That
is not negotiation. No new treaty is
needed to cover our rights on that sub
ject 1t is an accomplished fact. and the
victims are in prison under "a sentence
imposed upon them.
THE plea is urged for the delay Of
further action by congress that a recog-
Eition of beliigerency. merely will give
rise to new complications, and, II we do
anything, it is wiser tc recognize the
Independence of Cuba and leave it 10
Spain 10 declare war for that course. II
she resents such a course. That ground
is taken with no expectation of it's re-
sulting in such recognition. 1t is not
necessary that we should have a war
with Spain in order to give TO our citi-
zens the shelter OF The laws OF nations
in ,espect OF a public war that already
exists in Cuba. 1t is our own people
and not the Cubans that we should pro-
tect and this plain duty relates TO the
existing state of facts and not to con-
o.tions that may exist IL we should here
after be engaged in war with Spain"