The San Francisco call., 1896-04-05
By Their Gallant Struggle the
Prosecuted Natives Are
Gaining Freedom.
ARE ABLE TO HOLD THEIR OWN
Some Statesmen, However, Object to
Aiding the Insurgents and
Force Postponement.


cause of Cuba was the subject of consid-
Grafton in the House to-day. There were
so many members desiring to speak that it
was arranged to hold a night session in
order to give them all an opportunity to
be heard and to take the vote imm ediately
after the reading OF the journal Monday.
The speakers today were: Adams (R.) of
Pennsylvania, Knox (R.) of Massachu-
setts, Cockreli (D.) of Texas, Newlands
tSilver) of Nevada, Stewart (R.) OF New
Jersey, Walsh CD of New York. Quigg
(R.) of New York, Wheeler CD of Ala
bama, Buck (D.) of Louisiana, supporting
the resolution, and Gillette (R.) of Massa-
chusetts, Elicit CD of Virginia, Russell
CD of Georgia and Turner I'd. }, of Georgia
opposing it.
Mahany (R.) of New York stated he
would vote for the resolutions, but critl-
cized the Foreign Affairs Committee for
bringing them into the House.
Before entering upon the consideration
of the Cuban resolution the House passed
bill to pension John M. Thayer of
Nebraska, formerly major-general in the
volunteer service, at the rate of $1OO
month.
The report of Elections Committee No. 1
in the case of Robinson VS.. Harrison from
the Third Alabama District in favor of
Harrison, the sitting member, was pre-
sented and agreed to.
The report of the same committee upon
the case OF Goodwin VS.. Cobb, from the
Fifth Alabama District, unseating Cobb
and seating Goodwin was presented by
Judge Daniels, chairman, who stated that
he would ask the House to consider it on
the 18th inst.
The House was not long in getting to
work on the Cuban business-the morning
hour matters being disposed of with great
rapidity.
Fisher (R.) of New York asked unani-
nous consent for the present consideration
OF resolution directing the Secretary of
Agriculture to carry out the seed distribu-
ton as formerly, but after the presenta-
ton of unanimous report of Elections
Committee No. l, in the case of Robinson
VS.. Harrison, from the Third Ala bama
District, in favor of the contestee and the
majority report of the same committee on
the Goodwin-Cobb case from the Fifth
District in the same State, Hit
of Illinois called up the conferenc
report on the Cuban resolutions, and
Adams (R.) of Pennsylvania, one OF the
members Of the committee, took the floor.
He denied that sentiment had changed
with respect to recognizing the belliger-
ency of the Cubans since the passing of
the original resolutions in the House
Of Representatives. He deprecated the at
tempt to create a race prejudice against
Cubans, and asserted that all the leaders,
except Maceo, were whites, and not ne
groes and mulattoes. as has been reported,
He quoted from the correspondence sent
to Congress some weeks ago to show that
the best class of Cubans had joined the in
surgents. Spain had not kept the prom
ises which she made to the Cubans after
the last rebellion closed, and this was the
cause of the present uprising. He detailed
at some length the reasons why the
Cubans were entitled to a recognition of
belligerent rights, and explained in pass
ing that their capital was SO impregnable
that the 5000 Spanish troops but six miles
distant had not attempted to capture it.
The Cubans, he insisted, possessed all the
requisites for recognition. He quoted
official authorities to show that Spain ha d
120,0 900 regular troops, with an auxiliary
force of 40, 900 Cuban volunteers, and that
they were opposed by $4,000 insurgents,
10000 of whom were well armed and
equipped. Notwithstanding this the
Spanish forces had not gained a foot of
territory, but had been driven back to the
very gates of Havana.
Adams thought the time had now come
when something should be done, and he
believed that if recognition of belliger-
ency would help the Cubans the House
ought to adopt the pending resolutions.
Adams, in conclusion, said Spain would
not conquer Cuba and that that country
would join the ranks of those nations
whose governments are dedicated to the
highest and best interests of man, where
white and black had the same civil and
religious rights, and which were admin
istered without domination from any Euro
pean power. IApplause.l
Knox (R. of Massachusetts, said that q
state of war did exist in Cuba; that some
where among the Businesses of the noun
tains of that island, the ancient strong
hold of liberty, there had been established
government, founded upon Justice and
equality of men. and that the Cuban army
had made marches, fought battles and en-
dured privations which had challenged the
admiration of the world.
The duty devolved upon the United
States, where free government had its
highest development. to recognize the
belligerency of the Cuban insurgents, that
they might have their liberty and that
they might be as free as ourselves.
Gillette (R.) of Massachusetts, opposed
the resolutions. He admitted that the
overwhelming sentiment of the House, as
manifested by the vote of several weeks
ago, probably represented public opinion :;
but this matter should not be decided by
public opinion, for the reason that public
opinion was not the law and right of the
case but he considered it only as an ex-
preston of sympathy with the Cubans.
Granting belligerency to the Cubans, he
said, was not a function or prerogative of
the legislative power but of the executive,
and the passage of the resolutions would
be usurpation on the part of Congress.
The motive behind the resolutions, Gillette
said, the reason why the Cubans desired
their passage, was that they would lead to
a war between Spain and the United