The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-03-12

The message General Grant sent to
congress was as pertinent today as it was
at that time.
Mr.. Gray interrupted to ask what re-
suit had come from General Grants mes
sage. 1t had, continued Mr.. Hale,
brought the congressional resolution to
nothing. That message was so distinct,
so unanswerable that in the presence of
that great, calm man all excitement dis
appeared and the resolution came to
naught.
Portions of General Grants message
were read from the desk.
Mr.. Hale said the insurgents now fight
ing in Cuba had no legislatures, no court.
no organization, such as General Grant
had set forth as absolutely requisite to
the recognition of a state of war. Their
power, he said, is sealed in struggling
bands, occupying struggling camps, and
to this day not only have the insurgents
not won n battle, but they have not
fought in any worthy of the name.
Mr.. Hale compared the condition in
Spain with that in the South when the
Confederacy was recognized. He said
the Confederacy was completely organ
lied with full executive and legislative
branches, established courts and for
midable army and navy. And yet at that
time our state department., presided over
by Mr.. Seward, urged and protested to
European powers against even a limited
recognition of, the Confederacy and al
ways afterwards insisted on the rescind-
ing Of that recognition.
did Spain ever rescind?" interjected
Mr.. Mitchell of Oregon.
Mr.. Hale said he was glad to hear
this inquiry, as it allowed an answer to
those who seemed to think Spain was
less. friendly to us than other powers
at the time of the civil war. No nation,
declared Mr.. Hale, showed the friendly
disposition that Spain showed at that
time. Never did she allow British
more than an hour. When such pri-
yateer entered with American prisoners
Spain demanded and secured their re-
lease.
Mr.: Hale said the only explanation
for the public and press clamor against
Spain was that the country and con-
gress. had been falsely and mendacious-
ly misled with conditions which did not
exist.
Mr.. Hale referred to the statements
made by Mr. Sherman as to the atroc.
ties committed by General Weyler. II
had since been shown that there was an
ingenious effort to hasten on the Span
ish-Cuban situation of today by events
of 10 years ago. But these alleged
events were mendacous fabrications,
fiction from beginning to end, set up by
somebody to distort public feeling.
AT this point sensational event oc-
Cured which no one had anticipated
and which for time threw the senate
into great excitement. Mr.. Hale said
the Spanish minister, Senior Dupuy de-
LONE, had made statement as to the
allegations against Spain. 1t was not
surprising that the minister had done
this fttingly and automatically
Mr.. Hale sent the Spanish minis
ter's statement to the clerks desk to be
read. 1t had hardly been begun when
Senator Davis of Minnesota arose and
interrupted.
Mr.. President, said he, / object to the
reading of any matter npt transmitted
through the usual channels and reflect
ing on members of this body.
Immediately there was a stir on the
floor and galleries.
Mr.. Hale protested against such an
objection.
There was nothing personally often
sive to senators in the Spanish minis
ter's statement. 1t was not an attack
on the senate; but was couched with Il
nicely OF Difference to senators.
Mr.. Mitchell of Oregon asked if it
was not an invariable rule that foreign
ministers credited to this country should
not deal in affairs relating to the United
States.
There were pointsfof order from var
lous quarters and many senators were
ON their feet seeking to gain recogni-
ton. The vice president announced the
rule, that in case of objection to reading
q communication the senate must decide
by vote as to receiving it.
Mr.. Teller of Colorado said the obiec-
tl0n to the minister's statement was not
based on its offensiveness to the senate.
but the established rule that any com
munication from foreign minister must
be submitted through the channels of
the state department.
Mr.. Morgan made point of order
against proceeding with the minister's
statement.
Mr. Hale had stood calmly during the
storm of protests. He said it was n
most remarkable fact that senators would
not hear this statement of facts.
Mr., Frye suggested that Mr.. Davis
withdraw his point of orded and allow
the paper to be read and that in reply n
communication in the Washington Post
of prominent Cuban (the secre-
tary of the Cuban legation in Washing
toni be read.
The suggestion to also give the Cuban
side hearing was received with demon
stration by the galleries.
Mf hale declined, saying the state
ment should be read in the time Of some
bther senator. Continuing, Mr.. Hale
lent to the desk and had read q COM
hunication to the New York World
from DR.. VIM. Shaw Bowen, a commune
cation mot concerned in the organs of
the insurrection, but written by man
compelled to tell the truth, in newspa-
per whose sympathies were with the in
surgents. but which was broad enough to
print both sides. The extract referred to
General Weyler as greatly traduced
man" who had been Systematically at
tackled" by the enemies of the Spanish
cause This communication. extracted
from an unwilling Witness" Mr.. Hale
said, he would place against anything
written by the Cubans in this city. He
also read from current news dispatches
of the burning by the insurgents of -
towns and the destruction of tobacco and
the inhabitants wandering helpless and
starving through the country. These,
said he, are the methods adopted to de-
feat Spain.
Here" he continued, "are the exalting
details in newspapers which sympathize
with the insurgents"
Liberty" he added, "does not fight
it's battles in that way. Freedom springs
from prison bars, burning lips; aye. from