Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-11
DELOME TALKED TOO MUCH
He Touched Mr.. Lodge in a
Tender Spot.
GOT TOUCHED UP IN RETURN
2. The Morning Hour of the Senate Was Devoted
to Him.
A DIVORCE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE
Requiring One Years Residence in the Ter
ritories The Usual Fight Took Place
Over Postofice Appropri-
ation Item.
GOT TOUCHED UP IN RETURN
A DIVORCE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE

Washington, March 1o-The action of
the Spanish minister in correcting or
qualifying through the press statements
made in the senate on the subject OF
the war in Cuba, and particularly on the
subject of General Weyler's purposes and
character, was today made the ground
work of a question of personal privilege
by Mr. Lodge, republican, of Massachu-
sets. 1t was brought up Immediately al
ter the reading of the journal, and occu-
pied most of the time usually given TO
the business of the morning hour.
The galleries were thronged with spec
tators when today's session opened.
AS soon as the journal of yesterday
was read Mr.. Lodge rose to question
of personal privilege in relation to the
statement of the Spanish minister
through the newspaper press. That
statement accused him (Mr Lodge OF
having read to the senate report whlch
had been imposed upon him, and which
the minister had said was malicious
and fraudulent Misrepresentation. He
held in his hand copy of FL Liberat OF
Madrid, in which the interview with
General Weyler was published, and he
would have the article printed in the
, Record in Spanish, so that it might be
seen that the translation which he made
of it was correct. The Spanish word
limpiar meant to clean, to clean out, and
he had given it the translation of "exter-
inmate" That was what the Spanish
minister complained of. He (Mr. Lodge
could understand the sensitiveness of
the Spanish people, people who had In
300 years dissipated a great empire, but
he did not think there was any excuse
for the diplomatic representative OF
In fo which
taken. That minister had been referred
to in the debate yesterday as historian,
but his statements were ex parte. 1t was
a very we'll esta blished custom, in fact,
that debates in the senate and the house
were domestic matters, with which no
foreign nation had any concern. The
proper channel for diplomatic repre-
sentative to make representations on any
subject was through the state depart
ment, not through the newspapers. II
an American diplomat were to criticise in
an European country the debates of the
representative body of that country in
the newspapers he would be sent home.
He protested against having diplomatic
representative using as channel for
communication the newspapers of the
United States to criticise language ut
tered in debate in the senate of the Unit
ed States. The constitution protected
every senator and representative for Ian
guage uttered in debate. That was one
dom of the English speaking race.
He protested against any criticism on
the part of a foreign minister. He knew
very well what any other country In the
world would do under similar circum-
stances.
Mr.. Gray regretted that the senate did
not pursue the even tenor of it's way, un-
disturbed by emeutes in Madrid, or in
other Spanish cities. Why, he asked,
should the senate lay aside it's business
70 ho
lation of a newspaper article in Spanish
between the senator from Massachusetts,
and the minister from Spain? 1t was
quarrel upon point-no-point.
Mr. Teller said that 1t had been the un-
broken rule in diplomatic affairs that the
agent of foreign country shall not inter-
fere with domestic affairs There should
be no comment made by any foreign min
lister on parliamentary proceedings in
the country to which he is accredited.
Twice in the history of the United
States ministers of great countries had
been sent home-once to France and once
to Great Britain-for a much less offense
than the Spanish minister had been gull
ty of. He would not say that If he were
president he would send the Spanish min
lister home.
Under the circumstances and consider
ing the friction which had arisen in Spain
he should have not sent him home, but
he should have suggested very kindly to
him through the secretary of state that
repetition of it would necessitate his leav-
Ing the country.
Mr. Hoar remarked that Spain would
have no right to regard concurrent res
olutions as binding the American people
The declaration of the senate of the Uni
ted States was like the declaration of In
dividual senators and no quality of au-
thority.
Mr.. Teller said as to that that he did
not suppose that the Spanish people or
the Spanish government would consider
the question. They would treat the con-
current resolutions as declaration of
the American people, and they had a
right to treat it. And they had a right
to take offense at 1t. But they had no
right to go to war on account of 1t. He
went on to show that he was an ardent
sympathizer with the Cubans in their
fight. He should be delighted to hear to-
day that Havana was in the hands of the
insurgents. He should be delighted to
know that the Cubans had run the Span
ish forces into the sea. But he had not
the slightest feeling against the Spanish
government He had not the slightest
feeling of impatience because of the con-
dition ofcosoaffbdaoinaoin aoin aoi aoin
duct of irresponsible Spanish students
But If he were president and If the Span
ish minister repeated his offense he would
give him his walking papers and send
him home.
Mr. Chandler. republican. of New
Hampshire, said that the matter COM
nlained of by Mr. Lodge was entirely un-
becoming in a minister from Spain to the
United States That communication
ought not to have been written. He ask
ed Mr.. Gray whether II Minister Bayard
had addressed a communication to the
London Times criticising remarks or
Lord Salisbury Mr.. Chamberlain and
others In the British parliament. he
would not think that very improper
proceeding.
MT. Gray explained his view to be that
the Spanish minister had been guilty of
q technical violation of diplomatic
nsages, but that great allowance should
be made for him. He (Mr Cray felt that
n1agnanimity and forbearance on the