The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-05
A LOUD PLANT
Leyeled as Usual at 'sOur Hated
President. -
This Time He Is Openly Accused
Of Letting Americans
ROT i'm CUBAN PRISONS
Informing Congress of
Their Plight.
Senator Morgan of Alabama
Plies the Lash This Time.
The Senate Goes Into Secret
Session About 1t.

Washington. June 5.-In the senate
today Mr. Morgan (Dem- Ala) asked
for action on his resolution requesting
the capture of the Competitor by a
Spanish war ship and the condemna-
tion to death of the United States citi-
zens, or whether any demand had been
made for the release of the citizens
The senator said that while the case
was one of great gravity involving the
unWarranted condemnation to death of
American citizens yet no information
was available except through press re-
ports and rumors. The executive branch
had not given the slightest informa ton
on the subject.
Mr. Morgan read the statutes re-
quiring the president to make a de-
mand for the release of American cit
izens. He argued that it was the duty
of the president under the constitution
to keep congress advised on the state
of the union and in particular on for
eign affairs. Of late courteous custom
had arisen to adopt resolutions max
ing requests on the president for in
formation, but this did not relieve the
president from the duty OF giving fun
information. And it was only of late
days, Mr.. Morgan said, that this fail
ure of the executive TO give informa-
ton to congress had grown
Some question was raised by Mr.
Sherman as to the prOpriety of Mr.. Nor
gan making public use Of testimony Of
Mr.. Lawrence before the committee on
foreign relations The Alabama sena-
tor sharply rejOined that there should
be no such cOncealment and hiding of
facts from the country.
Mr.. Morgan said that the testimony
of Lawrence who was present at the
Competitor trials at Havana showed
the grossly irregular character Of the
And yet" declared the senator. "the
president has paid no more attention
to the subject than though it had been
the slaughter of some poor Negro or
n1T1I2ff0 in the Cuban 1TmW'
Mr. Morgan said that he did not want
charges of leaving Washington, thus
committing to the president the sole au
thority, to demand or withhold a de-
mand, for the release of American cit
fzens to recognize or withhold recogni-
tfOn of belligereucy.
Mr.. Mills reminded Mr. Morgan that
the Lawrence testimony had shown
that the Americans on trial at Havana
had not understood any of the proceed
ings which were conducted in Spanish.
Yes" Mr. Morgan continued, "that
testimony of Mr Lawrence shows that
the entire trial was in the Spanish Ian
guage. When the American prisoner
was told to stand up he said:
II do not understand what you have
been saying. How am to answer yOu2
A brief explanation was made. Then
the sentence of death was pronounced
on that American citizen. The senator
said that occasional grOans and shrieks
were heard from the striker country
telling us of the terrible butchery so
ing on there, but so far as authentic
information was concerned, it was with
held. He had received letters from Gu
ba some with seals broken, detailing
the conditions prevalent there Before
the senate adjOurnS. it should know
from the president what the position is,
and if true that hundreds of men are
penned in small rooms. whether these
American citizens are to meet death
without a demand Mr.. Morgan said he
had great respect for the Office of pres
ident; it was an American characteris-
tic to he proud of their government.
But this was a government of law, not
Of provisional Will The president is en-
fOfned to execute the laws. he swears
in his official oath to obey the law. The
senate had requested information of
the president and he had replied that
it was Incompatible with the public in
terest, although section 2,O0l Of the stat
utes provided when a demand was
made for the release of an American,
that all the facts relative thereto as
soon as practicable, be communicated
by the president to congress"
The senator declared that every day
of the confinement of American pris-
onerss at Havana was a day of dishon-
or He did not know what would come
of the delay and inaction. Possibly in
the end the Americans would be so
humbled as to sue Spain for pardon.
But congress which was the sole war
power should not leave without auth
orizing that power to be used if neces-
IN the event that those American
prisoners are not released and deliver
ed to the president, concluded Mr..
Morgan we should authorize him to
send ships of war to Cuba and make
war sufficient to secure their release.
As Mr.. Morgan closed Mr.. Sherman
rose quickly and stated that the pro
/ ceedings were of such a character as
to come within senate rule 80 requir-
ing secrecy. Thereupon presiding Off
Ger Mr.. P1att directed the galleries to
! be cleared and the doors closed.
Rule 35 requiring secrecy is seldom
/ invoked being different from the rule
governing ordinary executive sessions