The times., 1897-07-15
RELEASE THE PRISONERS
The President Requested to Protect
His Countrymen.
4 Strong Resolution Reported by
the Foreign Relations Commits
tee in the Melton Case.

The following resolution was submitted
Davis, of the Foreign Relations Committee:
THAT the President be empowered TO
take such measures as in his judgment
nav be necessary to obtain the release
from the Spanish government Of ona Mel
ton, Alfred O. Laborde, and william Gil
der, and the restoration of the schooner
OsIDpetiror to her owner, and TO secure
this he is authorized and requested 10
efaJ,loy slch means or exercise such po"er
as Ilay be necessary
This actson OF the committee is largely
in response to the resolution introduced
last week by Senator Berry of Arkansas
who made a vigorous speech showing that
Il the Government should act with firm
hand to secure the release OF ona Melton,
and that a demand should be made upon
Spain to that end.
It is not unlikely that this report VIII
be debated in the Senate, but what action
Will Follow IS pIoblematc. There Is, oL
coulse chance that, even If the Senate
acts on this and similar resolutions nav
ing a tendency TO display the hand u the
Administration, what is done in the Senate
win never be acted on in the House,
and so tie game of inaction VIII De com
picte.
As tie history OF the Coinpe tlicr S
capture is familiar TO all readers OF news
naners, the Following extracts from the
report of the Committee on Foreign Re
lations. accompanying the resolution. will
be interesting:
The conduct OF Spain as i.eEeiEbefore
detailed, constitutes sIch delay ;tpd de-
nial Of Justice and such an actual in
Fiction Of injustice upon these pien as to
make it the duty OF this Govern ment to
demand repaIation therefor, irrespective
of any act which these prisoners may have
committed up &c the date OF their cap
ture Among the acts of reparation which
ought to be demanded should be the
release OF these captives.
.They have been tried and sentenced TO
death by a summary naval court martial
in a proceeding which has been annul!ed
by the appellate courts OF Madrid, upon
the ground that such q court martial had
no Jurisdiction whatever over them. Ten
months have elapsed since this death SEN
tence was aRnulled, and they have not
again been brought To trial. In the mean
time they have been subjected 10 pro-
tracted preliminary examinations, pre-
paratory TO their trial by another court
martial which differs from the first only
in the fact that il Is less summary ard
more formal in its character than the first
1.-THE trial ended and the defendants
were Immediately sentenced 10 death II
is now fourteen months since they W wsTf
arrested, during all OF which titne t..ey
have been held III the Cabanas fortress
as prisoners Melton and Laborde are
| unauestionably citizens OF the United States
Glider Is a British subject, but he was q
sailor upon an American vessel When
| taken, was acting as it's mate, and il is
the opinion of your committee that he Is
entitled to be protected by this Govern
ment He was serving under tine flag
| and lie is entitled TO be protected 10y it.
I'm our opinion. these acts OF delay and
denial OF justice and OF the infiiction of
| Injustice. vitiate and make void any right
which Spain had in the beginning Of this
| transaction TO proceed crininally against
any OF these men This Government should
| demand thatthey lie set at liberty and that
! the Competitor be restored to her owner
as there is no evidence that the owler
knew anything about the divergence Of the
| vessel from. its regular voyage TO Lemon
| City, Fla"