The San Francisco call., 1897-03-21

uoiy cause OF freedom when we DO nOtnlnS 70
aid those who are following our glorious ex.
ample? Do we deserve that which we enjoy II
we Will not hearken to those who are strug-
| Cling for liberty?
FeiloW-citizens, the words that we are utter
| ing tonight may not outlive the hour they
are spoken. The resolutions so luminous and
so true that have been read, may not attract
| the eye OF those who have power to act and TO
speak. Our united voice may not cause one
word to be echoed IN Washington that will do
this cause good, but SO sure as the sun rises to-
morrow, so sure as the cause of justice is
right, and so sure as the cause of liberty is
| just and holy l believe that the liberty of the
Gu bans is in sight or will come. (Long-con-
tinued appiause.1 / do not know what you
| think now, do not know what my friends
think who voted no, but want to hear all in
favor OF the resolution say aye.
The applause that followed was deafen-
ing. Amid the yell of ''aye" which rose
in thunderous tones if there was one per-
son who said mo- his voice could not be
distinguished.
| Mr.. Shortridge then stepped from the
platform and Mayor Phelan essayed to
speak, but the applause rose to such pitch
and was so long-continued that he could
not say word. At the beckoning hands of
those on the platform Mr.. Shortriige was
obliged to return. As he was once more
| escorted by the Mayor to the front OF the
platform there was one long cheer and
| Immediately afterward the ticking of
clock could have been distinctly heard.
Mr.. Chairman, he said, am afraid that
| will be like Corbett-go up once too often.
Laughter and cheers yielded in a moment
| OF weakness to come again before you. There
| is one thought that would have lodged in
your minds and abide in your hearts forever,
and that is that the man who is ashamed or
afraid to plead the cause of this country in
season or out of season is in my judgment not
true citizen. [Great applause.l 1 wish,
since you have done me the great honor,
which l very fully appreciate, of wishing
to be detained moment longer by
me, 1 wish to enforce this thought also
little more clearly, perhaps, as to the right
OF belligerents in q case such as this. say
that, according to the books that have been
written upon the subject OF law, I say, accord
ing to the construction that has been placed
upon the treaties and the duties of
one State or one nation not to inter-
fere with the affairs of another, that the
occasion is now, wnen this country. with
out violating our treaty, could recognize
state OF belligerency and accord to both
sides of the controversy equal privileges to
purchase arms and munitions of war, equal
privileges to fit out cruisers, equal privileges
to purchase whatsoever may be essential to
| the carrying on of the conflict.
Remember that so far Spain has treated
these men as simply fnsurgents-has treated
them with the brutality so ably portrayed by
the talented and honorable gentleman to
| whom you have already listened and the
| point is whether the United States, recogniz-
| ing her treaty with Spaiu-keeping her
hands of-may now under international
law accord to these patriots the
privilege OF belligerents engaged in
revolution. And If the books were here,
though l would invite those who have the
interests of this matter deeply at heart to
consult a work in three volumes termed "The
Constitutional War of the United States"
| containing the messages of Presidents, Con-
tanning the instructions of Secretaries Of State
! to our foreign Ministers and ambassadors,
! the construction placed upon this question
| OF belligerency; and I repeat it not dogmati-
/ cally, but as the humble opinion of an humble
| man; repeat 1t that If Thomes jefferson were
in the Presidential chair, if Monroe, if Clay, if
Webster unfortunately he never was but he
should have been there) they would have seen
| ample opportunities to recognize state of
war existing in Cuba And that is all that is
necessary, an actual open state of war; to en-
| title people to be recognized as belligerents
| lam not now speaking of recognizing them
| as sovereignty, as free peope; they have
| not yet fought their battle to success, but
hope and believe, II 1t is not too late, and / do
not wish to criticize those who have passed. as
| will not criticize those now in power, that
the time is now when William Mckinley
| has the constitutional right and will
have the courage and the Americanism to
recognize the belligerency OF the Cuban
patriots. [Uproarious applause.l
| We can do no more tonight Liberty has
had hard struggle in this world.
| Man has enslaved his brother, white and
black, and we would have owned the island
| of Cuba in 1852 If it had not been for the un-
fortunate and, as 1t proved to be, sad fact of
negro slavery in this country.
We would have owned Cuba then, but the
fear was that slavery would be perpetuated
and the slave power would be strengthened.
Thank GOO, slavery in our country is dead
forevermore. The Cuban slave has risen to
burst his chains asunder.
May heaven smile upon and bless his sacred
cause, the hottest cause that ever nerved the
arm or fred the heart of man-the sublime
and glorious of Freedom.
Colonel T. V. Eddy in response to the
call of the chairman, then mounted the
platform amid prolonged applause:
notice, he began, that the hour is getting
late an we have listened to about all that can
De SAID. In my judgment, although we have a
very greatquestion to discuss When invited,
| something like two weeks ago. to come here
to say few words tonight, did not know
that so large number of distinguished gen.
tlemen were to talk to you and it has been
matter of the greatest qualification to me to be
permitted 10 81. as an auditor and listen to the
| burning words of eloquence that have issued
from the almost inspired lips OF the dis
tinguished gentlemen who have preceded me.
| (Applause.1
| 1t would be useless, and deem it unneces-
sary. for me to say, being the son. as am, of
| man who went down once into the valley of
| the shadow of death and barred his bosom to the
bullet of the enemy OF this great Nation that
that flag might still float in the sky that
when 1 was requested to come here tonight
| and to say what might be able to say in my
-