The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-15
WHY SHOULDN'T THEY
nURA RESPECT THOSE WHO
ansPnoT THEMSELVES.
ms Is ALSO THE RULE WITH NATIONS
4 Rus6 Against the Treatment that American
Citizens Have Received in Cuba
At the Hands Of

Wellington, d. O., July Ex-senator
Dayis chairman Of the committee on
Y>reigp Relations to-day reported from
thst Committee the following joint reso-
I1tisu:
NhaA the President be empowered to
take such measures as in his judgment
~av he necessary to obtain the release
fsom the Spanish government OF Ona
Melton, Alfred o. Laborde and VIM. Gii-
der. and the restoration of the schooner
O>npetitor to her owner and to secure
his he 10 authorized and requested to
snploy such means or exercise such pow
q - may be necessary.
The report recites all the facts that
have been brought out in the Competitor
ease, her ownership, capture and citizen
ahip Of the three men named in the reso-
hfsn together with the proceedings thus
m had by the Spanish authorities. the
triai sentence, etc The report charac-
texizes il q "mockery of trial" The
Afidavits OF the parties are cited to
show that they were soerced into
Spanish waters, in which case they
were not amenable to Spanish jurisdic-
ton. They were not subject to piracy
and intended no act of depreciation on the
high seas, nor were they subject to the
Spanish authorities on account of alleg-
I'd rebellion.
The report then says. Irrespective
~ z$fr,a &.a,e
the conduct of Spain, as herein before
detailed, constitutes such delay and de-
nal of justice and such an actual infiic-
ton Of injustice upon these
men es TO make it the
duty CT this government to de-
rnand reparation therefor irrespective Of
any act which these prisoners may have
committed up to the date Of their cap
ture. Among the acts of reparation
which ought to be demanded should be
the release Of these captives."
Secretary Evarts is quoted to sustain
this position. The report declares that
the rights OF the men have been violated
and continues: .They have been tried
and sentenced to death by summary
naval court martial in proceeding
which has been annulled by the Appellate
courts Of Madrid, upon the ground that
such court martial had no jurisdiction
whatever over them. Ten months have
elapsed since this death sentence was
annulled and they have not again been
brought to trial. In the meantime they
have been subjected to protracted pre-
liminary examinations preparatory to
their trial by another court martial
which differs from the first only in the
fact that it is less summary and more
formal in its character than the first" !"
The report says that the men at the
first trial did not know until after the
testimony what the prosecution was, in
that no interpreter was present and the
only translation made to them was at
the close OF the sanguinary proceedings
when they were asked if they had any
thing to say, and necessarily they could
have little to say, yet one of them pro-
tested that he had not understood one
word of the proceedings against him by
which his life was adjudged forfeited.
with these protests" continues the re-
port, "the trial ended, and the defend
ants were Immediately sentenced to
death. 1t is now fourteen months since
they were arrested, during all of which
time they have been held in the Cabanas
Fortress as prisoners. Melton and
Laborde are unquestionaby citizens of
the United States, Glide is a British
subject, but he was a sailor upon an
American vessel when taken,
was actig as its mate, and it is the
opinion Of your committee that he is en-
titled to be protected by this govern
ment. He was serving the flag and he
is entitled to be protected by it."