The herald., 1898-04-07
CONGRESS MEETS
BUT A CUBAN MESSAGE is NOT
FORTHCOMING
GEN. LEE ASKSFORTIME
TO GET AMERICAN CITIZENS OUT
OF CUBA
A VAST CROWD DISAPPOINTED
A VAST CROWD DISAPPOINTED
From the Angeleno's Standpoint the
Session Was Satisfactory, for
San Pedro Item Passed
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, April 6.-At the request
of the president, Repres entative Hopkins
of Illinois took Representative Berry Of
Kentucky, a member of the foreign affalro
committee; Mr.. Sayers Of Texas, the rank
ing member of the minority Of the appro.
priations committee; Mr.. Dinsmore, Dem.
ocraO of Arkansas. the ranking member
of the foreign affairs committee, and Mr..
Newlands, Silver Republican, Of Nevada,
to the White House this afternoon and
showed them General Lees cablegram.
The cablegram said that General Lee was
loading twenty-five hundred Americana
and 1t would be impossible to get them
| out Of the islands before Sunday. He said
| the condition of affairs was infiamed and
the transmittal of the message might cause
| trouble. The president frankly explained
| the situation. He said the message would
| have gone in today had 1t not been for
General Lees cable The safety Of Amert-
cans in Havana and General Lees per-
sonal safety made delay imperative The
Democrats all expressed themselves ~
satisfied.
AN EXPECTANT CROWD
WASHINGTON, April GA memorable
scene was presented at the opening Of the
Senate today. An audience that tested the
full capacity of the accommodations had
filled the galleries hours before the Senate
convened. 1t was by no means an ordi-
nary crowd of gallery habitues. Members
of the families of most Of the distin-s
guished men in American public life were
there, prominent representatives Of sew
eral foreign legations occupied the Dip
lomatic gallary and persons distinguished
in all walks Of life had come to witness
that which promised to form an important
page In American history.
A message was to be received from the
President of the United States that might
in it's results mean war between two
great nations and intense interest border.
ing upon anxiety was depicted on every
countenance.
In the private gallery sat Mrs. John A.
Logan, widow Of the brilliant BLACK
jack" who won fame on many hard
fought field and served long in the body
upon which his widow now looked. Ac-
companying her was Miss Cisneros, her
ward, who was rescued from Spanish
prison where she had been incarcerated
| for allegiance to the cause of Cuba and
her agents. In the diplomatic gallery was
the distinguished Sir Julian Pauncefote,
the Ambassador of Great Britain. It was
the first time he had been in this place
since the Inauguration of President Nc
Kinley, and at that time he occupied q
seat on the floor Of the Senate.
Seats in the Executive gallery had been
reserved for a party from the White House,
but their occupants were late In coming.
Senator Proctor was the first Senator to
make his appearance on the floor. AS he
| quietly wended his way through the Senate
to his seat, the people in the galleries recog.
nized him and slight ripple Of applause
ran through the great crowd. Mr.. Proctor
seemed to be embarrassed by the attention
which he received, and soon afterward dis
appeared in the cloak room.
| A vase of beautiful Faster lilies occupied
the desk of Senator Foraker.
Mr.. Allison asked unanimous consent that
the Senate resume consideration Of the
sundry civil bill. This was agueed to, and
amid buzz in the galleries the clerk began
to read the bill.
Mr.. Davis, chairman of the Committee on
| Foreign Relations, moved that the Senate
go into executive session. Division was
demanded and the vote, 25 to H. disclosed
the absence of quorum. A call of the
Senate was requested. While this was
proceeding. hundreds in the galleries
awaited the action of the Senate with al.
most breathless interest, as all realized
that after waiting for hours to hear the
message read in the Senate, they were
likely now to be disappointed. The call Of
the Senate indicated the presence of rs
members.
Mr.. Mills of Texas expressed the hope
that the call for the yeas and nays upon
the motion Of Mr. Davis would be with.
drawn and that the Senate might without
division go into executive session. On a
viva voce vote, the motion prevailed, and
the Vice-President at 1:35 pm ordered the
galleries cleared. Eight minutes after the
Senate resumed legislative business in
open session. AS soon as 1t became noised
that the galleries were again opened, a
tremendous rush began, and few min
utes later the galleries were again nearly
filled.
After the galleries had been cleared Sem
ator Davis explained the reason for the
delay in sending the message. He said
1t was due to the fact that there had been
some delay in getting Consul-General Lee
and other Americans out Of Havana, and
that more time was absolutely necessary
FOR this purpose. Hence the President did
not consider 1t wise or humane to send Ia
the message which might precipitats SER
ious trouble and endanger the lives Of
these people.
The reading of the bill was concluded
and the amendments which had been
passed over informally were taken up.
An amendment by Mr.. Cullom appro.
priatdng $4,000 to restore the banks of the
Ohio river at Shawneetown, Ills, recently
swept away by floods. was adopted.
SAN PEDRO SAFE
The provision in the sundry civil bill
appropriating four hundred thousand dol-
lars for the construction Of deep water