The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-08

century," declared Senator Perkins.
vshementiy. was an act OF war and I
believe that It Is 80 regarded by the
nations OF the world. No offer OF
PREPARATION could wipe out the feeling
OF the people OF this country upon the
matter and Intensity has been added
10 that feeling by the almost frivolous
manner tn which the disaster has been
treated by Spain. The only honorable
acton for this country now to take -
IN intervene and free Cuba from the
yoke Of SPAIN"
Senator Mantle. Of Montana. followed
with an extended speech upoa teie alb
orhsn topic OF Cuba, in whach he de-
ciared that ne favored the independ-
ence % the Cuban people. who for
years had been struggling for thelr
freedom Il would" said ne. give my
unqualified endorsement and vote In
favor Or directing the president 10 use
the armed forces, both land and ma
val. 10 the savagcry that ls
now rampant upon that fair Island.
The time for action has arrived and
the sooner it Is taken the Better &c
VIII be for al concerned"
Senator Rawlins. OF Utah. SAID the
case between Spain and the rrstei
States was made UP. Ii was no longer
for the executive TO decide what course
to pursue. Win rested tho
responsibility OF declaring war and as
This was h pressing duty the prcS-
dent was no longer the party To b.
criticised IL any one was to Toe. Con-
gress can, II It Wills. he said. decide IL
have peace with incidental outrage and
ciandestine murder. As FOR himself. he
Ord not choose to accept peace under
such circumstances. He opposed fur
Their delay. The destruction II the
Maine and the clandestlne murder OF
200 Of our sailors had occurred forty
atp~hf IA ~ Gip~a hut sn.Hz 4.~R 49,. al
For three years the Spanish authorl-
ties had been imprisoning and murder
ing American citizens. or these facts
the executive doubtless had been fully
advised by the consular reports. hut
these reports had been h on the
plea that IL woud endanger the safety
OF our officials in Cuba to give them
out. II this was true IL revealed a
wretched state Of afNairs.
| Continuing, Senator Rawlins said de-
lay had been sought last week by the
friends OF the president on the plea that
a message was soon to be sent in from
the president which would meet all the
demands OF the country At the same
time the private and confidential sec
rotary OF the president was sending a
message To his friends. urging them to
the utmost exertion to bring pressure
TO bear to secure peace.
! Senate Eawlins criticised our hating
L cilN IA SAsoiS EfliS uAbt.. saying Aslll
is was such as to justify Spain in hold
ing the United States in contempt. Tie
| added that the crime Of the explosion
/ of the Maine was due TO our own In
decision and cowardice. and tina such
an act would never have been perpe-
trated upon any other nation.
In conclusion, Senator Rawlins made
an argument for an absolute declara-
ton of war instead Of a declaration for
armed Intervention.
The sundry civil appropriation bin
was then taken UP.
AT 5 O'Clock the senate went into ex-
ecutive session and soon afterward ad-
| journed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
While there WAS no attempt to force
| consideration for a resolution regard
ing the Cuban SITUATION IN the house
today, there was a brief outbreak, IN
the course OF which the warlike tenn
per of the crowded galleries was so
manifest that Speaker Reed fhreaten-
cd 10 clear them II 1t was repeated. The
outbreak occurred over a motion by Mr..
cannon to pass the senate resolution
to authorize the president to erect tenn
porary f~ortiications. in case OF emer-
gency, upon land when the written con-
sent of the owners was obtained. with
u awaiting the long process Of legal
condemnation.
This lead TO a demand by Mr.. Bailey.
the democratic leader, for information
| as to the facts which warranted all
these war measures, The particular
statement which aroused the galleries.
was to the effect that While the DEM
ocrats were willing to wait any reason
able time for the president to transmit
"a message that would meet the an
prevail of the American people, they
WOULD not wait a minute for him TO
continue negotiations with the butch
ers OF Spain" When the ~emonstra
tions in the galleries were rebuked by
the Speaker, he (Bailey) declared that the
galleries were the American people In
miniature. Mr.. Cannon accused Mr..
Bailey Of "posturing" and playing TO
the galleries.
Mr.. LentZ, Of Ohio, said he thought
an amendment he desired TO offer TO
recognize the Independence Of Cuba
should be attached to the bill. Spain
had recognized the ~confederacy within
thirty days after Sumter was fired on.
Why Mould we hesitate?
Mr.. Williams, democrat. Of MiSsissip-
pi, a OF the foreign affairs
committee, at this juncture made an
important statement %conecring the fact
that the committee had adjourned
within an hour and that some dis
closures had been made which sealed
the lips OF all the members OF the com
Tnfttee, republicans and democrats
ankle. He said the proposed amend
mFent at this time was ~inuppontune. II
believe" said ne. that when we move
We Should move In phlanx and in line.
On this side our position ia known and
understood by h country. To en-
pnasize 1t now might do more harm
pnan good" As an emergency war
measure, he would, ne said. support
this bill.
Mr.. Maddox, democrat. Of Georgia,
houSh and the country
should be fully Informed OF all the
facts regarding the crisis. 80 that men,
bers could proceed with elaboration.
IL there was to he war II would be the
war on the people OF the United States
and not OF any party; but there should
De no hasty fmpetuous plunge into war.
The members OF the congress of 1851.
he said, plunged the country dnbo war