The times., 1898-04-13
CUBA IN THE SENATE
Absolute Freedom of the Island
Is Demanded.
MASON'S IMPASSI0NED PLEA
Messrs. Pettus and Butler Also Rinse
Their Voices in the Causc of Lib
erty-A Field Day for Patriotism
in the American Congress - MI.
Lindsey to the Front

After number of resolutions had been
submitted by senators yesterday in the
Senate. Mr. Pettus obtained the floor.
Mr. Mason. who had given notice on
the day previous that he wanted to
speak. arose and said he did not want
to cut off any senator who wanted to
talk on Cuba, but that he wanted little
time before the expiration of the morn
ing hour in which to state his views. Mr..
Pettus then proceeded as follows:
ut is declared in the Good Book said
Senator Pettus, in the Senate today :" re-
move not the ancient landmarks. which
our fathers have set The book goes
further and says that cursed be he that
shall remove such landmarks"
Mr.. Pettus declared that he wanted to
call the attention of the Seante to some
of these landmarks.
zone of these is that Congress shall
have the power to declare war. 1t is
given to the President to execute that
declaration.
Congress also has the power to limit
the war which it declares.
THE Supreme Court has decided that
| a war may be limited.
''The war with France in 1850 was a
| limited war.
But Congress has no authority to dele
| gate this power to the President or to any
! other officer.
THE Congress must order what the
! war shall be- and it is the duty of the
! President not to go beyond that order.
where the sovereign power of the
States has located the authority to make
laws. there it should remain.
Congress cannot give the President
authority to wage war or not, according
| III.
Now. what are we advised to do by
the President? To declare war against
| Spain? No.
ITO recognize the independence of
Cuba? No.
ITO recognize their beligerency? No.
But we are advised to delegate to the
President the power to make war or not,
| as he sees fit.
| For Gods sake let us keep within our
constitutional power.
| 1--WE must take the responsibility and if
war is to be made we must declare it..
Immediately after Mr.. Pettus had con-
cluded Mr.. Mason took the floor and was
listened to with great interest by both
senators and galleries. He spoke as fol-
lows:
Mr.. President, the great hindrance TO
civilization has been the disposition OF
humanity to fail to take advantage Of the
| experience of others. In this great crisis
1t would seem the part of wisdom Tor one
inexperienced in the art of statecraft
to see what some of the men of our
country have suggested and stood for
under similar circumstances. With this
thought in view. then, of learning from
unselfsh men who are recorded in the
annals of our nation as great and good
men, inspired with the love of liberty, |
am sure. Mr.. President, l may be for
given if 1 appeal to the records and to
the very words of Henry Clay, and TO
the records and conduct of the Congress
of the United States.
A Declaration of war.
'As before announced to you in language
which could not be misunderstood. / am
for war. and have been since the hour
our flag was lowered in Havana harbor
and the lives of our citizens taken by
the government of Spain. But l am and
have been for this declaration of war
only as a means of securing an honorable
peace.
Il have been indulging in hope
that seemed almost certainty
that the Executive would recon-
mend intervention and independence
, to the Cuban republic. Intervention by
| force of arms, recommended by the
President, is war To declare for inter-
ly, for war seems TO lack frankness and
savors too much of Spanish diplomacy"
Mr. Mason stated that he was following
the way blazed by Henry Clay when he
: pleaded for the emancipation of South
= America from the Spanish yoke. Con-
tinuing he said:
Mr. President, I now cali attention to
the action taken by Congress in 1896
oh, cho hat no nf
United States. Notwithstanding the ac-
ton of President Jackson quoted in the
message / quote now from the Presi-
dents message of yesterday, in relation
! to the position taken by President Jack
son in his message TO Congress, Decem.
ber 81 1896:
+ Thcreupon Andrew Jackson proceeded to con-
slider the risk that there might be imputed to
the United States motives of selfish inerest, in
view of the former claim part to the
d territory of Texas. and Of the ayowed purpose Of
- the Texans in seeking recognition OF independ
o ence incident to the Incorporation OF Texas
= in the Union, concluding thus:
prudence, therefore, to indicate that
7 we should still stand ao0f and maintain our
present attitude, if not until Mexico itself onC
of the great foreign powers shall recognize the in
Il | dependence of the new government, at least until
q ! the lapse of time or the course OF events shall
have proved beyond cavil dispute the ability o.
the people of that country to maintain theil
! separate sovereignty and to uphold the govern
ment constituted by them.
~ purpose now to show, since the Exec
utive has informed us what the execu-
tive branch of the Government though
at that time, what the legislative branci
thought and did on the same question
IF the Executive feels bound by Execu
tive precedent, | must be permitted t
feel bound by legislative precedent
I president jackson did issue the mes
sage spoken of-and | call particular at
tention to dates-on the 21st day of De
G cember, 1896; yet Immediately thereafte
| a resolution was introduced into the Sen
$ ate of the United States recognizing
Texan independence by Robert j. Wal
!, ker, a United States Senator from Mis-
4 sippi.
con the 1st of March, before President
i Jackson's time had expired, that resolu
ton was debated and passed by the Sen
e ate of the United States. by a vote of 2
to 22, and n motion to reconsider on tn
| following day was lost by tie vote o
a to "a.
Recognition of Texas.
THE House of Representatives immed
k ateiy made an appropriation for a diplo
s matte agent from the United States t
the government of Texas thereby pur
; suing the very course suggested by Henr
D Clay in his attempt to recognize in Con
= gress the independence of Spanish-Amer
can states
THE last official act of President Jack
son, previous to his retirement from tn
executive chair was the nomination c
Alcee Lablanche as charge d'affaires t
&c the new republic of Texas. 1t is a mis-
e torical fact that within a few days there
q,