The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-19

alone, for there will be other nations to /
lift a hand to fight us When that day 4
comes our course must be eternally |
grounded In the right and until il comes |
there is nothing that so be Titles this peo-
pie in my opinion as these unjust and out
rageous attacks upon a friendly govern |
ment.
All Mr.. President, war Is a grim decl-
sion, and when it comes it must come so
that the people of the world. Whether
they fight with us or not can at least |
respect our conduct and our position, and
above all, Mr.. President, 1t must come I'M
der circumstances which make us respect
ourselves"
Mr.. Wolcott was followed Immediately
by Mr.. Lodge of Massachusetts, who also
had sat very FESTIVE under Mr. Mason's
reflections upon the navy department.
He also spoke with intense earnestness,
saying: -e
'Mr. President. have no desire and no
intention OF saying one word in regard TO
the war that is raging in Cuba. No one
can detest the horrors enacted in that isl
and more than I. No one desires more
than 1 10 see the Spanish power swept
from that island, as 1t has been from the
states of South America, but, Mr.. Presi-
dent, the question is not here: We are
face to face at this moment with great
national calamity. The American people
have received the awful news of the sink
ing of the warship Maine with a splendid
silence and self-restraint both In Congress
and throughout the country They are
waiting sternly, quietly, to know the truth
and the truth they VIII have. This is
not a question which involves Cubans or
Spaniards. This Is a question which in
wolves brave American seamen gone to
their death in a foreign port.
In the presence of the calamity what we
want is the truth. How are we 10 get IT,
BY the Investigations of a committee of
Congress which knows nothing, which
has no witnesses to summon, which has
no expert knowledge, which is miles from
the place where the disaster occurred?
There is only one way to get at the truth
of this matter and that is through the
naval officers, who have been selected al
ready to perform that duty. Can any
one suppose that the naval officers of the
United States, men upon whose career in
the past and whose conduct in the present
there is not, and has never been blemish.
wish to CONCEAL the facts in such a case
as this. / would rather trust this investi-
cation to the officers of the
American navy than 10 any other
men in the country. Does any one sup
pose that the captain of that ship, VINO.
wounded stunned by the explosion re-
manned the last upon the sinking vessel,
and who. In the midst of that awful terror
done, sent a dispatch to this country
showing a GOODNESS and nerve that are
an honor to the American name-does aiJy
one suspect that Capt Sigsbee, capable
of such splendid conduct is going to lie
about his ship? The Secretary of the
Navy is a man of distinguished ability,
of honor and of sPatriotism. If any che
lmaglnes that Secretary Long will not tell
the truth and insist upon the whole of it,
he little knows the character of the man
who has the honor to fill that great pest
at the head of the navy, and l. for che,
trust that Congress will await the action
of the proper department charged with
this inquiry and hwill not attempt 10 do
anything which could in the least degree
derogate from the attitude which the
American people and Congress should hold
In the presence of calamity so dire and
so tragic as that which befell the battle
ship Maine. If it was an accident which
destroyed the Maine, then let us provide
so far as human foresight can, against
recurrence. If it was treachery then
the righteous wrath of the American peo-
pie will take a signal vengeance for the
treachery which sent that ship to the
bottom, and let no one think to stay it."
Mr.. Mason again took the floor mis-
quotations and general spasm will not
drive me from the discussion of this cues
ton inlthe Senate3S he began. He shared.
he said, in the general admiration of the
various departments of the executive
branch OF the government, and Mr. VOL
colt could not excel him in that respect
Il am only sorry" he said, that. while
the Colorado senator is giving us such
lecture about the navy department, he
does not slop over and give the treasury
department. some of his praise"
He (Mr. Mason fully indorsed all that
Mr.. Lodge mad said about the head of
& hr raax -hsNr,, !. L.
ability, of great head and warm heart
But MIR. Long could not himself object
to an investigation, and it was no part of
friendship TO him to try to shield him
from such an inquiry as was proposed.
He denied that his remarks contained
any reflections upon Mr.. Longs integrity
or honor, or the integrity or honor of the
officers of the navy. But, while this was
true, he also had regard for the honor and
lives of the common seamen. He also re-
scented thein TINA lion that he had gone into
the slums to find words with which TO
characterize the navy department, and re-
peated his loyalty to the navy and other
departments.
MIR. Allen of Nebraska said he desired
to secure vote on the resolution, but he
desired to reiterate the suspicious express
ed by Mr.. Mason that the investigation by
the navy department would not be salts
factory to the country.
Can the senator give the grounds for
his suspicions?' inquired Mr. Gray of Del
aware. His statement is important"
My statement is important" replied
Mr.. Allen II want to say that have
not in my five years experience in the
Senate known one of these Investigations
to result in anything"
Mr.. Hale rose and said: 81 decline alb
solutely TO follow the senator from I'LL
nois (Mason) into a general discussion of
the Cuban question. / had hoped that
this subject might be disposed of to-day
without debate, and l now decline to per-
NIT anybody to take advantage of the mel
ancholy situation to exploit himself L |
have here dispatch received by the navy
department from Capt. Sigsbee. 1t shows
that there is not in the city of Havana a
single diseordant note All are in mourn
ing for the dead. The city is filled with
an atmosphere OF pity, commiseration, and
sympathy"
Mr.. Hale remarked that under the rules
the resolution would go to the calendar.
Pending a motion by Mr.. Hale that the |
Senate go into executive session, Mr. Ba-
con Of Georgia introduced the following |