The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-23
A Constitutional Argument in the Senate on
the hight OF Such Acquisition.
SENATOR PLATT'S CONTENTION
In Favor II the Power of the Government to Hold Foreign Territory as
a Colony and Without the Right of the Inhabitants to Demand
Acknowledgment by Senators Hoar and Alen..Mr.
Bailey Introduces q Resolution of INQUIRY into
Right of Certain Officers OF the Volunteer
Army Retaining SEATS in the House.

District Of Columbia inc called atteu-
tion to the TACT that citizens OF Massa-
chusetts who could no read and writs
were prohibited from voting. Yet
these people In Massachusetts were
governed o e~xcellently.
al system OF Massachusetts. Returning
to lne question of expansion. he asked
ing the question Of expansion. he asked
whether Senator Plat lean to BE-
riously assert the claim that the state
provisions regarding suffrage could
not be so construed as 10 justify the
violation of the principle involved. as
1t applied to TO- 200. 900 OF people In the
Philippines.
Replying Senator Plat said he did
not mean to deny the principles OF the
declaration of independence.
Senator Hale. from the conference
committee on the argent deficiency ap-
preparation bill, presented the confer
ence report on the bill and II was
agreed to.
The Nicaragua canal bill was up dur
ing the last part Of the day and Sena-
tors Berry. Allen. Hoar. Caffery. aud
Morgan discussed the measure.
Senator Caffery, Of Louisiana. at the
request Of Senator Turpie. who was IN
avoidably absent, renewed the latter's
motion to postpone the consideration
OF the bill until January 10th.
Senator Hoar said he thought the
Aanal should be built at once. The
canal, he insisted, should De built by
the government. '.,
Senator Morgan scouled at the idea
OF postponing he consideration Of the
| hill yvnsi1 ~ nlnn 1fn nan0nrA yyn 0b-
tanned. II England had said We could
not build the canal without her con-
e the canal would have been built
five years ago.
At Sis o'clock p. m, the senate went
into executive, and at 5:35 o'clock p.
m, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
| This was suspension day in the house
and several bills were passed. the most
important of which was the bill appro-
priating $3.50, 900 for the Philadelphia
exposition Of 1899. The vote was ex-
ceedingly close. 1t had but two votes
more than the necessary two-thirds.
Mr.. Bailey, of Texas, introduced a
resolution in open house directing the
judiciary committee to investigate and
report on the question as 10 whether
the members Of the house who accept
ed commissions in the army had for
feited their seats in the house. Mr..
Bailey said the resolution was privileg-
ed and added: Last Friday my at
tention was called to the fact that the
journal of the first days proceedings
shows that two members Of the house
who are understood to hold commits
sions in the army had answered to
their names on the roll call; and upon
an inspection of 1t l find this statement
to be correct. AS to one of the gentle
men Mr.. Campbell, / am perfectly GER
tain that the journal records a mistake,
because in a conversation which I
had with him upon the subject he told
! me that after a full investigation he
had concluded that by accepting a COM
mission In the army he had vacated his
seat as a member of this house and
that he did not intend to resume or u
attempt to resume his duties as a men,
Der. The other case it will be more
proper to speak on when the commit
tee on the judiciary makes its report.
1t Is apparent, however, to the house.
as 1t will be to the country. that when
q member, the right to whose seat 10
doubtful, 1--WE to his name on the
roll call he asserts his rights as a. MEM
Der OF the house n the question
ought to be determined. have moth
ing further to say upon that aspect Of
the question at this time. but / desire
to call the attention of the house TO a
very remarkable statement that ap-
pared il a paper printed in this city
this morning"
Mr.. Bailey said the article implied
that he had been comforting with the
republican leaders and pursuing his
course at their i~nstigation, and"
said he, lit implies further that the
reporter obtained hat Information from
some republican member OF this house.
Fol- my part, I do not believe that there
Is a gentleman on that side of the
chamber So lost to all sense OF truth as
to make that statement: but IL there
be n I do not intend that he shall
escape; and I, therefore. deliberately
denounce that statement as an infa-
nous lie. and II any republican made
it he ought at least TO have the courage
to stand up and say he made II. With
that I ask a reference Of the resolution
No one answered Mr.. Bailey and the
resolution was referred without obiec-
. ton.
Mr.. Dinghy. from the committee Or
. ways and means. offered the resolution
. for a holiday recess from Wednesday
, December 2lst, to Wednesday Januar,
Attn ami IL was adopted without divis
ion.
A bill was passed 10 authorize tn
distribution OF the assets OF the Free
mans bank.
Mr.. Lacey. republican, Of Iowa. NOV
A ed to pass, under a suspension OF tn
rules. the bill to enlarge the scope o
the fish commission to include gam
n birds, The bill was passed.
III The house al 2:45 p. m. adjourned.
Overcome evil with good. Overcom