Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-19

or decent or patriotic citizen who VIII
stand up before the country and en-
dorse for an instant the utterances which
the Senator has made.
"Mr. President. speak as one who
sympathizes deeply with the citizens OF
that land now epxaged In this terrible
and deplorabe conflict. i yield 10 no.
body In my desire TO see the conclusion
OF that war, but I do say. II ever there
was "A moment when we should abstain
from outrageous and gratuitous insult to
a friendly nation. that time is to-day.
| IL ever there was a time when we should
lend our help to every department OF the
government, II should be to-day; IL there
was ever time when we should refrain
| from unjust and ignorant criticism, II is
| to-day.
"Ah, Mr.. President, war may come.
think myself the day may be not far dis
| tant; and when It comes, we will fight
| IL alone, for there Will be no other
| nation to lift hand to fight
| for us. When that day comes. our course
must be eternally grounded in the right,
| and until II comes there Is nothing so be-
Titles this people In my opinion, as these
unjust and outrageous attacks upon
| friendly government.
"Ah, Mr.. President war is a grim de-
cision, and when II comes it must come
| so that the people of the world. whether
| they fight with us or not, can at least re-
| spect our conduct and our position, and,
above all. Mr.. President, 1t must come
under circumstances which will make us
respect ourselves
LODGE SUPPORTS WOLCOTT.
Mr.. Wolcott was followed Immediately
by Mr.. Lodge, of Massachusetts, who
also had sat very FESTIVE under Mr..
Mason's reflections upon the Navy De-
partment. He, too, spoke with intense
earnestness, saying:
'Mr. President. | have no desire and
no intention of saying one word I'm regard
to the war that Is raging I'm Cuba. No
one can detest the horrors enacted in
that island more than /. No one desires
more than l to see the Spanish power
swept from that island, as 1t has been
from all the States OF South America.
but, Mr.. President, that question is not
here. We are face to face at this mo-
ment with a great national calamity. The
American people have received the awful
news OF the sinking of the warship Maine
with a splendid silence and self-restraint,
both in Congress and throughout the
country. They are waiting sternly.
quietly, 10 know the truth, and
the truth they will have. This is
not question which involves
Cubans or Spaniards. This is question
which involves brave American seamen,
gone to their death in foreign port. In
the presence of that calamity. what we
want is the truth. How are we to get it?
l would rather trust this investigation to
the officers of the American navy than TO
any other men in the country. Does any
one suppose that the captain Of that ship
who, wounded stunned by the explosion,
remained the last upon the sinking vessel,
and who, in the midst Of all that awful
terror and excitement, with every duty
nobly done. sent a dispatch to this coun-
try. showing a GOODNESS and nerve which
are an honor to the American name
does any one suppose that Captain Sigs-
bee. capable of such splendid conduct. is
going 10 lie about his ship? The Secre-
tary OF the Navy Is man OF distin-
gushed ability. of honor, and patriotism
If any one imagines 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 NIL that
great post at the head of the navy. lor
one trust that Congress VIII await the
action of the proper department charged
with this inquiry, and will 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 a calamity 80 dire |
and so tragic as that which befell the |
battleship Maine"
MIR. Lodge also paid a tribute 70 AS
misunderstanding Roosevelt.
MAsON'S REJOINDER.
Mr. Mason was In calmer mood when ne
rose to reply. "Misquotation and general
snasm will not drive me from the dis
ussion of this question In the Senate,
he began.
Continuing. he charged Mr.. Wolcott
with making a statement which was not
borne out by the record. or by any re-
marks ne had made. He shared, he SAID
I'm the general admiration Of the various
departments of the Executive branch OF
the government, and Mr.. Wolcott could
not excel him in that respect. He
Nlason fully endorsed all that Mr..
Lodge had said about the head OF the
navy. with whom he had served in the
House. and whom he knew TO be man
Of ability. of great head and a warm
heart He denied that his remarks con-
tanned any reflection upon Mr. Longs
integrity or honor, or the integrity or
honor OF the officers OF the navy
He also resented the intimation that
he had gone into the slums to find words
with which to characterize the Navy De-
|
Navy and other departments.
Mr.. Allen, of Nebraska, said he desired
20 secure a vote upon the resolution, but
ne desired to reiterate the suspicious ex-
pressed by Mr.. Mason, that the investi-
,ation by the Navy Department would
lot be satisfying to the country.
"Can the Senator give grounds for his :
inquired Mr.. Gray, Of Della
ware. "His statement IS important. ,
MY statement is important" Mr.. Allen :
epled Il want 10 say that / have not
n my five years experience in the Senate
cnown one Of these Investigations to re-
ult in anything"
u MAINE-MEMORIAL TABLET.
Pending a motion by Mr.. Hale that the
enate go into executive session. Mr..
bacon, of Georgia. introduced the follow {
ny joint resolutions: 1
"That there shall be prepared under
ne direction of the Secretary OF the ,
,avy and placed upon the wall OF Statu- {
ry Hall in the Capitol building, bronze
lblet commemorative of the officers and
len of the United States navy who per-
;hed in the loss Of the battleship Maine,
the harbor Of Habana, February 10,
49,
1.-THE said tablet shall contain the names /
T said officers and men. and shall be an :.
nduring memorial TO their honor, and a
srpetual token OF the sorrow OF the y
alton"
Referred to Committee on Naval Affairs. d
At $40 p. NJ the Senate adjourned until
Ionday. =.
.