The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
DEBATED ny THE SENATE.
Amendments offered 10 the ResOlu-
ton, but None Adopted.

WASHINGTON, April 25.--After debate
of an hour and a half's duration, conducted
in secret session, the Senate to-day passed
a bill declaring that state of war exists
between the United States and Spain. The
bill was in the same language as that
passed by the House. The debate in the
Senate was based on ali amendment Of
fered by Senator Turpie providing for the
recognition of the beHigerent rights of the
insurscnt Cubans, the amendment being
practically in the following language:
I'VE hereby recognize the rights OF the
Cuban army under General Maxine Gomez
to be treated as belligerents, the freedom
and independence of the Cuban people hav
ing heretofore been recognized by act OF
Congress"
The same amendment had been urged in
the committee on foreign relations previous
to the reporting of the bill to the Senate.
and the Indiana senator only agreed to the
bringing in of the bill on condition that his
amendment should be presented in the SEN
ate. Both in committee and IN the Senate
Mr.. Turpie made elaborate argument In
support of his proposition. He commended
that, so long as the insurgent rights OF the
Cubans were unrecognized, they could only
be regarded as subjects of Spain, and hence
Urged that our position in declaring for the
recognition of the freedom and independ-
ence OF the Cuban people was entirely IN
consistent with our refusal to recognize
their beligerent rights. He also repeated
his argument made when the resolution pro-
viding for the Intervention of this country
III the Cuban war in regard to the interest
of the holders of the Spanish bonds in pre-
venting the due recognition of the rights
Senate was called on this amendment, and
1t was defeated by majority Of IA, the vote
standing "a to SO.
There was also some criticism Of the fact
that the bill fixed date in the past when
the war had begun. Senator Pettigrew de-
clared that the 21st was evidently used in
order to make legal the capture of the
lumber vessel, the Buena Ventura, on that
date. He characterized this as a small piece
of business for either the administration
or Congress to indulge in and said that un-
der the circumstances If he had been Presi-
dent he would have returned the ship to its
owners. he predicted that the courts would
in the end settle the claim against United
States regardless of this declaration.
Senator Davis replied briefly to this point.
saying tht the date was not fixed by the
capture of the Buena Ventura, but by the
recognition Of the Spanish government of
a state of war as made on the 21St and AS
outlined in the Presidents message.
Senator White took up the Pettigrew con-
tention, holding that the President had not
hostiiities, but that he had rather shown in
his message that he considered that the
negotiations had by no means reached the
said the senator, of our reasonable de-
mands upon Spain. Did he" he asked, EEK
pect Spain to take the view that his de-
mands were reasonable when he had asked
Spain to part with q large portion Of her
Kingdom, and to come up smiling in view
OF this polite re9uest| Continuing, Mr..
White said that it was his purpose to sup
port the administration In all reasonable
measures for the prosecution Of the war,
but he did not regard the fixing or this date
as in any sense response to presidential
request.
There was a general plea for speedy ac-
ton on the bill and no amendment was
pressed for a change of date. This motive
also actuated Senator Davis to withdraw
an amendment suggested by the COMMITTEES
on foreign relations directing the President
to prosecute the war to a successful term
ination. This amendment was withdrawn
in order to leave the bill just as 1t had
necessity of conference and making it
possible to send the bin to the President to-
day. There was no division on the passage
of the hill