Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-21
SENATOR GRAy'S PATRIOTIC SPEECH.

Special Correspondence II Gazette and Journal
Washington, April 16. Senator Gray
OF Delawass made most ablo and
patriotic speech 10 tho Senate yester
day in favor nf the policy OF tho presi
dent regarding thu Cuban question.
The Senator Baid:
Mr.. Presidents II it were not for the
fact that ! hm n member Of the COM
mittse whicn has roporteIl the resnlu.
tiona that arc now before the Senate,
would at this nolemn Hnd fateful
moment in tho history OF my country
rBmain slant and nontont myself by my
vote in viniicnting tie position which
think my country should occupy in
asserting her cnuso before tho civilized
world. In tho few moments that
shall occupy, | shall not concern myself
with any such--nnd say it with all re
spect- incnnceivshly in the presence of
Ruch II crisiH, low and contemptible
considerations Ru TO who ar who may
not hold the honda OF Spain or of the
Cuban Republic.
| am not hore, sir. to govern my
public action in the face Of the world
in this grave crisis by moro suupicion
as to what may or may not he tina
motives OF othera. waa not horn with
suspicion in my blood; but | was born,
/ hope, sir. with that in my blood TINT
will mako me always stand erect, until
AIN stricken down, for tho honor OF
my country and the glory OF hor flag.
MIR. Fresident. it is haclneyed say
ing, | know, that partisan politics halt
at the shore limo; but, haukneyed as it
ia il is pregnant with meaning. We
are bore TO day--.and attribute to no
Senator upon this floor any feeling less
patriUtic than my own-we are here to-
day On Americans all. Iatriotism, and
nat partisanship. is the spring and
motive, RS it should be, of our actions,
whatever form ii may take. dn not
believe that anyone here will gain his
own consent 10 mau9uvre for parti-
san advantage al time like this. !
am here, sir to support, not a Rarubli-
| can President. not to say that range
myself behind partisan leader, but, in
my humble way, to support an Ameri
can. President, the leader OF 10. 600, ono
Of people, inducted into his high office
by their will and by the laws of this
| country.
MIR. President, nm here. 10 case We
cannut do what | think better, to sup
port the resolutions which CONS from
honor tu he a member. | believe, how
aver. sir, that the resolution that WAS
| introduced yesterday ly the Senator
from Maine, Mr.. Frye. is wiser and a
better expression OF the feeling OF tho
country. 1t was considered by the
committee on foreign relations. and
received the support in that commit
tee, as was said yesterday and am
not disclosing, certainly, at FIRST hand
the secrets OF that committee or itH pro-
ceedings--received the support Of four
| Il do not remember, but five, certainly
of four-members OF that COMMITTEES,
and l believe, as | said, it better repre-
Hents the feeling OF this country ana the
attitude that the good people of the
United States would assume il they had
a fair expression of their own will and
of their own desire in that regard.
Mr.. President. | did say with some
emphasis, because IL came from my
heart, that was here. as conceived my
| duty as an A american Senator to-day, to
support In this grave crisis of our coun-
try's history an American President,
chosen by the American people for tho
very purpose that be is now seeking to
carry out and achieve.
Mr.. President, there is no need that
l should occupy the timo OF this Senate
in making. or in attempting to make.
a speech, IL | were capable Of il. that
would merely have tendency to excite
the feelings Of the American people or
| my colleagues here il thoy needed such
| excitement. We do not need to lash
running horses. We all agree.-of
COURSE, know we all ngres-in the
patriotic intont and purpose to support
our country and stand Loyalty by IL in
| this hour of trial but want to put. in
| these few brief hours before the final
action ia taken, for myself and for others
who may think that what is worthy of
attention, the case of my country upon
grounds so high, ms | conceive them,
that all tho world must approve them.
| Mr.. President, why have We waitud
oil Of these long years while suffering
humanity has been crying out ACROSS
| the narrow strait that divides Cuba
from the territory Of the United StHteH?
| Why, during oil Of these months OF
| patient waiting and anxious longing,
have we been performing our interna.
tional duty that we owe to power
with whom we are at peace? Why have
we pRtrolled our coast and spent mil
lions OF public money In order that in
ternational duty must he kept and per-
formed to the Lottery It 10 because tho
American people, az represented by the
| American government, has conscionos.
IL 10 because no war or armed coll1ion,
with oil OF its frightful scquencss
would be tolerated by tho civilization
of America unless its conscience waa
satisfied that ouch collision aud such
war was righteous altogether. We have
| Il. Ia, ka... 4
conquest or aggression; wo have
marked nut in our diplomacy for a
| hundred years a new pathway, VIII. ch
BIAS led the nation upward TO a higher
plane, and that 10 our glory and our
pride. 1t ia because tho conscieucs Of
A merica 10 satisfied to day that We
stand here and feel that We ara rehect-
ing thor will when we vote for any OF
tho resolutions which are now before
the Senate.
\ Whit has made the case that haa thus
Affected so deeply the heart and con.
sciancs of the American peDpleP Elk
csptional circumstances, circumstances
that we have no hand ia creating, and
out of these circumstances duties have
arisen that We can not eva6e or ignore.
Time and prDpinquity are the essence
OF tho situation. Cuba is right at our
door, and that qualities and colnrs the
duty we owe and the attitude wo OCCUPY
towards her. If she were on the other
side OF tho OCEAN, moOred off the coast
of Africa or Portugal, whila our interest
| might he excited and our feelings stir
red, our duty might be different. But
there she is where God placed her. There,
4 during all of these three years, We havo
waited while the drama of blood bus
been enacted under our eyes, and we