Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-22
The Action of Congress
Upon the Cuban Question---the ResO
lutIons Finally Adopted.

The three-days' contest in the United
States Senate over the form to be given to
the resolution of Congress authorizing
American Intervention in Cuba ended Sat-
urday night in a triumph of the "war''
combination, including Democrats, Popu-
lists and Silvertes and eleven Republican
pro-Cuban extremists who favored the rec
ognition of the insurgent government in
Cuba.
| The Senate Resolutions.
The resolutions as finally adopted we're
in these terms:
Joint resolutions for the recognition of
the independence of the people and repub-
lie of Cuba, demanding that the govern
ment of Spain relinquish its authority and
government in the island of Cuba and
withdraw its land and naval forces from
Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the
President of the United States to use the
land and naval forces of the United States
to carry these resolutions into effect.
Whereas, the abhorrent conditions which
have existed for more than three years in
the island of Cuba, so near our own Dor
ders, have shocked the moral sense of the
people of the United States, have been a
| uloHldCt W Cnl l5tltI ClNlllLdblOn, Cultll-
mating, as they have, in the destruction of
a United States battle-ship, with 266 of its
officers and crew, while on a friendly visit
in the harbor of Havana, and cannot long
er be endured, as has been set forth by the
President of the United States in his mes
sage to Congress of April II, 1898, upon
which the action of Congress was invited
| therefore,
| Resolved, BY the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
| America in Congress assembled,
First-That the people of the island of
| Cuba are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent, and that the government
of the United States hereby recognizes the
republic of Cuba as the true and lawful
| government of that island
Second-That it is the duty of the Unit
| ed States to demand, and the government
of the United States does hereby demand,
that the government of Spain at once re-
| linquish its authority and government in
the island of Cuba and withdraw its land
and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban
| waters.
Third-That the President of the Unit
ed States be and he hereby is directed and
| empowered to use the entire land and ma
val forces of the United States and to call
into the actual service of the United States
the militia of the several states to such eX-
tent as may be necessary to carry these
| resolutions into effect.
Fourth-T That the United States hereby
disclaims any disposition or intention to
exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or con-
| troll over said island, except for the pacit-
cation thereof; and asserts its determine
ton, when that is accomplished. to leave
| the government and control of the island
TO its people.
| The first test in the contest came in the
vote on the adoption of the first resolution
recognizing the republic of Cuba. This
was an amendment proposed by Senator
Turpie of Indiana. 1t was adopted 81 to
81. The final vote on the adoption of the
resolutions as a whole stood 81 to 81. On
the ballot for the adoption of the Turpie
amendment Senators Morrill, and Proctor
of Vermont both voted no. On the final
vote Proctor voted yes and Morrill, no.
Action of the House.
At the opening of the session of the
House on Monday, Mr. Dingley of Maine
was recognized by the speaker and immed-
ately moved concurrence in the Senate
amendment, with an amendment striking
! out the clause in the first resolution which
recognized the Independence of the exist
| ing republic. The actual form of the mo-
ton, which was reduced TO writing, was
as follows
II move to concur in the Senate amend
ment to the House joint resolution, with
an amendment striking out in the first par
agraph the words are and and also the
words and that the government of the
| United States hereby recognizes the re-
public of Cuba as the true and lawful gov
eminent of that island, so that the first
paragraph will read as follows:
First, that the people of the island of
Cuba of right ought to be free and indie
pendent
Upon this motion Mr.. Dingley demanded
the previous question, which served to cut
off amendment and debate.
Mr.. Bailey of Texas raised objection,
but the supporters OF the administration
stood firm and carried the day, the vote on
Mr.. Dingley's amendment standing 40 to
1856. Fourteen Republicans broke party
lines and voted with the minority.
The Final Agreement.
The resolutions as amended by the House
then went to the Senate and that body re-
fused to concur. A proposition for a con-
ference was voted down and the resolutions
ton to concur was voted down 172 to 14S.
Mr. Dingley then moved that the House
insist on its amendments and ask for con-
ference and this motion was carried with
out a struggle. At o'clock the resolu-
tions were back in the Senate with the prop
ostion for conference. At the first CON
ference no agreement was reached, the
cOnferees on the part of the Senate insist
ing on recognition of the Cuban republic
and those on the part of the House as reso-
lutely resisting.
Later on the Senate conceded the omis-
sion of the sentence recognizing the Gomez
republic, but insisted on retaining the
words "are and" before fought 10 be free
and independent" in the first clause. This
the House at first refused to agree to, but
at final conference the House receded
from this position. At 10 minutes past
one Tuesday morning the conferees reached
an agreement, striking out the provision
recognizing the independence of the Cuban
republic, but retaining the words fare and'
as contended for by the Senate. This re-
port was adopted by the Senate by a vote
of Al to 35 and by the House 80 to 6. The
resolutions finally adopted are those origi-
nally adopted by the Senate, and printed at
the beginning of this report, except that the
first resolution now reads, "The people of
the island of Cuba are, and of right ought to