The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-05
Cengrsssman Brown Explains His Vote.

COn9reSSman Brown Explains HIS VOtes
Congressman Seth W. Brown, who
voted for the Cuban resolution in its
original form, as did Senators Foraker,
Thurston, Gallinger, Quay, Chandler
and other eminent Republicans, explains
In letter to constituent his reason for
90 doing, as follows:
Dear Sir:-On Monday last, while the
House was voting on the Cuban resolu.
ton, I received your telegram relating to
the question then under consideration.
The first declaration of the resolution,
- II came from the Senate to the House
was ~ follows:
"Fint. 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 here.
by recognizes the Republic of Cuba as
the true and lawful Government of that
Island"
The latter part Of the resolution which
recognizes the Republic of Cuba, was
adopted in the Senate by vote of fifty
one to thirty, seven. OF these fifty one
Senators voting for recognition, eleven
we're Republicans, and the eleven in
cluded Foraker, Thurston, Quay, Chand.
Ter and Gallinger.
When the resolution came to the
House, the motion of Mr.. Dingley was
to concur with an amendment striking
out the words which gave recognition to
the Republic of Cuba felt it my duty
to concur in the Senate declaration with.
out striking out single word.
In view of the vote in the Senate,
eleven of the fifty one Senators voting
for the recognition of the Cuban Repub.
lie being Republicans, and the fact that
Republicans and Democrats in and out
Of Congress have favored such recogni.
ton, it did not appear to me that this
particular question was partisan in
character. believed as a Republican
I could consistently vote to recognize
the Republic. 1t seemed to me that we
would be in q safer and better position,
during the war and it's close, if we should
60 to Cuba and make the Republic our
ally in the work of driving the Spanish
army from the Island. If we continue
to refuse to recognize the Republic, we
will surely find, the day the Spanish flag
is hauled down in Cuba, that we have
taken upon ourselves the serious respon.
sibility of standing guard there and
maintaining peace and order while the
Cuban people go through the forms OF
creating and establishing another gov.
ernment. This may prove to be the
better course. Time will tell.
But the retention of the words which
Mr., Dingley proposed to strike out, or OF
any particular words, was probably not
of any very great Importance, for with
either form of declaration, the final re.
suit will be the absolute and recognized
independence of a Cuban Republic
whether it be the present Republic o.
J it's successor to be established after We
have fred our last shot. Congress will
; sustain the President. At his request
it voted s5O,OOO,OOO. On his call, it will
vote $500, 900, 900. have voted in every
instance for every measure he has asked
for to enable him to prosecute the wal
to the most successful conclusion. But
as he had submitted the general subject
to Congress for it's consideration, the
form of our resolution was question fol
the best Judgment OF each member.
trust you and all our friends are pleased
! as assure you am, with the grant
declaration as it finally passed, although
direct recognition is left out, receiving il
this form in the House all but six votes
"That the people of the Island of Cubs
are, and of right ought to be, free ant
Independent
Very respectfully,
SETH W. Brown