The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-04-06
A SQUARE BACK DOWN
SUCH l. MCKtNLEY'S ACTION IN THE
MAINE kFFAl>

The Eouse OF Representative Meets 20
Hear Ringing Me.ssge and AtjourDs
in the Deepest Dissuss-Che People Be-
trayed by the President.
President Mckinley has completely
= betrayed the American reople and
.old them out st very low price to
the Spaniards. On Monday, March
%, a patriotic sudience densely psck-
ed the galleries of the House OF Rep.
resentstives ST Washington to hear
the Presidents MESSAGE conc cernlng
the destruction Of the Maine read; on
the floor below 355 members OF the
American Congress; all eyes watch
ing eagerly for the noon hour, be
cause that meant the coming OF the
message from the Chief Executive;
tense interest shown IN every counte-
nance. That was the picture in the
House before noon. This same audi
ence twenty minutes later uleo out
with frowning faces, mutteripg I'M
precautions against the President OF the
United States, while on the floor the
representatives Of the people gathered
in groups. excitedly 6enounclug what
they considered an unWarranted back
down.
Two thousand American citizens had
struggled, jostled and pushed their
way to seats of vsntsge, expecting TO
hear read an Anne erican message from
an American President, rife with the
feeling Of patriotism. Instead, they
were given a brief proclamation-one
they thought to be in the interest OF
Spain-one they believed to De pies
from the stock jobber's stanopolnt-a
''peace with dishonor" proclamation,
which fell on indignant ears. Before
the House convened the President had
the confidence OF the people IN the
galleries and the respect and support
of the members on the floor.
When the rasping voice OF the
Speaker announced that the brief ses.
sion was at an erd-that the report OF
the Naval Board of Inquiry had gone
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
there, perhaps, to gather the dust OF
inaction and repression-ooth suol'
ence and lawmakers believed they
knew what it mesnt.
President Mckinley has backed
down." they said.
saThe lives of the 26S gallant men
of the battleship Maine, snufed out
by treachery and per6dy IN the hsr
Dor of Havana, had been placed IN
the scales against the gold and silver
of commerce-the bonds and stocks OF
Wall Street"-was the thought occur,
ing to all.
Thousands of people tried vainly to
get admission to the galleries. Fail
ure was marked by disgust and IN
some instances tears of bitter vexatlon.
As early as 9 o'clock guards were sta
toned at the doors to prevent their
being broken. By II o'clock not s
vacant seat could be found, and we'll
known members of Congress were
fairly besieged by applicants for tick-
cts which would give them any view
point of vantage.
From II to II was an hour OF sus
pense. For six weeks the American
people had waited for this day. They
had been weeks of suspense and care,
but never of uncertainty. They knew
that Spanish treacherY destroyed the
Maine; they knew that it was the
hand of Spsniar6 that fred the
mine, and they were waiting simply
to have all this confirmed ana to hear
the decree OF exact justice meted out
to Spain by the President OF this ma
ton.
So when the eavel of the Speaker
announced the House in session it was
3 minute of dramatic interest. Ten
sion key ed to highest pitch riveted
close attention to the scenes la the
climax all felt wss coming. As the
gray-haired chaplain prayed feryent-
" for peace, but also asked divine as
sistance If war became necessary to
uphold the right and to exact justice
with honor, sympathetic response
came from the waiting crowd.
Then came the messenger from the
White House bearing the message OF
the President and the report Of the
Court of Inquiry. A faint murmur
of applause travelled, wave.like, from
floor to root, but quickly subsidized. Il
was not a time for applause. And
when the reading clerk began the
message from the President the deep
est attention was given to every word.
It was thought by this eager crowd
that now would come the story OF the
loss of the ship and her crew, backed
with stern demand for exact justice.
As the reading progressed the audi
encs grew restless. Men on the floor
looked at one another and shook their
heads. The message, in their 5udg-
ment, did not have the proper ring.
The message dealt entirely with the
destruction of the Maine, fully en-
dorsing every word the Board OF In
auiry had said concerning it, and
wound up as follows:
81 have directed that the findings
of the Court of Inquiry, and the views
of this Government thereupon, be
communicated to the Government OF
her Majesty, the Queen Regent, and
do nor permit myself to doubt that
the sense of justice OF the Spanish ma
ton will dictate course OF action
suggested by honor and the friendly
relations of the two Governments. It
will be the duty OF the Executive to
advise the Congress OF the result, and
in the meantime. deliberate considera
ton IS invoked"
This complete back down on the
part of President McKinly fell like q
wet blanket on the mem bers as well
as the two thousand patriotic Ameri-
cans in the galleries. On the coDclu-
sion OF the reading, MI. Bailey, floor
leader OF the Democrats, asked the
Speaker if the message was to go to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Mr.. Reed replie d that it must go there
under the rules.
"A parliamentary irquiry, Mr..
Speaker - SAID Mr.. McMillln, of Ten.
nessee. "Ooes the chair think It will