The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-22

This plea of autonomy had been used
to secure delay on the part of the ad-
ministratiOn in interference in affairs
in Cuba and it was for this reason that
he wanted an immediate report upon
his resolution for Intervention. In
view of Mr.. de Lome's confession there
was no longer excuse for delay. Au-
tOnOmy he denounced as a sham, a
fraud and a delusiOn and the de LONE
letter only served to emphasize the
treacherous character of the Spaniards.
AS for himself he would not, if eligi-
BILE, be willing to serve OF the pro-
posed committee as he would not want
to sit at the table with a Spaniard who
might have a stilletto under his
clothes, unless he himself was iron
clad. THE record of the Spanish ma
tion," continued Senator Mason, who
appeared to be 1aJboring under consid-
cradle excitement, lis one Of cOntin-
uous treachery n We have per
fenced that treachery in our history
for the past 100 years. 1T raj been
made evident that the Spaniard could
not be trusted in any capacity and for
this reason we should now have Amer
c divers investigating the hull OF
the Maine and not he depending upo
those of an u~nfriendly power. We are
told that the naval board may be able
to reach Havana by next Monday"
LSIdIldid Ile eACldEIIIeu, NndIldlld!
tomorrow, always tomorrow. That is
the Spanish motto and we are falling
into it. In the meantime who knows
but that some more dynamite will he
put in and the evidences of the catas-
trOphe averted." He repeated that he
wanted immediate action out did not
want to be on the committee. He did
not want to be anywhere hat a Span
lard could reach him He closed with
an 9nna91 for a rnrnront inn1liru and
said hat he thought the senate which
had voted 5000, 900 to save the property
of the United States could and should
vote 5000, 900, 900 if necessary to save it's
honor and it's dignity.
SENATOR WOLCOTT'S SPEECH.
Senator Mason had scarcely taken
his seat when Senator Wolcott ad-
dressed the chair: MIR. President" he
said, and the words shot forth like a
bomb to be exploded in the senate. 1t
was evident from the Colorado n
tors cOuntenance and manner, to say
nothing Of the intensity of his voice
that he was laboring under consider
able feeling. He had listened to Sena-
tor Mason with i'll concealed feelings
of emotion, his face growing redder
and redder and his brow more and
more like a thunderclOud as the Illi-
nOis senator proceeded. He spoke with
great rapidity and occupied only a few
minutes of the senate's time, refusing
to be interrupted, and speaking very
sharply when Senator Mason sought to
divert him. Senator WOlcott spoke as
follows:
'Mr. President, the resolution of the
senator from Illinois, however inoppor-
tune it may be at this time, in the OPP
Union of some of us, might we'll have
been permitted to pass without COM
ment had it not been for the remark
able u~tterances which he has given to
the effect that the people Of these Uni
ted States have lost confidence in one
of the great departments of the gov
eminent.
enato Mason had resumed his
standing position and he interrupted
to say that the senator from Colorado
was entirely mistaken. Il made no
such statement he said.
senator WOlcOttI decline to be in
~terrupted. l asked to have the remark
read from the reporters notes.
Senator Mason-I said that some
people were losing confidence in one
department. and
Senator Wolcott-I decline to be in
terrupted. I ask to have the report
er's notes read.
The reporters notes were then read
as follows: Senator Mason-Mr.
President, I understand the great ne
cessity of proceeding deliberately and
carefully in this matter. I also
understand hat the people of this
country are fast coming to the cOnclu-
sion that the real situation is not only
being concealed from the people, but
from the members of congress. and
senator's. The people have a right to
know something abOu the situation.
/ say that the people do lack conf
3ence in some of the departments OF
the government and they sometimes,
perhaps. 40 in this department."
Senator WolCott then continued.
The mats would, he said, bear him
out that he did not misquOte the sena-
tor from Illinois to the extent of a
single syllable. Res'rming he said:
Il desire to resent as utterly un-
founded the suggestion that there is a
patriotic citizen in the broad confines
Of this and who has not the fullest
and most splendid and glorious conf
dence in every department of the navy
particularly. 1t q been true III
every administration since the time
Of Washington, The people Of the
United States have never yet been
called upon to distruat one of the CO.
ordinate branches of this government
and they never will while the flag
floats. Least of al it is decent, in my
opinion, that in this chamber there
SnOulQ De lnSlnudllClS SdSI dl IHlS
critical time that there is a lack in the
minds of the people Of h United
States of confidence in the navy of
our country. Mr.. President, from the
time of Paul Jones until now, our ships
have sailed in every water, face always
to the foe. The records of our naval
battles are of the most glorious history
in the page of any country for the last
100 years, and from the earliest days
until now there has never been a step
backward. Today, as always, the Of
ficers of our navy are honorable,
courageous upright men and, above
all, they tell the truth. The captain
of this Inflated battleship was walking
his deck at 10 o'clock on the night Of
the 18th. when this awful explosion
happened. 1t may be that his public
| career is ended forever, but the awful
disaster that overlook his ship will
count for nothing by comparison with