Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-06
55th CONGRESS.
Old Claims Of American Citi-
zens Against Spain.
Senate Asks if Peace Treaty Provides
for Their enforcement.
Mr.. Dinglcy Much Better and Prospect Of Re
covery is Encouraging.

| transacted by the Senate. today. !
resolution offered by Mr.. Hoar OF Mass
achusetts. directing the committee N
foreign relations to report to the Sen
ate whether the treaty of Paris make:
any provisions for the claims of citi
zens of the United Stat 8 against Spar
| which were in existence before the pres
lent war and the status OF such claim.
after the ratification of the treaty wa:
adopted
| MIR. Caffrey of Louisiana. continue
and practically concluded his speech
begun before the holiday recess in op-
position to the pending Nicaragua ca
nal bill.
In the absence Of the Vice President
on account Of illness. Frye Of Maine
presided at the opening of today's scs
sion of the Senate.
| Berry. Dem, Ark. presented a pro-
test from the j. Ed. Murray Camp of
| United Confederate Veterans of Ar
| kansas. against the adoption of ths
proposed amendment of Senator BUT
/ Ter, Pop, n. c., to the pension appro-
| priation bill providing for the payment
of pensions to Confederate veterans,
Berry said the members of the camp
| deemed it unwise to adopt such a
proposition. They say. said Berry. tina F;
| they have provided for themselves ana
| their families for more than a genera
ton. and they regard such PROPOSE
| ton as that of Butler as .'ungracious.
| Hoar. Mass, gave notice that on
Monday next. he would address the
Senate on the resolution offered by
-t..tt 81 ..s,st ts.,
of foreign territory by the United
/ States. his address being reply TO
that delivered by Plat. Conn, just be-
| fore the holiday recess.
| Caffrey, La, announced that he
would address the Senate. tomorrow.
| on the resolution offered by Vest.
| "A joint resolution providing for a
survey of the Penobscot river nea,
Bucksport Narrows, Me-. was accepted.
| Hoar introduced a resolution request
| ing the President. if in his judgment
not Incompatible with the public inter
| est, to communicate to the Senate All
| instructions given by him to the com
| missioners who negotiated the treaty
| of Paris, all correspondence betwee
| the Executive and state department;
| and the commissioners either to tn
| President or to the state department.
| AT the request of Davis, one of tbs
| peace commissioners, the resolutions
| went over.
1loar then proposed the following re-
| solution, which was adopted:
That the committee on foreign re
| lations be directed to inquire and to
| report to the Senate whether the pro
| posed treaty with Spain makes an.
| provisions for claims of citizens of the
| United States against Spain which
| We're in existence before the present
war, the extent and number of such
| claims, and what will be the legal con
| ditions Of the same after peace shall
| have been declared
! PettiSreW called up bill to ratif,
agreement with the Indians on the low
er Brule and Rosebud reservations. l.
| South Dakota. and making the neces-
sary appropriations. Platt. Conn.
! moved to strike out of the bill tina
part of section which provided for tn,
| free settlement of the Indian lands
| Pettisrew accepted the amendment un
| der protest and it was agreed to b.
| the Senate. The bill was then passe
In the course Of his remarks Pettigrev
|
| Homestead question before the Sen.
ate at the earliest possible date.
bill granting the state of California
. per cent. of the net proceeds of tn,
| sale Of public lands was passed.
| The Senate bill providing for tn
| classification of clerks in the first anC
second class post offices was passed.
The bill also fixes salaries. 1t divides
| he al, ,Iy,. ;,, -.1,s Ii,
grades of salaries ranging from $500 t.
| $1,000
The Nicaragua bin was taken up and
| Caffrey continued his speech. Caffrey
devoted his remarks especially to the
Clayton Bulwer treaty. The bill
| sought to do by indirecton what the
| treaty prohibited doing directly.
caffrey said in reply to the question
| from White. that it was his opinion
| that If the United States should build
| the canal under the pending bill in tdc
| face of the treaty the canal would be
absolutely neutral and Great Britain
would have every right to use the ca
nal in time of war. He thought the
treaty should be abrogated and THAI
the United States should construct the
canal ndepently of the maritime
company.
White expressed the opinion that tie
interests of the human race demand
the construction of the canal, but said
that in proceeding we should have due
regard for interests. He thought.
however. that we ought to be able to
devise scheme for proceeding with
the construction of the canal without
infringing upon the rights of other na-
tons and intimated that the canal
might be built and negotiations with
other countries conducted later
During his speech. Caffrey alluded,
to the statement which had been ra-
peatedly made that the opposition to
the canal was fostered and maintain
ed by those who We're behind the trans
continental railroads as supporters
This charge he repudiated and he de-
clared that he would scorn himself if
he could be supposed to be guilty of it.
Caffrey practically had concluded his
speech when McLaurin, S. c.. raised
the point of no quorum. A call Of the
roll developed the presence of only 80
members, II less than a quorum This
Senate then at 325 p. NJ, adj
journed.
IN THE HOUSE