The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-11
BILL GOES OVER
FOR The DAY FOR LACK Or SENATOR'S
READY TO DISCUSS TT.
PROTECTION FOR THE PRESIDENT
Bacon Continues His Speech
i'm Opposition TO Billie Claims
IL to be Unconstitutional and an
Extension of Treason Beyond that
Limited I'm the Constitution-It
Would Muzzle the Pres.-Rural
Free Delivery Bill I'm the House.

Washington. March On account of
the i~ndisposition of Senator Vest. OF
Missouri. and Senator Mallory OF Flor
ida. who expected TO sreak today upon
the pending ship subsidy bill. tina
measure was not considered By The sen
late today.
Senator Bacon offered an amend
ment to the diplomatic bill providing
that the student Interpreters employed
I'm the legations ana c~onsuIales In China
should be selected in a non-partisan
.nanner and that they should agree to
remain in the service Tor ten years.
The amendment was agreed to.
Continuing his speech begun yester-
day on the bill for protection of the
president, Senator Bacon commended
that the enactment OF the bill In it's
present form would be. an extension of
treason az defined by the authorities.
He quoted Sarious writers on law and
the constitution in support of his point.
Merely because the crime named in
The pending bill was not designated as
treason. he said. did not change its
~ vas ilS1OS
treason by the penalty provided and the
means resorted to to apply the penalty
to the criminal. He indicated his belief
that such a provision was ~uncunStitu-
l%tional. maintaining that treason had
been defined in the constitution only af-
ter long and careful debate. during
which every possible was
considered.
He argued that the constitution in
tended that Zach man shall De equal he
.oIe the law and the remedy for an at
tack on the president or the killing of
the president should be the same as if
the crime were committed against an
individual.
He maintained that the contention of
those who supported the measure was
in effect that there was no differentia-
ltion between the crime of treason and
an assault upon the president which
Threatened the existence of the govern
ment. He urged however. that if that
were true. the assassination of the pres
ident would be treason.
The bill if enacted. he said. would
muZZle the press and make any editor
lafraid to express an opinion as to the
president or other official for fear that
thereafter. if any of these officials
should be killed. he might be tried for
murder.
The only way to protect the president.
and vice president IND heads of depart
ments. he declared, was to prevent per-
sons who may have designs on their
lives from having the opportunity.
After an executive session the seate
adjourned until Monday.
House Of Representatives.
The bill to classify the rural free de-
livery and to place the carriers under
the contract system held the floor in
the house today. By IN arrangement
agreed to by both sides. the general de-
bate will be concluded tomorrow and
the bill will be considered under the
five minute rule Mondav
Among those who spoke for the bill
was Mr.. Claude Kitchin Of North Car
DINA. Messrs. Small. of North Carroll
ma, and Johnson, of South Carolina. op-
posed it.
The house passed the bill to grant to
the Georgia and Alabama Terminal
Company the right to construct a
bridge across the Savannah river.