The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-13

Washington, May 8.-Discussion OF
the Philippine bill in the senate today,
while it scarcely abated in bitterness,
took on ar amusing phase. In a breezy
speech Senator bolivar. of Iowa, made
such a good natured, and, yet. such d
sarcastic arrangement Of Senate Car
mack, OF Tennessee. that senators n
occupants OF The thronged galleries
were convulsed with laughter. While,
seemingly, considerable temper was
aroused by the debate. good feeling
was shown by The active participants
and in the war of words-Senators
bolivar and Carmack-who cordially
shook hands and laughed over the en-
counter
Senator Burton, of Kansas, conciud
ed the speech which he began yester-
day. He referred. as instances of afro
ciOus cruelty. TO the battle of Wound
ed Knee, to the Mountain Meadow
massacre and To the massacre of union
soldiers at Fort Pillow and contended
that the action of the American troops
in the PhilIpDinest was in most in
stances, entirely within the regulations
OF civilized warfare.
Continuing, Senator Burton referred
to the remarkable speech delivered
in the senate yesterday by Senator Till
man. He paid a tribute to the work
being done by Booker Washington for
the cOlOrad rae and suggested that If
the cOlored people would follow his adj
vice they wOulG be successful.
Senator Vest, of Missouri, called at
tentiOn 20 the statement of Senator
Tillman, made yesterday, which, hs
said. he was compelled to take notice
of in justice both to the living and the
dead. That statement, which has been
found in the public press and upon the
lecture platform for the last three
years, was that at the historic confer
ence in Hampton Roads, in 1864, be-
tween President Lincoln. William H.
Seward. secretary of state: Alexander
II. Stephens, vice-pTeSident of the
Confederate States; r. NJ. T. Hunter.
former United States senator, and
John a. Campbell, formerly justice Of
the United States supreme court, Pres
ident Lincoln wrote upon a piece of
pape- save the ~uniOn,'' then handing
it to Stephens, said: Alex. take this
paper and fill up for yourselves the
condition of peace between the two
countries"
Senator Vest said the story had been
denied by John H. Peagan, of Texas,
who was the last surviving member of
the ~onfederat cabinet. He knew per-
sOnally. said Senator Vest, without
having been present at the celebrated
interview, that the incident was with
out the slightest foundation. IF true, -
said he, lit would place the govern
ment and officers of the Confederate
States in the category of criminals, be-
cause it Offered the CO~ncederacy all
hat it ever demanded in the widest
hope of the most partisan of that
cause if thew would only return to the
union"
A deep silence had fallen upon the
chamber and every senator on the floor
listened to hirn with rapt attention.
With great dciiberateness he cOntin-
ued.
IF true, it would mean that the con-
federates could have placed in that
sheet of paper the perpetual establish
ment of slavery and the right of seces.
sion, the most extreme demand that
had ever taken locality ven in the
dream of any confederate" From tho
lips of stephens and Hunter had come
TO him, he said, the details of what
took place. Upon the return of the
commissioners of the C~onfederacy, he
heard their official report as Mr..
Reagan heard it, he being a member
OF the cabinet and himself member of
the confederate senate. Il am today the