The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-09

HEFgrT WHt .HLI
HISTORICALLY. showed that a discharge
without honor-''without character" MS 1t
was termed In the British arniy-was no
rev thing. For years II had been known
IN the American army, FOR n much
longer time 1t had been known In tile
British army.
The soldier who gets q neutral dis
charge of this character said the Sen
ntor, '.may have served With distinction,
but his commanding officers are not pre-
pared 10 give him a 'character.'
Recruit Warned.
Senator Daniel called attention to the
fact that the regulations require that
the articles be read to the recruit when
he e%nlists, or within six days thereafter,
thus putting the enlisted man on his
guard.
'.Thc articles of war Civ. TO the Pres
idert of the United States rs much power
to dismiss or drop FROM the rolls an
enlisted man before the expiration OF ms
term Of service as they give to Il general
court-martial to discharge said Senator
Daniel,
Further along. Senator Daniel said that
when Robert T.. Lee was a lieutenant
colonel in the American army in Texas.
he discharged men from the service, and
1t was universally admitted that he was
not only a man well-read in military law,
but one not likely to be influenced by
his prejudices.
Senator Daniel, in citing an opinion
rendered sixty years ago by Attorney
General Legare, unfolding the power OIL
the President to discharge from the ser
vice an officer acquitted after trial, said;
1T is true he ZANE from South caro-
lima. but that did not prevent him. nor
did It ever prevent any man from dis
charging his duty to his country.
Senator Daniel also read an opinion
rendered by Acknowledgement CLIFFORD
holding the right of the President to ter
inmate a contract of enlistment at any
time.
Senator Daniel said he would insert in
his remarks references to q number OF
cases decided by the United States su-
preme Court. in which the right of the
President to summarily discharge was
upheld.
ANY moral evidence that satisfies the
President that II private soldier should
no longer be in the army OF the United
States" said Senator Daniel. that is
amply sufficient ground for his action
Concrete Case.
Senator Daniel then proceeded to dis
cuss the concrete case presented, and
summed up the evidence to show that
the President had been correctly informed
regarding what had occurred ut Browns
VILE
Senator Daniel declared that this had
been made a racial question. He declared
that If the colored soldiers We're being
wronged he would be glad to stand IN
the Senate and defend them.
at Is not the color of q mans skin That
makes the soldier" he said. THE colored
soldiers and the white soldiers should
be taught discipline
1T may be possible that some of the
men of the Twenty-fifth Infantry We're
Innocent" he said. 1T Is Impossible ana
Incredible that every civil and military
officer who nave had anything to do with
this affair should have been deceived.
Nobody save some writer from far away
had suggested that Brownsville had been
..shot up by anybody but by the colored
soldiers. This writer had suggested that
the citizens of Brownsville had shot up
their own town In order to bring discredit
,,pon the negro soldiers. The Senate was
humorous in ridictling such a Wild sus-
gestion. 80
the evidence. first taking up ' ME mes
sage; that the facts asserted We're az
tested In one form or another by sgpans
OF Witnesses incidentally, semat9 aoia rad
there was nothing In the public career of
President Roosevelt TO suspect him OF
hostility towards the colored race.
Compliments Taft.
Secretary Taft was highly compliment
ed by Senator Daniel as a man H. as s q n@r
quoted Secretary Tafts report. WHY
made it clear that the negro soldiers hau
done the shooting ana muruerS ,
Continuing, Senator Daniei look, serI-
atm. the various witnesses. and discuss
ed their testimony.
III his had been a wHite efompya rnm
Massachusetts or from South Dakota,
said Senator Daniel, we would not have
had such n clsInor about IL. ,Ghurches
would not have been diverted from their
proper purpose by such an affair. II has
happened to white soldiers from every
i s'a'e' and nothing has been Asafa o.
Every conceivable effort was made to
get evidence establishing the identity of
the soldiers who had done the shooting,
but it was absolutely established that
soldiers, their names unknown. had shot
up to- town of Brownsville. The Presi-
dent had not gone OFT half-cocked." He
had ploddcd along patiently, doing the
best he could to get testimony, and when
he got all the facts obtainable, he issued
it was. .qnrtartunsste, the Senator de-
clared. tiiht Some innocent men should
sufrer. but II was essential that soldiers
be Disciplined, The President had done
that in the most humane and inotfensive
manner. Senator Daniel declared the
President should not nave ordered a
court-martial. Even a grand jury had
failed 70 fine a witness who would iden-
tify o. soldier as one of those WHO did
the shooting.
In conc Ar5.uu, Senator Daniel said he
wanted this senators TO have all the i'm
formation tiey could get on the subject
Let a committe go down to Brownsville
and investigate, but he besought their
not to take any step which would i'm,
pugn the military law or the land.
Abiding Faith.
1.-THE men who were Innocent sal,
Senator Daniel, must take their por.
ton ard bide their time" have
somehow faith that there is an ange
that watches over the innocent, tina
somewhere. at some time, will e~ntertaii
him unawares, I do not fear that, i
there be innocent men there, somewhere
at Some time. the evidence will com
forth that will acquit them.
But, Mr.. President. as all this matte
was confined within the circle of the corn
pany, as vet 1t has been Impossible t
identify individually the criminals. thougl
not In corporate existence or In soldierl
guise. So then, Mr., President, let the In
y~estigatIon proceed. Get all the evidenc
You can. Go down to Brownsville agai
to get II. but do not let US impugn tn
military law OF discipline OF our country
DO NOT let us challenge the articles o