The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-09
SENATE WARNED
 BY MAILED FIST Roosevelt Writes Letters Assert
 ing His Supremacy GREAT FEELING IS AROUSED Presidents Letters To Senators Have Not Been Made Public, But sena-
 tors Are Much Disturbed
 Over Their Contents.

Washington, May S.-Three members of the United States Senate have received letters from President Roosevelt within the last few days declaring his suprem- acy, as commander-in-chief in all mat ters referring to the control of the army and navy. The letters have created in- tense feeling in the Senate, and 1t is not unlikely that they will precipitate conference of republican members. The letters in every case are in defense of his course in discharging without honor the negro soldiers he believed to be guilty of shooting up the town of Brownsville, Tex, and his action in banishing Col. William F. Stewart to an abandoned mili- tary post in a desert section of Arizona.
 The third letter came today to Senator Stewart of Vermont. A few days ago during the debate on the Brownsville case Senator Stewart asked a question indicat- ing that he had had doubt as to the wis dom of extending to the President the power of passing on the innocence or guilt of ex-soldiers applying for reinstatement in view of the fact that it appeared the President still believes all of the negroes
 
 affray. The senator received from the President today letter bearing on both the Colonel Stewart and the Brownsville cases. Attached to the communication were eters to Senators Rayner and Will liam Alden Smith, the one to MT. Rayner asserting chiefly the Presidents right as commander-in-cheft to deal with an of ficer in such manner as he pleased, while the one to MT Smith was confined to the Brownsville affair and reiterated the Presidents belief that he had dealt with the case as conditions demanded.
 Under Misapprehension.
 The President went farthe, ssal in his letter to Senator Stewart .Ie declared that Senator Stewart from ne question he asked in the debate, appeared to be proceeding under a misapprehension of the duties of the President of the United States in connection with the army and navy He quoted the law as he under stood it, and denied that he was under any obligations to give to the discharged negro soldiers or to Colonel Stewart any court of inquiry. Several paragraphs were devoted to a discussion of the Colonel
  put him in disrepute in army circles. After this discussion the President wrote that in every community there is found maudlin sympathy with murderers and the Thaw case is cited by him as an example.
 None of the senators who have received letters from the White House has decided whether they will make them public. All have been asked to do so. Senator Smith of Michigan declined on the ground that 1t would be improper, and Senator Rayner is preparing to use the letter in a speech which he will make to the Senate, de- nouncing the action of the President in banishing Colonel Stewart to Fort Grant, Ariz. Senator Stewart showed to sew eral of his colleagues the letter he re- ceived but thus far has made no disposi- tion of it. Several senators said today that the letters would have the effect of complicating the situation in regard to legislation in the interest of the inno- cent members of the battalion of negroes discharged on account of the Brownsville affray. There are two bills before the Senate looking to that end. 1t is gen. erally believed that the republican sen ators will hold a caucus for the discus sion of the entire question, including the Presidents letters early next week.