The broad ax., 1909-03-06
Senator J. 3. FOrakers Brownsville
Hnl Passes Through Both Houses Of
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! throughout the world-without regard
to race or to creed or to previous con-
dition. We must do justice in this
Brownsville AFFAIR. l certainly hope
that the patriotism Of the member
ship of this House, regardless Of what
their political Affiliations may be. or
the sections of the land in which
they live, viii prompt them to vote
for the restoration of these men to
the position which they have so long
occupied with so much honor to them
selves and to the United States.
CLong and loud applause.)
Congressman Sulzer has earned
the everlasting gratitude of all those
who dearly love liberty and justice
/ for his noble and manly stand in be
half OF Senator Foraker's Browns
vile bill.
Congressman Richard P. Hobson, Of
Alabama, in support Of the bill
uttered these eloquent words which
have raised him one hundred feet in
the estimation of all Afro-Americans
I in this country:
when these crimes were commit
ted at Brownsville" declared Con-
gresham Hobson, the President Of
the United States could have ordered
all officers and men to remain with
/ in barracks and could have ordered
a court of inquiry. followed by a
court martial, which. held. on the
spot without delay, would no doubt
have established the guilt or inno-
eence of all the men, and would have
given a regular legal opportunity to
every innocent man to establish the
fact of his innocence. II. under duly
administered oath, any man had re-
fused to tell the whole truth or had
been found to have concealed or
sbetted the guilty, he could have
been punished accordingly. By such
a regular and legal procedure the
guilty, all of them or part Of them,
at least, could have been brought to
full punishment at the scene of their
hideous crime, fulfilling the ends Of
justice. But the President did not
proceed in this regular legal way. He
scattered the men, guilty and limo
cent alike, to the four winds, and
thus prevented the ends Of justice.
This action of the President prevent
ed the establishment Of the guilt OF
the guilty and prevented the innocent
from establishing their innocence.
These men have never had a chance
to appear before a court of inquiry;
never before a court-martial; have
never been under oath. This bill pro-
vides the least that can now be done
for the cause of justice.
''Mr. Speaker, saw black men car
raging our flag on San Juan Hill;
have seen them before Manila. A
black man took my father. wounded,
from the field Of Charlottesville.
Black men remained on my grand
fathers plantation after the procla-
nation Of emancipation and took care
of my mother and grandmother. The
white man is supreme in this coun-
try; he will remain supreme. That
makes it only the more sacred that
he should give absolute Justice TO
the black man who is in our midst.
cloud applause) ] submit it to the
conscience of my colleagues. This
ought not to be made a party meas
ure. We are standing here on the
field of eternal justice, where all men
are the same. 1t is justice that links
man to the divine Whether the hea-
Vens fall or the earth melt away,
while we live let us be just. loud
applause.)
Congressman William BOurke Cock
ran Of New York City and Congress
man Adair of Indiana. were among
the other Democrats who Loyalty sup
ported the measure. which VIII be-
come a part Of the military law Of
the land when it is signed by the
President.
Senator Foraker's Brownsville bill
as passed by both branches of Con-
gress. reads as follows:
Senate Bill 572s:
AN ACT
To correct the records and author-
ize the re-enlistment Of certain nom
commissioned officers and enlisted
men belonging to Companies 2, C. and
D of the Twenty-ffth United states
! infantry who were discharged with
! out honor under Special Orders, Num-
bered Two hundred and thirty-six.
War Department November ninth,
nineteen hundred ard six. and the