Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-14

promise, there is no one to give us
| indemnity, because the revolutionists
will soon be in power, and the COM
radeS in arms of these unfortunate men
should never he assessed for compen>
sation for their unlawful death. 1t Is
said that we ought to break off official
communication with his accredited
representatives. We have already done
that, and that amounts to nothing, and
is a matter of absolute unconcern to
him.
"Then it is said that we ought to de-
clare war against Nicaragua. 1 think
that is unnecessary. except in so far
as this resolution may be construed in.
to what is known in international law
as declaration of hostility sub mode
some of the authorities speaking of
it as limited or imperfect hostilities.
1t is a declaration against the ruler of
Nicaragua in person and not against
/ the Government which may soon be
out of his grasp
This government is a cowardly gov
eminent if it does not make an exam
pie of Zelaya before the eyes of the
civilized world The case will not adj
nit of any trifling or concessions. If
two American citiZenS-I care not who
they were or what they were, citizens
in high standing as they have been
reputed to be or soldiers of fortune
have been murdered by Zelaya, then
he must be made to pay the penalty
of his crime. Once spread before the
American people the details of the ex-
ecution, and our people will rise in
arms and demand retribution. They
have not yet fully absorbed the signi-
ticance Of this deed. No matter how it
was done, no trial by court-nlartial
can justify it. These men, as l have
shown, We're prisoners of war. ard
they were not subject to trial by court
martial"
Senator Raynor asserted that Zela-
yas only anxiety would be lest he lose
the money he had stolen;" that he
would rather lose his head than his
money. The Senator declared that if
Zelaya could not obtain a fair trial in
Nicaragua in the event of inSurgent
success in that country, he might well
be brought to the United States and
tried for murder in this country before;
jury of American citizens and under
the criminal laws of the land. The
Senator said he would later present a
line of presidents predicating legality
for such an action. He quoted Presi-
den Pierce in a message to Congress in
1886 on the subject of recognizing gov
erhments set up by successful revolu
tionists, and cited Daniel Webster who.
as Secretary of State in 1912, defined
the rights Of American citizens enlist
ed under the flag of foreign country.
''If Zelaya had the right" the Sena-
tor continued, "to sentence these men
to death and execute them in cold
blood, then we must acknowledge that
right and recognize it before the ma
tions of the world. If he did not have
that right, no matter how petty and
insignificant he may be in the eyes of
diplomacy or upon the sphere of the
worlds action, no matter how trivial
and unimportant q station his Govern
ment may occupy, this Government is
his accuser, and if he is guilty he must
be awarded the doom and fate that he
deserves, so that every tyrant on this
earth in every nationality under the
sun, and in every government, large Or
small and especially these dictators in
several of these Central American
States who have received every favor
ana consideration at the nandS or the
United States and TO whom has been
extended the official hospitality of our
land, and who in return therefor have
exhibited to us at times the bitterest
hatred and visited upon our citizens
the most cruel indignities and outrag
es, shall be told once and forever that
our flag follows our citizens wherever
they go, and that when an assassina-
| ton like this occurs the malefactor
must take his place like any other cul-
| prit at the bar of criminal justice and
must answer for the deed with his lib
| erty or his life
| The resolution which he offered was
not a declaration of war, said Senator
| Raynor. The guilt for what he char
acterized as "a great crime against the
| rights of American citizenship" did not
rest upon the people of Nicaragua. he
said, nut upon the Dictator of Nicara-
qua" The resolution was directed
against President Zelaya individually.
He desired that his resolution be cons
sidered as a separate proposition from
any action that might be taken with
reference to the state of government
existing in Nicaragua"