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Page 5
His plan was this:
He would unearth the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, confront the Senate with that,
and as it deals very directly with matters that concern both arbitration
and the canal, Senator Morgan was sure that it would give the Senate
enough food for discussion to last it through this session of Congress,
without touching the Treaty again.
The Clayton-Bulwer treaty was made between Great Britain and the United
States in 1850.
One part of the treaty stipulates that neither Great Britain nor the
United States shall ever control the Nicaragua Canal, nor build forts
along it.
When this treaty was made, Nicaragua had given the right to build the
canal to an American company. This company did not belong to the
government; it was a mere business undertaking by a business firm.
The company did not build the canal; the work required too much money, and
the affair fell through.
At the present time it is the American Government that proposes to build
the canal, and if the Government is to put in the enormous sums of money
that will be needed, it is only right that the Government shall control
it. Nicaragua is not wealthy enough to build the canal herself, and if we
do not undertake it, some other country will, and it will certainly expect
the control of the canal in return for the money invested.
Senator Morgan asked the Senate to consider the matter of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty, and decide whether or no we are still bound by it,
before the Arbitration Treaty be signed. He insists that if the Senate
decides that the Clayton-Bulwer treaty is still binding, England must
agree to release us from it before we can discuss another treaty, as it is
too absurd to suppose that we will put our money into the canal and have
no right to control it.
In the time that must be taken up in the consideration of this very
important point. Senator Morgan will have time to get his bill properly
considered, and with the new light that he has thrown on canal affairs
through the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, he is more likely to get his bill
passed.
* * * * *
There is news of a great victory for the Cubans, which is called one of
the most brilliant successes of the war.
It was won by General Gomez.
He set out to lay siege to the town of Arroyo Blanco.
When he arrived before the town, he sent word to the mayor that he was
about to open fire with his dynamite-gun, and he requested that all the
women, children, and non-fighting men should be sent out of the city.
In accordance with the rules of civilized warfare, he sent a permit for
these people to pass out of the town in safety.
He waited several hours for a reply. None being sent, he ordered his
gunners to send one shot over the city.
This having been done, and still no answer coming from the Spanish
commander, General Gomez sent a fresh messenger, asking the mayor, for the
sake of humanity, to send the women and children out of the town as
quickly as possible.
To this the officer in command sent the reply that Gomez could begin to
fire as quickly as he pleased, for not a soul in Arroyo Blanco should be
allowed to leave the town; he intended to keep the women and children
within the walls, to suffer whatever fate was in store for him.
The women and children pleaded to be allowed to leave, but the Spanish
officer was determined to keep them, and they were obliged to stay.
On receiving this cruel answer, Gomez opened fire, using his dreadful
dynamite-gun. For several days he laid siege to the town, without gaining
any advantage.
The Spaniards tried to get help from the main army by signalling with the
heliograph. This is an instrument by which rays of light are thrown from a
mirror, and flashed from one point to another. It is much used in war.
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