The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-07
Annexation Our Historical Policy.

Annexation Our Historical Policy.
It will doubtless be admitted on all hands
that the request OF the Provisional Govern
ment OF the Hawaiian Islands for incorpora-
ton with the United States ought to be
answered in accordance with the traditions
and practice Of our Federal Government.
What that practice has been is set forth in
an exhaustive and impressive way by the
Hon. SIMEON d. BALDWIN in the last num-
Der OF the Yale Reriep This interesting
study OF the history of the subject estab-
fishes the fact that from the first tentative
union OF the American colonies down to the
present time. the annexation of countries
useful on geographical. commercial. or
strategic grounds has been warmly advo-
Gated and steadily pursued
/, The eXpediency OF Independence itself
was scarcely recognized more promptly
than the Importance Of extending the area
Of the nascent commonwealth by annexa-
ton. No sooner had the delegates OF eleven
colonies met in Congress at Philadelphia in
E October. 1774. than the hope was expressed
of finding coadjutors in all the other British
provinces on our continent A stirring ap-
peal to that effect was forthwith addressed
to the Inhabitants Of Quebec, and an active
correspondence with Canadian patriots was
begun by the Massachusetts Committee of
Safety. In May, 1775, another appeal to the
Inhabitants OF Canada from the pen Of
JOHN JAY was adopted by Congress. Not
long afterward, an address from the in
habitants Of several parishes in Bermuda
was received. In November Of the same
year the inhabitants OF district Of Nova
Scotia applied for admission into the Asso-
citation Of the United Colonies. In the
course OF the same twelve months Commits
sioners were sent to induce Canadians to
accede to a union, and to raise troops for the
Continental army. The result was such a
number Of enlstments that Canadian
regiment was organized and second one
was projected.
The plan brought forward by DR.. FRANK
LIN for Articles Of Confederation provided
for the accession Of all the other British
colonies on the continent. that is. Quebec. st.
s Johns, Nova Scotia. East and West Florida,
and also the Bermuda Islands. 1t is true that
when this plan was reported year
later. the provision for bringing in the
other English colonies was stricken out.
except so far as related to Canada, which
was to have the right to admission on re-
quest. The opinion was expressed at this
time by SAMUEL ADAMS that. had the Dec
laration of Independence been made in 1775,
Canada would have become one of the
United Colonies. Perhaps ADAMS under
rated the repellent effect produced by the
denunciation OF the Quebec Act by the Con-
tinental Congress, an expression of intoer-
ance with respect to the Catholic faith which
1t afterward tried to soften by nstructing
It's Commissioners to guarantee to the
French Catholics the free enjoyment of their
religion. 1t is plain. indeed, from the dec
Iarations and proceedings of the colonies
that sectarian prejudice speedily gave way
to the desire for annexation. Nor did
the attempts to satisfy this desire cease
when Independence seemed assured. JOHN
ADAMS while in Holland, in 1882, affirmed
that we should never have a real peace so
long as Canada or Nova Scotia remained in
English hands; and few days later DR..
FRANKLIN submitted to the British Com
missioner, Mr.. OSWALD. a paper in which he
argued that. in the interest OF both coun-
tries. Great Britain would do we'll to give us
Canada in return for certain reciprocal con-
SESSIONS 1t is not improbable that we
should have obtained Canada at that time,
clandestinely exerted against u.s.
Thus. we see that the annexation pro-
gramme was put forth in the birth-hour
OF our Government. 1t continued to be
advocated by the trainers and the first
administrators of our Constitution. GoUy-
ERNEUR NORRIS. whose pen put the Con-
stitution In form, explained that mo decree
de crescendO imperio was inserted In it,
han In 4 "A 10
safely assigned to our future EXPANSION. |
KNEW" he said. las well then as do now.
that all North America must at length be-
annexed to It," 1t seems plain. indeed,
that had the intention OF the Con-
stitution been to keep the Union within
the limits then existing. an express
prohibition to that effect would have been
inserted Such was the view taken by
GALLATIN when JEFFERSON consulted him
with regard to the Louisiana negotiations
Such was the current opinion at the time
when many OF the authors and acoeptors
OF the Constitution were still living: and tits
we'll known that the purchase of tho Loui-
sana territory for $4,000. 900 met with gem
oral approval. When, sixteen years later.
We bought the Florldas from Spain for |
$4,000. 900. JOHN MARSHALL. Chief Justice Of |
the United States Supreme Court. decided |
that the right of our Federal Government |
TO wage war and make treaties necessarily |
Implied the right to acquire new territory. |
whether by conquest or purchase.
Tho somewhat different question OF the
absorption OF a foreign sovereignty was
raised in 1896 by the application
OF the Republic OF Texas for admission
into the Union. In this case. RS is well
known. annexation was ultimately effected
not by treaty, bit by virtue of an act of