Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-13
MR.. VEST AGAINST EXPANSION.
He Argues for Basic Principle of
Our Recommendations Asks Ac-
,iou nm Nicaragua Canal Bill-Pro-
vision for Raising the Maine.

| kau been ulspOSeu VI, NIL wei NDN'N
craD. OF Missouri. called up his resolu-
ton. offered last week, declaring Ii 10
be unconstitutional for this government
TO acquire foreign territory, except for
coaling stations or some like purpose
unless its intention was to confer State
hood upon the territory and citizenship
upon It's inhabitants. Mr.. Vest declared
that It was a basic principle of this gov
eminent that 1.-THE powers OF govern
ment are derived from the consent OF the
governed" and maintained that the
Federal government had no authority,
either in morals or by the Constitution
TO go beyond that principle He heia
that the principle had been sustained by
the Supreme Court in various decisions
and that no public man Of prominence
and no recognized tribunal had been reck-
! less enough 10 controvert it, until with
| in the last six months, when the craze
of expansion seems to have taken hoid
of the American people"
Mr. Vest thought it was the purpose or
the expansionists TO adopt the European
! system of colonization. He pointed
out that Great Britain had in the mother
country 12O,979 square miles of territory
and in her colonies 16657,01 square miles
The disproportion Of population was
about the same.
CITIZENSHIP FOR ALL
Mr.. Vest maintained that the funda-
mental principle of this government was
the granting OF citizenship TO all within
the Jurisdiction of the government, eX-
cept alone the Indians. He did not
believe that anybody would be reckless
enough to say that Thomas Jefferson.
who penned the words "all governments
derive their Just powers from the consent
Of the governed" was not accurate, in
the light Of our Constitution. The act
for the cession Of the territory OF Louisa
ma from France 10 the United States
contained a provision, that the inhabi-
tants, as soon as possible, should be
made citizens Of the United States, and
the Territory of Louisiana be made
State of the Union. So ii was, declared
Mr. Vest, when Florida was acquired
from Spain, and when Alaska was obtain
ed from Russia.
when. where, how" he asked. have
we surrendered the great principle that
this is a confederation of States? l
cannot conceive it possible to point out
any other form Of government under the
Constitution"
Mr.. Vest declared that the United
States Supreme Court had settled that
question for all time.
EXPANSION ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Vest maintained that the over
whelming argument of the Expansionists
was that the Constitution applies alone
to the States Of the Union. In what be
termed this proposition" he said the
expansionists quoted Daniel Webster, for
whose opinions, he himself had the high
est respect. The argument Of Mr.. Web
ster, referred to, had been made in de-
bate with John G. Calhoun, when slavery
was the dominant issue Mr.. Calhoun had
maintained that inasmuch as slavery was
recognized by the Federal Constitution,
its extension into the Territories acquired
by the Union of States was constitu-
tional. Then 1t was that Mr.. Webster
had declared that Constitution applied
to the States alone.
ITO say" declared Mr.. Vest, "that
citizens of Territory are excluded from
the privileges guaranteed by the Bill Of
Rights. and are merely the subjects of
the arbitrary will Of Congress-, Is
monstrous proposition but fortunately
the Supreme Court has determined that
question in many cases"
81 do not deny" continued Mr.. Vest,
to acquire territory, but L do deny its
power TO acquire territory populated with
millions without their consent, and with
no intention OF comforting upon them
citizenship. I may be answered that the
point is not good, that it may be evaded
by the taking in of vast tracts of land
peopled with barbarians, to be held mere
ly for commercial advantages. When the
Congress of the United States shall be-
come so degraded as this, it is only a
question Of time until the end shall
come"
THE FATE OF ROME.
1--WE are a great people," concluded Mr..
Vest; 1--WE are told that this country can
do anything Constitution or no Constitu-
ton; we are a great people, IT is true,
but we cannot do more than another great
people did-a people that conquered the
world. not with steel ships and modern
cannon, but with bare swords and print
tive galleys. The Colonial system destroy
ed all hope of repubicanism in the old
time. 1t is appendage Of monarchy. 1t
can exist in no free country, because IT
uproots and eliminates the basis Of all
republican institutions-that governments
derive their just powers from the consent
Of the governed"
II know not what may be done with
greed of the money-making classes of this
country. For myself 1 would rather quit
public life this minute-nay, l would be
willing TO yield life itself-rather than
give my consent to this fantastic and
wicked attempt to revolutionize our gov
eminent, and to substitute the principles
of an hereditary enemy for the teachings
Of Washington and his associates"
PLATT OPPOSES VEST.
Mr. Plat, of Connecticut, in expressing
the hope that Mr.. Vest would not ask for
immediate action upon his resolution, said
he desired 10 offer some remarks upon II,
but was not prepared to-day to do so.
He did not, he said. acquiesce in the law,
as stated by the Missouri Senator. He
believed that the power 10 acquire terri
tory was inherent, and was not subject
to limitation. In the remarks he proposed
to submit he would endeavor to establish
this belief. He thought 1t perfectly evil
dent that If the United States, in fighting
a war; came into possession OF a terri
tory, the result Of the work of its army
and its navy could not be stopped until
the government acquired the territory
with the ultimate intention OF comforting
citizenship upon its inhabitants.
In response TO a question from Mr..
Hoar, Mr.. Plat said that the power OF
the government to acquire territory was
full and plenary. Mr.. Hoar said he de-
sired TO enter his emphatic dissent.
NICARAGUA CANAL BILL.
Mr. Morgan opened the debate on the