The times., 1898-12-20
REPLY TO SENATOR VEST
Senator Platt of Connecticut
Against His Resolution.
NATIONS INHERENT RIGHT
Power to Acquire Territory Not Reserved
TO States or Pcople-Is tho Sovereign
Privilege of the Country-Expnnsion u
Law Of Our National GrOwth-The
Drcd-Scott Decision Dead Letter.

Senator Plat of Connecticut held the
floor of the Senate for three hours yes
terday afternoon with an argument in
refutation of the position taken by Sena-
tor Vest with regard to the Constitutional
hold territory as colonies. Senator Vests
speech was made last week in support of
resolution introduced by him declaring
that under the Constitution of the United
States no power is given to acquire terri
tory TO be held and governed permanently
as colonies.
Senator Platt maintained that the
United States had an inherent right as
sovereign nation, to acquire territory
in all ways that are conceded to other
sovereign nations of the world. He said
at the outset that he did not propose to
talk on expansion, nor to discuss the fea-
lures of the government this country
might establish in any foreign territory
the nation might acquire Expansion, he
said. however. had been a law of our
national growth; the handspring OF ma
tional development
II shall maintain" said Senator Platt,
II
great capacity for government in all
trying times and under many trying con-
ditions, and that it Is able to meet any
emergency likely to arise. 1 propose TO
confine myself to the question of right
or power denied by the resolution.
Il shall contend that the United States
is nation and that as such it possesses
the States or the people: that the right
to acquire territory was not reserved, and
that, therefore. that right is an inherent
right, sovereign right, right to which
there is no Limitation. ] shall show also
that in certain instances this inherent
sovereign right Is to b. inferred from
specific clauses of the Constitution Itself"
Senator Platt cited the utterances of
Justice Gray, In the Chinese exclusion
act, declaring that the United States was
sovereign nation and possessed absolute
jurisdiction in all international affairs
The entire question OF the Governments
right to acquire territory he said, was
considered thoroughly during the discus
sion of the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands and the Senate had settled II sat
isfactorily and rightly.
The Islands were not annexed as
state, he said, nor with any declara ton
that the territory should become n State.
IL was taken by cession and the title of
the United States to the territory was
perfect. complete and constitutional
Senator Platt declared that it was too
late to revive the Dred-Scott decision and
the opinion of Chief Justice Taney as a
basis of constitutional action. In many
ways since then this country has exer-
cised its Inherent and sovereign right and
has acquired territory.
Where is the limitation in the Con-
stitution Of the right to acquire terri
tory. or where Is the clause in the Con-
stitution which says that We must admit
territory acquired by conquest as a
State?" he asked.
1T is not there. Are our armies to
stop in their conquering march because
of the obligation to make all the land We
take into n State? l do not think l ever
heard more indefensible doctrine enun-
ciated."
The Dred-Scott decision, he said. had
been reversed by shot and shell and was
entirely imperative, not being referred to
by the Supreme Court as authority
In response to questions from Senator
Allen. Senator Plat said that he thought
there was no limitation upon our power
to acquire territory. He believed further
that this right granted the power to gov
ern a people who were not fitted for self
government by whatever method was best
suited to their condition.
At o'clock Senator Morgan's canal bill
which. as the unfinished business, was to
have been called up. was temporarily laid
aside. Senator Vest asking and obtaining
unanimous consent for Senator Platt to
go on The Senator from Connecticut
continued his argument on the same lines.
maintaining the right OF this nation to
provide colonial government. and quoting
at length from various treaties and Su-
preme Court decisions bearing on the
question.
AT the conclusion of his speech Senator
Teller gave notice that after the routine
business today he would reply to Senator |
Vests resolution.