Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-20
SENATE'S BUSY DAY,
Several Important Speeches
Made in Upper Chamber
MR. PLATT ON EXPANSION.
He Thinks We Have Full Right 10
Acquire Territory.
BAILEY on WUEELERS STATUS.
Proposed Resolution With Respect
Part to Charge of Coliusicn With
Radicals.
BAILEY on wHEELERs STATUS
Radicals.

WASHINGTON, d. c.. December 80
| The Senate had a busy day. and there
were several important speeches. Mr..
| Platt, of Connecticut. spoke against the
Vest resolution. which declares that the
United States has no power TO acquire
territory. Il shall maintain" said Mr.
Platt. chat the United States has shown
a great capacity for government in all
trying times and under many trying con-
ditions, and that IT is capable 20 meet any
emergency likely 70 arise. | propose 10
c0nfine myself TO the question Of the right
or power denied by the resolution. /
shall contend that the United States is a
nation. and that as such it possesses
every sovereign power not reserved by
the Constitution TO the States or 20 the
people themselves; that the right 10 ac-
quiie territory was not reserved, ana mat
therefore. that right Is an inherent right
a sovereign right-a right 10 when there
Is no limitation. / shall show also, that
I'm certain instances this Inherent soYe-
reign right Is 10 be inferred from specihc
clauses of the Constitution itself
Mr.. Platt then launched into consu-
tutional argument quoting extensively
from authorities treating of the ques-
ton. In maintenance OF his position 0f
the right of the United States 10 acquire
foreign territory. he quoted from the
opinion Of Justice Gray. in the Chinese
exclusion case. He declared that IN the
discussion OF the Constitution OF the
Hawaiian Islands the entire question OF
-l,.t.t 90 fr.a
territory was accorded thoroughly, ana
that the Senate had settled IL satisfac-
torilv and rightly. I'VE did not annex
The Hawaiian Islands as a State said
Mr. Platt. cor with any declaration tnat
the territory should become State. We
took 70 by cesslon. our title to the terri
Tory is perfect and complete and consu-
tutiOnaL'
CASE OF FLORIDA.
Mr.. PIatt maintained that our right 10
Florida did not rest alone upon the quit
claim from Spain. but upon deeper ana
broader right He held that the bnlteu
states "have the right 20 acquire terri
cory in all ways that are conceded TO
other sovereign nations Of the world.
Further along Mr.. Platt suggested thaI
il might become necessary, N the Ihte-
~est 0r commerce or some other interest
tory In Africa shall we be bound by
The Constitution to organize a State from
such acquired territory, ana 10 ADMIT llS
inhabitants to citizenshlp:
"Suunose." he continued, that the
senator from Alabama (AIr. Morgan) Sc
c,ros the massage Of his bin for the con
s+ruction Of the Nicaragua canal tand l
pray ne may), and suppose that in this
connection it should be deemed necessary
for the United States TO acquire strlp
Of land along the route OF the cdhai oI
2500C0o acres-I think that ) the amount
.iirgested-can we not tale IL? II we
tske II what clause Of the Constitution
directly or inpHedly. says We must make
q State Of the acquired territory or con-
fer citizenship upon the people who IN
habit it?" -
DRED SCOTT DECISION.
Referring 10 Mr.. Vests reliance upon
certain parts Of the Dred Scott decision,
Mr.. Platt declared that. in the llght oi
vears Chief-Justice Taney's opinion be
came a mere dictum. and that II was 700
late in these days TO resurrect the DIeu
scott decision as basis OF legislative
action on the part Of the uhlteu Std',s'
Continuing. Mr. Platt contended thdt
the doctrine he was presenting was not
NV, hut was the doctrine of the Fathers
ana he quoted Guverneur Morris as ad-
,.~ncinr the theory that acquired terri
,orv might be governed as province,
but not as a state The remark appheu
IA the possibuity Of the requirement OF
Louisiana and Canada.
In resnousc 10 a question from MT. Al
len AIr. Platt said that he did not thlhk
there was any limitation upon the power
OF the United States 10 acquire terrl'ory'
"Is that power as complete as the
,o,yer - Russia, for instance, In such
matters?" asked Mr.. Allen.
..yes. the right 10 acquire territory
80, clement Of nationality. and l DO not
believe that there is any obligation 10
e,i,,a to the people Of acquired territory
tba rigbt Of self-govcrnment unti such
time as they are fit TO exercise that
,.ie,bt II we believe the people oil a
conntrv ACQUIRED are not fitted FOR the
government OF themselves, II Is our du'y
IN give them the most liberal government
they are capable Of accepting anu 10
educate them up, as best we may 10 .
point M which they Will be capable or
self-ooverpment. The Constitution does
NOT confer the right Of suffrage
or-R COLONIES" NOT 4 MENACE.
Mr.. Platt said he could not agree with
those who contended that the requirement
Of such territory rs that embraced III
Porto klCO anu ti4N iAt''Ff''
menace 10 the existence OF our republic
Tbis mistake. he said. arises from the
fact that Mr.. Vest and others who agree
,ritb him assume that the Constitution
e,orentees the right OF suffrage and the
Tight of d citizen living in certain ter
rt,orv to have IL admitted as a State.
rbis assumption was without foundation.
a. there was no such guarantee IN the
f,,rdamental law. True, the fifteenth
amendment prohibits the abridgment or
the right of suffrage, for me reasons
sneeifed. but that did not amount TO
nre-cribing the right 10 vote.
Air. Hoar asked sir. Plat whether he
decried the doctrine that governments
derive their just powers from the consent
OF the governed.
Mr. Platt replied that the consent OF
all those governed was not always reces-
sorv He referred 10 the fact that there
,ras no suffrage in the District of Column
Ria ana called attention 10 the fact thai
ci,tzens OF Massachusetts who could not
road and write were prohibited from
voting. Yet these people in Massa.
chusetts were governed most effectively
uOAR DEFENDS MASSACHUSETTS.
Replying. Mr. Hoar defended the educa-
,ional system Of Massachusetts. Return
inp 10 the question: Of expansion. he ask
~, ,,,lathar Nr platt meant TO seriously