The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-11-10

Opinion Expressed by Him in Letter
Written to Sir John TaIberg- Acton
in ISoo-In View of the Probable
Adoption of a Policy of Territorial
Expansion Gen. Lees Words are
Almost Prophetic-is This Really the
Wise Course?
Baltimore Sun.)
In 1866 Gen. Robert f. Lee. rs
quoted in Prof. Henry A. Whites his
tory of that great Southern soldier,
wrote to Sir John Talberg-Acton:
The consolidation of the States into
ole vast republic, sure to be aggrcs-
sive abroad and despotic at home.
will be the certain precursor Of that
ruin which has overw whelmed all those
that preceded it." In the light of
recent events and on the eve of the
probable adoption of a policy of ter
ritorial expansion Gen. Lees words
are almost prophetic. Two years
ago the country was stirred to its
foundation by a political convulsion
from which, fortunately, it emerged
unscathed through the conservatism
of a ma jority of the voters. That in
itself was servere strain upon oar
institutions. Sectional lines were
drawn as never before, except in
1861, and the attempt was made to
array the West and South against
the East. The bitterness and inten-
sity of that struggle will not soon be
forgotten, and the fact that 6.5DD,-
600 voters gave their support to the
movement shows the immense
strength which was behind it, Now,
two years later, other problems quite
as momentous ana far-reaching in
their character and scope are pre-
scented for solution, and upon the
settlement of an issue which, prior
to the war with Spain, had never
been dreamed of, but which has since
taken substantial shape, depends in
large measure the future welfare of
the country.
1t was explicitly declared by Con-
gress when the country was about to
engage in war with Spain that the
war was not one of conquest, but of
humanity. In the peace protocol,
which was signed on August Il, this
declaration was cvadcd when pro-
vision was inserted demanding the
cession by Spain to the United States
of Porto Rico and one of the Ladrone
Islands. The administration. having
violated the solemn pledge of Con-
gress in one instance, is now, ac-
cording to reports from Paris, about
to ignore it entirely, or perhaps it
| would be more accurate to say that
it is about to defy it. The peace pro-
| tocol provided that the city and bay
Of Manila should be occupied by the
naval and military forces of the
United States pending negotiations
for the future disposition Of the
Philippines. The administration has
now thrown off all disguise and,
through the commissioners at Paris,
has formally notified Spain of its
intention to take possession of the
islands and to pay Il small money
consideration for the territory which
it is about to appropriate. The
President. it is true, is acting under
his constitutional prerogativc, but
his position is not consistent with
the formal declaration Of the legis-
lative branch of the governments.
Congress assured the world that in
making war upon Spain the sole pur-
pose of the United States was to
redress the grievances of the Cubans
and to give the people of Cuba 4
stable government free from the
sovereignty of Spain. President
Mckinley has nulliiied the action Of
Congress and has substantially de-
clared to the world that Congress
was sincere and our professions oi
a war waged solely for humanity
were hollow mockcrv, designed 10
enlist the support and sympathy OF
those who would not have sanctioned
a war Of conquest. In brief, tho
ma oritv of the American people
were '.buncoed" into the belief that
the government was animated by
! the holicst and most unscliish mo-
tives when, as subsequent develop
ments have shown, its real purpose
was aggression and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
In view of the inconsistency be.
tween the declaration Of the legisla-
tive branch Of the government and
the demands made upon Spain by
the Executive, it would seem that
the President morally, at least, ha:
exceeded the limitations imposed
upon him by the epsesentatives ot
the people in Congress, although act
ing strictly within his prerogativs
under the constitution In addition
to stripping Spain of practically al
her colonial possessions he coult
demand an exorbitant indemnity am
the cession of territory in the Span
ish peninsula. There is, in fact, n
limit to the demands which he coult
make "a a condition precedent to
permanent peace with Spain. But i
the people Of the United States ha'
known before the war began that tn
Executive would scornfullv disrc
gard the pledges Of Congress an
would stretch his prerogative to tn
utmost limit, they would have brOugh
such pressure to bear upon the legi-
lative branch of the government tina
it would probably have refused t
enter upon war, the results o
which NAV show so reckless disrc
gard of the faith and honor Of In
nation a expressed in the resolution
OF Congress. General Lee : prophec
is verified in part at least Con
scious Of our strength we have grow
despotic abroad. The Executive ha
asserted his purpose, as indicated i
the proceedings Of the commission a
Paris. to take from Spain every on
Of her possessions which certai
r element in this country may think
i desirable to seize and hold. {
e course the Senate will have to ratif
a the action Of the Executive but il
highly improbable that the PrcsideE
would have made such demand