The Newtown bee., 1898-06-17

would fam erase them from theAtabiet of
our memory; but we can't. We would
fain forget the years in which this ma
ton fostered slavery, hid the poisonous
thing in her bosom until it had nearly
bitten her to death. We would fain for
get our inhuman treatment of the red
man, how without recompense we. have
taken away his land, how We have killed
way to dispose Of him, how we have
pressed. him into discrepancies until ais
campfire has now nearly gone out forev-
er and his hunting path no " leads him
anly to the4and OF shades We would
fain forget how in this fair land we have
burned the witches, how the Puritahs,
prosecuted in their own land, in turn, be-
came prosecutors On coming here, how in
thousand ways we have truckied with
wrong, how we have gotten up mon
strous political Jobs, how we have given
the saloon controlling power how we
have kept the Chinese out and let the
rough-scuff of other nations IN, how we
have played SO fast and loose with. our
republican institutions; that those who
have watched us from beyond the sea
have wondered how long these institu-
tions would remain. We would tain for
get these things, but we can't, Would
that we had more in our past for which
we wanted perpetuat Memorial naysL
There is nothing about the principles
commended for in cur Civil War that we
want to forget, nor, for that matter, in
any war, that is, In any great war, since
our republic was founded. This nation
began to be in holy war, and it has
been fighting holy wars ever since. Look
through history and you will find that
what have been called 'hoty wars" have
generally been wars for oppression OF
weaker. peoples or for adding new terri
tory Or for meddling in other nations at
fairs. But that has never been the way
with Brother Jonathan. He has Away s
been peaceable, law abiding. citizen.
He has always known, enough to mind
his own business and to stay at home.
Through the Monroe doctrine,
ENGRAFTED INTO OUR NATIONAL POLICY
many years ago, we have declared
to- the world that we y" Intended
to keep our hands Off and let foreign peo-
pies quarrel as much as they pleased, so
long as they,let us alone. The2day after
the passing of the Declaration of In
v11Ra1oao sT1a.yn~ IA }w2,o -%A1nsSkr - I'D,
wife t'Yesrerday the greatest question
was decided" which wag ever debared In
Kmerica, and d greater perhaps never
was, nor viii be. decided among nten; and
since John Adams day Americas has
fgone on deciding great questions.
America has never yet engaged in any
war for wealth, for power, for territorial
acquisition: Alexander, the Macedonian,
said that he made his conquesGs to spread
Greek civilization; hut all, the world
knows that he. was allared by Egyptian
wealth and Persian spleudor. America
has yet to make her first raid on any for
eign land. Its not true, and it is an in
snltlto the genius OF kAInerica to saV,that
her motive in entering upon this war
with Spain was 10 parcel. off some of the
latter's possessions while there ia. any yet
left for disEributlon. Whether it
will be as u necessary out
come that We shall have
to exercise psotectorate over Cuba
or the Philippines or even. actually add
these to our territorial bounds we cannot
now say but certainly this was not our
incentive for enlisting in. this war.
America has waged many just wars, but
surely juater one than this never.
America has built mp her institutions
through her own prowess and strengEh !;
the price she has paid for her glory has
been blood and tears. Her independence
rests upon the martyred bodies OF our
fathers; the preservation of national
union and liberty was boughtby what lies
beneath the .sed, where many q widow
and orphan have wept and where, with.
each returning year, In the beautiful
month OF May we render our floral
tribute to their memory and TO American
patriotism. We do not want, then, any
slice from the dominion of that empire.
on which the sun never sets we do not
want any parcalIing of from the realm of
the imperial Gar we do not even want
any portion from the fast-diaappesring
sovereignty Of Spain. We only want
peace III our borders. We want tbs right.
10 defend againss . cruel oppression
those who are too weak To defend them
selves. We wantsto work out our own
national problems With fear and lxesa-