The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-23

SENATE.
Washingto December 19.-The IN
ate had a busy day and there were sew
eral important speeches. Senator Plat.
of Connecticut, spoke against the Vest
resolution, which declares that the
United States has no power TO acquire
territory.
Senator Plat said: 1 propose to
right or power denied by the resolu-
ton. l shall contend that the United
States is a nation, and that as such 1t
possess every sovereign power not re-
served by the constitution to the states
or to the people themselves; hat the
right to acquire territory was not re-
served and that, therefore, that right is
an inherent right-a sovereign right, a
right to which there is no limitation.
l shall show, also, that in certain in
stances, this inherent sovereign right
is to be inferred from specific clauses
of the constitution itself"
Senator Plat then launched into a
constitutional argument quoting extern
sively from authorities treating Of the
question. In maintenance OF his posi-
ton of the right Of the United States
to acquire foreign territory he quoted
from the opinion Of Justice Gray in the
Chinese exclusion case. He declared
that in the discussion of the annexation
of the Hawaiian islands the entire
question of this governments right to
acquire foreign territory was consid-
cred thoroughly and that the senate
had settled it satisfactorily and rightly.
eve did not the Hawaiian is
lands as a state" said he, cor with any
declaration that the territory should be-
come a state. We took it by cession.
Our title to the territory is perfect and
complete and constitutional"
Senator Plat maintained that our
right to Florida did not rest alone upon
the quit-claim from Spain, but upon a
that the United States have the right
to acquire territory in all ways that
are conceded to other sovereign nations
of the world"
Further along Senator Plat suggested
LudJ L uu1Sut DcCOLue necessary III Tic
interest of commerce or some other in
terest for the United States to acquire
territory in Africa. Shall We be
bound by the constitution to organize
a state from such acquired territory
and to admit it's inhabitants to citizen
Ship
Suppose" he continued, that the
senator from Alabama, (Mr. Morgan,)
u the passage of his bill for the
construction of the Nicaragua canal;
land l pray he may, and suppose in
this connection it should be deemed
necessary for the United States to &C
quire a strip of land along the route
of the canal of $500, 900 acres-I think
that is the amount suggested-an We
not take it? If we take it what clause
of the constitution directly or implied
ly says we must organize a state OF the
acquired territory or confer citizenship
upon the people who inhabit it?"
Referring to Senator Vests reliance on
certain parts of the bred Scott decision,
Senator Plat declared that, in the
light of years Chief Justice Taney's
opinion became a mere dictum" and
that it was too late, in these days, TO
resurrect the bred Scott decision as a
basis of constitutional act on the part
of the United States.
Continuing, Senator Platt commended
that the doctrine he was presenting
was not new, but it was the doctrine
of the fathers and he quoted Governor
Morris as advancing the theory thai
acquired territory might be governed
as a province, but not as a state. The
remark applied to the possibility of the
requirement of Louisiana and Canada
In response to a question from Sena.
tor Allen, Senator Plat said that he
did not think there was any Limitation
on the power OF the United States tc
acquire territory.
"As complete as the power of Rus
STA, for instance, in such matter?" ask
ed Senator Allen.
Eyes; the right to acquire territor,
is an element of nationality. And / d.
not believe that there is any obligation
to give to the people Of acquired ter.
ritory the right of self government un
til such time as they are fit to exercis,
that right"
Senator Platt said he could not acre
with those who contended that the &C
quirement OF such territory as that EN-
braced in Porto Rico and the Philip
| pines is a menace to the existence O
our republic. This mistake arise
from the fact hat Senator Vest an
others who agree with him assum
that the constitution guarantees til
! right OF suffrage and the right Of
citizen living in a certain territory {
have il admitted as a state. This a
sumption was without foundation. :
there wa no such guarantee
the fundamental law. True. the ri
teenth amendment prohibits Il
abridgement OF the rights of su
frage for reasons specified, but that d
moi amoun to prescribing the right
vote.
Senator Hofr asked Senator Pia
whether he decried the doctrine tn
governments derive their lust pove