The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-14
A Few Former "Imperialists."

Some Of the opponents of the 30
called "imperialist" policy-which has
been good Rtpublicanism for ninety.
five years-put forward what they re-
gard as perfectly crushing argument
in the form of "deadly parallel" On
one side they range the long line of
former secretaries of State, from JEFF
ferson to Olney, under the head of
''anti-imperiulists, ""Lltlle Americans"
ETC., and on the other the TWO secre-
taries of State who have been identi.
fled with the acquisition of new terri
tory under the present administration.
Then with whitening sarcasm they ask
if these two are greater than all prede-
cessors.
The point is not we'll taken. 1t
might have some force if the funda-
mental premise were correct--namely,
that the former secretaries, from JEFF
ferson to Olney, were all anti-expan
sionists. But every schoolboy - with
Acknowledgements to Macaulay-knows
such was not the case. The first on
the list is Thomas Jefferson; the first
expansionist; the founder of what in
that day was fearsomely called imperial
ism; the President who doubled the
area of our domain by annexing remote
territories, occupied by aliens and saw
ages, and who did so and set up gov
eminent over such territory without
asking the consent of the inhabitants.
Why, Jefferson was one of the most
rampant, rambunctious expansionists,
imperialists and jipgoes the world has
ever seen. A little way down the list
is James Madison. He was Jefferson's
right.hand man in the task of founding
the "empire" by the annexation of
Louisiana. Next is James Monroe, who
set forth the doctrine so hated by these
same critics of expansion, and who con-
tinued the "imperialst" policy by an
nexing Florida. After him comes John
Quincy Adams, who aided and abetted
him in his imperialism, and who went
further and declared that one of these
days we must go beyond continental
limits and annex the island of Cuba.
Next Henry Clay, the supreme knight
Grant OF jingoism, who not only want
ed to fight European powers for the
liberation of South America, bat would
have interviewed in purely European az
fairs by declaring war against the OPP
pressors of Greece. Is it to him the
antl-imperiaists turn for comfort? AT
ter an interval of one comes John c.
Calhoun, classed as an "anti-expansion'
ist."
Ye gods and little 6shesl That most
aggressive, ardent soul, whose guiding
star was imperialism and whose pro
gramme was TO take Texas, to take
California, to take Mexico, to take
"everything in sighL"-is he to be made
the patron saint of Little Amercai
And William l.. Marcy, who babe the
rest of the world keep hands off Hawaii
kingdom destined to be ours; anC
William II. Seward, who added TO The
"empire" without the consent of III
inhabitants vast, remote, alien ant
savage land, not contiguous TO but ia
separated from the United States, ant
destined never to be erected into
State, but perpetually to be held as
colony or subject province; and Hamil
ton Fish, who wanted to annex st
Thomas and st. John and San Domin
go; and James G. B4aine, whom thes
critics pictured as sitting up o. night
seeking what he might grab and wit
whom he might stir up ruction; an
finally Richard Olney, OF Venezuel
Me sage fame, and of most favorabl
disposition toward the expansion of tn
Republics domain-these be thy godl
O Israel!
On the whole, we are not sorry tn
attempt to draw parallel has bee
made. The parallel may be deadly, bu
not to the present administration nc
to the great century-old policy which
is 80 faithfully maintaining.-N Yor
Tribune.