The Irish standard., 1899-05-06
FREMONT TEMPLE MEETING.
Speech Of Ex-Governor Boutwell, of
Massachusetts,,

massachusetts,.
Following is the address delivered bv
ex-Gov. Boutwell, OF Massachusetts,, at
the recent anti-imperialistic meeting
held in fremont Temple, Boston:
Mr.. Boutwell, devoted himself to a
demonstration that the people OF the
United States, in any part OF their gov
eminent, had never abandoned the doc
trine OF self-government as the cardinal
doctrine OF their public life, and that
the president has entered Systematically
upon colonial policy i'll imitation OF
the colonial policy of Great Britain.
You will observe as l go on, continued
the speaker, that give no attention
to the speeches that the president has
made. follow him by his doings.
l give the president credit for ahl-
ity, for signal ability, i'll the work Of
transforming the government, and,
therefore, unless l err in that particu-
lar, his policy must be logical.
When the actions of men and the
language OF men appear not to har-
monte look for the truth in the &C
tons of men,
Burke, when speaking OF the conduct
of men, has said it is "tle only Ian
guage that rarely lies"
Four great events, for which the
president is responsible in his office, are
reconciable with each other upon one
theory only. and they all tend to one
conclusion-an American colonial sys-
tenn. First, l mention the protocol Of
August IL, 1893; second, the treaty OF
Paris of December 10, 1885, Then the
proclamation to the Filipinos of January
S, 1899, and finally the Philippinean war
of subjugation, which the president is
now carrying on upon his sole respon-
sibility and without special authority OF
law.
That war is Transforming, and trans
forming rapidly, the Soooo 600 or 1o,-
100000 Filipnos who were our friends.
and who, except Tor this war, would
have continued to be our friends, into
enemies OF the United States. When
this shall have been accomplished we
shall be met by the formidable propo-
sition that we cannot consent to the
erection of an independent state in hos
tility to the government by whose agcn-
cy the state is 10 be created. Thus the
colonial system will become the alterna-
tive-tl,e inevitable alternative
The president is not drifting, nor is
he anxious for the advice OF congress.
He appears rather to shun its inter
ference. He has policy OF his own
"A colonial system for America which
shall correspond to the colonial system
OF great Britain. This is to be the dis
tinguishing feature OF his administra-
ton.
Gov. Boutwell, took UP some consti-
tutional aspects OF the question. He
paid particular attention to the conten-
ton that our government of the District
of Columbia constitutes proof that the
nations cardinal principle OF govern
ment is not the consent OF the gov
erned. He gave some time to the mis-
sionary and the commercial reasons for
annexation, and continued:
The president occupies the position in
reference TO the Philippines that Russia
occupies in regard to Poland, and a
position kindred to the position that
Austria occupied in Hungary in 184S,
when Kossuth was carrying on con-
test in behalf Of self-governmcnt in
which all Americans sympathized
The president abandons the Declare
ton of Independence, and sets aside tho
| immortal words, Governments are in
stituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent OF the gov
crned."
He is now using an army OF Ameri-
can citizens to overcome an obstacle
the opinion OF the inhabitants OF the
Philippine islands that they have natural
and inalienable right to govern them
selves. In the presence of the procla-
nation of Jan. S, the conjecture even
is impossible that the president conten-
plates time when the inhabitants OF
the Philippines will be permitted to gov
ern themselves.
He is now engaged in carrying on a
war for the purpose, as he alleges, Of
"bestowing the blessings OF good and
stable government upon the people OF
the Philippine islands under the free
flag OF the United States" Thus does
the president avow purpose through
war to undertake the "bestowal OF the
blessings OF good and stable govern
ment under the free flag OF the United
States" upon unwilling peoples. What
is the meaning OF this declaration when
it is stripped OF its rhetoric? Only this
we are to enter upon wars Of con-
quest, and to govern the conquered by
force. The flag which to us is free
flag would be to them only an emblem
OF tyranny.
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