The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-13
Senator Hoar Makes a Constitutional Argu-
mont Against the Paris Treaty.
THE CONSTITUTION IN THE WAY
OF the United States Acquiring Territory to be Held "a Colonies"Hs
Speech in Reply to the Argument of Senator Plat in Favor OF
Annexing the Phiippines-Senator PLatts Short Rejoin-
der-Senator Morgan Attempts to Have the Time
Set for Taking a Vote O n the Nicaragua
Canal Bill.

I Guile those who favored expansion and
the ratification of the treaty of Paris,
without amendment. Their arguments,
he said, were Three cheers for the
fog! Who will dare to haul it down?
Hold on to everything you get.
| America has shown Americanism."
He set forth his own constitutional
doctrine, which he desired to oppose
to that Of Senator Plat. He declared
! that the people of this country had not
deposited all sovereignty anywhere, and
a authorized no agent of theirs to
exercise all sovereignty, unlimited and
uncomfortable. He continued: THE
power to conquer alien peoples and
hold them in subjugation is nowhere
expressly granted. The power to con-
quer alien people and hold them in SUBJ
jugation is nowhere implied and neces-
sary for the accomplishment of the
purposes declared by the constitution.
81. Because it is immoral and wicked
in itself.
90. Because it is expressly denied in the
| declaration of independence, the great
interpreter and e~xpounded Of the mean
ing of the constitution, which owes it's
| origin to the same generation and
largely to the same men.
80. 1t Is affirmed that it is immoral
and unfit to be exercised by anybody
in numerous instances by contemporary
states constitutions and the contempt
rary writers and authorities on public
law, who expressed the opinion of the
American people in that generation
who adopted the constitution, as we'll
as the men who framed it,"
In discussing how territory may be
acquired constitutionally by the United
States, Senator Hoar said: cit may
also acquire adjoining or outlying ter
ritory, dispose of it, make rules and
regulations for it for the purpose of
national security and defense, as in the
case of Hawaii. although it may not
be expected that the territory so ac-
quired, held, and disposed of shall ever
come into the union as a state"
However, Immediately following this
statement, Senator Hoar set the Phil
ippines against Hawaii in this declara-
ton: MI. President, o are not now
proposing to acquire or own property
in the Philippines with dominion as a
necessary incident; you are not to W
a foot of land there. You propose now
to acquire dominion and legislative
power and nothing else. Where in the
constitution is the grant of power to
exercise sovereignty where you have
no property"
~ LIN III " WIG
constitution, Senator Hoar cited num-
erous authorities, among them Charles
Sumner, Mr.. Justice Matthews and Mr..
Justice Brewer.
"A year g last December, the
president of the United States sent a
message to congress. In that message
he said: Speak not of forcible annex
alton, because that is not to be thought
of. and under u code Of morality,
that would be criminal aggression
President Mckinley when he spoke,
was not thinking even Of honor or Of
power, inspiring and alluring as are
and power. He placed himself
and placed the American people on the
stern, enduring and perpetual rock of
righteousness; that forcible annexation
is not to be thought of, under our code
Of morality-that would be criminal
aggression.
"Who shall haul him down? Who
shall haul down the code? Who shall
haul down the PRESIDENT"
Senator Hoar dwelt with emphasis
upon the large increase in national ex-
%penditure which the policy of expan-
sion advocated by Senator Platt would
entail, placing the amount at $3.50, 000,-
600 annually. He argued that the
adoption of Senator Platt's doctrine
ooA ANO">& "oSS AN NcSS
place an armed soldier m the back Of
the working man and by the act Of the
government every Americans dignity
| would be ~dishonored and his manhood
discrowned.
When Senator Hoar had concluded,
| senator Platt addressed the senate. He
| said: II cannot ask the indulgence Of
the senate this time to reply extern
| poraneously to the carefully prepared
-- ~--@
chusetts. I can only say I have listen
| ed to it with great attention and inter-
est. The senator is a master of langu-
| age and an adept at the use of
sarcasm. He has succeeded in c%onjur-
ing up a specter which is really only
a specter. He has spent a large por-
ton of his argument in erecting q man
straw. He has not answered the ar
gument which 1 had the honor to make,
etraw. He has not answered. the ar
! gment which I had the n to make,
but has misrepresented what I said"
The Nicaraguan canal bill was then
taken up and Senator Caffery continu-
ed his speech in opposition to 1t.
At the conclusion Of Senator Caffery
speech Senator Morgan, of Alabama, in
charge of the bill, made IN effort to
fix the time for beginning the vote
upon the measure and the pending
amendments. He suggested that the
time be 3 O'Clock p. m, on the 18th En-
slant, but Senator Caffery objected.
The senate at 4:45 o'clock p. m. went
into executive session, n at 4:5s
O'Clock p. m. adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The house today reversed the decis-
ion of the committee of the whole last
Friday when the appropriation for the
support of the civil service commission
was stricken out of the legislative, exc
cutive and judicial appropriation bill
In committee, where members do moi
go on record, the appropriation was
stricken out by a vote of 81 10 81. To-
day when the ro1l was called the ap-
preparation was restored, the motion
to strike out being defeated-95 to 119.
The lot today by special order de-
cfded 10 proceed with the consideration
of the naval personnel bill as soon as
| the bill for the codification of the laws
of Alaska was out of the way. About
seventy additional pages of the latter
bill was covered today, leaving almost