The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-10

NiAARAA - II 10 d lllllC IttIldI hdDl6 lIuL
the temptation that besets us now
lured and brought to ruin the Atheni-
| an people in ancient times. | hope that
we may be able to resist and avert that
danger as we resisted and averted the
peril of disunion. Pericles and Cleon,
the conservative and the radical lead
ers, differing in everything else, united
IN their vain warning to their country
ment against this peril. Cleon, though
a demagogue and d radical, boldly told
MS countrymen that
| A democracy was incapable of holding
dominion over others; that they were
saves to every new paradox, and that as
they listened to the orators for expansion
they resembled men sitting to be q sed
| oy rhetoricians rather than celebrating
on state affairs.
! Professor Greasy, in his Six Decisive
! Battles Of the World, we'll says:
There has never been a republic Vet in
history that acquired dominion over an
other nation that did not rule it seIishlv
and oppressively. There is no single ex-
4 ceptton to this rule either in ancient or
modern times. Carthage, Rome, Venice,
Genoa, Florence, Pisa, Holland and re-
publican France all tyrannized over every
( province and subject state where they
gained authority.
My excellent friend, the honorable
senator from Connecticut after stat
! ing that in his judgment governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of some of the governed" Is
polite enough to add that he wishes I
understood the doctrines of the Dec
laration of Independence as well as the
fathers did. The senator's version of
the Declaration of Independence is
/ about as accurate in principle and in
language as the version of the Golden
Rule given by Mr.. Fagin, [ think il
was, in Oliver Twist, DO others or they
will do you"
The senator further goes on 10 taunt
J me with doubt and fear. Wen, Mr.
President, | do not think that [ have
! been, am now, or am likely ID be in d
| condition of much doubt in regard to
this transaction. L am compelled 10
part company with the senator. But
L am very confident I am in the cou-
pany OF the trainers of the constitution.
the signers of the Declaration, the men
or the revolution, and the great states
men and lovers of liberty CT every
generation since until six months ago.
AS to fear | will return the kindness
OF my honorable friend by suggesting
to him that there is a fear, which L
| hope some time may possess him,
winch IS defined by the highest author
lty as the beginning of wisdom. 1t is
the fear OF the Lord; the fear of usurp-
ING power; the fear of violating trusc,
/ The fear of violating the highest trust
I ever committed to mortal mana re-
strained, delegated. and specific poliri-
cal power intrusted to him for public
ends, for the service of liberty and the
| benefit Of the people.
The senator from Connecticut seems
10 think in his Interpretation of the
constitution that if its trainers have
lett a hole in it through which he can
/ creep Tor its violation, of course he
must DO it,
hope not to weary the senate by re-
iteration. But this is the greatest
question, this question Of inc power
and authority of our constitution IN
inns matter, | had almost said. that
had been discussed among mankind
from the beginning of time. Certainly
| IL Is the greatest question ever dis
cusSed in this chamber from the begin
! nlhS or the government. The ques-
| tlon Is this: Have we the right as
doubtlesS we have the physical power.
10 enter upon the government of ten
or twelve million subject people with
out constitutional restraint? Of that
question the senator from Connecticut
takes the affirmative. And upon thai
question | desire to join issue.
MI: PRESIDENT. l am no strict
construetionist. l am no alarm
ist believe this country to
DC nation, a sovereign nation. I be-
LeNe congress to possess all the powers
Whlch are necessary to accomplish I'M
deF the most generous and liberal con-
structloh the great objects which the
men Whc framed the constitution and
the people who adopted it desired tn
accomplish by its instrumentalitv. 7
was bred. l might almost saw I was
porn IN the faith which I inherited
IrCm the men whose blood is in NV
VEINS Of the party of Hamilton and
washington and Webster and Sumner.
ana not in that of Madison or Calhoun
OF the strict constructionists. The
men by whose hands Connecticut
signed the declaration of independence
VINO In her behalf helped frame the
constitution, who represented her in
eltEer House of congress in the great
administrations of Washington and
John Adams, were of that way of
thinking. But the man Of them most
thoroughgoing and extreme, Hamilton
himself Ellsworth himself Adams him
sell would nave looked with amaze
nent II not with horror upon the doc
trines asserted by the honorable sena-
Tor from Connecticut today. am not
speaking only of his denial of the great
coctrlne of constitutional liberty and
OF political morality that government
derives It's just power from the consent
OF the governed, and that any people
mas the right, when it thinks it's exist
ing government is destructive of the
great ends of life liberty and hapni
ness, to throw off the old government
ana make d new one for itself, and GER
fanny II 1t have that right, no other
man has the right to impose one on il
against its consent. But I am not
speaking OF that ] am speaking of
ms astonishing and most extravagant
construction of the powers of Congress
under the constitution.
Now Mr.. President, that | NAV not
90 him an injustice, | have carefully
dlseSIed and put IN order the different
propositions to which he commits him
sell to which he seeks to commit the
senate. and which he wishes to make
the foundation for the new departure
WhIeh ne desires the country to take.
Mr. President, the constitution of
me senator from Connecticut is as I'M
IKE the real constitution as a wooden
nutmeg is unlike d real one
The senator from Connecticut says:
AS to every matter the United States
as a nation possesses sovereign power ex-
Ccpl only where sovereignty has been re-
served to the states and the people.
He says again:
AS a nation it possesses every sovereign
power not reserved in it's constitution To
me states or to the people The right to
acquire territory was not reserved and
IS therefore an inherent, sovereign right
~ the right to acquire territory is found
the right to govern it, and as the right
10 acquire Is a sovereign, inherent right,
me right TO govern is sovereign right
not limited in the constitution. e"'
He says again:
a sovereign cannot be limited.
He would
IKE any senator to point out to him the
! language IN which the constitution places
any unit upon q sovereign or inherent
power or ,prescribes the mode and man
Ilet IN Whlch II would be eSosrcised