The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-07
H0AR ASKS FOR MORE LIGHT.
SENATE WANTS ALL CORRESPOND
ENCE ABOUT THE TREATY.

t-resiuent ASKED 10 SEM III 10 Inot
BOdy-SenatOr Caffery INDUCES ia
TN Argument Against Imperialism.
Will show That the United States
Are Inhibited From Incorporating
the Recently Acquired Territory
Into This Country.
Washington Jan. 6.-Immediately after
the Senate convened to-day the resolution
offered yesterday by Mr. Hoar of Massa-
chusetts, calling on the President for in
formation as 10 the instructions of the
commissioners who negotiated the treaty
of Paris, together with all correspondence
and reports relating to their work, was
laid before the Senate
Chairman Davis one of The commission
ers, desired that it be referred to the for
eign relations committee. but Mr.. Hoar
insisted that the Senate had as much
right to such information as the members
of the foreign relations committee, and
that the President should determine
whether the Senate should have it. The
resolution was adopted
In support of the resolution offered some
time ago by Mr. Vest of Missouri, in OPP
position to expansion, MIR. Caffery of Lou
isiana delivered an extended speech.
Mr.. Caffery pointed out that the gov
eminent of the United States was formu-
lated by its founders in order that a So
cial and governmental fabric of their own
might be crystalzed into form of law
Mr.. CaffeTy said that the sword and coun-
sells of Washington made him the savior
of his country; that his supreme patriot
ism and wisdom eminently qualified him
to establish this government. He held
that Washington, in his counsels and
teachings, was opposed to the acquisition
of foreign territory for despotlc govern
ment. He referred then to that express
sion of jefferson that governments can
only acquire their just powers from the
consent of the governed declaring that
the principle announced in that sentence
marked jefferson greater than king, prince
or potentate.
Some Startling Doctrines.
1--WE have heard" said he, "some start
ling doctrines as to the power of the Uni
ted States to establish governments in for
eign territory, acquired by the United
States. announced on this floor"
He declared that these announced doc
trines were more arbitrary than any which
had ever before been heard in the United
State Congress They conferred upon Con-
gress a supreme poweT-a despotic power
unlimited and unrestricted. He quoted
from the speeches of MIR. Plat of Connec-
ticut, to which his address was an answer
that part of the Connecticut senator's
statement of the powers of the United
States in which he maintained that the
right to acquire foreign territory was in
herent and without limitation and that
the power to establish government In such
acquired territory was an inherent and a
sovereign right.
Here" said Mr. Caffery, "the old prop
osition is advanced that the right TO
govern is broad and imperial and without
limitation by our constitution. If the ar
gument advanced by the senator from
Connecticut be true and sound then the
Individual rights of man are to be held by
the United States under a congressional
despotism. Our constitution knows no
despotism, it sedulously provides against
despotism; but right here is a despotism
of the most fragrant possible character"
Says We Cannot Do 1t.
Mr. Caffery said he proposed to araue
that the government of the United States
was inhibited from Incorporating the re-
Gently acquired territory into the United
States; that Congress had power to govern
any acquired territory only with the ulti-
mate purpose of erecting it into states:
that the people of such territory cannot
be held despotically by Congress, and that
it would be unwise and dangerous to in
corporate into the United States as citi-
zens people who differ widely in their
habits. customs and religion from the peo-
pie of this country.
Mr.. Caffery then entered upon an elab-
crate argument 10 show that heretofore
il had been the unwavering policy of this
government to obtain from the governed
their consent before the reins of the gov
eminent were drawn over them.
Mr.. Caffery said that even if we had the
right to incorporate these distant islands
inhabited by a strange people. into this
country freedom could not exist in the
sub-tropics
Would Require DespOtism.
1.-THE history of the world shows that
God has set the bounds where the differ
ent peoples of the earth shall abide. When
| look al the conditions of the world
am unalterably convinced that no per-
manent sway can be held by the white
man over the black man in the sub-trop-
les except by a strong military and cruel
despotism."
Mr. Caffery said that we were sometimes
told from the pulpit that we had a mis-
sion to perform-that mission being to
spread among all peoples the doctrine of
human rights He doubted whether this
could be done by placing upon the country
a woke and whether the people of Chris
tianity could be advanced by force
At the conclusion of Mr.. Caffery's ar
gument. Mr. Morgan of Alabama announce
ed. on behalf of the Nicaragua canal COM
mittee the acceptance, in modified form,
of the amendments offered by Mr.. Gray
before the holidays to the pending canal
bill. The amendments were not passed
upon by the Senate.
At 3:45 y. m. the Senate went into exec
utive session. and at 8 80 adjourned.