Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-07-21
Gov. Boutwell's Indignation.

Boutwell, speaks with great warmth of
the present national situation in a letter
written to express his regret at not
being able to speak at the Clan-na-Gael
gathering in Boston on the Fourth. lie
says:-
The circumstances that the speaking
on the occasion of the reunion and field
day of the Clan-na-Gael of Massachusetts,
July 1, will be in the evening, seems to
make it unwise for me to accept your
invitation to be present. This decision is
very much against my inclination, which
is to join you and to give further public
utterance to my opposition to the I'M
American and unrepublican policy of
President Mckinley.
There has been no other such de-
parture from American ideas and
principles in all our history, not even by
Jefferson Davis, as Is now in progress
under the lead of the president.
Jefferson Davis did not contemplate the
destruction of the American republic, he
only contemplated its division President
Mckinley is transforming this republic
into an empire, and the permanent es-
tablishment of our authority in the Phil
ippine islands is the consummation of the
undertaking.
We are engaged In war which no ore
defends, which no one can defend as a
just and righteous war. Its supporters
are apologists. laying the responsibility
for the war sometimes upon divinity. Is
it an answer or only guilty pretext
when we say that for 100000 900 we
have purchased from Spain the title TO
the Philippine islands. and Herewith the
right, through war and slaughter, to
subiugate 10000, 900 human beings who
int, ot11 hA 60,
the right to manage their own afiairs-a
right as secured as the right to exist?
For the execution of this unholy
purpose call is now pending for the
enlistment of 10000, soon to be 60,000
and then 100000, of the youth of the
country, whose destiny it will be TO
either fall in battle, or to perish by
disease, or to return broken in health to
become the recipients of pensions to be
paid from the labor of those who may
have to remain at home. This sacrifice
of men and this waste of money and the
consequent burden of taxation through
| generations are not more to be regretted
than the humiliation to which the
country is now subjected In the abandon.
ment of the republic and the acceptance
of England as our guide and model in
affairs of government.
his ADMINISTRATOR mas Dee0 IN
weighed into policy which involves an
alliance with England for the defense of
her eastern empire against the frowning
supremacy of Russia, that has already
laid its iron hand upon China, and which
is yet to dominate over Japan. We are
now to choose whether America shall
remain republic and lead the world
on to higher ideas and to purer practices
in public affairs, or whether we are TO
accept the ideas and principles of
despotic governments.
Justice and peace are possibilities in a
republic. Justice and peace are i'm
possibilities in an empire. Imperialism
and republicanism are impossible in the
same government. The greatest crime
which the world can ever know, the
greatest crime which mankind can com
nit, is the Inauguration of war and
the prosecution of war for the conquest
of territory and the subiugation of
peoples, with the incident and inevitable
sacrifice of human life.
The founders Of this government pre-
ferred republicanism and peace TO i'm
perialism and war. President Mckinley
and his supporters are engaged in an eff
fort to revise their work and to reverse
their opinion. This Is the issue.
Let us unite, one and all, whatever
may be our differences on other matters.
and whatever our nationality, and
demand the abandonment of the unjust
and thus far unsuccessful war In the
Philippine islands.