The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-13
SENATE.


the principal subject under discussion
being the constitutional right of the
United States to carry into effect the
policy of expansion.
The leading speaker was Senator
Hoar, republican, Of Massachusetts,
who delivered a speech in support of
the resolution introduced by Senator
Vest, democrat, of Missouri, declaring
it to be in opposition to the constitu-
ton for his country to acquire for
eign territory to be governed perma-
nently as colonies.
Although Senator Hoar occupied the
time OF the senate for more than two
hours, he was accorded the unusual com
pliment of close and undivided atten-
ton by his colleagues on the floor and
a large audience in the galleries. He
confined himself closely to his manu-
script, but his address was delivered
with all the fire, earneStness and ami
nation of the rator that he is. His
speech was in answer to hat recently
delivered by senator Plat, republican
of Connecticut, and had been most
carefully prepared.
Without adverting to the proposed
policy of the United States entering
upon an expansion of its territory, eX-
cept in a general and indirect amer,
Senator Hoar entered upon a discus
sion of the constitutional phases of the
question involved in the resolution I'M
der consideration.
at is not my purpose" he said, ito
tcn11Co tho 0nnnrn onnCtI 40 / ~ @
which affect any acquisition of sover-
keignty by the American people over the
Philippine islands, which has been or
may be proposed. I am speaking to-
day only of the theory Of constitutional
Interpretation propounded by the sena-
tor from Connecticut (Platt). If at
any time hereafter the senator shall
seek to put his theories into practice
by reducing to subsection a distant
people, dwelling in the tropics, aliens
in blood, most of them Moslem in
faith, incapable to speak or comrehend
our language, or to read or to write
any language, to whom the traditions
and the doctrines of civil liberty are
unknown, it will be time to point out
what terrible results and penalties this
departure from our constitutional fprin-
ciples will bring upon u.s."
Senator Hoar said that our fathers
WIN IIdI1Gd Tic CONSTITUTION were lit
wisest builders of states the world has
yet seen. They had studied ancient
history and had learned that while
there is little else that a democracy
cannot accomplish. if cannot rule over
-vassal states or subject peoples without
bringing the elements of death into it's
own constitution. Our fathers, he
SAID, learned two lessons from the his
tory of Greece-the danger of disun-
ion and domestic strife and an indul-
gence in the greed and lust of empire
and he hoped we might avert the lat
ter danger as we had adverted the
former.
.I hope not to weary the senate by
r~eiteration,' said Senator Hoar, con-
Guiding his preface. but this is the
greatest question-this question of the
power and authority of our conStitu-
tin in this matter-I had almost said,
that had been discussed among man
kind from the beginning Of time. Ger
stainly DIT is the greatest question aver
discussed in this chamber from the be-
ginning of the government"
/ Senator Hoar believed, he said, this
country to be a nation-a sovereign ma
ton. He believed congress possessed
all the powers necessary to accomplish
the great objects the trainers of the
constitution intend should be accomp-
lished; but he denied that it possessed
the astonishing and "eXtravagant"
powers under the constitution which
the senator from Connecticut (Platt)
attributed to it.
Senator Hoar affirmed that every
constitutional power is limited to the
one supreme and controlling purpose
declared in the constitution itself: TN
order to form a more perfect union, es-
tablish Justice, insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for the common de-
Tense, promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings of liberty to
!. ourselves and to our posterity."
when the senator from Connecti-
lieut. undertakes to declare" said Sena-
apr Hoar that we may do UGH
c1ings, not for the perfect union, the
ofNnmon defense, the general welfare
the\the people of the United States, or
our\securing< of liberty to ourselves and
reallchildren, but for n fancied or
naoH obligation to tax care of distant
neonkes beyond our boundaries, moi
nv HE OF the United States, then I de-
find r. proposition n tell him he can
constiAothing, either in the text Of the
f~atherAution OF the exposition of the
from IL or he judgements Of courts
s~upnorttat day to this. to warrant or
W. IL his doctrine.
;es corshve heard of limited monarch
A~Sp SOLAo
isms temtIeSSlonaI mohafcnles, oespol
the looic XpereI by assassination; but
c,,t mskeslf the senator from Connect
ed d~esnot;la pure, unlimited, untemper-
aSSassins-* Pm "iNnout any reileI from
Senator l.
pronositiorsHoar maintained that the
were not s~uAadvanced by Senator Plat
his authoritiStained by a single one OF
of his argument He held in h course
the United states that ''the powers Of
delegated or they do,pst be asHrmativeiy
to nv Senator Died powers" refer
Govern terr;torv oQatt-the power TO
OCCURRED through
THE power which
= . = q Z, J. J: J: ]: !
ed this govern
Senator Hoar