The Portland daily press., 1899-01-13
VIEWS OF EX-SENATOR BRAD
BURY.
Boston Transcript

tDostOu 4EnuscEipeJ
In response to your request will give
you brief statement Of the circum-
stances attending the ratification Of the
trsaty with Mexico In 1913.
Mr. Trist, who had been sent to that
country with the draft Of treaty, with
one or two blanks to be filed, returned
with treaty executed by the Mexican
Government that contained several o.
jectionable and inndmissible provisions.
The Senate. when It was before that
body, undertook to amend It,, and several
sessions were held for weeks for that pur
pose, until 1t was put into the form 1t
now bears. The opposition was still SO
strong its ratification was deemed doubt
full. 1t was evident 1t would have no
votes TO spare. The final vote for Its rati-
flcation was carried upon the avowec
ground that the Mexican Government
was then so weak that its rejection would
crush that Government, and leave on our
hands a country with population I'M
suited to our form Of government, and
unfit to become States In our Union. My
colleague, Mr.. W. d. 5. Moore, and
both voted for the ratification on that
ground, and SO stated in the Senate
| The Mexican Government promptly rnti-
| fled the treaty as amended by the Senate.
General scott, with his victorious army,
was then in the City of Mexico with our
flag raised In its capital. 1t was hauled
down" by him as soon as peace was re
stored.
We had net then discovered any pro-
vision IN the constitution giving the
,t..,x s.f f.EF hv
| the bayonet, that could never be settled
| by our people or be lit to become states,
| to be held permanently AS an official
''preserye" at the expense of the lives OF
| thousands OF our citizen soldiers, exposed
| to the dangers of a tropical, inhospitable
| climate.
Every previous acquisition Of territory
was not only contiguous to our own, but
| WINS also suited for settlement by our citi
| zens and to become States in the Union.
When l notice discussions about impar-
| ialism, am disposed to think less oil the
host OF officers civil and military, II
would create than OF the condition OF the
mass of the population wherever Imperial
ism has planted Its power. / cannot for
get that this great body of the people are
so impoverished and crushed by its bur
dens that they have been fleeing to this
country to escape them; and cannot be-
Iieya that the laborer and wage-earner
will welcome Ii here.
Nor have yet found any provision In
the constitution that gives to Congress
the right to impair the obligation OF oon-
tracts between citizens. and take the
property of one citizen and give III To
another, by means of deprecated cur
rency or in any other way.
1t is not among the powers delegated,
and 1t not necessary for the exercise OF
any that Is. The protection of property.
and the general sovereignty over 1t. was
| retail ned by the States on the Adoption OF
the constitution. The Federal Government
| has not the power to protect dollar, or
punish a thief for Its robbery, within any
State in the Union.
Most assuredly government that mas
not the power TO protect property should
not usurp the power TO destroy IL.
The longer live the more deeply l am
impressed with the importance OF strict
and faithful adherence to the constitution
OF the United States rs the strongest
bond for tho perpe uity Of the Union. 1t
is law over the law makers. TO protect
the psople against the encroachment OF
their rulers They should see that this
barrier against aggression Is not broken
down by the usurpation OF powers that
are not delegaved II this is permitted,
II the great charter Of our RI hts is disre-
earded, as there is no other limit to the
power of the government, this would
change IL from a government Of delegated
powers to u government Of absolute. I'M
limited power over the life and property
of every citizen In the Union-a change
from the best government the world has
yet seen, and that has given us our I'M
parallelsd prosperity, for one that might
become intolerable by the use Of this I'M
limited power by sectional combinations
against sections, for unfair local advan-
tages, and end in disaster. But l have
faith in the Intelligence and loyalty OF
our citizens, that they will not be dazzled
by the glare OF imperialism, and will stand
faithfully by the constitution on which
the Union rests.
JAMES W. BRADBURY.
Augusta, Me-, Jan. Z.