Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-10
sstA CONGRESS.
Continued from page ~

the Philippine islands. which has Deef
or may be proposed. am speaking
to and only of the theory OF constr
tutioral Interpretation propoun Cd ny
the senator from Connecticut. (Plattj
If at any time hereafter the senator
shall seek to put his theories inta
practice by reducing to subsection 4
distant people, dwelling in the tropics
aliens in blood, most Of them Mosleni
in faith, incapable to speak or com
preherld our language. or to read or
to write any language. to whom the
traditions and doctrines of civil liberty
are unknown, it will be time to poinl
out what terrible results and penalties
this departure from our constitutional
principles will bring upon u.s."
Hoar said that our fathers who
framed the constitution were the Wis
est builders Of states the world mas
yet seen. They had studied ancient
history and had learned that while
there is little else that Il demOcras'?
cannot accomplish 1t cannot rule over
vassal states or subject peoples with
out 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 dis.
union and domestic strife and an IN
diligence in the greed and lust OF en-
pires. and he hoped we might avert
the latter danger as we had averted
the former. In this connection, ne
quoted Prof. Greasy as saying in his
Fifteen Decisive Battles OF the
World" There has never been re-
public yet in history that acquired
dominion over another nation that did
not rule it sefishy and oppressively."
"There is no single exception to this
rule either in ancient or morden times.
Il hope not to weary the Senate by
reiteration." said Hoar, concluding his
preface. but this the greatest ques-
tion-this question of the power and
authority of our constitution in this
matter-I had almost said. that 1t had
been discussed among mankind from
the beginning of time. Certainly IT Is
the greatest question ever discussed
in this chamber from the beginning OF
the government
Hoar believed, he said, this country
to be nation-a sovereign nation. He
believed Congress possessed all the
powers necessary TO accomplish the
great objects the trainers of the con-
stitution intended should be accom-
plished But he denied that IL pos
sessed the astonishing and "extrav-
agant' powers under the constitution
which the senator from Connecticut.
(PlatD, attributed to it.
Hoar then quoted Platt as saying:
LAS to every matter the United States
as a nation possesses sovereign pow
er, except only where sovereignty has
been reserved to the states and me
people," And again, las nation u
possesses every sovereign power not
reserved in its constitution TO the
states or to the people. The right 10
acquire territory was not reserved
and is therefore an inherent sovereign
right. In the right to acquire terri
tory is found the right to govern 4
and as the right to acquire is a SOW
ereign. inherent right, the right to
govern is a sovereign right not limit
ed in the constitution
These propositions of Platt. Hoar ex
pressly denied. He affirmed that
every constitutional power is limited
to the one supreme and controlling
purpose declared in. the constitution
itself, ''in order to form a more per
feet union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility. provide for thu
common defence, promote the genera!
welfare and secure the blessings o.
liberty to ourselves and to our poster
ity."
when the senator from Connect
cut undertakes to declare" said Hoar.
that we may do such things. MOI 1o'
the perfect union. the common uetence.
the general welfare of the people 81
the United States, or the securing ol
liberty to ourselves and our children
but for any fancied or real obligation
to take care OF distant people beyont
our boundaries, not people of the
United States, then l deny his propo-
stion and tell HIM he can find nothing
either in the text of the constitution OF
the exposition of the fathers, or the
judgement of courts from that day 10
this, to warrant or support his doc
trine.
I'VE have heard of limited mon
arches. despo.isms tempered by as
sassination; but the logic of the sena-
tor from Connecticut makes pure I'M
limited. untempered despotism with
Hoar maintained that the PROPOSE
tions advanced by Piatt were not suS-
tanned by single one of his authorl-
ties. He held, in the course of his
argument, that 1.-The powers of the
United States must be aftirmatively
delegated or they do not exist; IN
other words, the implied power par
ticulariy referred to by Platt-the
power to govern territory acquired
through war, did not exist. The power
which Platt maintained this govern
ment possessed was one, Hoar said,
that our fathers and their descend
ants have ever loathed and abhorred
and they believed that no sovereign on
earth could rightfully exercise it
He said while Platt had admitted
that arguments derived their Just
powers from the consent of some of
the governed" he did not understand
that in subjugating and governing the
Philippines Platt proposed to get the
consent of any of them.
Hoar was inclined to ridicule these
who favor expansion and the ratifica-
ton of the treaty of Paris without
amendment. Their argument. he sad
was: Three cheers for the flag. Who
will dare to haul it down? Hold on TO
everything you can get. America has
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