The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-16


inevitable growth of the Republic, as they
now stand, in respectful silence, and wit
ness with satisfaction the further develop
ment of our influence.
Great Britain, In angry contemplation of
our increasing strength, was then laying
her plans of campaign against us, which
compelled us to fight the second series of
battles for our independence, beginning In
1910, and faring out in open war in 1873
In that struggle we had many enemies
and few friends in Europe, but we pro-
ceeded with unruffed confidence to expand
the power of the Republic and govern our
increased possessions.
When peace was restored, and with
France had been narrowly avoided, when
Spain was found to have encountered the
silent but potent influence of the new Re-
public, and her power in America was
broken, were conscious, the whole
world was, that it was our influence and
example that led the provinces of Spanish
America to throw off the yoke of Spain.
We were not party to those revolts
against the Spanish crown. We had not
advised the revolutionary movements, and
we declared and maintained a strict neu-
trality-at the expense of great mortifiea-
ton of spirit and sympathy. Yet it was
our influence that started the movement,
our example that gave it strength, and our
plan of government that covered all Span
ish America with free republics. This was
another phase of our expansion that
| brought no national gain and no direct re-
sponsibilities to US, but it gave independ-
ence liberty and republican government to
ten great American states-the foster chill
dren of our Republic.
We acknowledged a feature of national
responsibility for this new situation when
we, in 1923, announced the Monroe doc
trine" as q protection of the American Re
publics against any effort of European
monarchs to destroy or imperil republican
government in America.
This was a vast expansion of our liza
bilities without any direct gain to the
United States but the pride of our people
and the love of republican government ex-
banded their hearts with true loyalty to
the Monroe doctrine.
The lesson thus inculcated and gladly ac-
cepted by our people is that this Republic
has the right and accepts as duty the
advocacy of the legitimate result of its eX-
ample and principles of government among
all the people of the earth, when they are
brought within the sphere of it's influence.
While monarchic government is constant
ly extending its sway, by conquest, it is
duty We owe to popular government that
We should increase its influence by favor
ing Its growth.
European colonization is a form of sub
jugation and is always employed to in
crease the power of the mother govern
mnt, while colonization under our govern
ment has for its sole purpose the elevation
of the colonial dependency to the enjoy
ment of free government, and its independ-
ence when it has the strength to maintain
its separate sovereignty.
Mr.. Jefferson, in the annexation of Louis
lana by treaty, took care to define the fu-
ture political rights of the inhabitants in
that territory, and gave a pledge in that
treaty that they should be incorporated
into the Union as states when they were
prepared for statehood This provision was
justly regarded by him as boon of price
less value to those people, for there can be
no sovereign autonomy Of higher value to
any people than that of statehood in the
American Union
We have observed this great principle in
all the compacts of tion until we
acquired Alaska, by purchase, from Rus
STA. In that annexation the future disposal
OF Alaska was left to the action of con-
gress
In the absence of such a compact, or of
pledge, such as was Incorporated in our
declaration of war with Spain respecting
Cuba, our government is still under a rec
ognized moral obligation to guarantee to
It's dependency the benefits of the princi-
pies of republican constitutional govern
ment, to be enjoyed independently or in the
union OF the states, as we may see fit. This
obligation, resting in our national self-re-
spcct, has not been disregarded and never
VIII be; and those who indulge suspicious
against the power of the Republic as to
our intentions, or nervous approximations
that the constitution is being violated in
our dealings with Cuba or the Philippines.
are mistaken in our history and rail
against the government without Just cause.
In the legislative measures that were
necessary to extend civil authority over
Louisiana, congress provided in its first
act, which was signed by President Jeffer-
son, that the municipal laws in force In
that territory should remain as the law of
the land until they were changed by our
national legislature.
These laws remained In force as to all
internal affairs without regard to their
conformity with our republican institutions
until they were changed by the several acts
creating territorial governments in that
region. These acts of congress brought
the people under the direct legislative con-
troll of the United States, and gave to
their personal rights the protection of the
constitution of the United States through
direct guaranty, and also in its restrain
ing authority over all officials of the United
States.
1t was through this process of nurture
and regulation that We were able to exc
cute with wisdom, and without danger to
our system of government, the pledge we
gave in our treaty with France that the
Louisiana territory should be organized in
to states and admitted into the Union when
In our judgment the Inhabitants were pre-
pared for the proper exercise of those
great powers and duties of sovereignty.
Some of the states, as in the case of
Utah, have been a long time in process of
preparation. owing to social conditions that
were incompatible with the national NOR
atty. These are now changed.
In the annexation of Hawaii the Louis
lana act was taken as the basis of the
joint resolution of congress-; and we have
in those Islands an imperium in imperfo
which is still m the complete exercise of its
sovereign powers of government, except as
to foreign affairs, that 1t possessed while 1t
was an independent republic.
This apparent anachronism in govern
ment which is no less than the existence
within our territorial limits of a republic
with a written constitution; a complete
code of laws, civil and criminal; a financial
system: a tariff imposing duties on imports
from all countries, including the United
States; a president and cabinet, and
complete official encourage, including courts
of final jurisdictions; is still a legitimate
government. based on the same principles
of interna iOna1 Inv that ohf ainad IN T.o,,iv