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

and a half today with a speech in sup
port of his resolution declaring hat the
United States will never attempt to
govern the people of any country with
out heir consent. In many respects the
speech was one of the most notable Ut
.terances in the senate thus far this
session. Rugged in language, pointed
and effective i'm illustration, Senator
Mason commanded the attention OF the
senate and of he galleries from the
first sentence of his speech to the
apostrophe to liberty which formed his
peroration. Several times spontaneous
applause swept over the galleries, but
under the stringent rules of the SEN
ate Ii was auelleo ql;Iickly. 1t was sew
eral minutes after the conclusion OF the
speech before the senate could proceed
with it's business on account Of the
confusion incident to the congratula-
lions which "a of Senator Mason's
colleagues FASTENED TO extend to him.
.'It is easy to drift with the tide" be-
gan Senator Mason, but it is not al
ways safe. 1t is prudent to remain
in the harbor when the storm is
on, but sometimes the storm within the
inner conscience Is more dangerous TO
peace Of mind than the storm without
the harbor Is to human life.
1.-The simple resolution I nave intro
duced has nothing necessarily to do
with any treaty, so far as l am INFORM
ed. nor do I intend to speak OF any pro-
posed treaty. The resolution l present
does not involve a question or law, Out
is a question as to the future pollcy
of this republic. My resolution recltes
the declaration of independence. 1 oo
not apologize for the resolution re-
greet it's necessity. I agree that you
can as Lincoln said, in the long run
trust the people. I am willing to trust
the people, and I want the people TO
hear both sides of the case before the
verdict is rendered.
"Distinguishd editors and statesmen
say the republican party faVors gov
erning certain nations without the con-
sent of it's people. Who dares to speak
in advance for the party that speaks
only in it's conventions? That party
sprang like a young giant from lne
womb Of conscience and made It's nrst
fight for human liberty. 1t has never
bowed to the storm of expediency, AND
If I may be allowed to prophesy, l pre-
dict hat if the delegates will go In
again. the rafters will ring again ano
again when they demand the same IN
dependence for the citizens OF the Phli'
ippines as they did two years fol
Cuba.
do you say I am speaking for the
Yes, one word for then
and two for ourselves.
"I may appear to speak one word To-
philippines, but two for my own PEG
ME when I plead for the broad man
mood of the man who wrote: All JUS
powers of government are derived
from the consent of the governed
1--WE ought to begin to learn the IN
exorable law of compensation. You can
not Govern the Philippines without tax
ing them; you have not yet their con
sent and the proposition of taxation
about representation is made again
Look out for tea parties-Those httl
semi-social functions are likely to breal
out ever there, for Hail Columbia an
Yankee Doodle nave been heard In TN
archipelago.
1--WE may talk of it as We please, bu
there is nothing tina satisfies the hu
man mind in an enlightened age, un
less man Is governed by his w cou
try and the institution of mis- own gov
eminent. No matter how easy be tn
yoke of a foreign power-no matte
how lightly it sits upon his shoulders
if it is not imposed by the voice of HI
own nation and of his own country, n
will not, he cannot, and he means nc
to be happy under its burden. We ar
now asked to say to the citizens {
the Philippine islands: You poor, ie
norant creatures, you can't cover
yourselves; we will extend your CON
merce and we will do it for you. 70
don't know how to tax yourselves, an
in order a we may continue to exel
else u Christian duty to you, We wi
prevent your exercising sovereignty
we will e srcise that upon yourselves
"Mr. Pr sident, they will never lear
to govern themselves while we COVER
them. There is no such thing as teach
ing the art of self-government.
when Kossuth wrote the declaratio
for Hungarian independence he sal
he had in mind our W Declaration
independence. For over 100 years., e,
cry lover of liberty has pointed to tn
sentence within this resolution: 'Tht
all just powers Of government are d.
rived from the consent of the govern
ed as a reason for their liberty. TIL
sentence has been a pillar of fire /
night and has stirred the hearts Of ii
oppressed all over the world. In tt
light of this sentence crowns have fal
en- into dust and the foundation of r.
publics have been laid. You ask for e,
pansion. See how we have expande
in the time since this sentence WI
written. Not only have republics star
ed up in place of monarchies. but m
marches ave themselves gradual
b~roadened into constitutional govern
ments, getting nearer and nearer to tt
voice of the people. Our own was tt
first great republic, IND in the bett
and broader sense u flag now foa
from the dome of every republic. Fro
Brazil to Nicaragua and Venezuela Il
brave little republican flag is foatin
1t may not be starred nor striped, lii
our own, but it is born Of the sDir
of our spirit, wherever it floats, ar
1t breathes defiance to the monarch,
Of the world, because our flag is in OF
sky and Because the Monroe doctril
is written forever in the hearts of II
people.
THE other day when the distinguish
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