Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-01-05
DR.DEPEW ON "98"
Imperialism the Keynote of His
Address.
Te Briefly Reviews the History of the
Country and submits His Views on
the Policy that Ought 10 be Pur-
sued by the united States with
Regard 10 Its Ncwly-Ac-
quireI Possessions.

Buffalo, Dee. 2S.--The banquet hall
of the Elliott club was filled on Fri
day night with one of the largest
gatherings ever seen at a club dinner
in Buffalo. The speaker of the even
ing was DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew. HIS
subject was "1S9S" and his speech,
eloquent and polished, was devoted
chiefly to argument in favor of terri
torial expansion. John &. Milburn, the
other speaker, replied effectively in
a short address. Following is DR.. De-
pew's speech in part:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen-ln
1860, in the full flush of youthful en-
thusiasm, | spoke in Buffalo for Abra-
ham Lincoln. | was full of the feel
ing that james buchanan and his
cabinet were contemplating treason
against the United States. SuDse-
quent events verified the frightfuI
charges which fell from the lips of
the impassioned young speaker, but
that night he lay awake. fearing that
when the libel suit was brought by
the president and his secretaries he
might not be able to secure the evil
dence to sustain the charges. Youth
does not get due sense of proper
ton. At that time Buffalo was not a
factor in the public opinion of the
country of great Importance. and the
orator was of no importance at all.
Since that time Buffalo and | have
both got on fairly well.
One hundred and nine years ago
George Washington was elected first
president of the United States. The
young republic was overwhelmed with
debt. had no manufactures, no com
merce and few resources. 1t was torn
with the diSsensions and jeaIousies
of the thirteen original states which
composed it. Washington gave eight
years as president to fix this republic
upon firm foundations and to enable
it from them to grow into the full
fruition for its people of the equal
ity of all men before the law and the
full enjoyment in practical life of the
philosophers reflection that "all men
are created equal, with certain in
alienable rights, among which are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness" These principles suffered
many vicissitudes and nearly wrecked
our government several times. Their
first complete recognition was in the
emancipation proclama alton of Abra-
ham Lincoln. and the seal upon their
practical enforcement was affixed and
stamped with the hilt of the sword of
rant at AppomattoX.
For 80 years. from the close of the
civil war, we have been enjoying
American liberty and opportunity. In
1898 we are reaping the full benefits
of the fruitage of this grand expert
ment.
BY a marvellous series of provi-
dences we are now in possession of
vast territories, peopled by alien
races in various degrees of civiliza-
ton, in regard to which there have
been thrust upon us the gravest re-
spOnsibilities. Our success in their
government depends upon the faith
full application of these same oft
tried and eyer-successful principles,
which have been worked out in such
a marvellous way in our own history.
There is large school of historical
criticism which depreciates Washing
ton as a man of ordinary ability.
guided by the brilliant minds about
him and incapable on his own ac-
count of the initiative which is the
quality of genius. 1t is because
Washington is not only beyond all
parallels. as ! have said before, but
he does not come within the rules by
which the leaders of mankind have
been judged. Hannibal was supreme
X f,iI
statesman. Napoleon was supremely
great as conqueror. but failed as an
administrator in the conservation Of
his conquests for the glory of his
country. Genius is commonly be
lieved to be the possession of a fac
ulty which amounts to inspiration
in some one field of human endeavor
Because of Washington's full-rounded
and perfected talents in every field
which he entered, extreme criticism
places him among the moderate men
of his time. The people Of the United
States were venomouSly enraged
against Great Britain and wildly en-
thusiastic for France because of the
help she had given us in the Revolu-
tiOnary war. They were determined
fensive and defensive. in the wars
which she was wa~in@ against all Eu-
rope after the French revolution.
Washington saw, almost alone, that
such an alliance with France. who
was so involved that she could not
help us and against England. all-pow-
crful. all around us. would lead to the
destruction of the Young republic.
He saw, further, that in the evolution
of the century the English-speaking
nations of the world. with their com
mon language and similarity of laws.
literature and institutions. must
grow closer together in the recogni-
tion of their common destiny and in
the importance of their common
friendship. He made the treaty of
1896. a treaty in which all disputes
arising between Great Britain and
the United States should thereafter
be settled by arbitration. It was
only bV his pprCpno1 ,,uU.nr I,