The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-07

Washington, Jan. 6.-Immediately
after the senate convened today, the
resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
Hoar (Mass.), calling on the president
for information as to the instructions
of the commissioners who negotiated
the treaty of Paris, together with all
correspondence and reports relating to
their work, was laid before the senate.
Chairman Davis, one of the commits
sioners, desired that it be referred to
the foreign relations committee, but
Mr.. Hoar insisted that the senate had
as much right to such information as
the members of the foreign relations
committee, and that the president
should determine whether the senate
should have it. The resolution was
adopted in secret session.
In support of the resolution offered
some time ago by Mr. Vest (Miss.),
in opposition to expansion, Mr.. Caffery
(La.) delivered an extended speech.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Caffery's
argument, Mr.. Morgan of Alabama
announced on behalf of the Nicaragua
canal commission OF the acceptance of
the amendments in modified form Of
fered by Mr.. Berry before the holidays
to the pending canal bill. The amend
ments were not passed upon by the
senate.
Mr.. Caffrey of Louisiana addressed
the senate on the joint resolution Of
fered by Mr.. Vest of Missouri, de-
claring that under the constitution of
the United States no power is given to
acquire territory to be held and gov
erned permanently as colonies.
Mr.. Cafery's speech was a constitu-
tional argument in support of the
declarations of the resolution. He re-
ferred to that sentence of Jefferson.
that governments can only acquire
their just powers from the consent of
the governed, declared that the princi-
pie announced in that sentence marked
Jefferson as greater than king, prince
or potentate.
I'VE have heard" he said, "some
startling doctrines as to the power of
the United States to establish govern
ments in foreign territory acquired by
the United States announced on this
floor" He declared that these an
nounced doctrines were more arbitrary
than any which had ever before been
heard in the United States congress.
They conferred upon congress a
supreme pOWer-a despotic power, un-
limited and unrestricted. He quoted
from the speech of Mr.. Platt Comm, to
which his address was an answer, that
part of the Connecticut senator's state
ments in which he maintained the right
to acquire foreign territory was in
herent and without limitation and that
the power to establish governments IN
such acquired territory was inherent
and a. sovereign right.
Here" said Mr.. Caffery, 1.-The bald
proposition is advanced that the right
to govern is broad and imperial, and
without limitation by our constitution.
If the argument advanced by the
senator from Connecticut be true and
sound, then the individual rights of
man are to be held by the United States
under congressional despotlsm. Our
constitution knows no despotism. 1t
sedulously provides against despotism,
but right here is a despotism of the
most flagrant character"
Mr. Caffery then entered upon an
elaborate argument to show that here
tofore it had been the unwavering
policy of this government to obtain
from the governed their consent before
the reins of government were drawn
over them.
Mr. Caffery said even if we had the
right to incorporate these distant is
lands, inhabited by a strange people,
into this country, freedom could not
exist in the sub-tropics.
The history of the world shows that
God has set the bounds where the diff
ferent people of the earth shall reside.
When I look at the different conditions
of the world, I am unalterably con-
WINGED chat no permanent sway can
be held by the white man over the
black man in the sub-tropics, except
by a strong military and cruel despot-
ISM"
Mr.. Caffery said that we were some
times told from the pulpits that we
had a mission to perform-that mission
being to spread among all peoples the
doctrines of human rights. He doubted
this could be done by placing
upon the people a yoke and whether
the principles of Christianity could be
advanced by force.
Mr. Caffery concluded at 1926 p. m.
At 3:45 the senate went into eXecu-
tive session and at $3.50 adjourned.