The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-30
SENATOR LINDSAYS SPEECH


T
which in Gods Providence viii ripen into
day of deiiverance from tyranny and
oppression at the hands of either 4 foreign
master or a homebred despot.
TO secure the malienable rights Of man,
governments are instituted, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the gov
erned. Wherever the form of government
becomes destructive of these ends, il is
the right of the people to alter or abolish
II and to Institute a new government, lay
I ing its foundations on such principles and
organizing its powers in such form as to
them may seem most likely to effect their
safety ana happiness. I have not observ-
ed the use, il its completeness, of this
clause Of the Declaration of Independence
in the arguments against the right ana
power OF the United States to accept SOW
eregnty over the Philippines through the
cessiOn made by the Spanish treaty TO
the want Of consent by the Filpinos great
Importance is given. Their want of the
opportunity to express consent receives
no consideration. We cannot presume that
the offer of law and order through stable
government TO a people who have never
enjoyed the blessings of either, would be
rejected could they be afforded the op-
portunity to consider the offer and free
ly to express their will. Insurgent
chiettains may challenge our admiration
and arouse our sympathy, but they and
Their followers cannot be permitted TO de-
eide for 100000 PEOPLE, whether they
are willing to accept orderly government
administered under the restraint of Amer
lean Institutions. Our forefathers did not
take up aims against the British King for
the mere assertion OF the principle that
governments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed Their claim
was, that whenever any form of govern
mont becomes destructive of the ends of
b ha Tiuh # ha "a
to alter or abolish ii. This fundamental
right was to be enforced when a long
train of abuses and usurpadons, pursuing
Invariably The same object, evinces a de-
sign to reduce them under absolute despot-
ism and the British King was arraiRned
for repeated injuries and usurpaions, an
having in direct object the establishment
of an absolute tyranny over the American
| colonies.
American dominion in the Philippines
viii destroy none OF the ends OF govern
ment; viii disregard no one of the inalien-
able rights of man; win sanctify no abuse
or usurpatiOn, but will terminate the des-
potism under which their people have Lv-
ed for more than three hundred years.
IAN objection much insisted on Is the
impoliCy of comforting on the Asiatic in
habitants of the Philippines the right OF
American citizenship, with its attendant
advantages in the American states and
!
to secure them that right. On the con-
trary, it RENTS the civil rights and status
of the people to the discretion of Con-
! gress
THE treaty of Paris makes no provision
| for the Incorporation of the people of the
! Philippines into the union, or for their en-
| joyment of the privileges, rights or i'm
| munities of citizens of the United States
| 1t omits the stipulation of the Russian
! treaty ceding Alaska. that the civilized
| inhabitants of that country shall have
| the immunities of citizens of the United
! States
1.-THE native Inhabitants of those coun-
tries are to have their civil rights and po-
! litical status determined by Congress, and
! the power of Congress is unlimited, so far
as the treaty of cesslon is concerned, ex-
| cept that the inhabitants are to be secured
in the free exercise of their religion.
1T does not follow because the civil
rights and political status of the Philip
| pine people are to be determined by Con-
! gress, that the power of Congress over
/ them is omnpotent. Congress wall eXer-
else legislative power practically free from
restraint by the treaty. but subject to
the restraints of constitutional insttu-
! tons.
Having overthrown the authority of
Spain against which the F.lpinos. for
countless generations, had vanly strug-
! gled, we sought to give them free institu-
| liens under a government able to maintain
and Pledged TO uphold peace, justice and
order. We offered not pIiaeiDalities. or
| powers, or largesses, or subsidies, 10 am
bilious chief,ains. but protection to the
lives. liberty and property of the .eople.
and it was indefensible and wicked in
| those disappointed chieltains TO turn their
arms against us There can be but one end
| ing 10 the unfortunate contest. The sover-
| e.gn authority Of the United States will be
Ia sI,-
! benehcent control peace VIII take the place
OF war, order viii supplant lawlessness.
! and justice and mercy prevail, where force
and fraud and cruelty once seemed to have
their perpetual abiding place.
Intimately connected with these propo-
| siuons of national authority and national
| morality are questions Of policy and eXpe-
diencN of the Gravest importance and most
| absorbing interest. They are, however
! without the limits I have prescribed. and
| shall not trespass on your patience to
consider them.
we have extended our domain into and
across the Pacific, but we have not
| changed the nature Of our government or
| the character of our Institutions. Ours is
! sim "A union of American states and will
| SO remain to the end. The bond of union
! by which tho states are held together was
! ordained and established as the 'Constitu-
! ton for the United states of America. .
! but l'iN9' our hdnltlous' our interests
! and our glory alike forbid tho adm ss lon
| into the Union Of any other than a NORTH
| American state.
cit doos not follow, however, that We
are to shrink from the fun and faithful
! discharge OF the new duiy which we nud
ourselves under TO tho civilized world. and
more especially TO the distant islands Of
! ihe Eastern seas. That duty was not OF
! our seeking. % came rs the elimination
! of events which human agencies could not
| control or direct. We would gladly ESCAPE
| % if ESCAPE were possible. but recoeniz-
ing that tnore ~ no honorable avenue of
r,trsat We take if up approaching all Its
diNeulues aud respausinlllesJ with Che
/ HKtI purpose OF dlsrharFlne IN Go the ut-
most wa do fhs with 300 desire for boz.
dtlultc expansion. Nlfh no design az 80
thll-hlnr Fcu'rH colonial policy but
HiUh che earnest hope ihai aftrr our ma