Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-19
MIR. pReCToRs SPEECH.

Mr.. John f.. Proctor. president OF tne
Civil Service Commission, II on VISIT 10
Boston. where he " doing missionary
work" in the interest OF "a colonial sys-
tenn" on Friday night he made an adj
dress before the Workingmen's Poliucai
League. and I'm the course OF his remarks
said that the most surprising thing 10
him was that the people OF Massachu-
sets had suddenly become enamored
OF the decision OF Chlef-Justice fancy In
the bred Scott case. If this decision was
correct, continued Mr.. Proctor, then the
gentlemen Of Boston who raised money
| to arm John Brown and send him to Kan
sas were violators Of the Constitution and
laws OF the country. In concluding this
| part of his speech Mr.. Proctor said: but
that question IL forever settled"
The slavery question is settled. and in
so far as the bred Scott decision relates
to that. the decision is dead. None the
less, I'm the act noted by Mr.. Proctor,
the gentlemen OF Boston referred to not
| only violated the Constitution and the
laws OF this country, but violated as well
the great moral constitution and laws
that were Numbered from Sinai As for
the bearing of the decision on the cause
Mr.. Proctor advocates It is not dead.
1t is as live to-day as when Chlef-Justice
fancy handed IT down, and upon the
preserving Of its vitality may depend the
vitality Of our institutions-may depend
the life Of the republic.
In his article on 1.-THE Constitution or
Absolutism." in the Conservative Review.
which publication we have mentioned
elsewhere in these columns this morning.
Mr.. Straus says "Chief-Justice fancy
announced the sound and well-supported
proposition that territories acquired by
the Federal Government are necessarily
intended under the Constitution to be adj
mitted into the Union as States and that
there is no power vested by that instru-
ment in the government 10 acquire or
maintain colonies" Mr. Straus then goes
on to show by what authority that PROPOSE |
ton is sustained and TO demonstrate that |
1t has never been dscredited. Mr.. Proctor |
therefore in touching upon the bred Scott |
decision cut the ground from under his |
own feet. If we annex the Philippines |
permanently they must eventually become
States, entitled to all the privileges and |
rights Of statehood, and this would mean
introduction into the sisterhood Of ele-
ments that would endanger our whole
system.
We admit sharing the surprise Of Mr..
Proctor al the fact that the people Of Mas
sachusetts-he might have said the people
Of New England-have become enamored
of the bred Scott decision. But our sur
prise Is a pleasant and gratifying surprise.
Their enamorment shows that they are
swinging back 10 constitutional mornings
a thing to be ardently desired In this day
of centraliza ton "war-lordism." usurpa-
ton. fostering Of a spirit of miitarism,
and general widespread tendency of the
Republican party to camp outside the
Constitution. We greet New Englands
appeal to the bred Scott decision on this
issue as most encouraging TO those who
would bring about a reaction that would
restore the Constitution in all its integrity
and power, and thus re-establish re
publican form of government, as the
fathers conceived It.