Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-04-20
1.-THE HICHWAYMAN'S PLEA


Baltimore Sun.
On August 10Th. 1854, President
Pierce, through the State Depart
ment, directed James Buchanan, John
Y. Mason and Pierre Soule, the Ameri..
can ministers at London, Paris and
Madrid respectively, to convene in
some European city and confer with
regard to tho best means of getting
possession Of Cuba. They met at
Ostend on October 9th, 1904, de-
liberated for several days, and then
transmitted to Washington u dispatch
known rs the "Ostend manifesto. !"
This remarkable document recon-
mended in substance that the United
States should acquire possession OF
Cuba either by purchase or conquest
If Spain refused to sell, then it was
proposed by the authors of the mani
festo that we should take the island by
force.
The Republican National Convention
of 1856, in the platform of principles
framed and adopted by 1t, denounced
the propositions embodied in the
Ostend manifesto in the following
vigorous terms: Resolved, That the
highwayman plea that might makes
right, embodied in the Ostend cir
cular, was in every respect unworthy
of American diplomacy, and would
| bring shame and dishonor on any
government or people that gave it
their sanction. d
In the past 43 years there has been a
remarkable charge in the sentiments
of Republican politicians. What their
party so fiercely denounced in 1856 in
regard to Cuba Is declared TO be Just
and righteous in 1899 in respect to the
Filipinos. Hence, President Mckinley
and the other Republican leaders who
are now waging war against the Fill.
pinos have in effect repudiated the
declarations of their party against the
"Ostend manifesto and no longer
hold that 1.-THE highwayman's plea,
might makes right is. contrary to
American principles and the sense OF
Justice and humanity which should
animate the American people,
The administration is doing in re-
gard to the Philippines practically
what Buchanan, Mason and Soule
recommended should be done with
Cuba, although the policy which it is
now enforcing in the Fast is more
extreme than that proposed by the
authors of the "Ostend manifesto. "
They recommended that Spain should
be forced to give up Cuba, even il a
war of conquest was necessary, in order
that the United States might acquire
the coveted territory. 1t was nowhere
intimated in their manifesto that they
would undertake. to crush the Cubans
if they sought their Independence after
Spain had been compelled by superior
force to surrender the island. This is
precisely what the administration is
doing, however, in regard TO the
Philippines, and the Republican party,
through its representatives in Wash.
ington, is carrying the "Ostend mani
festo" to an extreme which would
shock the authors of the denunciatory
resolution in the Republican platform
of 1856.
THE highwayman's plea that might
makes right was very good slogan
for the party in the anti-slavery
agitation of 1856. Now, however, when
the Same might is employed to enforce
the terms of contract by which we
will acquire 100000 human beings
from Spain in consideration OF
$50, 900, 600, it is called duty,
destiny, the higher civilization and
benevolent assimilation. " The Ameri.
can purchaser of slaves never got them
as cheap as Mr.. Mckinley, nor is it on
record that he asked his government tc
carry death and desolation to Africa il
order that he might buy human
beings at 81. so head. There may have
been highwaymen among the slave
holders who would have liked to en-
force the gospel of might so ms to have
bought on such easy terms. but they
did not have the administration with
them, and they could not use our
gallant sailors and soldiers for such
| purposes.
Hereafter the Republican party car
never point with pride to its indignant
Reputation of the "Ostend manifesto. =
In the light of recent developments iii
leaders would probably sneer at the
declarations of their party in the plat
form of 1856, and characterize it as
political Mysteries. Might and right
are synonymous now and are no Longer
the highwayman' plea. 1t is right
according TO the administration. tC
purchase the Philippines from SPAR
and to coerce tho Filipinos into accept
ing the bargain. 1t is right to den,
them independence and to take oyei
the islands as u national possession,
even if the natives have to BE-
slaughtered by thousands before In,
bargain with Spain is an accomplished
fact. II it is right to do this now, in
the case of the Philippines, the propo.
sitions advanced in tho ''Ostepd mani
! feSto' were sound and humane. nnd