Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-01-31

power over the subject. 1t may estah-
lish any such government and any
such laws in the territories as in it's
discretion it may zee fit. 1t is subject
to the rules of justice and propriety,
but it is under 20 constitutional re-
straints.n That is that Congress has
absolute power in the territories sub
iect To no constitutional restrictions.
It's fat is law. Mr.. Platt said: 81 be:
lieve in that doctrine" Some de-
cisions of the Supreme Court tend in
tbs sane direction. Mr.. Webster's
epeech was against territorial eXpsn-
sion. He dreaded the effect OF giving
Congress this unbridled power. Ii
Congress has this unlimited power in
territories it can make the President a
monarch over them. This extract
from Webster's speech is really a pow
erful argumen, against acquiring terri
tory that is not contiguous aud cannot
soon be admitted as State. We should
not make "extreme medicine our
daily food" Such power must be the
parent of corruption; CUSTOM may grad
ually reconcile us to It's exercise and
undermine all the constitutional bull
warks of liberty until we become like
the Pontic king who fed on poisons. II
the Constitution, as now seems to be
the opinion, is not operative in the ter
ritories, then Congress is omnipo-
tent, and it can pass an ex
post facto law to punish an
act that was innocent when done
and bill of attainder that is sentence of
death without a judicial trial. This power
has never been abused By Congress and used
oppressively because tho kind of people who
lived in the territories and SO near to the
States would have Iebelled against it. Yet it
is sleeping giant which the imperialists will
wake up, for there is no other way to rule
the Philippines. The Anglo-saxon is just as
untitled for dcspotism as the Filipino for
freedom Holding the archipelago until the
natives grow up to our standard of citizen
ship means holding them forever. England
has governed India hundred and fifty years,
yet the Hindoo has made no progress and
hates the Engishmln as much now as he did
when Warren Hastings pundered the Be-
gems Senator P!att cites the first act for the
government of Louisiana as a precedent for
COVE ming the Philippines. Ee here SHOWS
the cloven foot. In doing SO ne unwttngly
unmasked scheme to convert republican
government into despotism. This very act
should be cited as warning against extend
ing our domain, unless in case'of necessity,
like Louisiana, aud where the territory can
soon pass through the state Of pup'lsge. He
says: Take the territory of Louisiana. The
first set proviied that all the civil, military
and judicial powers should be vested in such
Darson or perSons as the President of the
United States should direct. There is not
much self.goverument about that" No, not
much . yet Mr. Platt proposes to repeat this
experiment by putting dictator over the
Philippines to teach them self.government.
1t may be necessary to do this if we annex
them For that very reason l am against an
nexatiou The Louisiana act made Jefferson
as absolute monarch over Louisiana as
Charles V ever was in his dominions. He
could have established the inquisition there.
or acted the part of Draco. The legislation
WAS justified because the Creoles were child
rem. What are the Filipinos? The limita.
ton of the Louisiana act was year the
large immigration of white people from the
States soor compe led Eome rule. Because JEFF
fe son did not abuse the power given him
does not make it the less dangerous as a pre-.
cedcnt Because the Anionines were benevo.
lent daspots is no reason for ve5Sing in the
President of the United States tho autocraiic
power of Foman emperor for bestowrg
IN pei petuity what was only given to Thomas
Jeffer son foJ year. To try to rule over the
Philip nes wlthout.the exercise Of arbitrary
power and an army to suppors it would &c as
vain task as Xerxes attempt to chain the
Il llespont. ). s. III.