Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-15
GRAY treasures US,
The Peace Commissioner Dis
cusseS Present Situation
He SUPPORTS THE PRESIDENT
Has Confidence in MCKlnley'S Purity
Of Purpose.
THE PHILIPPINE QUESTION
Vow That We Have the Islands, II
Doesn't Follow We Are Committed
tn n Colonial PoIicy--Nntion's Exc
cutive Appreciates the SITUATION
THE PHILIPPINE QtEsIioN'

WILMINGTON. DEL, January IA
United States Senator George Gray was
,o,dor.d q complimentary dinner by the
local Board of Trade, In his
city tonight. President Mckinley ms
Cabinet, and all the members OF the
Peace Commission with the exception Oh
Johr Bassett Moore sent letters OF re-
oret Mr.. Moore was the only member
or the commission present. There were
200 guests in attendance.
Senator Gray was the chief speaker OIL
the evening, and responding to the toast
"Our Guests of Honor" he saio' II
seems TO me very commonplace anu coiu'
in response TO this generous welcome u
say that I thank you from full heart'
and vet what else can l say? Wheh one
Ills deeply short words are best ana
commonplace phrases take on d 1T"
meaning.
4 NATIONAL CRISIS.
"r have had. as you know, the great
honor of having been sent by the
dent Of the United States as one OF 'he
commissioners to negotiate and cohciuue
treatv OF peace with Spain, and we
,o+o,,, brought home with us such
treaty. which. if ratihed' VIII
neace between the two countries any,
make more secure the peace OF the woiiu
eve are now in a crisis of our na'lona'
history and your hearts and mine do
,o+r,otic citizens Of this great country
ro f,,u Of anxiety as to the proper SET
clement of the momentous issues Which
to,.e resulted from the war with SPAN.
.,yybile our country was at war WIN
c,,o,r we were ready TO make, hope.
ayerv sacrifice TO insure the success y,
,,,erican arms and bring victory anu
honor 10 the American nag. Anu no"
that the war Is over, beheVe lilo -
triotic instincts of American c',i~oi,', ..i
demand as your President ehJoinu
hat we should exhibit magnanimity 10
'iat '" W Zoe and moderation in the hour
OF victory. ,,e,,s
,,AN PROPOSES: GOD DISPOSES.
a., +ba FIRST Mace / want 10 say TO you
NAT II was nv pleasure, as well as Whal
= conceived my duty, TO endeaVor W ca -
out this instruction so creditable 10 US 40
} no,ion and so worthy of the high CIVIL
ization NJ which we profess 10 be leaders:
I ,rha acouisition of territory by the Uniteo
1 states was not one Of the objects Oh inc
e var and we solemnly declared III INC
Y resolution Of Congress that our only Cd
5 iect in demanding the REIMBURSEMENT OF
= snanigh sovereignty in Cuba was that we
% yiorld NOT hold il ourselves, but return
I the island to its own people
t "Rut &c this. as in all else, man pro-
e ,,oses and God disposes, and it is one OF
e Tho things that make thoughtful men ue-
= sire 10 avoid war, where 1t can De aVolu-
ed for no one can tell what its conse-
G ouences NAV be. l ardenty desired lhd'
4 we might escape the necessity OF 'ahI,'s
the Philippine Islands ana assuiliihs III.
burden that their taking will impose upon
- and I know that the President of the
5 United States was equally anxious to the
n same end. But IT became apparent that
d witbout seeing, unusual conditions had
IS heen created. and out of these conditions
IS unmrestionably duties had sprung Whlct
l. conId not be avoided or evaded by the
l. United States.
d HELD IN TRUST.
d Tt was argued that the performanc
II NJ du,v is sometimes not only unpleasant
le but has dangers attendant upon II
D nevertheless. a brave man ana praV
70 nation will not shrink from IL on tha
= account. On the other hama, II America
- sentiment did not JUSTIFY the return
'0 Tho Philippines TO Spain no more cOuld
T. tnstifv leaving them derelict in the cas-
- ern ocean the prey of the first occupant
~ of European rapacity. The Powers
= E,roDe would acquiesce In our takll
- them but they would not stand by an
-, see them in their helpless condltloh
- anarchy and disorder without seiZlnS II
- opportunity to aggrandize themselNeS
And so 4 was thought best by the Pres
- dent and his advisors 10 take the cesslu
Va ~ tbeir sovereignty from Spain and no
II ba administered IN col
formity with those high ideals and li
ertv-loying traditions which animate an
oIorifv the history Of our country. Dut
cannot bonorably be avoided because
NAV bring pain or danger. nor can r
snonsibility always be evaded because
it's burdens.
"That / sought I'm Paris by all homes
means to escape this responsibility doc
not matter now. 1t came 10 a point {
last that we must either leave the island
IN Spain. take them as we did, or brea
off negotiations, and come home wlthol
a treaty Of peace In the last event Il
truce would be broken. and state
active war would have been resumed.
would have no cession OF the sovereign
of the Philippines and none of Por
T:lCo. and no REIMBURSEMENT OF Spd"is
sovereignty over Cuba
II WAS BETTER so.
at Is true that IN the proloSol VI A"7u
l2th Spain had promised that she won
cede Porto Rico and relinquish Cuba b
,nout treaty Of peace that prom
would not be performed. What won
ten have been the eXigency OF the stu
ZION? Undoubtedly we would have be,
OF compelled 10 go on and seize win u
his strong hand and by military power DO
led the Philippine archipelago and the great
,as and lesser Antilles, taking by ruth'e
To- CONQUEST what it was far better that
no shonld take by the voluntary cession Oh
ing treaty OF peace. a.. ,.,oods
10 s,pnt now that we have the islanos'
'ar aoee not follow that We are committer
he u Colonial policy or to violation OF 'ho
nv areot principles OF liberty ana sen-go
,en ernment which must always RENE
Ia Ia American ideals II our free institutio
yer are to endure. ,oos,
'e' ono country-and this country least
au--can afford TO trample on i's luea
hoye no fear that II VIII do So With'
ia, ss,,m,ng for moment any rignt
10, snsaI for the President. | think c
vas sssnre YOU. with some knowledge VINE
In "1"-'N .hat 10 fully appreciates