New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-05
A SOVEREIGNTY LOST,

III the power to acquire, own hold and govern
property not within the Union does not belong
to the United States, as still contend,
what has become Of it? Every sovereign State
has that power. Every one of the original col
onies possessed ii when they achieved their
independence and became sovereign States.
That the several States no longer possess that
power everybody knows. If il was not Trans
ferred, with the other powers of sovereignty in
respect to all nations and peoples outside the
States 10 the Government of the United States
then bow was it lost in the shuttle? By what
wonder working magic did the several States
get rid OF that attribute Of sovereignty without
comforting it upon their duly constituted agent
for dealing with foreign relations? 1t is of
course. idle TO say that the original States in
achieving their independence and sovereignty
failed somehow 10 acquire that essential at
tribute Of sovereignty which every Power, how
ever small, possesses. Men can be found in
these days who are capable of accepting almost
any absurd bubble as If it were surely law be-
cause contrary 10 reason, but those who deny
this attribute Of sovereignty TO the United
States owe it 10 their own self-respect to dis
cover where that attribute was lost
The Constitution itself. if read with under
standing. proves that the United States were in
tended 10 possess that with ether natural at
lflbules OF SOVEREIGNTY. otneIHlst IL 8Uuiu
not have been possible for the trainers of the
Constitution to make specific provisions for the
government of ''the territory and other property
OF the United States" On the face of things
eession of territory by the several States TO the
Union was void if the Union had not the power
10 take and hold property outside the limits Of
the States. The very men who framed the Con-
stitution interpreted ii in the most conclusive
manner when, as officials or law makers of the
new Union, they took property 80 ceded info the
possession of the United States, and continued to
hold IL and make laws for its government, with
out consulting its inhabitants in any way, and
without any stipulation or provision that any
part of such territory should ever become
gta6e unless some future Congress should in its
wisdom see ct 70 admit new States" founded
on such territory.
One is forced TO do violence 10 common sense
IL thousand forms in order 10 believe that the
trainers of the Constitution, who thus acted re-
specfing territory eeded by the original States,
did not know what power the Constitution gave
10 the United States. little later, when
Georgia completed its cession, the same men as
officials and lawmakers OF the United States
took possession and exercised ownership of that
property A little later still, when property
reaching across the continent was purchased,
many Of these same trainers of the Constitution
were alive and among the foremost in admins
tering the government OF the Union, and it was
their unhesitating decision that the United |
States had power TO acquire and hold territory /
by purchase without consulting the wishes Of |
single inhabitant or entering into any sfipuia- /
ean whatever regarding the future admission Of |