Richmond planet., 1900-05-05

then you can hold snd manage cannon
or Meets for any other than O constitu-
tional end and / maintain that the
holding in subjeation an alien people,
governing them against their will for
any fancied advantage to them, is not
only not an end provided for by the
constitution, but is an end prohibited
therein.
Now, with due respect so the gentle.
men who have discussed this matter.
L do not find that. they have answered
this proposition or undertaken Co an
swer it. do not find that they have
understood it. You have. ria my
judgment, under your admitted power
TO acquire, own, aud govern territory.
which is just like your admitted pow
er tn govern, own, and control ships or
guns, no more right under the Consti
tuition to hold that territory for she
sake OF keeping in subjecticn an alien
people than you have right to acquire.
hold, and manage cannon or fleets or
TO raise armies for the sake OF Keeping
In subjection and under your control
an alien people. All these things ar
means; and means to constitutional
and not to unconstitutional ends.
SPECIFIC oBJRoTs.
The Constit ltion of the United
States sets forth certain specific OBJ
1ests and confers certain specific pow
ers upon the Government is creates
All powers necessary or reasonably
convenient to accomplishing these spe.
citic objects and exercising these spe-
citc powers are granted by implication
In my judgment the Constitution
should be hbeaslly construed in de-
termining the extent of such powers
In that l agree with Webster and
Hamilton and Lincoln and Washing
ton and Marshall, and MT with Gal
houn or the Democrats of 'he time Of
war OF the rebellion and since. But
the most liberal atesman or iurist
never went further than the Rule /
have stated in claiming constitutional
powers for our Government. The Coz
stitution says that Congress..may make
rules and regulations for the govern
ment of the territory aud other prop
erty of the United States. That i'm
plies that we may acquire and regulate
territory as we may acq lire and use
other property, such a. our ships of
War, our cannon or forts or Rrsenals.
But territory. like other property, can
only be acquired for constitutional
purposes. and cannot be acquired and
governed for unconstitutional purpo-
ses. Now, one constitutional purpose
is to admit new States to the Union.
That Is one Of the object for which
the Constitution was framed. So we
may acquire and hold and govern ter
risory with that object in view. But
governing subject peoples. and hold
ing them for that purpose, Is not a con-
stitutional end. On the contrary, it is
an end which the generation which
framed the Constitution and Declara.
tion of independence declared was un-
I righteoIs and Abhorrent. So, in my
opinion, we have mo constitutional
power to acquire territory for the par-
pose of holding it in subjugation, in a
state Of vassalsge or serfdom against
the will of its people.
NOTHING OWNED IN THE PHILIPPINES.
1t is to be noted just here that we
have acquired no territery or other
property in the Philippine Islands,
save few public buildings. By every
other acquisition of territory the
United States became Q great land
owner. She owned the public lands
as she had owned the public lands in
the Northwest ceded to her by the old
States. But you own nothing in the
Philippines. The people own their
farms and dwellings and cities. The
religious orders own the rest. The
Filipinos desire to do what our English
ancestors did in the old days when
England was Catholic. The lGity fear
ed that the church would engross ali
the land. So they passed their statute
OF mortmain. You have either got tc
let the people Of the Philippine Islands
settle this matter for themselves, OF
you must take upon you the delicate
duty OF settling il for them. You,
conquest of nothing but soveignty. Il
is q sovereignty over q people Who or,
never to be admitted to exercise it OF
to share it.
AN ATTEMPT To BUY.
In the present case we have not,