The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-10
Says The Negroes and Malays
Are Not Treated Alike.
THE DAYS OF RECONSTRUCTION
Sumner and Stevens Credited With Origin
,tIng Republican Supreme Court,
He Says, Was OVeHiddsn By Congress

Hon. Perry Belmont. who Is at present
in Newport. has expressed his opinion in
regard 10 Imperialism, in an interview.
and his remarks, made last night, were
as follows:
"By whom and when was the idea In
vented that the United States could gov
ern any part Of their possessions with
out regard 10 the constitution? The uni
ted States can acquire territory. either
by conquest or purchase or treaty. but
that power to acquire comes solely from
the constitution itself.
"Up TO the time of the war Of seces-
sion, each of the political subdivisions
of the outlying dominions OF the United
States was a part thereof. None OF the
possessions acquired from France, Spain,
Mexico or Russia had, up TO 1861, been
treated by Congress or the supreme court
as the Republican party has treated Por-
TO Rico and the Philippines.
''Who, then, invented the idea which
the American commissioners at Paris
endeavored to embody in the recent
treaty, and which the Republicans at
Washington have since tried 10 enforce?
Priority of invention must be accorded
TO Congressman Thaddcus stevens, in
1861 Senator Sumner developed in the
senate in 1862 the idea OF state suicide
by each of the rebeling states. whereby
it's soil became a national possession out
side of the constitution. and its people
subject TO the unrcstrained control OF
Congress. Stevens had preceded him on
much the same lines
THE LAW OF NATIONS.
THE law OF nations is made by the
consent OF all, or nearly all, the Chris
tian ma atoms OF the world. The ma
tions now assembled i'm deliberation over
the partition of China ian event In prep
aratlon for which the Republicans have
told us they purchased the Philippines)
can prescribe a new rule OF international
law. But IL Is not incredible that an
American should tolerate the idea that
foreign nations can make a law which
the United States must obey in govern
ing the Philippines?
"The supreme court, in the case Of Tex
as VS.. White, decided in 1868. put its
foot down on Stevens, Sumner and the
radical Republican idea of reconstruc-
ton, and declared the true rule7,to be
AN indcstructible union composed of in
destructible states
"Lincoln stood by the law of July,
1861. declaring the war was 20 be waged
to defend the constitution and TO pre-
serve the Union anu the rights of each
state He declared the war had not been
waged against the states, but against
confederated individuals in the seeding
states and at the surrender at Appomat-
tox the United States had only conquered
individuals like Davis, Lee and Johnson,
\, i'm
-tytf1rt the waf had been evil war ttfrti
no treaty Of peace was possible; that the
seeding states were put where they be-
gan-that is. in the Union, not out OF H.
and were not subject TO military con-
quest
This Stevens. Sumner and the radical
Republicans denied. They insisted that
Congress, and not the president, should
declare the end of the war, and I'm De-
cember. 1865, Congress took possession of
the whole subject of reconstruction and
restoration in the seeding states, and
declared them to be outside OF the con-
stituticn and the Union. II proceeded to
erect over that the martial law, as over
the conquered provinces.
ACTION OF CONGRESS.
ut is well 10 recall what was done in
1867 in order to understand what Is 60
ing on now In the PnlnpplneS. treSl-
dent Johnson held the enactments or
1861 to he unconstitutional. and probably
the Supreme court would have upheld
him could IL have had the question before
IL. but that was not 10 be. Congress took
away. March o. 1861 all right to appeal
10 the supreme court from military SEN
-it-eref-tAe- presidents
veto.
Mr. McArdle, punished by a military
tribunal in Mississippi, carried his griev-
ance to the supreme court which after
argument refused to dismiss the appeal,
and then a Republican Congress inter-
vened What powerful searchlisht that
sheds on what may happen If Mckinley
is reelected
THE Republican party I'm 1867 made
the adoption OF the 14th amendment by
the seeding states n condition OF their
return to the Union, even should black
Africans, unframed IN civil knowledge.
control legislation in those states.
THE same Republican party, after ac-
nuisition of sovereignty over millions Of
Malays, puts them outside OF the consti-
tuition. and denies to them citizenship of
the United States. while requiring their
allegiance 10 the United states, and tells
them that they can have only such civil
rights as they arc. I'm Republican opinion,
entitled to have"
-- %. lB.i.