New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-22
Mr.. RICHARDSON'S HISTORY

Representative James d. Richardson, the
Democratic leader of the House. is an historian.
He has made a special study of our Govern
ment records and edited a set of books of Pres
idential papers. He ought to know as much
about Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
and James Monroe and Thomas H Benton and
all the other makers of the United States as any
man in Congress. 1t is therefore somewhat
surprising to find him indulgng in the follow
ing fight of American history in his denuncia-
ton of the Puerto Rican tariff bill:
The bill is framed upon the idea and assump-
ton that Congress enters upon the government
Of Puerto Rico unrestrained by the provisions of
the Constitution. This we DENY Those of US
who oppose this measure, believe, without ex-
ception maintain that the bill cannot be enacted
into law without total disregard and violation
of not simply the spirit but the express letter of
the constitution The Louisiana Territory, Flor
IDA, Texas, California, New Mexico, Oregon and
Alaska have all been acquired under our Consti-
tuition without jar or strain to any of its wise
ana benehcent provisions and without any de-
mand for its amendment. Every foot of this
vast domain was acquired and annexed under
Democratic Presidents
We pass over his notion that the acquisition
of Alaska by William H. Seward was Demo
cratic enterprise. The President at that time
was Andrew johnson, and if Mr.. Richardson
wants TO claim him a Democrat we do not
know anybody who will object We can also
sIO
Tyler, who was elected as q Wing But when
Mr.. Richardson says Louisiana was acquired
under our Constitution without any strain or
any demand for its amendment he seems TO he
Mr. Richardson the leader of an opposition
bound to oppose and not Mr. Richardson the
calm historian. AS a matter of fact after hay-
ing acquired Louisiana Thomas Jefferson him
self-that first of Democrats-declared that he
had strained and broken the Constitution He
wrote TO John Breckenridge on August 10. 1903,
that after ratifyng the treaty Congress must
appeal to the Nation for an additional article
Ito the Constitution approving and confirming
IAN act which the Nation had not previously
authorized. The Constitution has made no pro-
vision for our holding foreign territory. still
"less for Incorporating foreign nations into our
Union. The Executive, in Selling the fugitive
occurrence which so much advances the good
''of their country. have done act beyond the
Constitution" That was Jefferson's view of
a policy which his successor as the official ex-
ponent Of Democracy says did not strain the
Constitution or raise any demand for its amend
ment. In view of Jefferson's objection to ''incor-
pOrating foreign nations into our Union" even
if we could hold them, it sounds a little queer
for Mr.. Richardson TO proclaim that the only
way we can hold foreign territory is by incor-
porating it into the Union The great Democrat
of 1903 and the great Democrat of 1900 do not
seem TO be in ha ~mony.
Mr.. Richardson denies that we can govern
Puerto Rico unrestrained by the Constitution
That OF course, is his privilege, but he ought
not 10 quote Democratic Presidents as his au-
thority Jefferson governed Louisiana unre-
strained by the Constitution Madison drew and
Jefferson signed the bill for governing II uncon-
stitutionaily. One of their followers objected to
the powers granted under II as royal; another
said II estaDhshed "A complete despodsm," and
years after Benton declared nothing could