Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
Senator uoar on Imperialism.

ate, " Tuesday delivered his long lex
pected speech on Imperialism, and it
was a masterful effort, and a convincing
of facts to establish the
right of the Filipinos to independence.
Senator Hoar spoke for four hours and
stood the strain remarkably well,
although he is "A years old and is
suffering with the grip
The speech throughout fairly bristled
with the most forceiul points. The
Senator opened by declaring that in
July, 1898, the people of the United
States were at the high-water mark of
prosperity and glory. The glory of a
great liberator had been won in two
hemispheres. THE American flag had
appeared as Iiberator in both hemis-
pheres; when it floated over Havana or
Santiago or Manila there was written
on Its folds, where all nations could
read 1t, the pledge of the resolution OF
Congress and the declaration of the
President,' said Mr.. Hoar. Continu-
ing, he deprecated the purpose of the
President to govern 10, 600, 900 people in
the East and 10000 in the West
Indies without any constitutional re-
straint. Such policy he held to be
an abandonment Of the principles on
which our government is founded, and
be believed that persistence init will
result in the defeat and overthrow of
the Republican party.
Referring to the charge of treason
laid to those who oppose the policy of
Imperialism, Senator lfoar impressively
said IF to think as | do in regard
to the Interpretation OF the Constitu.
ton in regard to the mandates OF the
moral law or the law of nations be
treason, then Washington was traitor;
then Jefferson was traitor then Jack
sen was a traitor; then franklin was
traitor; then Sumner was a traitor |;
then Lincoln was traitor; then Web.
ster was traitor, then Clay was a
traitor; then Corwin was traitor !;
then Kent was o traitor; then Seward
was traitor; then Mckinley, within
two years, was traitor. The consti-
tutional question is: Has Congress the
power, under our Constitution, to hold
in subsection unwilling vassal States?
Upon this question the Senator based
his able argument and answered it 10
the negative. Particularly impressive
was his roll-call of statesmen dead and
gone, to cite their arguments in opposi.
ton to imperialism. He said:
The roll is called. George Washing
ton: mo. Why should we quit our
own to stand on foreign grounds"
Alexander Hamilton: mo. The
Declaration Of Independence is the
fundamental constitution of every
| State"
Thomas jefferson :"No. Governments
are instituted among men deriving their
just powers from the consent of the
governed, Every people ought to have
that separate and equal station among
the nations of the world to which the
laws of nature and Of natures God
| entitle them.''
John Adams: "No. / stood by the
side of Jefferson when he brought in
the Declaration was its champion or
the floor of Congress. After our long
estraneement l come back to his side
again. - NE
James Madison: "No. The object Of
the Federal Constitution is to secure
the union of the thirteen primitive
States, which We know to be practica
BILE, and to add to them such othel
States as may arise in their own bosom!
or in their neighborhood, which We
cannot doubt will be practicable
| saIa
Constitution there can be no depend
encies. Wherever there is In tho Chris
tian and civilized world nationally
Of character, then n national govern
ment is the necessary and Iroper result
There is not a civilizsd and inteIli
gent man on earth that enjoys satisfac
tion with his condition If he does no
live under the government of his owl
nation, his own country. A natioI
cannot be happy but under a govern
ment OF its own choice. When dc
part from these sentiments | depar
from myself"
William ii. Seward: "No. The Trainer
of the Constitution never coptempate
colonies or provinces at all. They con
templated States Only; nothing les
than States Perfect States, equa
States, sovereign States. There
reason, there is sound political wisdom.
in this provision of tho Constitution
excluding colonies, which are alway
subject to oppression, and exoludin
, provinces. which always tend to corrup
; and enfeeble and ultimately to brea
down the parent State"
Abraham Lincoln: "No. | said i
Independence Hall, at Philadslphia
: Just before | entered upon my grea
office, that | rested upon the truti
, Thomas Jefferson has Just vi tered. mn
that l was ready to be assassinated.
, need be, in order TO. maintain it. An
was assassinated in order TO mair
tainit."
And then, with solemn earnestnes.
he called the name of William McKinle
and made for him this answer: THE:
has been cloud before my vision fc
moment, but see clearly now; ! G
back to what / said two years age
Forcibie annexation is criminal a,
3 gression; governments derive their ju
: powers from the consent of the go
erned, not of some of them, hut of a
d of them. will stand with the Fathe
(. of the Republic. will stand with Il
! founders of the Republican part
a No."
l. In AN eloquent peroration Senat,
y Hoar said that IL the battle Of todi
j. goes against freedom, ~ appeal
d another day, not distant and sure
J.. Gomez And concluding, he said:
!. appeal from the clappipg Of hant
= and the stamping of feet and u
: brawling and the shouting to the qui