The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-03

bred Ssott case has never been reversed,
either .'informally" or otherwise, and its
binding authority has never since been
questioned by the Supreme Court of the
United States. 1t has never been .'over-
ruled either at Fort Pillow or ''Appo-
mattox or anywhere else, but the dects
ion upon the main question involved is
no longer Of practical Importance, simply
because of the subsequent amendments to
the Constitution of the United States
abolish3rrg slavery. While the court, in
that case. was divided upon the prtnsnpal
question involved in IT, viz, as 90 the legal
status of an American negro ana as 70
what the Constitution recognized IN reIa-
ton thereto there was no substantial
difference between the prevailing opinfoR
of the Chief Justice and the dissenting
opinions of such anti-s.avery judges as
Mclean OF Ohio, and Curtis of MasSachu
setts. in regard to one most important con-
fIIIs;on. to wit, that the provisions OF the
Constitution. whatever their legal effect
might be extended TO the Territories OF
the United States.
THE PORTO RICO TARIFF.
The country was startled wnen Repuo-
lican leaders in Congress announced taelS
intention TO impose d ttrln upon nlpoi-
tations from Porto Rico 1t was no. the
amount Of the rates imposed which shocked
}.
were cornparatively moderate, but it was
the principle involved IN the proceeding
whx.n aroused Indignation. The reason
was plain-Porto Rico had been ceded
10 the United States" by Spain, and mad
become part and parcel OF This country
as much as any Territory ever was OF Il.
Being a part of the United Statss and
belonging TO this Government At was sup
posed that the provisions OF the Con
stirution were applicable to il, and tndt
no aIterpt would be made to violate
that provision Cont. Art. l., Sec. y
which declares that AL duties imports
and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the United States
The President, in his annual message u
Congress, ignoring the constitutional OBJ
CATION involved, had declared, however.
that it was our plain duty to give free
trade to Porto RICO. But suddenly
change of policy occurred. In disregard OF
the Presidents recommendations a Fepuo-
lean Congress imposed a tariff OF 10 per
cent. on importations from that island,
and the measure was quickly approved
by President Mckinley himself.
1t was a self qualification by high
official seldom witnessed, and has no paral-
lei in history. II never has been satisfac-
torily explained.
The action could only have been taken
upon the theory that Porto Rico was not
Territory of the United States but was
colony of the United States, and that
colony IS not subject to the limitations OF
the Constitution; but may be governed
by Congress according to its sole discre-
ton.
This was the first gun for imperialism,
It was the opening victory over the friends
of constitutional liberty in this country
During the whole debate in the Senate
on the ratification of the Spanish treaty
no Republican Senator had openly avoWed
d purpose to ultimately refuse independ-
! ence to the people Of the Philippine Islands
! They either evaded the subject or an
nounced that their intentions We're hon
| orable'' and declared in general terms that
,, this Government would do what was
| right without indicating any definite pol
| icy. There was every reason to believe
| that the ratification OF the treaty, which
| was regarded by many as a military nee
! essity, would be followed by the passase
| of the Bacon resolution correctly defining
| the attitude of this country, but StteT
| the ratification had been secured by QueS
| tionable means which will not bear IN
| vestigation, the Bacon resolution was not
| ADOPTED.
All DISCUSSES were soon thrown off. and
| thereafter followed the announcement that
| independence was TO be refused the Fiji
| p-nos and that the Philippine Islands and
! Porto Rico were to be thereafter held by
! the United states as American colonies
| in analogy TO the British system of Colo
nal Governments.
| This was the announcement of '.imper-
| ialism''-t was the declaration of a pur-
| pose to change the nature of our free in
| st2tuhons-it was an attempt to assume
| unlimited powers over our new posses
! sions by a Government itself vested with
| only limited powers-it was the promulga-
1S .
| is SO grandly and loftily called our "mani-
fest destiny" which is an imperial phrase
intended to he interpreted by everybody
70 suit themselves. and which means any
thing and everything under the sun that is
proposed to be done. and for which some
plausible excuse is desired
THAT MANIFEST DESTINY.
When the plain citizen asks why must
we maintain immense standing armies
why must a national debt be created so
large that it is never expected to be paid.
why must we enter into foreign alliances
and attempt to govern other countries be-
yond the seas. why must we depart from
the ways OF the simple government of our
fathers and enter upon policies of con-
quest and ggrandiZement?-it is no ade-
quate answer to say that it is because Of
our manifest destiny Tt is not only
an insufficient. but it is a cowardIy an
SWer. II IS an attempt TO unload upon
Divine Providence the errors, The weak
nesses, the corruption. the selfshness. and
the schemes of a discredited and unworthy
national administration.
The argument is in keeping with thar
which is always invoked to justify mon
archiai governments, to-wit: The divine
rights Of kings to rule and now we are
told that we must have colonies which are
the usual accompaniment OF n,onarchies
because if for no other reason It is cur
manifest destiny" You recall the mix
ture of piety and politics, the assurance
and hypocracy exhibited in the congratu-
latorv dispatches exchanged between Pres
idant Mckinley and Senator Hanna, after
the latter had been elected by corrup-
ton and fraud a U. S. Senator from Ohio.
IN one of which it was announced tina,
"God raigns and the Republican party
still lives as though Hanna's pur-
chased triumph was a special dispansat,on
of Divine Providence. The people will
probably soon be told that Mckinley must
he reelected because it is the will of the
Almighty and our manifest destiny,
Our national destiny will largely be what
we ourselves make it