New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-29

he students
fornia at the Charter Day exercises GMarcn -;
Mr.. Reid discussed the questions growing ost o,
the Spanish-American War Following WIZ oe Iounu
the address In full:
My subject has been variousiy stated IN your
different newspapers as current NatlOiiai
Questions" or THE Present National Question
or General Expostions; not on Anything IN
Particular" When your President honored me
with his invitation TO a duty so high ana so
sudden. that IT might almost be dgnifed by the
name of draft he gave me nearly equai
license. I was to speak ION anything growing
out OF the late war with Spain
How that war resembles the grippe. You re-
member the medical definition. by an authority
no less high than our present Distinguished sec
retary of State THE grippe" said Colonel
Hay lis that disease in which. after YOU nave
been cured. you get steadily worse every daS
Of your convalescence", There are people OF so
little faith. TO say that this exactly describes
the late with Spain,
II one is to speak at all Of its present aspects
on this high day of your University year, ne
should do so only as a patriot. not as partisan
But he cannot avoid treading on ground where
the ashes are yet warm, and discussing ques-
tons which In spite of the present intermingling
of party lines and confusion OF party Ideas. VIII
presently be found the very battle ground OF
campaign oratory and hostile hosts. You VIII
credit me. / hope with sufficient respect for the
proprieties OF this platform TO avoid marked
partisan arguments-even though fortified by
the express warrant of your distinguished
President to discuss National questions from
any point of view that a patriot can take. 1T Is
profoundly to be regretted that on these ques-
tions. which pure patriotism alone should weigh
and decide. mere partsanship is already grasp
ing the scales. One thing at least / may vent
to promise before this audience of scholars
and gentlemen this Charter day OF your
great University:-I shall ask the partisan
Democrat of the present day to agree with me
no further than Thomas jefferson went, and the
partisan Republican of the day. no further than
Abraham Lincoln went. To adapt from a
kindred situation phrase by the greatest popu-
lar orator of my native State. and. still like TO
think. one of the greatest of the country in this
century-a phrase applied by him to the COM
promise measures of 1850 but equally fitting to-
day, IF are forced to part company with
some here whom il has been our pleasure and
pride to follow in the past, let us console our
selves by the reflection that following
in the footsteps Of the Fathers and saviours of
the Republic, their garments dyed with the
blood of the Red Sea. through which they led
out OF the land of bondage. their locks still
moist with the mists OF the Jordan. across
which they brought us to this land of liberty"
Yet even with those from whom must thus
part company there are elemental truths of the
situation on which we must
TO BE TAKEN still agree. Some things rea-
FOR GRANTED, sonable men may take fol-
NOW. granted: -some that surely
have been settled in the con-
hct Of arms, of diplomacy and Of debate since
the spring OF 1898. Regret them if you choose;
but do not like children seek to make them
m nv SbI1ttip
TO them.
The new territories in the West Indies and the
East ours, to have and to hold. by the
preme law of the land. and by title which the
whole civilized world recognizes and respects.
We shall not speedily get rid of them-whoever
may desire it. The American people in
mood to give them back to Spain. to sell
them to abandon them. We have all the
power we need to acquire and to govern them.
Whatever theories men may quote from MIR.
Calhoun from Mr.. Chief Justice fancy. the
uniform conduct of the National Administration
throughout century, under whatever party
justifies the triumphant declaration of Daniel
Webster to Mr.. Calhoun. over half a century
ago. and the consenting opinions Of the Courts
since down TO the very latest in the long line
by your own Judge Morrow 70 the effect in a
word that this Government like every other
one in the world. has power to acquire terri
tory and other property" anywhere and govern
1t as IL pleases.
On these points / make bold to repeat what I
felt warranted in saying a fortnight ago within
sight Of Bunker Hill. that there is every evil
derce that the American people have distinctly
and defnitively made up their minds They
have not been persuaded and they cannot be.
persuaded that this is an inferior Government
incapable of any duty Providence Through the
acts of wicked Administration, II you choose)
may send Its way,-duties which other nations
could discharge. but we cannot They do not
and Will not believe that il was any such
manned, imperfect, misshapen cripple from
birth for which our forefathers made a place
in the family Of Nations. Nor are they misled
by the sudden cry. that In a populous region.
thronged by the ships and traders of all coun-
tries. where their own prosecution of a Just war
broke down whatever guarantees for order had
previously existed. they are violating the natu-
raj and inalienable rights of man. by enforcing
order. Just as little are they misled by the
other cry that they violating the right of
self-government, and the Declaration of indie
pendence and the Constitution of the United
States by preparing for the distracted warning
tribes of that region such local governments as
they may be found capable OF conducting in
their various stages Of development from pure
barbarism toward civilization. The American
people know that they thus proceeding 70 do
just what Jefferson did In the vast region he
bought from France-without the consent by
the way. either of its sovereign or It's iuhabi-
tants. They know that they are following in
the exact path OF all the constructive statesmen
OF the Republic. from the days of the man who
wrote the Declaration and OF those who made
the Constitution, down 10 the days OF the men
who conquered California. bought Alaska and
denied the right of self government to Jefferson