Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-06-19
IMpERIAI.IsM THREATENED.

I'M = = EsASeAsASl. "a = - = -
What The Hon. Forrest w.
Brown, of Charlestown, said ina 4th
OF July Grafton in 1898 was appro.
pirate then and is forcible now. He
said, in part:
More than century has passed
since that memorable day. We are
now standing on the threshold of
one that is downing Will We con
tinueto remember the lessons taught
by the fathers2 Thus far we have.
perhaps as far as could be expected,
kept the faith. We are about TO de
part from the faith, and are we en-
tering upon new and untravelled
roads2 The fathers taught that eter
nal vigilance was the price ofliberty.
and that frequent recourse to the
fundamentals is necessary for its
preservation. New issues. and new
conditions confront us. The voices
of the sages should be needed. I'll
read Alright the signs of the times,
the spirit of conquest is to the front:
the aggressive spirit that takes, and
colonies, that Commentaries and
entangles, that increases debt and
burdens, that centralizes and i'm
perializes. Hear. for a moment the
farewell of Was hington. "Onr rule
of conduct with foreign nations is,
to have with them as little political
connection as possible. Europe has
a set of primary interests that have
to us none,or very remote, relation
Hence she must be engaged in fire
quent controversies. Our detached
and distant situation invites and
enables US to pursue a different
course" Mr.. Jefferson said: kind
ly separated by nature and wide
ocean from the exterminating power
of one quarter of the globe: too high
minded to endure the degradation of
the other, possessing a chosen coun
try with room enough for our de
scendants to the Lhousandth genera.
ton, ~ let US have peace, com
merce and honest friendship with
all NATIONS, but entangling alliances
with none" So spoke, Madison.
Monroe, Jackson, and Lincoln. The
thought, 1 am trying to give you, can
be best given by reading an extract
from an address by the late John
Randolph Tucker, to the Bar Asso.
citation of Ohio, in 1896. 1t is as
follows: "The wonderful physical
means of our county: the extraor-
1inary military and naval potential
ity of the Federal Government, ana
The bold and chivalrous character OF
our people, is breeding in the people
and their government an imperial
pride. which is fatal to free institu
tions. We feel our potential cap,ci-
ty for territorial expansion. We
boast of it: we are tempted by con.
scious power to eLter the lists and
win the Srzcs of rational ambition.
1t may, if il dulged, make US an En-,
pire, but we will cease to be a Re-
public. Conquest, extra contine IT.
domain, entan clement in Internal
al affairs Of other lands, may win 10,
US splendid fame in the world's
arena, but it will destroy our free
institutions, it will entail debt upob
the country, and oppressive burdens
on the people: the prowess and daz-
zling glory of our army and navy
may fascinato the gaping crowd, but
the simple lives of home people, rap
py and free and prosperous, will be
put aside for the power, domain and
glory of nation, built upon the
ruins of the noblest and best pro-
iuct of political science, a Federal
Constitution, where power is subor-
Innate to right,and the liberty of the
man is preferred to the glory of an
Empire" Thrs spoke the men whose
lives earned pnblic Confidence
Shall we heed what they have said,
or shall we embark upon unknown
seas to drift we know not whero2
When you say your blood isimpure and
appetite poor YOU are admitting your
need of Hoods Sarsaparilla. Begin tax
ing it at once.