Graham guardian., 1900-08-17

congress, whether by deed or ses-
sion from the original states, or
by treaty with a foreign country,
are held with the object, as soon
as the their population and con-
dition justify it, of being admitted
into the Union as states in all
respects"
And the supreme court further
says:
"The constitution was made for
the benefit of every citizen of the.
United States, and there is no
citizen, whatever his condition. or
wherever he may be within the
territory of the United States, who
has not a right to its protection
"The personal and civil rights
of the inhabitants of the territories
are secured to them, as to other
citizens, by the principles of con-
stitutional liberty which restrain
all agencies of the government,
state or national"
And Judge Cooley said:
"And when territory is ACQUIRED.
the right to suffer states TO be
formed therefr IN, and to receive
them into the Union, must follow.
of course, not only because the
constitution confers the power to
admit new states without restric-
ton, but because it would be in
consistent with institutions found
ed on the fundamental idea of self
government that the Federal gov.
ernment should retain territory
under its imperial rule and deny
the people the customary local
institutions"
And here is what Daniel Web
ster said, taken from his works.
vol. 5, page 800:
Arbitrary governments may
have territories and distant posses
sions, because arbitrary govern
ments may rule them by different
laws and different systems. Russia
may rule in the Uckraine and the
the provinces of the Caucasus and
Komtschatka by different codes,
ordinances or ukases. We can do
no such thing. They must be of
us, or else strangers"
From these authorities and a
host of others that could be cited,
it is sufficiently plain that we have
no legal right or power to hold
the Philippine islands and Puerto
Rico as colonies. But notwith-
standing all this the proposition is
boldly made that we shall hold and
govern and control these islands
as imperial colonies for all time.
Such proposition does not as
sumo that the fountain head of all
sovereignty consists of that poll
teal unit called the people. On
the contrary it assumes that there
is a power in our governmental
departments to make or construct
other than representative govern
ments. In other words, it has
been discovered that the trainers of
our government made a grand mis-
take and that our government is
fully authorized to exercise ar
bitrary and despotic powers the
same as are exercised by all mon
arches.
1t is unnecessary TO say that
when such a principle creeps into
republics it marks their downward |
course. 1t is true that congress
has the right, and it is its duty,
to provide the machinery necessary
to govern our territories, but such
must come within the
provisions of the constitution, for
The people who inhabit our terri.
tories must be part and parcel of
rs and constitute citizens of the
United States. The doctrines con-
aimed in the Declaration of Inde-
oendence and the provisions of the
extend over the ter.
'itories as we'll as over the states.
When territory is annexed, the
fundamental principles contained
n the two instruments mentioned,
Immediately attach thereto for it
5 unreasonable that the constitu-
ion should not follow the flag.
'o new government can be proper
y applied to such territory, for, to
o that, is TO unite Imperialism
yith republicanism, to unite a
roconsular government with that
t our present form of government.
If we have annexed Puerto Rico
nd the Philippines, what and who
re the people who occupy those
'lands if they are not American
itizensy They no longer owe I
llegiance to Spain. If they are
ot to constitute independent ma
ons are they to loose their iden-
ty entirely? If we have annexed
lem how can they be recognized
ther than rs American citizens?
thoy are citizens of the United =
tates are they not entitled to all
le rights and immunities of
tizcnsY