Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-09-08
EXPANSION ISSUE
Bryan's Howl Over Consent
of the Governed"
VIOLATES ALL PRECEDENTS.
History of Previous Expansions Under
Democratic Presidents.
BRYAN OPPOSED TO JEFFERSON,

The Latter Drafted the Deciarhioh VI
Independence, But when He Was
President He Governed "without the
Consent Of the Governed"
In his indianapolis speech, and in
all succeeding ones so far, Mr.. Bryan
has had much to say of the violation
Of the principles of the Declaration OF
Independence. He repeats the state
ment that all governments derive
their Just powers from the consent OF
the governed" Then he argues that
as there is insurrection in the Philip
pines, the United States is violating
this tenet by maintaining its author
ity there. Mr.. Bryans resounding
and mouth-flllng periods may be
gems of rhetoric, but his position is
at variance with the practice of the
Democratic party in the past.
In 1903, Thomas Jefferson, the
founder of the Democratic party, was
president. He purchased Louisiana
from France. This purchased terri
tory embraced not only the present
state of Louisiana, but also the i'm
mense area from the Mississippi river
westward to the Rocky mountains,
and from Louisiana and Texas north
to British America. This was inhab.
tied by a large number of Indian
tribes. Their consent was not asked
to the transfer; nobody dreamed of
asking it. Besides, the red men, there
were in Louisiana, and at points along
the west bank of the Mississippi thir
ty thousand white people, chiefly
French and Spanish. AS rule they
were opposed to coming under the do
minon of the United States; but Mr..
Jefferson promptly proceeded to gov
ern them without their consent IL
Mr.. Bryan's present position is right,
Mr.. Jeffersons course was utterly in
defensible; he violated the Declara-
ton of Independence.
Mr.. Jefferson was one Of the Vir-
ginia members of the Continental
Congress of 1776. He was one of the
leaders. He drafted the Declaration
of independence. He argued in favor
Of It's adoption on the floor of con-
gress. He voted for it, and he signed
it. Undoubtedly Mr.. Jefferson wrote
the particular sentence which is now
worrying Mr.. Bryan. Will Mr.. Bryan
have the hardihood to claim that
Thomas jefferson was right in 1875
and wrong in 1903?
Another instance may be given:
Florida was ceded by Spain to Great
Britain about the middle Of the 18th
century, and as a consequence large
number of English settlers migrated
thither. In 1888 it was ceded back to
Spain. The inhabitants, however, re-
tanned their British sympathies, and
at one time in the war Of 1872 General
Jackson captured Pensacola to pun,
ish the people for fitting out an eXpe-
dtion in aid of the British. In 1919
Spain ceded Florida to the United
States. A majority of the inhabitants
were not in favor of this, but the
United States government proceeded
to establish a government without the
consent of the governed. Why has
Mr. Bryan's voice not been raised In
protest against the old-time equity
James K. Polk, Democrat, was
president at the time of the Mexican
war. By the treaty which closed that
conflict, the United States obtained
the vast area now occupied by Califor-
MIA, Nevada, Utah, part of Colorado
New Mexico and Arizona. Its white
inhabitants were people of Spanish
descent, who were bitterly opposed to
coming under the American flag, but
that sterling Democrat, President
Polk, proceeded promptly to govern
them without their consent" thus
again violating the precept of the Dec
laration OF independence, of which
Mr. Bryan make so much 1t may be
mentioned also that In this area were
number of Indian tribes, among
them the warlike Comanches and
Apaches, who for years were so much
opposed to American rule that the
government was compelled to do what
1t is now doing in the Philippines. 1t
sent United States troops to compel
their submission to its authority.
There is large number of people
who would be glad to have Mr.. Bryan
discuss these historical facts. They
would like to know his real opinion
Of the Democratic policy of expansion
In the past, They would like to know
how he squares Mr.. Jefferson's gov
ernment of the people of Louisiana
without theiR consent with the state
ment which he penned in the Declara-
tion of Independence, and which
seems to be Mr.. Bryans argumenta-
tive sheet anchor. 1t is to be hoped
the Nebraska demagogue will take an
early opportunity of satisfying this
eminently proper curiosity.
The deposits in the Massachusetts,
do ut hny L.