Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-03-05

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whom God has rendered responsible
for power. Penetratec with this eter-
nal truth, the soverigns have not besi-
tated to proclaim 1t with frankness
and vlgor." Accordingly they proceed
ed to put down by armed force the pop
rlar uprislngs in Naples and Piedmont,
and to abolish the constitution Of Ca
diz. In the same despatch they de-
clared "pnll and disallowed by the
public law Of Europe" every move
ment of the people TO secure for them
selves some share In tho government Of
their countries aud some Of the benefits
OF free institutions and constitutional
Limitations upon despotic power; and
these monarchs did not scruple to say
that, having first redressed the bal
ance or Europe in favor Of legitimacy,
they would next turn their attention to
the revolted Spanish colonies in the
new world,--thus bringing their enter.
prise close to our own doors.
At this time George Canning was the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In the British Cabipet, and Richard
Rush was our minister nt the Court OF
st. James. The former brought to the
notice Of Mr.. Rush the deliberations of
the Congress of Laybach, and proposed
some joint action Of the two countries
TO neutralize plans which he conceived
to be dangerous to the ma xims of con.
stitutional government everywhere,
aud especially perilous to our own.
True to our traditional policy of keep
ing aloof from any concert with Euro
pcan effort, our minister declined the
proposal, but, fully alive to the gravity
OF the situation, he referred the ques-
tion to the home government, and Mr..
Monroe, in consequence, formulated, In
his message to Congress Of December,
1923. his protest known in history as
the Monroe Doctrine"
For three quarters Of century the
principle enupciated in that message
has been the pride Of our people and
tho cherished policy beneath the tutc.
lar aegis Of which our Spanish Amer,
icsu neighbors have been rescued more
than once, from European rapacity
and aggression.
In the last analysis Of the Laybac!l
circular It's fundamental declaration
will be found not to differ by hair g.
breadth from the claim by which our
own government now asserts It's power
and purpose TO rule the peoples who
have fortuitously passed under It's iur
isdictlon, outside Of constitutional
muniments and tutelage.
iHo 'u'VfpIc'uioH VI our IulurG
colonial policy appears still more
plain by recent statement made by
the President to Mr.. Henry Loomi.
Nelson,-a man whose repute fol
truth Is n sufficient voucher Tor the
substantial accuracy Of what he tells
vs.. and by the latter published as al
authoritative exposition of the nd
minisiratlop view, and In which our
chief magistrate Is reported to say
that Congress is not bound by the
Limitations of the constitution when
1t enters upon the task of legislating
lie. 1t may refuse to the natives, and
to the American citizen who may gC
to our colonies, fho right of jury trials
the right Of free speech, the right to
bear arms, the right of peaccable as
semblagc aud Of petition, freedom
from unwarrantable arrest, freedom
from search-.all those rights which
the constitution SO jealously guards.
Reduced TO its substantial terms
this is simply the assertion Of the right
Of some men, to-wit the Congress.
Of the United States, to govern som,
millions Of other men, to-wit; the in
habitants of our island possession,
and the American sojourners there
without the consent of those Other
men, or Of any of them.
In respect Of this ciaim Of right, the
Congress Of the United States differs
no whit from the Congress of Lay
bach. And II matters not at all tina,
the latter body consisted OF three
soverelgns only, and the former OF
more than as many hundreds; II
either case the power claimed is des
potic, responsible to no law. auswera
bic to 10 tribunal of the people who
ore to be governed, hedged about by
no constitutional safeguards. The
National Convention Of the French
Revolution was indeed numerous
body of men,--cllosen by an nlmos,
universal suffrage; II protessed the
most lofty and penohcient principles
But in its time the Reign Of Tcrro,