The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-09-30
AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HIM AT TULSA.
IT. ON THIS PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
In His Logical and Gifted Manner He Goes
Back to the Formation of the Government
and Brings up Almost Forgotten His
tory--Says imperialism is Not New.

Following is the address of Hon
orable Henry NJ. Furman, recently
delivered at Tulsa, l. T., and which
we clip from the Democrat OF that
place:
The Hon. H. NJ. Furman OF Ard
more delivered a powerful address
on the paramount issue in the pres
ent campaign in this city last Sat
urday. Following is his speech In
condensed form:
Our Republican friends ridicule the
idea that there could be such thing
as imperialism in America, and claim
that the Democrats have invented
the issue to frIghten the people. Let
MS see if there is any truth in their
contention. Imperialism is not
new question. On the contrary, it
is the Oldest issue in American poll
tics. 1t has been coming up in first
one form and then the other ever
since we gained our independence.
Just after the revolutionary war,
when the volunteer militia had driv-
en- the British regulars from our
soil, a movement was started to es-
tablish a constitutional monarchy
and place George Washington at it's
head. He put aside the tempting
offer, surrendered his sword and
became a private citizen, when he
might have been king. This was
lioh
pire.
The constitution of the United
States was not framed until 11o7.
Alexander Hamilton of New York
was a member of the convention
which framed the constitution. He
introduced a plan of government
which provided for the election OF
the president for life; the election of
United States senators for life, and
gave the president power to appoint
the governors of all of the states,
and the right to veto any state law
which might be Objectionable to him.
This plan of government was debat-
ed and voted down. You can all see
that if it had been adopted We would
have had the form of a Republic but
the power and essence of an Empire.
What would have become of free
government with a presldent and
senate elected for life-the govern
ors of states appointed by the presi-
dent instead of being elected by the
people, and if the president could
veto any state law he wanted? This
was the second attempt to establish
an Empire.
George Washington was our first
president. His great influence and
devoted patriotism kept the advo-
Gates of imperialism quiet during his
administration. But, when John
Adams of Massachusetts was elected
our second president, the advocat es
of an Empire, led by Hamilton
again came to the front. They &C.
cured the passage by Congress oi
what is known as the "Alien and
Sedition Laws" Under the Alien
laws the president, for reasons lock
ed up in his own bosom, and without
notice, could order any foreigner
out of this country whose presence
here was distastefal to him. From
this order there was no appeal. L
the foreigner did not leave forth
with, the entire army of the United
States was at the disposal of the
president to put him out. Under the
Sedition law any person who shoulC
criticise the president, any member
of his cabinet or any member o
congress, in a manner to bring then
into contempt before the people
indictment, conviction, fine and i'm
prisonment. A great many person
were convicted under the law. onl,
have time to mention one case: Pat
rick Conner, an Irishman, said "Olt
John Adams is aping the king o
England" He called the president
message the "king's speech" H
said that "at the seat of governmen
every other consideration was swal
lowed up in grasping after power
and in vain display of pomp upol
the part of the officials and IN slav
ish adulation upon the part of thei
subordinates." For this he was in
dicted, tried, convicted, fined an
imprisoned. Think of it my coun
trymen, free born American citizen
have been fined and Imprisoned upol
American soil, by American courts
under American laws, for exercisin
the right of free speech. And ye
our Republican friends tell US u
one has, or ever had, an idea of es
tablishlng an Empire here. Sue
assertions show lamentable iguo
rance of the history of our country
or an utter disregard for the truth