Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-07
THE ADMINISTRATION.
Platform and Principles of the
lrish-American Union.
Mckinley and His Party Charged with Be-
ing False to Tenchinss of lincoln, Sow
asard and Blaine Men of Irish Blood
Called to Duty.
Editor Virgian-Pilot:

form and declaration of principles of
the irish American Union, unanimously
ADOPTED at the meeting of the organiza-
ton. held at the HOFFMAN House. on
August 30th 1900:
whenever it becomes necessary in
government OF the people for IL large
number OF citizens to suddenly aban-
aon the party to whose principles they
nave hitherto cheerfully subscribed.
and to ally themselves with the party
to whose aims they have been strenu-
ously opposed, the reasons Tor such n
change cannot be far TO seek, and,
where 1t is made by great many con-
Servative men, the grounds therefor
must be of interest to their fellOw-citi-
Zens. Therefore, we, the members of
the Irish American Union, many of
whom have never voted any but the
Republican ticket, hereby set forth the
following facts
I'VE arraign the present Republican
Administrat ton rs false to the teach
ings of the party of Lincoln. OF Sew
ard, and of Blaine. and point out that
IL has failed to maintain the principles
of the founders of the Republic:
F'irst-1n entering upon an unau-
thorized war of conquest and Subjuga
ton in the Philippine Islands. thus
subverting the doctrine of the Declara-
ton of Independence-that all govern
mcnt derives It's just power from the
consent of the governed.
''Second-ln making Porto Rico
colony as of an empire thus cStab-
fishing upon these shores the novel and
monsrous doctrines that-thc Consti-
tuition docs not follow the flag-and
that the President and Congress have
powers OF government outside of and
apart from those given by the Constitu-
ton.
'"Third-In reviewing the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty. which previous Amer
lean administrations had held TO be
void. and thus giving to the country
which claims the mastery of the sea
joint control with ourselves of the most
important of American waterways, and
putting that Power. thereby, in a posi-
ton once more Ito ravage our coats
and burn our towns and, by the same
act abandoning the Monroe Doctrine.
which has been the cornerstone of the
foreign policy of every American Pres
idcnt from James Monroe until Will
liam MckinIey-that doctrine, the ac-
Acknowledgement of whose supremacy
was wrung by Grover Cleveland from
the same Power to which Mckinley
now surrendcrs it.
"Fourth--In being the first American
Administrat ton whose trucking to
England, or any other monarchy, was
such as TO prevent n declaration OF
sympathy with people struggling to
he free, not to mention the impression
dcsignedly created as to the predilec-
tions Of the Administration in the
South African war by the recall of
Consul Macrum during hostiiities ana
the substitution of Adelbert 5. Hay,
the 2f-year-old son OF the Secretary of
State. in his place.
"Firth--In the abject and slavish
surrender TO England Of fifteen hun
tlred square miles of American terri
tory, with the shameful and humiliat-
ing exhibition of the Secretary of
state giving as the reason for such
surrender that the only alternative was
a war with England. the outcome or
which he evidently dreaded from the
American standpoint, although Eng
land and her power are now the
laughing stock of the entire world, ana
although the Republican national plat
form Of 1896 says: we reassert the
Monroe Doctrine in its full extent, ana
we reanirm the right. of the United
States to give the doctrine effect by
RESPONDING to the appeals of any
American State for friendly interven-
ton in case of European encroach,
mcnt. We have not interfered ana
shall not Interfere with the existing
possessiens of any European Power In
This hemisphere. but these possessions
must not on any pretcXt be EXTENDED.
We cheerfully look forward TO the
eventual withdrawal of the European
Powers from this hemisphere. and to
the ultimate union of all OF the fnS-
lish-spcal<ing part of the Continent by
the free consent OF it's inhabitants,
and -,
.Sixth-And most disgraceful of ALL
in making a secret agreement "fftet'eteS
tho mower and influence of this great
rop,ibIic have been turned over 10
f,homherlain ct al, to be used as the
only weapon left to them with which
to ward off the ruin which is impend-
ing over England, thus violating, at
once the advice OF Washington and
Jefferson against all entangling alli-
nnces and being guilty of the folly of
allying us with the only nation in Eu-
rope whose falling fortunes could
afford us no return for the sacriiices we
are called upon to make Disgracefui
at any time, such an alliance is doub'y
so when made while England is using
all of her power in an attempt to crush
out the life of two little South African
Republics whose magnificent fight
against overwhelming odds has excited
the wonder and admiration of man
kind.
I'm the face of this record, we de-
nounce this present Administration as
Democratic. Republican and I'M
American, and we pledge ourselves:
"First-to unite all sections. classes
and creeds of independent Irish Ameri
cans for the conservation and enforce
mont of the glorious doctrines of
human rights and human liberty, laid
down in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence and the Constitution of the
United States.
"Second-To oppose by every means
in our power all efforts by any party,
section or clique to build up in this Re
public any form of Imperialism or to
carry into effect any system for the
conquest or subjugation of foreign peo-
pies; and to oppose all attempts on the
part of an imperialiStic executive to
slihe the voice of patriotism and free
dom either at home or abroad.
'Third-To oppose in every way all
efforts to foist upon this country the
accused system of militarism, that is
so surely and so rapidly impoverishing
and degrading so many of the cOlln-