The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-17

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even considered either by Jefferson or
py any other serious party leader, forit
never entered their heads that new
territory should be governed other than
In the way In which the territories OF.
Ohio and Illinois had already been
governed under Washington and the
elder Adams; the theory known by this
utterly false and misleading phrase
was only struck out IN political contro.
Versy at n much late; Date. for the sole
purpose OF 5ustffyfng the extension OF
slavery into the territories.
Rallied at the Sticklers.
The parallel between what Jefferson
didwith Louisiana and what Is now be-
Ing done in the Philippines Is exact,
Jefferson. the author OF the Declaration
Of Independence. and OF the consent OF
the governed" doctrine. saw no incon-l
Sruity between this and the establish
ment Of government on common sense
grounds In the new territory; aud he
rallied at the sticklers for an impossible
application OF his principle, saying, in
Language which at the present day ap-
piles to the situation In the Philippines
without the change Of q word, though
1t Is acknowledged that our new fellow
citizens are as yet as incapable OF self
government as children, yet some can
not bring themselves to suspend It's
principles for single moment" He
Intended that ultimate self-government
should be introduced throughout the
territory. but only as the different parts
became fit for 1t, and no sooner. This
Is just the policy that has been pur-
sude. I. In no part OF the Louisiana pur-
chase was complete self-government in
troduced for a number OF years; in one
part Of It, the indian territory, It has
not'yet been introduced, although near
ly a century has elapsed. over enor-
nous tracts of 1t, including the various
Indian reservation, with u territory In
the aggregate as lnrge as that OF the
Philippines. the constitution has never
yet followed the ilag;" the army officer
and the civilian agent still exercise nu-
thority, without asking thei"consent Of
the governed. We must proceed In
L
ton, taking each successive step as 1t
becomes desirable, and accommodating
the details OF our policy to the peculiar
needs Of the situation. But as soon as
the present revolt Is put down and or
der. established, 1t will undoubtedly be
possible to give 10 the Islands q larger
measure OF se!t.corcranelt than JET
2r&on originally SAVE louisiana.
Acquisition OF Florida.
The next great, thing in expansion was
Florida. This was partly acquired by
conquest and partly by purchase. An
drew Jackson being the most prominent
figure In the acquisition. II was taken
under President Monroe, the aftertime
President, John Quincy Adams, being
active in securing the purchase. As In
the case OF the philippines, Florida was
acquired by purchase from Spain, and
In Florida the Seu:inoles, who had not
been consulted In the sale, rebelled and
waged war exactly as some OF the Ia
gals. have rebelled and wagcd war In the
Philippines. The Seminole war lasted
for many years, but Presidents Monroe,
Adams and Jackson declined for q mo-
mcnt to consider the question or ADAM
don!ng Florida to the Seminoles, or to
treat their nom consent to the govern
mcnt OF the United States rs valid
reason for turning over the territory to
them.
Our next acquisition OF territory was
that OF Texas. secured by treaty after
1t had been wrested from the Mexinns
by the Texans themselves. Then came
the acquisitions OF California, New Mex
leo, Arizona, Nevada and parts or Col
orado and Utah us the result OF the
Mexican war, supplemented I'VE years
later by the Gadsden purchase.
The next acquisition was that of
Alaska, secured from Russia by treaty
and purchase Alaska was full OF ma
tlves, some OF whom had advanced well
beyond the state OF savagery, and were
Christians. They were not consulted
about the purchase nor was their acQui-
cscence required. The purchase was
made by the men who had just put
through n triumphant war to restore
the Union and free. the slave; but none
OF them deemed 1t necessary TO puslr the
doctrine Of the consent OF, the gov
crned" to n conclusion SO fantastic us
TO necessitate the turning over OF Alas
ka 10 Its original owners, the Indians
and the Aleut. For thirty years the
United States authorities, military and
civil, exercised the supreme authority In
n tract OF land many times larger than
the Philippines. in which 1t did not seem
likely that there would ever be any con-
siderable body OF inhabitants.
The Islands of Hawaii.
Nearly thirty years passed before the
next instance Of expansion occurred,
which was over the Island of Hawaii.
An effort was made at the end OF Pres
ident Harrson's administration TO Sc
cure the annexation or hawaii. The
effort was unsuccessful. IN u debate
IN Congress on February 8, 1874, one Of
the leaders In opposing the annexation
OF the Islands. stated: '"These Islands
are more than two thousand miles dis
tant from our extreme western bound
airy. We have serious race problem
now in our country, and am not In
favor OF adding to our domestic fabric
d mongrel population (of this charac-
teri Our constitution makes no pro-
vision for colonial establishment.
Any territorial government we might
establish would necessarily, because of
the population, be an oligarchy, which
would have to be supported by armed
soldiers" Yet Hawaii has now been
annexed. and her delegates have snt
In the national conventions OF two great
parties. The fears then expressed In
relation to an "ollgarchy" and armed
soldiers'' are not now seriously enter
tanned by any human being; yet they
are precisely the objections urged
against the acquisition OF the Philip
pines ut this very moment. We are
making no new departure. We are not
taking u single step which In any way
affects our institutions or our tradition
al policies. From the beginning We have
given widely varying degrees OF self
government TO the different territories.
according to their needs.
Nyoth;nr7 D oo,pb 1tnr Imoorin1}rD,