The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-09
THE TERM 5%UNTTED STATES"
Representative Gaines on Its DeHni-
ton in the Light of History.


the term United States" and its bearing
on the new policy of coloniallsm. His re-
searches are both historical and legal, and
he has made special enquiry into the opin-
ions rendered by Chief Justice Marshall.
Last night he said:
| THE defnitive' treaty with Great
Britain in 1873 gives with great particu-
larity to avoid, as 1t says, all disputes
in the future as to the boundaries of
| what then constituted, as the treaty
reads, the United States of America
Section of this treaty, at great length.
| gives the boundaries of the United States
of America Briefly, the boundary was
as follows: North by the Great Lakes
and the St Lawrence River, east by the
Atlantic Ocean, south by the thirty-frst
| degree of north latitude. now about the
north Florida line, and west by the Mis-
sissippi River. In other words, the United
States of America covered all that ter
| ritory east of the Mississippi River, ex
Guiding Florida
We find then the boundaries and the
definition of the United States of America
given by this defintive treaty more than
| a century ago, and yet the imperialists
| of today invoke the aid of a Republican
Ways and Means Committee, a Republi-
| can Congress, and the highest court in
the land in trying to define the name of
this Republic as meaning only the States
united, whereas this treaty shows that
the United States of America has always
contained and meant the States united
and the Territories held for the purpose
OF making new States under the provi-
sion OF the Constitution expressly provid-
ing Tor that purpose. From the very be-
ginning, then, of this Government, this
Republic has been composed of States and
Territories. What next? When we franz
ed our Constitution. its very preamble pro-
Nided for the United States of America,
composed of States and Territories.
Some of the States. however claimed
they owned this territory This conten-
ton raised a dangerous issue between
these claimants, to avoid which, at the
request Of Congress. in 1880 the States
ceded all claim they had to this territory
to the United States. the first cession be-
Ing made in 1881 before the Constitution
was framed in 1857, and the last in 1902
after the Constitution had become the
supreme law of the land. The Constitu-
ton expressly provides for making rules
and regulations for this very territory,
the terms of which are broad enough to
include future territory acquired, and IL
has been so construed time and again.
We hold and control the people of ter
ritory under and by virtue OF the grants
and limitations in the Constitution See
lrNing's case, 20 Howard, so far over
looked in discussing this question.
In addition to this historical definition.
defining and CITING the boundaries of the
United States of America we find Mr.
Justice Marshall in 1911, in Dixon vs.
United States. First Brock, 177-lsl, de-
claring:
The United States of America is the
true name Of that grand corporation
which the American people have formed,
and the charter will. 1 trust, long remain
in full force and vigor
I'm 1873, in the Mccullough case Justice
Marshall, in discussing the grants OF
power to the Federal Government and the
extent of their operations. used this Ian
guage:
Throughout this vast Republic. from
the st. Croix to the Gulf Of Mexico. from
the Atlantic to the Pacific revenue is to
be collected and expended: armies to
be marched and supported. The ext
gencies of She nation may require that
the treasure raised in the North should
be transported to the South; that raised
In the East conveyed to the West, or that
this order should be reversed.
''In 1924 in his American Colonies page
1. paragraph l. Mr.. Justice Marshall de-
fines this Republic thus:
- The United States of America extend
on the Atlantic from the Bay of Passama-
quoddi. in the 18th, to Capt Florida, in
the 18th degree of north latitude, and
thence on the Gulf of Mexico. including
the small adjacent islands. to the mouth
of the Sabine to the Rocky Mountains.
They are separated from Spanish America
by a line which pursues an irregular
northwestern direction to the i2d degree
of north latitude, whence 1t proceeds west
TO the Pacific. On the north they are
bounded by the British provinces. from
the Rocky or Stony Mountains. they are
separated by the 18th parallel of north
latitude Their northern boundary west
of the mountains has not yet been ad-
justed.
- The extent of the vast Republic. in
consequence of its recent acquisition of
almost UNEMPLOYED territory, has not yet |
been accurately ascertained, but may be |
stated at 2,0Do coo of square miles.
In 1920 in the Loughborough case. Mr.. |
Justice Marshall defined the United |
States as meaning exactly the same thing |
as the United States OF America yet |
there are those, fatally bent on mischief. |
who would have the Supreme Court to |
hold that the two terms mean entirely a |
different thing-that Is, that the United |
States means the States united. and the |
United States Of America. the States and |
Territories. No one, until twelve months |
ago ever dared dispute or deny that the |
definitions we mere give OIL the name oil |
our Republic are ihcorrect;
now give the Iourth uenhitloh py
Mr.. Justice Marshall of the term in ques- (
tion. In I'D ne said; a.,
Does TINS term tOnlteu States) uesiS-
nate the wh0le OF any iIticu!ar pOtuon
of the American Empire? Certainly this |
question can ADMIT OF put one answer; II
Is the name given 10 our great hepuphc'
"hlch Is composed OF states ana Ierrl-
tories me DlSulct OF COlumDli, or tue