Hi3 Author Title Class Book Imprint 16—27179-1 OPO f 11 EXPANSION AND IMPERIALISM, A^DOFiKSS — Delivered by — JUDGE H, C, McDOUGAL, -Before the — Union Veteran Patriotic League, -AT- KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, September 1st, 1900. ^^^ ADDRESS ' —OF— JUDGE H, C, McDOUGAL, —BEFORE THE— UNION VETERAN PATRIOTIC LEAGUE, — AT— KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, September 1st, 1900. {Mr. President and Gentlemen: As a plain, plodding lawyer, a Republican who takes little active interest in practical politics, an old soldier of the Republic who still loves his country, I am here to-night in the hope that I may be able to throw some light upon the questions of expansion and imperialism now claim- ing public attention. From the dawn of time, one of the highest desires of man has been to own, possess and hold lands, and from the day that Abram's name was changed to Abraham, and the Lord granted him the land wherein he was a stranger — " all the land of Canaan for an everlasting posses- sion "—the chosen people of the Lord have been natural born land owners and expansionists. hi looking backward through the centuries, history demonstrates that those nations having the highest and best types of civilization, which do most to uplift, upbuild and better the conditions of humanity, as England, Germany, France, Russia and later the United States, wherever public interest demanded and the power was possessed, have subserved that interest and exercised that power by the extension of their public domain. This is but the onward march of civilization. Sluggish, slow, dull, non-progressive nations, as China, and the like, are never expansionists. The plain truth, however, is that the question of expansion has not been so much a question of abstract right, as of power and interest. Will it pay.-* Will the material interests of the country be advanced and bettered by the acquisition of new territory? Have we the power and the right, under the laws of war and of nations, to take it? If so, the might has made the right, and the coveted territory was absorbed. This was notably true as respects the territory we acquired from Mexico in 1848. Once taken in, such territory is to be retained or disposed of, at the pleasure of the sovereignty taking it. One foreign nation may prey upon the commerce of another, may plunder, imprison and even murder its citizens, and insult its flag, and but little attention is paid to jt — dollars pay the bill. But let that foreign country go to the shores of the other and establish its sovereignty, raise its flag over and pos- sess itself of but one acre of land, and at once war is on. Nations do not give up their lands without a fight any more than do individual owners. The government of the United States, from its formation to date, and the Democratic party, from its formation until its golden patriotism became amalgamated with and was swallowed up and lost in the pessim- istic dross of Populism, alike steadily pursued the policy of expansion. Every American schoolboy who has studied the history of his country knows that such has always been the policy of our government, and that for nearly a century it was also the policy of the Democratic party. But as this year of grace, 1900, has raised up men who seem to have forgotten the history, traditions and policies hitherto pursued by the government, as well as by the old Democratic party, it will not be amiss to now recall and briefly restate some of the controlling historic facts relating to this question: The fathers of the republic laid wide and deep the foundation for expansion in the Articles of Confederation of 1778, in this provision: " Article XI. Canada acceding to this confederation, and joining in tiie meas- ures of the United States, siiall be admitted into, and entitled to all the advantages of this Union." And ten years later, whilst still under the Articles of Confedera- tion, the State of Virginia ceded, and the next year deeded, to the United States the great Northwest Territory: " Upon the condition that the territory so ceded sball be laid out ViXM^ formed into States." The Congress at once accepted cession and deed and provided for a temporary civil government of that territory. Article 6 of that ordi- nance providing that: " There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes," &c. Under the administration of three distinguished Democratic Presi- dents and the policy of Democratic Congresses, respectively, the United States next expanded by the acquisition of territories belonging to foreign powers, as follows: In 1803, under President Jefferson, the Louisiana Purchase; hi 1819, under President Monroe, the Floridas, and hi 1848, under President Polk, California, New Mexico and Arizona." Then came on that long-continued, persistent Democratic " mani- fest destiny" effort to expand over and take in the Island of Cuba. The immense proportions of this Island, its wondrous resources, strong position in the tropical seas, together with its "fatal gift of beauty," had for years enchanted American statesmen, who longed in some way to annex it to the United States. It was reserved for a Democratic administration, however, to take decisive measures to secure this prize. President Pierce, in 1854, offered Spain $ 100,000,000 for Cuba, which v/as peremptorily refused. At his direction, our Ministers to England (James Buchanan), France (J. Y. Mason) and Spain (Pierre Soule) met and held a conference at Ostend, in Belgium, with a view to the acquisition of Cuba. These Ministers, at the conclusion of their labors, submitted to Marcy, Secretary of State, their report, which is down in history as "THE OSTEND MANIFESTO," which contains the clearest, strongest and most forceful reasons for expansion over Cuba anywhere found. The "manifest destiny" of the United States meant the extension of the federal sovereignty over that fair and favored Island. (For the full text of " The Ostend ^Manifesto," see Halstead's "Story of Cuba," 172-178). The Democratic platform of 1856 declared for "the perpetuity 2 and expansion of the Union," and further, "That the Democratic party will expect of the next administration that every proper effort will be made to insure our ascendency in the Guif of Mexico," both of which meant Cuba. But as they were disappointed in the Buchanan administration in that behalf, in their platforms of i860 both the Doug- las and Breckenridge wings of the Democratic party came out squarely in favor of expansion over Cuba, the latter wing declaring: "4. That //'^ T>emocrafic parU> are in favor of llpe acqidsHion of the Island of Cuba, on sucli terms as siiall be iionorable to ourselves and just to Spain, at the earliest practicable moment." (Cooper's American Politics, B'k 2, p. 4:}). Later on, in 1867, our territorial limits were expanded by the pur- chase and cession of Alaska, and again, in 1898, by taking in the Spanish Isles. Yet a political alliance, masquerading under a name honored by its great leaders, Jefferson, Jackson and Douglas, now contends that it is a crime for a Republican administration to pursue that policy which they conceived, moulded into shape and advocated. Jefferson was an ardent expansionist, often expressed his earnest desire to extend our government over Canada, and in speaking of his great purchase, in his second inaugural address (i "Messages and Papers of the Presidents," p. 379), said: " I know that the acquisition of Louisiana has been disapproved by some from a candid apprehension that the enlargement of our territory would endanger its union. But who can limit the extent to which the federative principle way operate effect- ivelv? The larger our association the less tvill if be shaken bi< local passions." Andrew Jackson, in 1843, wrote a letter urging the proposition to acquire Texas, and saying, that: " On this subject I have thought, with the ancient Romans, that it was ri^ht never to cede any land or boundary of the Republic, but always to add to it by honorable treaty, thus extending the area of freedom, and it was in accordance with this feel- ing that I gave our Minister to Mexico instructions to enter upon a negotiation for the cession of Texas to the United States." Stephen A. Douglass, that apostle of Democracy, its candidate for the Presidency, and the acknowledged leader and statesman of its conservative element, in speaking of the acquisition of Cuba, said: " / am in favor of expansion as fast as consistent with our interests and the in- crease and development of our pt)pulation and resources. * * * i believe the interests of commerce, of civilization, every interest which civilized nations hold dear, would be benefited hp expansion." And again, in the Lincoln-Douglas debate at Freeport, Illinois, in 1858, Douglas said: " It is idle to tell you or me that we have territory enough. ♦ * * j ^^,]| you, increase and multiply and expand is the law of this nation's existence. * * * Just so far as our interests require additional territory, in the north, in the south, or on the islands of the sea, I am for it. CONSTITUTIONAI^ PROVISIONS. Under the Articles of Confederation (1778) each State retained its sovereignty and independence. The government was weak, the Articles formed simply a league between the States. No powers were implied. Hence the Fathers determined upon, formulated and finally adopted the Constitution, which merged the sovereignty of former States into the United States. It was neither made nor adopted for or by the States, but by the people; firmly established " a government of the people, by the people and for the people." (Lincoln; 4 Wheat., 316). In the careful and candid consideration of the questions now before us, it is well to bear in mind that when " we, the people of the United States," adopted the Constitution and the amendments thereto, we therein and thereby, of our own free will, imposed certain duties and conferred certain rights, privileges and powers upon: i, the people; 2, the Congress; 3, the President and 4, the Supreme and other Federal courts, and by the tenth amendment provided that: " The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor pro- hibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." For convenient reference, the following provisions of the Constitu- tion granting express powers to the Congress, the President and the Federal Courts are here grouped: 1. The CONGRESS: "We, the people," granted to Congress, the following powers: "The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory and other property belonging to the United States." (Art. IV, Sec. 3;. " The Congress shall have power * * * to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers and all other powers vested by this constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or office thereof." (Art. I, Sec. 8). 2. THE PRESIDENT: "We, the people," first said that "The President shall be the commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States," and then declared that: " He shall have pozver, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur." (Art. II, Sec. 2). And lastly we gave him this command: •' He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed." (Id., Sec. 3). 3 The Federal Courts: " We, the people," first said: " The judicial power of the United States shall be vested inone Supreme Court, and in such other inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." (Art. Ill, Sec 1). And then "We, the people," vested in the federal judiciary this vast and far reaching power: " The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and in equity, arising under this constitution, the lazvs of the United States and treaties made or which shall be made under their authority." (Id., Sec. 2). Supreme Law of the Land: And " We, the people," finally solemnly covenant that: " This Constitution and the lazes of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made or which shall be made under the authority of the United States SHALL BE THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND." (Art. VI). When " we, the people," vested the judicial power of our country in the "one Supreme Court" and declared that this "judicial power shall extend to all cases * * * arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made," we made that Court the final arbiter of all these questions and bound ourselves to abide by its decisions, obey its mandates and follow its construction of the Con- stitution, laws and treaties. If it be found upon examination that questions now before the public have been settled by that high tribunal, then it is submitted that such questions are no longer open. TREATIES. Upon the power to make treaties, there are no Constitutional limitations or restrictions. The simple language is that the President ''shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties." When so made, a treaty becomes, by express Constitutional ^^rant, "tiie supreme law of the land," and binds the nation in tiie ag^;re^ate, as well as all its otifkers and citizens, to tiie observance of its terms. This question was first presented to and decided by the " Fatiier of His Country" in 1796. In refusin,i4 compliance with a resoluti(jn of the House to lay before it "a copy of the instructions to the Mni- ister of the United States," together with correspondence and other documents relating to a treaty with Great Britain, President Wash- ington said: " Havinji lieen a member of the General Convention, and knowing the princi- ples on whicli t!ie Coiistitution was formed, I have entertained but one opinion on this subject; and from the tirst establishment of the Government to this moment my conduct has exemplified that opinion— that the power of makinj^ treaties is exclu- sively \ested in the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and that every treaty so made and promulgated thence forward became the law of the land. It is thus that the treaty-makins:; power has been understood by foreij^n nations, and in all the treaties made with them ■u.'e have declared and Ihev have believed that, when ratified by the President, with the ad\ice and consent of the Senate, they became obligatory. In this construction of the Constitution e\ery House of Representatives has heretofore acquiesced, and until the present time not a doubt or suspicion has appeared, to my knowledge, that this construction was not the true one. Nay, they have more than acquiesced, for, till now, without controverting the obligation of such treaties, they have made all the requisite provisions for carrying them into effect." (1 "Messages and Papers of the President," 195). For this refusal, Washington was assailed by the opposition with even more bitterness and venom than his great successors, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincohi, Grant, Cleveland and McKinley, were ever assailed by their opponents when they dared to do right in disregard of public clamor. But lawyers, statesmen and courts have for more than a century followed Washington's construction of this Constitutional pro- vision, and no one now questions it. POWER TO ACQUIRE TERRITORY. The riglit and the power of the Federal government to acquire additional territory by conquest, cession, annexation or purchase, and to own, hold and govern the same, has been so firmly established by the policy and practice of the Nation for more than a century, as well as by the repeated acts and doings of each of the three great depart- ments of our government, that the man who now questions such rigiit or power is not to be taken seriourly by any — save, perhaps, himself. Jefferson's State rights theories led him to doubt this right, and soon after the Purchase he wrote to his friend Brecl