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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 29, 1901)
!-? i ip. lieyrr-c Former Annexations. So much lias boon said by tho imperialists to tho effect that the administration's Philippine pol icy is identical with the annexations of the past that it is important that the student of public af fairs should clearly understand the facts relating to annexations. Northwest Territory, Tho territory now forming the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, was called tho "Northwest Territory." New York, Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut severally laid claim to this territory, but finally each stato ceded its interests to tho general govern ment. This may bo called our first annexation. In 1787, congress provided for the government of this territory. It provided that after 1800 slavery within this territory should bo prohibit ed. It was also provided that no property qual ification should be required of electors. A tem porary government was authorized to exist until tho male population of tho territory reached 5, 000, at which time a permanent representative government would bo permitted, with a repre sentative in congress possessing the same privi leges that our territorial delegates do today en. titled to debate, but not to vote. It was also provided that whenever the inhabitants of any one seotion of the territory numbered 60,000, that section should be admitted as a stato. The Jay Tho first annexation treaty was Treaty. with Great Britain, and was known as the Jay treaty. This was made Feb. 20, 1700, It contained this pro vision: Article II. All sellers and traders within tho precincts or jurisdiction of tho said posts 8)iall not be compelled to become citizens of the Unit ed States, but thoy shall bo at full liberty to do so if they think proper, and they shall make and declare their, election within a year after tho evacuation afore said. And all persons who shall continue there after the expiration of the Baid year without having de clared their intention of remaining- subjects of his Britannic majesty shall bo considered as having elected to become citizens, of tho United States. Louisiana The second treaty was the Lou- Purchase, isiana Purchase treaty of Octo ber 21, 1803, made with France. It provided: Article III. The inhabitants of the ceded terri tory shall be incorporated in tho union of the United States, and admitted aa soon as possible, according to the principles of the Federal Constitution, to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages and immuni ties of the citizens of the United States, and in tho meantime thoy shall bo maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property and tho religion which they p ofess. The Florida Cession. The third treaty involved tho cession of Florida. It was made with Spain Feb. 22, 1821 and provided: i.;Ai,rM1CnVMT.Th0 !nllabitants of the territories which his Catholic majesty cedes to the United States MYh in the union of the United States as soon as may bo consistent with tho principles of the Federal Constitution, and admit ted to the enjoyment of all tho privileges, riirhts and immunities of the citizens of tho United I States Our Treaties The fourth and fifth treaties wore $fth Mexico, executed July 4, 1848, and June 80 185. Thoy wore known its ihe Mexican treaty and tho Gadsden Purchase treaty, and provided: Article IX. Tho Mexicans who in , the territories .afpresaid shall not preserve the character Qt citizens Annexation of Alaska. The Commoner. of the Mexican republic shall be incorporated into the union of the United States, and be admitted at tho proper time (to bo judged of by the congress of the United States) to the enjoyment of all the rights of citizens of the United States according to the Con stitution, and in the meantime shall bo maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property and Focured in the free excreise of their religion without restriction. The sixth treaty involved the Alaskan purchase. It was made with Russia June 20, 18G7, and provided: Article lit. The inhabitants of the ceded terri tory according to their choice, reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Russia within three years, but if they should prefer to remain in the ceded ter ritory, they, with the exception of the uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages and immunities of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, prop erty and religion. The uncivilized tribes will be sub ject to such laws and regulations as the United States may from time to time adopt in regard to aboriginal tribes of that country. The Case of Hawaii. The next instance of annexation was Hawaii. This was accom plished by joint resolution of Congress, which joint resolution provided as fol lows: All white persons, including Portuguese and per sons of African descent, and all persons descended from a Hawaiian race, on either the paternal or ma ternal side, who were citizens of the republic of Ha waii immediately prior to tho transfer of the sover eignty thereof to the United States, arc hereby de clared to be citizens of the United States. The Treaty With Spain. The seventh treaty was made with Spain December, 10th, 1898. It was the peace treaty. This treaty provided: Article IX Spanish subjects, natives of the peninsula may preserve their allegiance to the crown of Spain by making before a court of record, within a year from the date of the exchange of rati-' fications of this treaty, a declaration of thoir decision to preserve such allegiance, in default of which decla ration they shall be held to have renounced it and to have adopted the nationality of the territory in which they may reside. The civil rights and political status of the native, inhabitants of the territories hereby ceded to the inhabitants of the United States shall be determined by the Congress. It will not be difficult for the student to de termine the difference between the administra tion's Philippine policy and the policy adopted in all former annexations. In all other instances citizenship for the people of the territory annexed was contemplated and provided for. In this in stance citizenship was not guaranteed to the peo ple of the annexed territory, but the civil rights and political status of the native inhabitants were left for tho determination of Congress. The flcEnery ' The difference between the ad Resolution, ministration's Philippine policy and the policy adhered to with re spect to all former annexations was emphasized , when the United States Senate, after ratifying tho peace treaty, adopted the McEnery resolution, which provided as follows: 1809. Two years have elapsed, and instead of getting nearer to the traditional policy of this government with respect to annexation, wo have gone considerably farther by conferring upon per sons to be named by the President "all military, civil and judicial powers" in the Philippines, said powers to be exercise 1 under the President's direction. It is important that we carefully observe the marked difference between the administration's policy and the traditional policy of this govern ment with respect to annexation. In every instance, previous to that relating to the Philippines, the inhabitants of the acquired territory were to become citizens of the United States, while the territory was to become part and parcel of the United States. In the case of the Philippines the political status was to bo defined by Congress. And in ratifying the.treaty the Sen ate said: "It is not intended to incorporate the inhabitants of the Philippines into citizenship of the United States. Nor is it intended to perma nently annex said island as an integral part of tho territory of the United States." The people have been deceived by republican pretenses they have refused to believe that a revolution in our form of government was in tended. Each day makes clearer tho purpose of the administration to discard American principles and mould our institutions to suit European ideas. United S os trS,, " ito?tion of tlfe ffitehi WS This resolution was adopted in February, Annabel Lee. By Edgar Allen Poc. 1 '. -,' 1 -.',. i It was many and many a year ago, " '" ". In a kingdom by the sea, s ' v $? That a maiden there lived whom 3rou may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me. ' ' , I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea: But we loved with a love that was more than love I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven Coveted her and me. And this was the reason that, long ago, in this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of aeloud, chilling ( My beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her high born kinsmen came And bore liefr away from me, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea. "?'- f , r f. The angels, not half so happy in heaven, went envying her and me Yes! that was the reason (as all men know"' - In this kingdom by the sea) '' '. That the wind came out of a cloud by night, . Chilling and killing ray Annabel Lee. But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we Of many far wiser than we; An:l neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of thebeautiful Annabel Lee: For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; A"d so, all the night tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling-my darling-my life ana my bride, In the sepulchre there by the sea, ' In her tomb by the sounding sea, Ft
