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The Peril of the Republic of the United States of America - Percy T. Magan

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“Did we ask <strong>the</strong>ir consent to liberate <strong>the</strong>m from<br />

Spanish sovereignty, or to enter Manila Bay and<br />

destroy <strong>the</strong> Spanish sea power <strong>the</strong>re? We did not<br />

ask <strong>the</strong>se. We were obeying a higher moral<br />

obligation which rested upon us, and which did not<br />

require anybody’s consent. Every present<br />

obligation has been met and fulfilled in <strong>the</strong><br />

expulsion <strong>of</strong> Spanish sovereignty from <strong>the</strong> islands,<br />

and while <strong>the</strong> war was in progress we could not ask<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir views. Nor can we now ask <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

consent.”[28]<br />

How different is this from <strong>the</strong> words found in<br />

his annual message, under date <strong>of</strong> Dec. 6, 1897:--<br />

“Of <strong>the</strong> untried measures <strong>the</strong>re remain only<br />

recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> insurgents as belligerents,<br />

recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> independence <strong>of</strong> Cuba, neutral<br />

intervention to end <strong>the</strong> war by imposing a rational<br />

compromise between <strong>the</strong> contestants, and<br />

intervention in favor <strong>of</strong> one or <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r party. I<br />

speak not <strong>of</strong> forcible annexation, for that can not be<br />

thought <strong>of</strong>. That, by our code <strong>of</strong> morality, would be<br />

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