Treaty of Paris (1898)

The Treaty of Paris of 1898, signed on December 10, 1898, ended the Spanish-American War.

The controversial treaty was the subject of debate in the US Senate during the winter of 1898-1899, and it was approved on February 6, 1899 by a one-vote margin of 57 to 27 (the Senate must approve treaties with a two-thirds majority), with only 2 Republicans opposed: George Frisbie Hoar of Massachusetts and Eugene Pryor Hale of Maine.

In accordance with the treaty, Spain renounced all rights to Cuba and allowed an independent Cuba (see Teller Amendment), ceded Puerto Rico and the islands of Guam and the Philippines to the United States, and gave up its possessions in the West Indies. The defeat put an end to the Spanish Empire in America, and marked the beginning of an age of United States colonial power.

Senate debate to Ratify the Treaty

During the Senate debate to ratify the treaty, Senators George Frisbie Hoar and George Graham Vest were outspoken opponents of the treaty.

"This Treaty will make us a vulgar, commonplace empire, controlling subject races and vassal states, in which one class must forever rule and other classes must forever obey."--Senator Hoar

Some anti-imperialists maintained that expansionism violated the most basic tenets of the Constitution. They argued that neither Congress nor the President had the right to pass laws governing colonial peoples who were not represented by law-makers.

Senate Imperialists supported the treaty:

"If the U.S. were to reject the treaty, Suppose we reject the Treaty. We continue the state of war. We repudiate the President. We are branded as a people incapable of taking rank as one of the greatest of world powers!"--Senator Henry Cabot Lodge

"Providence has given the United States the duty of extending Christian civilization. We come as ministering angels, not despots."--Senator Knute Nelson

Imperialists maintained that the Constitution applied only to the citizens of the United States. This idea was later supported by the Supreme Court in the Insular Cases.

As the Senate debate continued, Andrew Carnegie and former President Cleveland petitioned the Senate to reject the treaty.

See also

*Treaty of Paris
*Philippine Declaration of Independence

External links

*PBS: Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War Senate Debate over Ratification of the Treaty of Paris
*Treaty of Peace Between the United States and Spain