Adam+K.+-+PA+-+SP12

=George S. Boutwell= OCCUPATION: George S. Boutwell was born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1818. In 1842, Boutwell was elected a Democrat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In 1850, he was elected governor of Massachusetts. In a few years, he stepped down, changed his party, and later helped found the Republican Party. Boutwell was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1863. After Congress, Boutwell was President Grant's secretary of the treasury. From 1898, Boutwell was a founding member and the first president of the Anti-Imperialist League.

POSITION ON ISSUE: George Boutwell was the President of the Anti-Imperialist League, and strongly opposed annexation in the Philippines. He said that the people of the Philippines, "whether they are few or many, whether they are capable or incapable, are not ours." He thought that the people of the Philippines should be able to govern themselves without U.S. intervention.

REASONS FOR INTEREST IN TOPIC: - He believed the war was turning the Filipinos who could have been friends of the U.S. into enemies. - Said Filipinos had the right to govern themselves how they wanted, without U.S. interference. - Believed annexation was against the values in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution (It was un-American). - Was an anti-imperialist. - Had a lot of involvement in politics and government, and so was concerned that war in the Philippines was a bad idea for the country.

REFERENCES: People that shared Boutwell's views were members of the anti-imperialist league, including: Andrew Carnegie, Grover Cleveland, Samuel Gompers, William James, William Graham Sumner, and other anti-imperialists during this time.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: "American Anti-Imperialist League." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 08 Feb. 2012. [].

"Address of the Hon. George S. Boutwell." //Www.antiimperialist.com//. Web. 8 Feb. 2012. [].

"American President: George S. Boutwell (1869â1873)." //Miller Center//. Web. 08 Feb. 2012. [].

"1st Meeting, President's Address, George S. Boutwell." //Anti-Imperialism and Liberty, by M. Patrick Cullinane//. Web. 08 Feb. 2012. [].