New-York tribune., 1869-01-18
TIE PURCHASE or ST. rn1uAs.

J. &. g. X. whether our national honor " not n,n
Gated in the disposition Of treaty with Denmark
negotiated by Mr.. Seward for the purchase of her
West India Islands," you reply:
NO Secretary OF state President has legal mr.
moral rgt 10 involve either our honor or our good hi
in his unauthorized purchases 0f foreign territory .r
we must et the world know that snch the fact Reject
this treaty and can never moro be pretended that no.,
is room for mistake in the premises"
To this declaration beg permission to express my
self in a few words of comment. and in doing 80 will
not attempt 20 Justify the original transaction nor
enter into any inquiry regarding the value 10 us q,
the possessions in question, deemng these considora
tions precluded by the present condition of the ne
gotaton. In view Of the terms of the Constitution
and the numerous preccdcnts which exist it must bo
conceded that the President has no greater and no
less power to appoint the members OF his Cabinet
and foreign ministers than TO negotiate treaties; aud
that the power oi the Senate is greater and no less
to confirm or reject appointments thus made thani il
is to confirm OF reject treaties made by authority Of
the President through his Minister Of state That
tb. may be good reason to provide by law some re
st,anls iipon he power of the Executive to involve
tbo ~redit of the State in cOnsunmating treaties but
70 Tho urose,,t movement notwithstanding tba
numerous acaus tons thus made, the National
Legislature has nor Thought proper to adopt any
,nn,sure IN ,uodifv ite covers conferred by lhe ia
article Of Tho Couefifnfi6jl TREATIES are nos
less than simple bargains or ca, "cts oytNeeh Ia
tons and it might be inferred thai y s0hgess were
in advance to dictate what treaties shOIi ~ lade
and upon what terms, the probability ~ gRilltJ -
effect such would doubtless often De- precludSd by tie
interpostion Of other powers by remonstranee. cr
the offer Of more advantageous terms. There can i
but little dOnbt that If Florida louisiana aud Texas
had been thrown into the market Of the world they
would have commanded much higher pFice than
they cost the United States. They were all obtained
through treaty. II IS true that IN 1871 the cc1ate n
the exercise of legitimate discretion rejected She inst
treaty negotiated tby Mr. Calhoun for the annexl-
fffl fl.nf-U II ll
House of Representatives, 10y amaJOuty ot -, and
the Senate, two dgAS subsequently, by ama0Tt{ OF
two passed ioiilt resolution. which the Presidrut
approved, for the annexation oI Texas thereby
pledglng the nation ln manner ~ render II morally
impossible for the Senate 10 reject treaty prcdi-
Gated upon maj0ritieS IN the two Houses OF tCngrcs.
The small majority of two votes in the senate by THIS
process was made eiiectua TO overcome the obstacle
OF two.thnds the members present. required By the
Constitution. All men Oi your age and mine remem-
Der the difficulty created IN Texas By the annexation
treaty cOnsummated after having been onee ~
jecte1 refer TO this treaty 10 exhibit The di'hcn
ties which may attend with reference 10 the tieiy-t
making power rs now recognized, and to show that
the rejection of y treaty does not preclude its
ultimate adoption through an Irregular pIgccsS-One
not contemplated by the Constitution. 10 bc en-
abled 10 arrive at proper conciuson regarding te
extent TO which the national honor is involved IN The
contamination of the treaty with Denmark. II a. IN
p0rant 10 understand clearly the facts involved IN
The transaction mp to the present moment, winch
will endeay0r 70 present from memory briefly rs
possible: 1t about the middle OK the year lsd
that Mr. Seward proposed 10 negotiate tor Tie Islands
of ST. Thomas Santa Cruz and 81 john stating nc
the same time TO Gen. Raasl0ii the Minister oi Den
mark that he would pay therefor tho sum OK
5000 900 in gold. bir Seward advised our MINISTER
at Copenhagen OF the onet inadG y @ @rlu
our Minister TO Denmark TO hasten II possible the
acquiescencc of the Danish Government; Dir. Sewmd
was advised. early IN 1861. by our Mislsicr, Slr
YeamaIis that the Danish Government was lndis
posed 10 accept the Oierin fact, that the sum sng
gested was not deemed half tue value tor more tlah
bali the yalue' of the territory IN question ia adi
tion to which there were political cOnsidefatnhs
which intCrpOscd difficulties, not merely IN tho
repugnance entertained by the people OF Denmark To
alienate any of their domain, but from the feelings
of antipathy with which the arrangement might DO
entertained by England and France IL was ds.
tincty represented 10 our Secretary OF state tlat
Denmark would refuse to offer Der possessions
for any aum. Mr. Seward was further IN
formed by our Minister TO DenuaIh tna. no no
terms would be acceded to against the consent Oi
the people of the Islands IN question. aud
that any negotiations must be Conducted without mo
understanding that their aequiesoenee shoud be OBJ
famed Upon being advised of the views OF Denmark.
Mr.. Seward directed our Minister 10 propose siIu
moi 10 exceed seven aud one-haif millions of dollars
expressing at the same time Tor, If not then iinne
datcly after his opinion that ~ was not necessary
advisable, to require the consent Ot tue lsiande'
Mr. Seward also stated, without any reserve that we
wonld ratify the treaty within twelye-month. We
presume that Mr. Seward deemed this consent OF the
people unnecessary because OF the provision made
Tor certain rights and advantages To them IN tue
form of the treaty. which he had transmitted or tho
consideration of the Danish Government which It ~
needless 10 specify. Shortly subsequent TO thus
period Mn Seward was advised by Mr. leamans
that the sum offered for the three Islands was
deemed inadequate by the Danish Government. aud
that it was declined and he was also adv lsed that
on no consideration would the obtained VIII OF the
people be dispensed with. We believe that blr. Yea
mans gave II as his opinion that the oieI "i Seven
aud one-half millions for 81. Thomas aud 81 John
would be accepted, provided we acceded to obtaining
the consent ot the inhabitants. In very short time
Mr. Seward directed Mr.. leauaus 10 close the mat
ter upon the last terms suggested, object
ing only TO the question or SUBMISSION "
the will of the people. Inc question oI
faIt Al bV
and the Danish Government which insisted on II ~
sine qua the removal OF which, by any arguments
he could present, was deemed quite inpractlcable.
The result of all these negotiations originating the
part of the United States and pertinaciosly urged
by our Secretary OF state and Munster at C9penha-
gen, was the formation OF the treaty Tor the iva
islands, at and One-hali millions subject 20 the
vote of the Inhabitants. In the Autumn OF 1861 tho
treaty which had been signed by the Danish Minis
Ter of Foreign Affairs, and by our Minister ~ COpen
hagen. was transmitted to Mr.. Seward The Danish
Government lost but little time IN appointing Mr..
Christensen, Commissioner for the purpose of pro-
ceeding 10 the islands, and adopting measures 10 est
the sense of ther inhabitants. Before procccdngto
take vote however, bnt after the terms oi me
treaty were well understood in this country Mr.
Christensen made visit 10 this capital. anu we qhte
well remember the qualification he expressed upon
being assured by many of oar most prominent publc
men of the Senate and House that the termination
of the inhabitants of these islands was anticipated
with socitOus interest and that Their favorable ie-
sponse would be hailed with qualification. Not only
So it Will be remembered 10y all that the lev. Dr
Iawley of your city. was appointed on behalf OF tho
United States Ia pocccu 10 luoSc inldltuS iOi tho
nurnose of influencing the inhabitants as far rs pos
sbe to willing transfer of their allegiance from
Denmark to the United States. lt Is not possible to
saw hOtr far Dr. awley was directed to lnterpose oh
were led TO believe that he was not to hesitate IN the
exercise of all legitimate means TO enghten the peo-
pie regarding the advantages TO be realized ifOma
| change of allegiance. The election was helo moIe
| than a wear since. with an almost unanimous vote
in favor of the treaty. From this plain narrative
| of facts. it is perceived that for two wears
| We most pertinaciOusly prosecuted the QccQmphsq
mani Of fins trnatY with POMer ALL the time nan-