Middletown transcript., 1870-12-24
THE SAN DOMINGO DEBATE.

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In the debate that occurred IN the u
s. Senate on Wednesday. on Mr. Morton's
Resolution to appoint a commission to 60
to San Domingo and inquire into the con-
dition of that Island with, q view TO am
naxing it to the United States, Senator
Bayard is reported as follows;
Mr.. Bayard, Of Delaware, delivered a
long argument to show the unconstitution-
ality Of the proposition, holding that the
Commissioners provided for would have
all the powers Of Ambassadors treating |
for the annexation of foreign island 4
with many duties Of an extraordinary
character. Their appointment by the
President alone would be in violation of
the Constitutional provision requiring the
Iconsent of the Senate to the appointment
of Ambassadors. He proceeded to show
that the whole movement was part of a
design to absorb all the West India Is
lands.
Long speeches were then made BY SEN
ators Sumner and Morton. and the debate
become general. In the evening session
Mr.. Morton again spoke and alluded to
Mr., Bayard, to which the latter replied:
Mr.. Bayard, replying with some warmth
to an alleged misrepresentation of his
position by Mr.. Morton, denied having
used any Of the language attributed to
him by that Senator, as to the allegation
that he (Bayard) had argued that the
President had already all the knowledge
he needed upon Dominican affairs. The
Senator from Indiana was mistaken if he
supposed that he (Bayard) had accused
the President of having great deal OF
knowledge about anything connected with
civil administration. AS to that Senator's
assertion that he Bayard) would consign
the people Of San Domingo to slavery he
held that his remarks would bear no such
Interpretation. As to San Domingo, with
its amiable and lovable population Of black
cut-throats, so congenal to the tastes o.
the Senator from Indiana, he would only
ask for bis own people no communion with
such people.
The Senator from Indiana had gone
further, and charged him with standing by
the putrid corpse of slavery. This was
but one of the fluent ISLANDERS that formed
so large part of the abuse by which the
Senator and his party intended to keep u
live bitter prejudices. So far us the state
ment applied to himself he denounced it
: as wantonly untrue and uujusti6able in
every particular. The Senator had also
recommended that one of the institutions
of Delaware-the whipping post, should
e be exported to the Island of San Domingo
= That was the Senator's proposition, and il
had, perhaps, been suggested by some
, lurking sense Of the fitness Of things
Mr. Bayard went on to defend the insti-
tutions Of his State as Furnishing felon,
=, and assaiants of female chastity, instead
= of suiting the views of some, in elevatinl
them to high Office under the American
. government.
Mr.. Morton contended that the report
of the phonographer of the Senate woulc
vindicate the accuracy of his charge tina
Mr.. Bayard had proposed TO restore slav
- " cry to San Domingo. The words wer,
:. too fresh to permit of the Senator's Dol,
# # denial of his language.
- MIR. BAYARD. | stand by my words
:" sir, in the Chamber and out OF the Cham
:. ber. They are reported, and | stand b
IS IS them. | said nothing about placing thes
= men under masters, but that they wou
" be better under the control of u rightmn
. ded master than be cutting each other
" throats as they have been doing for tn
\ last half century
- The deb te was hot and personal bt
tween the Radical Senators. Chandler
81: Morton, Conkliu and other defending th
IA President, and hurling all manner of ep
he thets at Sumner, Schurz and others. III
rt. object of Morton, no doubt, being to g
ed up u commission to white wash Grant an
10 abuse Sumner. The latter's object vi
be to have the resolution defeated or rcferre
to Late at night,
at Mr.. Bayard moved an amendment
err require the appointment of the commi
ty. sioners by the President, with the adyi
tty and consent of the Senate. In adyoca
ike of this, it was urged that the idea h
ce. been thrown out that the Investigate
vas was to have the character of an inqui
,ud into the Presidents acts, and, if that W
ich SO, it would be clearly wrong to give
1ho sole appointment to the President.
5ut additional reason was that tle informati
hat sought for was not for the use of t
in President, but of Congress. as basis
At a its action in admitting Dominica By
re- joint resolution, if that sxpedient shol
the finally be resorted to-
ded At three o'clock, on Thursday morni,
Veil a motion to adjourn was voted down by
ent. overwhelming oita voce vote, the frieI
But of the resolution, notwithstanding the la
fire ness of the hour, strenuously adhering
bal their apparent determination to sit out
to opposition.
heir The Senate then voted on Mr.. Bayar
amendment Lost-yeas 10, nays
ate, The Senate sat all night Wednesday,
TIE until 6 A NJ. Thursday, but succeeded
tify- passing Senator Mortons resolutions 'fo
N of commission to visit St. Domingo, VIII
IN of was so vebemently opposed by Scntor S,
D. ner and others. The passage of the re
lutions is an administration triumph.
republicans who voted with Mr.. Sum
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