Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-12-28
The San Domingo Debate.

NOAJ NOiN" 'Ho OOhcluulhB part OF an
editorial in the New York Tribune, comment
ing on the debate upon the annexation of
San Domingo, in the Senate last week
Having said thus much in favor of the
general result attained at the close Of the
angry and unseemly debate in the Senate
we must not fail to express the utter disgust
OF the public at the conduct Of some of the
Senators who spent the night in brow beating
Dir. Sumner Doubtless he had been impru-
dent, bitter, and unjust, but at least be was
senatorial Some Of his antagonists appear
to have behaved like Bowery BOYS at Tam
many primary. These Senators may forget
themselves, as the Republic will in time
forget them but neither their insolence nor
his own mistakes can now permanently affect
the sure place OF Charles Sumner in the es-
TEEN of his fellOw-citizens and the history OF
the c ountry.
The New York Erening Post has the fol
lowing editorial upon the same matter:
half AN ISLAND DEBATE.
Is not the President allowing his constitu
tIonal tenacity Of purpose to lead him to a
dangerous extreme IN the San Domingo mat
ter l. 1t worth while to arouse opposition.
and to create ill-feeling and bitterness in the
Republican ranks; to raise differences and
CIAAAA bA~S VI WHICH the enemies OF the party
are but too ready to take advantage. and
which it must be difficult to allay? The
Tribune speaks wisely, as it seems to US, this
morning, IN referring to the bitter debate
last night IN the Senate. 1t SAYS
. he debate on the San Domingo question
IN the Senate continued throughout yester-
day afternoon and evening, AMI, at the hour
OF our going to press, promises to last until
morning IL was bitter beyond late prece-
dents, and the worst Of it is that the bitter
ness Is among friends and not against the
common enemy. Whether Mr. Sumner is
wholly justified in the very hostile attitude
he has assumed toward the President, is
matter on which opinions may wisely be
reserved until the text of his remarks is re-
celved; but it is already clear that many
things said yesterday BY two or three soma
tors might far better have Unnamed unsaid.
The disturbance raised OUer tEIs San D0mfnQO
business IS Of far more consequence to rs than
San Domingo tseJ; and, II It IS 10 90 on, tCs
may get fltd that i0e hare gained . loss IN
making fhe acyuiSihon'
1t would be well for the President to heed
this caution from journal which. since
General Grant : election, has been one Of his
most constant and Jealous supporters. One
OF the promises made in his inaugural mes
sage, which was received with most favor.
was in these words:
On all leading questions agitating the
public mind | will always express my views
TO Congress and urge them according to my
judgment.
1 shall on all subjects have a policy to rec
ommend, none TO enforce against the will Of
the people"
Would be not do well to ask himself if he
is not, in his management Of the san Domin-
go question, going somewhat beyond this
promise2
For it will not do to forget that there are
many sound reasons against the annexation
of half an island-a fragmentary territory
by semi barbarous people, who DO |
not even speak our language, and lying at
distance from our shores. Both to the pur-
chase Of this half an island, and to the man
ner in which the question Of the purchase
has been brought forward, honorable, wise
and patriotic men may take exception. Mr. |
Sumner used, no doubt, some harsh language /
yesterday, but he has the excuse that he has /
been attacked, in a very bitter and unscru-
pulOus way, by certain over Jealous hangers-
On Of the White House, from whose oficious- /
ness the President occasionally suffers, and /
whom he would be wise to get rid Of
The scheme to acquire, by the payment Of
a considerable of money, half of the /
island OF lIayti OF SantO Domingo has never /
the President ought to remember, met with |
public favor. The people took little interest |
IN it, holding that we ought not to spend /
money for land at this time, and that it was
not wise to increase the the number of our
semi-barbarOus voters, to add still further /
70 our population members of a strange
race.
We believe it is true that the President
had not, in the inception of the San Domin-
20 project, the consent or favor OF the Cabi-
net; nor could he get the consent Of the |
Senate, though he labored hard IN many /
ways to secure 1t.
Considering these circumstances, the
apathy or opposition of the people, the rejec- /
ton Of the treaty by the Senate, the sound
reasons against the incorporation of a frag-
ment of a distant island, with semi-barbar- |
Gus population, into our Union the fact
that the project could not find Jealous sup
port even in his own Cabinet the damage
TO the harmony of the Republican party,
rom fpeI sstence in the unpopular scheme
would 1t not be wise for the President to give
it up? Has not further persistence the ap-
pearance of an attempt to 1" enforce" he
iptly said, his Will upon the people