The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-01
Defeat of the Dominican Treaty

tOO,oUOs
Defeat of the Dominican Treaty.
The Dominican treaty got its quietus in
The Senate yesterday. The vote upon its
ratification was 90 to 2s and 1t is under
Btood that If there had been any need Of
more votes against it, they could have been
had from Senators who were absent. This
result dsposcs also of Gen. Buffers fan
iastical idea Of getting st. Domingo annexed
by joint resolution. That great statesman
invented this plan as means OF evading the
necessity for a two.thirds majority in the
Senate but as it appears that annexation
rannot obtain the support even of half the
Senators, BUTLER will have to give it up
ss il is.
This event is in the interest OF morality
and sound policy, and we congratulate the
country upon it. The rejected treaty testers
conceived in fraud and brought forth in dis
honesty and folly f.; and if Gen. GRANT has
any capacity to profit by the rebuke involved
in its rejection, ii may turn out good thing
for him after all. II will teach him that he
must not obstinately insist upon any measure
in opposition to the judgment and will of
the people; and also that II lie dangerous,
and may be fatal, for President to agree
secretly with foreign power to seduce or
coerce a coordinate branch of the Govern.
ment.
1t would be an error to assume that the re-
lection of tins treaty indicates that Congress
will never assent TO the annexation Of any
part of the West Indies. If ST. Domingo had
come without the intervention Of jobbers and
adventurers without special grants and priv.
leges either to the minons of BAEz or the sat.
elites Of GRANT, and above all if ii had come
by an honest vote of its whole people, and
without the burthen of civil war the con.
clusion would probably have been different.
There would have been opposition, but not
such as has now been manifested. The I'm.
pressive argument that the West Indies be
long by their geographical situation to
the political system of the United States
would have had its full weight, and very
probably would have prevailed.
Doubtless it is bitter and humiliating to
Gen. GRANTS mind that the only conspicu.
Gus measure with which he has identified
his Administration should thus come TO
naught but it would have been still more
unfortunate for him If the contamination of
The treaty had involved the country, as it
doubtless would have done, in bloody and
expensive civil war in St. Domingo. In that
event, he would have been held 10 a sterncr
responsibility than that of the infamous
secret protocol, OF than that of connivance in
the Imprisonment of DAVIS HATCH for fear
his release might endanger this precious
project. The Administration is defeated and
Inundated, but it can recover from the
disaster. Let Gen. GRANT turn his eyes from
st. Domingo 10 Cuba, and behold there the
vital centre of the only West Indian qucs
ton that is now worthy Of an American
Government Let him cease to degrade his
country by supporting Spanish despotism
and slavery in that island. Let him speak q
word that shall make Cuba free and indie
pendent that shall arrest the slaughter of her
sons and the violation Of her daughters and
career will lie forgotten for the present, if
not permanently forgiven 1t will need but
L word TO do the work. II word from
WILLIAM II. SEWARD was enough to send
out of Mexico powerful French army, with
Marshal of France at its head, surely a
word from ULYSSES $. GRANT will suffice to
expel from Cuba the fragments of worn out
Spanish battalions that skill remain there
under the lying De RoDAs.
Upon such an opportunity as this the Pres
ihent has turned his back to go dickering
after mines and mill privileges with a scamp
like BoNAvESTuRA BAEz. Having made
bis bargain, he has applied all the resources
d his enormous patronage to carry it through
HE Senate and is foiled VIII lie take this
lesson to heart and profit by i'll Would
That we could hope SO.