The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-03-29
MIR. sumner's Last Attack upon the AID.
ministratiOn.

The long heralded speech of Senator Sum-
ner on San Domingo, Hayti, the administra-
lion, and "my"-Mr. Sumner's-!oreign poll
cy, has at last been delivered, with all the
dramatic Accomplishments and stage enec'
with which the efforts of that statesman a.
usually launched upon the public wave !" ia,
does 1t all amount to, and Wha1 10 on
about? Just this, probably, anu "o'hipe
more: Mr. Sumner, as chairman OF Inc CON-
mj,tee of Foreign Relations, had become |
Immersed with the idea that, so far as the
foreign policy of the government was con-
cerned. he was "the State" and that instead
of acting judicially upon matters referred to
the committee of which he was chairman. it
was his right 20 dictate the appointment of
foreign ministers and instruct them in regard
TO the policy to be adopted by them on ques-
tons at issue with the governments to which
they were accredited. 1t so happened that In
this the administration did not fully agree with
Ar. Sumner, but insisted upon having for
elsn policy of Its own and in appointing
diplomatic agents who would carry out that
policy. This led TO the withdrawal of Mr..
Motley from the Court of st. James, and is
probably the secret history of the violent OPP
position of Mr.. Sumner to the San Domingo
treaty. His championship Of the treaty for
the purchase of the Northwest territory of
ALASKA, with Its population of savages ard
icebergs, at cost of seven millions in pur-
chase money, and many times that sum annu-
ally for its mair tenance, with no conceivable
advantage to be derived from its possession,
and his violent opposition to the acquisition
oil San Domingo at the modest sum OF mill
ion and halt, with acknowledged CONNER
cial advantages, commanding as it does the
Caribbean sea, and the prospective inter-
oceanic ship canal between the Atlantic and
the Pacific, can hardly be accounted for
on any principles of craftsmanship. Now
what has the President done in regard
TO San Domingo that it was not right and
proper for him 10 do? and what recent action
has been taken by the administration upon
this question that should call forth this fresh
attack upon it from a Republican Senator
The original negotiation of the treaty was
made, as is usual, through diplomatic agents /;
the price stipulated to be paid was so small as
to excite surprise; and to the fact that there
was not an odd million included in the treaty,
as In the case of Alaska to make public opin-
ion in its favor and grease it through, is prob
ably TO be attributed its defeat. However this
may be it is evident the President resorted to
none OF the dark and devious devices OF diplo-
macy to carry the treaty through. but in the
nlOst Il nh nd oman m mar lad d;raotl,
to Senators upon the merits of the question.
Defeated in the Senate, he again urged the mat
ter upon the attention of Congress and the
country in his annual message, with an ear
nestness apparently inspired by conviction
of Its advantages to the country The init
nations of Sen. Sumner that those who ne
gotiated the Treaty were interested in grants
onthe Island; that the people of San Domin.
60 we're opposed to annexation; that they
were being sold by usurper, and that with il
we were acquiring an enormous debt.we, met
by the Presidents request that commission
should be sent to the Island to make full in
vestigation and report upon all these matters.
This Mr.. Sumner and those who acted with
him resisted; insisting that the President
would appoint commission committed in adj
vance, to his policy, and whose report would
consequently be worthless or deceptive
The unfairness OF this OPPOSITION of Mr.. Sum-
ner to an investigation of charges preferred by
himself was so apparent as to leave him sup.
ported in itby scarcely Republican senator
and the appointment OF the commission, com.
posed of Mr.. Summers warmest personal and
political friends; gentlemen who were en-
tirely uneonmitted, and who commanded to
the fullest extent the confidence of the coun
try, ought at least to have shielded the Presi-
dent from any further attacks until the result
OF their investigations could be laid before
Congress and the country,
II certain ambitious great men continue to
seek every occasion for quarrel with the
President to impugn his motives, and magni
fy every real or apparent error of his admins
tration however trivial, criticising methods
with microscope vision, while obstinately
closing their eyes to the grand results which
have more than fulfilled the most lavish
promises of the administration and the most
20 sanguine anticipations OF those BY whose suf
frages it was elected ,willnot the people come to
believe that their course is inspired by other
than patriotic motives, or q desire for the
continued ascendency of the principles of the
party which has heretofore honored them
With its leadership?