Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-05
Watohman Sc Journal.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1871.
The Santo Domingo Discussion.


U. S. Senate on Monday, Tuesday and Wednes
day Of last week.
Senator sumner, in his opening paragraph
definitely asserts that il is now on evidence beior
the Senate that the navy Of the United States
acting under orders from Washington, has beer
engaged in measures Of violence and OF belligoren
Intervention, being war without the authority o
Congress. The whole business is aggravated wheI
il is considered that the declared object Of thi
violence is the acquisition Of foreign territory
thnt being half an island in the caribbean sen
and still further, this violence has been employed
to prop and maintain a weak ruler, himself
usnrper, upholding him 10 power that he nigh
sell his country and secondly it has been en-
ployed 20 menace the black republic Of llnyti
such, Senator Sumner says, hns been done, anC
the Republican party cannot afford to become re-
sp9nslble for such conduct But beyond al these
considerations is the question, not whether tho
acquisition of san Domingo is desirable, but
whether we are justified in the means employed
70 accomplish this acquisition aud the evidence
now before The United States SLOWS too clearly
that means have been employed which cannot be
justified
Senator Sumner then enters into legal argu.
ments, and cites prccedents 70 show that q con-
tract Tor the cos-on 0i territory must Zoe without
the presence of superior force and allndes % the
TACT that recent returns of the navy department
show the whole island beleagured by our navy,
-aillng from port % port, and hugging the land
Wiih us guns and unless The reports Of the
state and navy departments arc discreIited, 10 is
obvious beyond doubt THAT our government has
usurped tue war powers carefully guarded By the
constitution, and without authority oi Congress
employed them 20 trample on the independence
and equal rights of Two nations co-equal with
ours. The senator then characterized Baez and
Hrant as c0-partuers IN this melancholy Affair."
and carefully reviews The history Of the former
md bis INSCRIPTIONS usurpatiln recte, the or
gin OF the scheme for anneying half the island,
reviewing nc great length the circumstances un-
der which tle Bibc0ck treaty WAS negotiated,
and c1ndemulng in the seyerc.t terms the part
which President Bac2 had taken in the transac-
u0n for the sale Of his country Mr. Sumner
then repeated the allegation in his former speech
that Baez was maintained in power by our navy,
20 enable him % carry the contract with Bahc1ck
and that 20 assure this -alc, liayti was violently
ncnaced by our fleet and presented yolumlnous
Documentary and official evidence % sustain them
After giving the testimony establishing beyond
question the two propositions, first Blez was
in power by our navy to enable him
u carry ont the sale Of his country and secondly,
thnt further TO assure this sale the ueighb0ring
republic OF llayti was violently being meuaccd,
All this being in breach ul public law, interna
.ional and constitutional, Mr. Sumner proceeded
70 show that this conduct is gr0ss violation Of
The internal civil law aud constitution Of The
United States and cites v0lumin0us authority 20
prove the promise made by the President % en-
llOy the war powers without authority Of Con-
gress was void, and the very employment Of these
var powers in pursuance Of this assumption, was
IN usurpatiOn, eud that the assumption in the
san Domingo treaty is exceptional and abnormal
'eing absolutely without precedent But, contin-
ied Alr sumner, even admitting some remote, in
semblance Of excuse or apology during
he pending Of the treaty, all Of which insist is
-bsuId beyond question, though not entirely inn
possible IN quarter unused 10 constitutional
questions, and needing them little conceding that
assumpst, inserted IN the treaty by the Sccre-
ary OF State, has deceived the President into the
dea that he possessed the kingly prerogatye Of
eclarlng war AZ his own mere notion, and wish
ng 20 deal most gently, even with an undoubted
surpatiOn and exercise Of kingly prerogatiye, so
Jng as the Secretary Of State, the sworn counsel
VI oi the President, supplied the formula for the |
YOU will bear witness that have ]
lone nothing but state the case-it is hard TO
old back when the same usurpation j. openly
alter the Senate has rejected the treaty
N which tue exercise of the kingly prerOgatve
vas founded and when the assumpst' de- ]
ised by the Secretary of State had passed into I.
limbo of things lost on earth There is no re- I
lOte nhnitessimal resemblance Of excuse, or
pology nothing, absolutely nothing the usur-
alton piyots on nonentty, always excepting the I
ingy will Of the President, which, constitution |
ly is a n0nentity.
Mr. Sumner here expressed the deep regret
nth which he made the exposure, but he plead .
ow as often before for only justice and peace
ie concluded in the evidence adduced / have
1nhDed myself carefully 70 public documents
OF travelling out oithc record Of dispatches, naval
riders and naval reports These are unimpeach- /
bic authority, and all these have been officially
TO the Senate Thus stands the
ase International law hrs been violated in two
is commanding rules, one assuming the equal
~ OF nations, and the other providing against
intervention while the distinctive fun
hmental principle 0i the constitution. hy which
ie President is deprived Of the kingly preroga-
We, has been asserted by the President through
ut. Looking still farther at the facts, we see all
rs great disObedence has for its object tho ac-
uision OF an uuallying tropical island, with
rye promise Of wealth, and that in carrying out
MS scheme our republic has ilIcibly maintained
. usurper IN power that he might sell his ooun-
y, and has dealt blow at the Black Republic
llayti, which, being wrong 10 that republic.
as an insult 10 the African race and all has
aen done on prerogatiye alone, without authOri-
OF any act Of Congress II such transactions
IN escape judgment, it is difficult to see what Sc
irity can remain. Never before has there been
lch presidential Intervention in the Senate as
e have been constrained 10 witness Presden-
al visits 70 the capitol, with appeals to senator's
nd who can measuse The pressure Of all kinds
: himself or agents, especially through the ap-
llntng p0wer--all 10 secure the cOnsummatiOn
this. Thus do We discern in the acts of the
resident, whether on the coasts of San Domingo
here at Washington, the same determination
ith the same disregard of great principles, as
50 the same recklessness towards the people of
ayti, who have never injured us
Before condemning the treaty Of any question !
acquisition, we must at least put ourselves
5ht rs nation, nor do see how this can be ,
me without retracing our steps, and consenting .
act in subordinaton 70 international law and /
c constitution of the United States Therefore. ,
the question OF acquisition, say nothing to- ,
-, only alludlng 70 some questions involved, n
metmes 1t is insisted, emigrants will hurry in 4
rye numbers to this tropical island when once ,
nexed, and thus swell its means but this al /
CATION iorgets that according TO testimony peace
emigration travels with the sun on a parallel ,
ID not on u parallel Of longitude and not turn :
g of at right angles, whether North or South. !
metimes it is insisted it will be better for the 4
ople it this island is annexed to our republic /
It this allegation iOrgets the transcendent ques- /
IN, whether it is better for them, better for the
rican race, better for civilization, that black !
public should be absorbed outright instead of i
ing iostered into successful life, and an example
ior the redemption Of the race not only on \
'rrloean Islands, but on the continent Of Afri- /
linen again arises that other question, wheth- q
w "hi assume the bloody hazards involved in i
Is business, as has been pursued, with alterna- !
'e expenditures for war-shps and troops and I
ere Is stl that other question, of the debts and
legations acknowledged and unacknowedged. !
IN an immense claim by Hayti, and of the I'M. a
tiled boundary, which | have already called +
bloody law suits"
These questions | state only. Meanwhile To a
! mind, there is something better than beiliger- h
{ intervention and acts Of war with absorntion $
an enormous cost Of treasure II il the sociai 4
d humane effort on our part, ia the snirit oc /
ace, to reconcile Hayti and Dominica and ~ n
tabish tranquility throughout the island Lei i
is be attempted, and our Republic will become r
example worthy its name and oiyilization f
lich represents white republican institutions \ h
We new glory. The blessings of good men a
,uld attend such an effort nor would the smile d
Heaven be wanting and may we not justly ex- p
ct the President 10 unite in such measures of 1
ace and good will. " lie that rulet his spirit Ii
greater than he that taketh city," and the a
esident ruling his spirit in suhjection to the Il
name principle Of international laws and con a
tuition OF this country, will be greater than il e
mad taken all the islands of the sea. 81
hnlarglng upon the declaration that the presi- b.
~ mad placed himself at the head of more o
"erlul and costly Ku-Klux than those of the II
ltN, senator Sumner proceeded Had the 5
esldent been so inspired as to bestow on south II
! re-unionists, white and black, one half the q
le In zeal, personal attention, personal ei1rt Il
l personal lntcrceSsion which he hos has,o,,od M