The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-03-28

ployment OF those war po wers, IN pur-
suance Of this assumption, was usurpa-
ton, and that the assumption in the San
Domingo treaty is exceptional and
abnormal being absolutely without
precedent. But, continues Sumner,
even admitting some remote infinite
semblance of an excuse or apology du-
ring the pendency of the treaty, all OF
which insist is absurd beyond question,
though not entirely impossible in a
quarter unused to constitutional ques-
tons, and needing them little, and con-
ceding that the assumpsit inserted in
the treaty by the Secretary of State
had deceived the President into the idea
that he possessed the kingly prerogra-
tive of declaring war at his own mere
motion, and wishing to deal most gently
even with an undoubted usurpation OF
a kingly prerogrative, so long as the
Secretary of State, the sworn counselor
of the President, supplied the formula
for usurpation, and you will bear wit
nesss that I have done nothing but state
the case. 1t is hard to hold back when
the same usurpation is openly prolong-
ed after the Senate had rejected the
treaty on which the exercise Of kingly
prerogative was founded, and when the
assumpsit devised by Secretary OF
State had passed into the limbo Of
things lost on earth. Here there is no
remote infinitessimal of excuse or
apology; nothing, absolutely nothing.
The great artist of Boulogne, in much
admired statue of the goddess of MUIR
curry, lie represented as standing on a
puff of air. The President, has not
even puff of air to stand on.
International law has been violated
in two Of its commanding rules-one
securing equality to nations and the
other providing against belligerent in
tervention, while a distinctive funda-
mental principle of the constitution, by
which the President is deprived Of king
ly prerogative, is disregarded, and this
very kingly prerogative is asserted by
the President. This is the simplest
statement Looking still further into
the facts, we see that all this great dis
obedience has for its object the acquisi-
ton of an outlying tropical island, with
a large promise Of wealth, and that in
carving out this scheme our Republic
has forcibly maintained usurper in
power that he might. sell his country,
and has dealt blow at the inde-
pencence of the black Republic of
Havti, which being a wrong to
that Republic was an insult
to the African race. And all this has
been done by the prerogative alone,
without authority of an act Of Con-
gress. If such transaction can es-
cape judgment, it is difficult to see
what securities remain. While other
sacred rules Of international law may
be violated, what other foreign nation
NAV not be struck at; what other bel
ligerent menace may not be hurled !;
what other kingly prerogative may not
be seized 2 Never before has there been
such Presidential Intervention in the
Senate as we have been constrained TO
witness. The President visits the Capt.
tai with appeals to Senators, followed
by assemblies at the Executive Man
sion, also with appeals to Senators; /;
and who can measure the pressure of
all kinds, by himself or agents,
especially through the appointing
power, all to secure the consumma-
ton of this scheme. Thus do wediscover
in the acts of the President, whether on
the coast of San Domingo or here in
Washington, the same determination
with the same disregard Of great prin-
ciples, as also the same recklessness
towards the people Of Hayti, who have
never injured us. In view Of these
things, the first subject Of inquiry. is
that of soil, climate, productiveness and
the possibilities of exceptional and
abnormal proceedings of our own gov
ernment. Before condemning the
treaty, or any question of acquisition,
we must at least put ourselves right as
nation. do not see how this can be
done without retracting our steps and
consenting to act in subordnation to
international law and the Constitution
OF the United States. Therefore, on the
question of acquisition, / say nothing
to-day. only alluding to some questions
involved The question whether we
will assume the bloody hazards in
volved in this business, as it has been
proved, with the alternative expendi-
lures for war ships and troops, causing
more painful anxieties, while the
land of toussient (Y L'Overture listens
to the constant whisper of independence,
and there is still that other question
debts and obligations, acknowledged
and unacknowledged, with an immense
claim by Hayti and an unsettled
boundary, which l have already called
blood lawsuit. '-.u r. -' -,.
After speaking three hours and a
quarter, Mr.. Sumner at $50 o'clock
concluded. 90
Mr.. Morton said he did not propose
to reply to Mr.. Sumner at this time,
as he would require time and prepara-
tioa. He thought the Senator from
Massachusetts should have deferred
his speech until the San Domingo
report was made. While he did
not know anything Of its charac-
ter, he (Morton) felt confident many
charges against the President and q
large part of the Senator's speech would
be answered by that report.
Mr.. Howe followed in reply to NJ.
Sumner, but soon yielded to an adjourn
ment. f.,
The scene I'm the Senate Chamber.
Among the prominent officials who
came into the chamber during the deliv.
cry of Mr.. Summers speech, were
Judges Davis, Miller and Bradley, of
the United States Supreme Court, Secre'