The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-05

to responsibility, in Philadelphia is by the
way of radical politics. And as, according to
the satirical invention of some jealous Pro-
testant, South Sea Islander accustomed to a
sensuous and demonstrative worship of his
own handiwork declined the solicitations of
Catholic missionary on the ground that
from paganlsm to popery was not enough of
change, the Philadelphia firemen may have
declined embarkiDg in craftsmanship on the
ground that radical politics as pursued in
Philadelphia consisted mainly of the same
sort of thing they had been doing in their
unregenerate career, and dropped into poetry
out of pure desperation.
THE ST. DOMINGO SCHEME-GENERAL
GRANTS JUDICIOUS RETREAT.
From, the N. Y. Herald.
We are gratifed to record retreat on the
part of General Grant as honorable to him as
the head of the Government as his crowning
victory of the war at the head of the Union
armies We refer to his judicieus retreat on
the st. Domingo annexation scheme. 1t has
been semi-offcially announced from Washing
ton, through Ex-Governor Hawley, of Con-
necticut, that with the transmission to Con-
gress of the report of the ST. Domingo in
vestigating commission the President will
send up an important message on the pro-
posed annexation, and that it will be sub
stantially to this effect, that had the ques-
tlon received fair treatment when the treaty
last before the Senate was debated and
rejected, he would not have asked its
further consideration; but, believing that the
scheme had not been fairly presented to the
country, and the question having become
complicated with charges and insinuations
foreign to its merits, he desired that full in
vestigation at the hands of Congress which
has been made, with results vindicating his
course in the premises. He has, therefore,
no further action to recommend upon
the subject at present, but transmits
the report of the investigating COM
missioners for the information of Con-
gress and the country, still adhering to his
opinion of the advantages of annexation. He
does not care to press the measure, because
he is confident that, if the country desires it,
the object can be accomplished, and that the
action of Congress will indicate the desire by
advising treaty to be made. He does not,
by any means, abandon his own views, but
leaves the responsibility of future action upon
Congress, and he repeats his original decla-
ration that he has no policy to enforce against
the will of the people.
Presidents message, which will accompany the
submission to the two houses of the report of
the st. Domingo ''high Joint" commits
sioners. Their aeport will handsomely cover
the retreat of the administration from its un-
tenable position, in view of the discords
created ia the Republican party; for it is
understood that the commissioners are not
only unanimously, but enthusiastically in
| favor of the proposed annexation. They
have returned, as we are told, enraptured with
the tropical beauties and the amazing fertility,
| abounding products and incalculable re-
sources of that splendid island of st. Do
minAo; they return satisfied that it is the
general wish of the people of the Dominican
Republic to come under the protecting flag of
the United States, and they are satisfied that
the annexation bill of costs will be but a
bagatelle compared with the commercial
profits which from the annexation will be
ours. But if such is the commissioners re-
port, why does the President Shack down p
Why did he ask of Congress authority to send
down to st. Domingo this exploring expedi-
ton if it was not for the purpose of pushing
on the annexation scheme
The answer is substantially that the express
object of the expedition was the refutation OF
certain serious charges and insinuations made
in the Senate against the President in connec.
ton with this annexation project. What were
these charges and insinuations? They were
the charges and innuendoes advanced by Mr.
Sumner, chairman of the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations, against the President
in connection with this Dominican enterprise
Thus, according to MIR. Summers indictment
General Grant has been guilty in this bushes,
of a usurpatiOn of the war power of Congress
in his employment of the navy guilty of the
design and of the attempt to appropriate the
territory of an Independent State upon usurpa
tions and false pretenses, and in opposition tt
the wishes of the people concerned; guilty
of design to foment war as a pretext TO
the subjugation and seizure of the African
republic of Hayti; guilty of disgraceful co
partnership with a gang of unscrupulou
spectators in a scheme to divide the spoil
from the annexation of Dominica in certaii
. appropriated lots and lands which, under tn
Government of the United States, it was be
> lieved, would become exceedingly valuable
guilty of employing officers of the Unitet
States navy as eonfederates of this aforesaid
gang of annexation spectators. In short
according to Mr.. Sumner, General Grant, il
this annexation project, has played the igno
BILE part of the interested tool and copartne
of 'ring" of reckless adventurers in a mon
strous job, regardless of the consequences t.
Dominica or Hayti, or to the Treasury o
good name of the United States.
The st. Domingo Commission, after a care
full investigation under the instructions em
bodied in the resolutions of Congress, havin,
, vindicated the President against all thes
| charges, insinuations, and denuneiatons
General Grant is content to turn over the an
4 nexation scheme to the discretion of Congress
: In other words, having spiked the guns O
/ ! Mr.. Sumner, the General retires from tn