The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-04
Tas St. Doulngo scheme Eenerai GrHut's
JndiriOus Retreat.

We are gratified to record retreat on the
part Of General Grant as honorable TO him at
the head of the government as his browning
victory of the war at the head Of the Union
armies. Werefer to his judicious retrea. on the
st. Domingo annexation scheme. II has been
semi-ofIicially announced from Washington,
through ex- Governor Hawley, Of Connecticut,
that with the transmission TO Congress OF the
report of the st. Domingo investigating Com
mission the President will send up an impor-
tant message on the proposed annexation, and
that 1t win DO substantially to this effect, that
had the question received fair treatment when
the treaty last before the Senate was debated
and rejected he would not have asked lis
further consideration but, believing that the
scheme had not been fairly presented to the
country, and the question having become CON-
plicated with charges and insinuations foreign
to its merits, he desired that full investigation
at the hands of Congress which has been
made with results fully indicating his course
in the premises He has, therefore, no fur
Their action to recommend upon the subject at
present, but transmits the report OF the inyes-
tigating commissioners for the information of
Congress and the country, still adhefing 10 his
opinion of the advantages Of annexation. He
does not care to press the measure because he
is confident that, if the country desires il, the
action of Congress will indicate the desire by
advising a 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 declara-
ton that he has no policy to enforce against
the will of the people.
This, it appears, is the substance Of the
Presidents message which will accompany the
submission to the two houses OF the report of
the st. Domingo ''high joint Commissioners.
Their report will handsomely cover The retreat
of the administration from its untenable posi-
ton, in view Of the discords created in the
republican party for IL 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, Astounding products
and incalculable resources Of that splendid
island of st. Domingo; they return satisfied
that it is the general wish of the people of the
Dominican republic TO come under the pro-
tecting flag OF the United States, and they are
satisfied that the annexation bin of costs will
be but bagatelle compared with the CONNER
cial profits which from the annexation Will
be ours. Bu1 if such is the Commissioners
report why does the President ''back down 2"
Why did he ask Of Congress authority 10 send
down to St. Domingo this exploring expedition
if it was not for the purpose Of pushing on the
the annexation scheme?
The answer is substantially hat the express
object of the expedition was the REPUTATION 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 Mr.. Summers Indictment
General Grant has been guty.in this business
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-
tons and false pretences, and in opposition to
the wishes of the people concerned guilty
of design to foment war as a pretext for
the subjugation and seizure of the African
republic of Hayti; guilty of disgraceful
copartnersbip with gang Of INSCRIPTIONS
spectators in scheme to divide the spOils
from the annexation of Dominica, in certain
appropriated lots and lapds, which, under the
government of the United States, it was
believed, would become exceedingly valuable /;
guilty of employing officers of the United
States navy as confederatcs of this aforesaid
gang of annexation Spectators In short.
according to Mr.. Sumner, General Grant in
this annexation project has played the ignotle
part of the interested tool and copartner of q
''ring" of reckless adventurers in mon
strous job regardless Of the consequences to
Dominica or Hayti, or to the treasury or good
name of the United States.
The st. Domingo Commission, after care
full investigation under the instructions en-
bodied in the resolutions of Congress- having
INDICATED the President against all these
charges, insinuations and denunciations, Gene
raj Grant is content to turn over the annexe-
ton scheme to the discretion of Congress- In
other words having spiked the guns of Mr.
Sumner, the General retires from the field.
He has gained his point. lie has the honest
soldiers sense of honor, and he has made il
good. President Johnson, in the Stanton
War Department imbroglo, accused the Gene
raj OF deception and falsehood, and we know
the consequences that followed to John
snn Mr. Simmer in bis lnrn In a