St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-01-27

| ClDlc Oh all!lcNatlOn. uOn SIC mat
anybody en- seriously object to this,
though 10 have z wen Us Il perfectly i'm
partial commission, one of them should
have been opposed to annexation rs II
principle. Now it is Il we'll known fact
that mrny prominent republicans in
Congress oppose the annexation Of San
Domingo, not because of its debt, nor
because lis people are opposed to annexa-
ton, but because they believe the policy
of annexation, when applied TO territory
not contiguous, 10 be wrong. MIR.
Schurz is opposed 10 anneXing San Do
mingp, no matter how favorable the
facts may he, AMI such was the position
of Mr.. Elmunls last yclr In short,
nearly all the strong opponents OF san
| Domingo annexation believe that to an
mex any of the West Iudia islands will
prove source of weakness Ia Us rs Il
nation.
THE san DOMINGO LOBBY.
Now the commission will give us no
light on that point. They favor annrXa-
ton if the conditions are favorable, and
ton of San Domingo. Some foolish peo-
pie have got the idea into their heads
that tine commission will investigate the
rumor of '.jrbbcry' which have been in
circulation here in connection with tl:c
scheme, bat they cannot. Nothing in
the resolution warrants it, and besides,
if thc'e is lobby it is here and not in
San Domingo. We may instantly dis
miss the rumors which would connect
the presidents relations with the San
Domingo lobby, but few people here, of
ordinary shrcwdn2ss, have any doubt of
the existence Of a wealthy ''ring" which
has bought land in SIN Domingo and
much of its debt, at very low Ia!es
Some say that the success of tie scheme
will put millions of dollars into the
pockets of this rim" but | can't see
how that fact affects the abstract Qucs-
ton OF annexation. Twenty men of
wealth had the right, last summer, TO 90
into San Domingo speculation, pur-
chasing lis debt 1T 20 cents on the dollar,
and its Lands at Il quarter what they
will bring If annexation Is successful
Who can deny it! They take the risk
of failure. Hut some OF the gos>ips 90
further and say that this ring has ia
ken into its confidence members of CON
grcsS, editors, noted politicians. and that
1t has for many months been using
the president, he brinL totally uncon-
Scious OF the fact. don't believe Il
word of thi, last story or rum"r Any |
body can see that the president b licvr-
most earnestly in the annexation priuci-
pie. lie thinks that the nation. and |
especially his administrators, will be
come glorious through the addition oil
San Domingo, AID Il" would like 10 90
on and adj all tn. West Iudi :. lie is |
very confident oil linil success, ana am
not s,;re but he is right in that. lie has
exhibited much shrewlness in gainin-
votes in the senate, III in disarmi n" his
opponents. Take the case of Mr. Ell |
munds of Vermont, for example. Last
year l set HIN down - the ablc-t of tie
opponents OF annexation. he WAS 81 cool,
inci>ivr, logical. In the rec,s-, the mis-
sion to England was offered 10 him 10y
letter. 1t was n great honor, but lie
had the >cn>c and real greatness to de-
cline it. Then Il little later, the presi-
dent invited him to 20 with HIM ON the
Cameron fishing excursion. These con-
tidenccS ami cOurtesirS, OF course, could
no: change an honest mans opinions,
but they did make it very har,l To OPP
pose vchcmcntly what the president had
very mnch ut heart. The Engli-h mis-
sion was also Offered To Senator Howe
of Wisconsin, and declined in fact am
not sure but it will vet turn out that
half the Senate rejected IT But the
offer made friends. JUDGE Poland was
urged to take the place of chief justice
OF the court of claims. Isl summer, and
after such mark of confidence, Low
could he vote for "tlc Amt Ter amend
mcnt?" Somebody cried OUT in the re-
porters gallery, when the distinguished
Nermonter gave in his vote, "rhrre's
another subJugated Poland :" This,
however, was only good-naturcd wit.
| still count Edmunds and Poland az
against annexation, when til, real con-
test comes upon annexation. Ten days
ago, | thought Edmunds was on the
back track, but his friends say he hasn't
changed lis opinions ON the question of
annexation. We shall see bye and bye