Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-01-03
SAN DOMINGO.
A"S eaa Domingo MISUNDERSTANDING Scene
IN the senste-senatOr sumner Attacks the
President-Morton RepIiss-Liyels 1ilt
between Several Prominent-The
Resolution Pissed.

= 3" iNSplubtOHS, lHlIOuuCGl DY
Senator Morton, which are as fol-
lows:
RESOLVED, That the President of the Uni
lei States be authorized to appoint three Com
mission ers, and also Secretary, the latter 10
be Versed IN the English and Spanish languages,
10 proceed to tue Island OF San Domingo, and
10 such other places, if any, as such Commits.
Sloners may deem necessary, and there inuuire
INTO, ascertain, and report the political state
and condition OF the Republic of Dominica.
the probable number of Inhabitants, and the
desire ana disposition of the people of said Re-
puoilc 10 become annexed TO and form a part
oil the people of the United States the pbysi-
cal, mental, and moral condition of said peo-
pie, and their general condition as to material
wealth and industrial capacity the resources
oil the country, lis mineral and agriculture
products, the products OF its waters and and
forests, and the general character of the SOIL
the extent and proportion thereof capable of
cultivation the climate and health of the
country its bays, harbors, and rivers lis
meteorological character, and the existence
and frequency of remarkable meteorological
phenomena he debt of the Government its
obligations, whether funded and ascertained
and admitted, or unadiusted and under discus.
sion treaties or engagements with other Pow
ers The extent OF boundaries and territory
what proportion is covered by foreign claim
ants or by grants or concessions, and gener-
"'iJ "."' CONCESSIONS u q aiiOuisrs nave Jvrt,
granted, with the pane of the respective gran
ices the terms and conditions on which the
San Domingo Government may desire to be
annexed 10 and become portion Of the Uni
ted States as one of the Territories thereof
and such other information with respect to
SAID Government or its Territories as TO the
said Commissioners shall seem desirable or
important with reference to the future incor-
poration of said Dominican Republic into the
United States as one of its Territories.
RESOLVED, That said Commissioners shall
as soon as conveniently may be, repor: to the
President of the United States. who shall lay
their report before Congress
RESOLVED, That said Commissioners shall
serve without compensation except the pay
ment OF their expenses and the compensation
OF the Secretary, which shall be determined by
the Secretary OF State, with the approval of
the President
Mr.. Sumner addressed the Senate
in long speech, which reviewed the
whole subject of the proposed an
nexation of San Domingo, and Sc
verely criticised the administration
for its connection Herewith.
lie said that the resolution before
the Senate committed Congress to
dance of blood, and was new step
IN the measure of violence in which
several steps had been taken already.
Instead OF measure simply Of in
quiry, the resolution actually crea,
ted these diplomatic offices. The
real object was to commit Congress
in advance in favor of annexation,
by prearranged report by COM
mission having the color of diplomat
ic authority looking to that end
The President could now appoint an
agent to visit San Domingo without
the necessity Of resolutions. He
said that information which had
reached him from the island since
the rejection Of the treaty confirmed
him in the belief that the negotia-
tons had been cOnsummated by vio-
lence, and, so far as they had been
maintained, had been fraught with
violence ever since, to the infinite
discredit Of the United States. He
used strong language, bpJ only such
as the occasion required. As a SEN
ator and a patriot he could not soc
his country suffer in her good name
without an earnest effort to save it.
Entering into the negotiation, Mr..
Sumner said it had its origin with
firm composed Of three political par
ties, Baez, Fabes, and Casenu, who
seduced into their firm young Off
Ger of the United States, emitting
himself aid-de-camp of U. S. Grant,
President of the United States of
America, and lis special agent, and
the Dominican republic, and that to-
gether they had gotten a protocol ia
which the young officer proceeded to
make certain promises in behalf Of
this country. If this so called aid
de-camp had acted upon any letters
or instructions in taking the step,
the fact was concealed, and to inqUi-
ry, thus far, had been able TO pene-
trate it. Such an office as abide
camp 10 the President OF the United
States was unknown in our govern
mental history, and probably no cor
respondingly similar designation had
ever been assumed in the diplomatic
history Of any government. But
ibis young officer, attempting to
represent the United States Of Amer
lea, had signed treaty which pledg-
ed the President Of the United States
of America TO use his influence among
the members Of Congress to make
the annexation measure popular, and
all the Senate knew how faithfully
the President had carried out the
pledge; not only using, but exceed
ing, his influence in favor of the an
nexation scheme.
Mr.. Sumner went on to show that
at the same time, and since the nego-
tiation, Baez had been maintained in
power by the presence Of our ships
of war in the Haytien waters. In
other words Baez was sustained by
the United States, that he might be-
tray aud sell his country. He (Sum-
ner) would challenge the Senator
from Indiana (Morton) to deny that
fact, or disprove it by q single utter
ancc. We were now treating Baez |
as a puppet in order to obtain pos
session of that territory, precisely as
England treated the Mosquito chief
The documents in the naval depart
ment proved all this, and it was fur
Their substantiated by the testimony
of the naval officers who returned |
from there.
Referring to the Indignation with
which rumor had been received |
that Bismarck would take Louis Ma
poleon from prison and treat with
him for peace as q pretext for over
riding the young republic of France,
Mr.. Sumner argued that exactly the
same policy was about to be resort
ed to by the United States in its
treatment of the republic of San Do
miRgo. One illustration of this pol
icy, tending to show what it had
cost the government during the last
year, he read, from a published San
nOpnin on lattar of Dapap, har e mon |