Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-04


under this Government, knowing the practice
Of this Government, that this resolution is
completely superfuous, and that its single
purpose, far one can see any purpose
in its terms, is to commit Congress 70 what
shall show in a very few moments is n most
unjustifablc policy.
Sir, others may do as they please others
may accept this policy; | will not have
already set myself against it, ard | continue
now as firm against II as ever The lnlorma--
tion which | have received since our discus
siOns last year has confirmed me in the con
clusions which | felt it my duty then to
announce. In now presenting those conclu-
sions beg to say that | shall iorbear from
considering whether the territory Of DOmin-
lea is desirable or not | shall forbear from
considering It's resources, even its finances,
even its debt-menac5n5 as | know it is To
the Treasury Of our country except 50 far
as that debt Is connected with the relations
with Hayt. At some other time these other
topics will be proper for consideration. For
the present / prefer to cJnfne myself 10
grounds on which there can be no debate.
! object to the proposition, because il is
new stage in a measure Of violence, which,
so far as it has been maintained, has been
propped by yyIo.enca ever since. / use strong
language, but only what tie occasion re-
qulres. rs Senator, as patriot, | cannot
sec my country suffer in It's good name with
out an earnest effort to save {.
The negotiation tor annexation began with
person known IS Buenaventura Blcz. All
the evidence, official and unofficial, shows
him to be political ipckey. But ne could
do little alone he had about him two other
political jockeys, Caznctu and Fabeus and
these three together precious c)partncr-
ship, scduced into their firm IL young officer
of ours, who entities himself - abide camp
To the President of the United States ''
Together they got mp what was entitled
protocol, IN winch the young officer eatitllng
himself aid de-clmD = the President, pro
cceted To make certain promises for the Pres
Ident. Before ! read what shall Of this
document, desire TO say that there is not
one word showing that at the time this " aid
de-camp as he called himself, had any title
or any Instruction 10 take this step If he
had that title and that instruction have been
withheld no inquiry has been able tp pcne
trate it. Ar least the committee which
brought out the protocol did not bring out
any such authority. The document is called
" protocol which ! need not remind YOU, ,
sir is in diplomatic terms the ir-t draft of q
treaty. or the memorandum between two
Powers IN which arc written down the bases
OF some subsequent negotiation but at the
time it is hardly less binding than A treaty
itself except, as you are well aware, under
the Constitution of the United States II can
receive no final obligation without the CON
sent Of the Senate Tins document begins
as follows
The fnIlowla-. bases, which slaL serve for FRAN
ing dcfluitve treaty between the United state
and and ihe beminigan republic have been Tedneed {"
HIUcork. 4il-ie-ramp 10 his Exrcncncy General
America, and bis special AGENT ~ the Dominican
republic. and Nir. Manuel Nari. Gautler, Secretary
police, charged with iA" foreign relations of tlt
sand dominican republic"
Here You see how this young officer, an
dcrtaking q represent the United States of
America. entities himself d aid-Ie-camp to
his ExceIency General Ulysses $ Grant,
President Of tuc Jnitcd states Of America,
and his special agent 10 the Dominican re-
pu5hc.' Sir, you have experience in the
Government of this country your post is
high, and ask You, DO You know any such
officer in our Government as &" aid-dc-camp
to his Excelleuey the President % the Unjted
States Does hi5 name appear lE the
Constitution. in any statute, in the history
Of this Republic anywhere IL IL does,
your information, sir. is much beyond mine.
have never before met any such instance.
| believe. this young officer stands alone in
using this lofty designation. believe, still
further. that he stands alone In the history
Of free Governments. doubt whether you
can find a diplomatic paper anywhere in
which any person undertaking to represent
his Government has entitled himself aid-de-
camp Of the chief of the State The two
duties are incompatible according 70 all the
experience OF history. No and de-camp
would be commissioned as q commissioner
and the assumption of this exalted and ex-
ceptional character by this young officer
shows at least his inexperjence IN diplomacy
However, he assumed it and 1t doubtless
produced great effect with Baez. Cazneau,
and Fabcus. the three cJufederates. They
were doubtless pleased with the distinction.
IL helped on the plan they were engineering
The young ald-de-camp then proceeds 70
pledge the President as follows
'.I Ins ENceIIencv General Grant President Of
the United states promises prtrafLg o. u-e all his
qulre such degree Of popularity among members
mcut.~
Shall read the rest of the document 1t
is somewhat oJ the same tenor. There are
questions Of money IN it, cash down, al of
which must have been particularly agreeable
to he three coniederatcs 1t finally winds
up as follows
Done in duplicate so qa.{ 0,tl. in the city uf
san Domingo, thc 4th day Of The month of ~cpfem
"oEyuLF D. EABCOCK.
MANUEL MARIA GAUTIEG."
la " good faith, if you please, sir.
| have heard it said that Oryille r. Bah
cock did not write q aid-de-csmp against
his name al the bottom of this protocol
This was not necessary. The designation of
person in such documents always appears
a the beginning as, for Instance, in decd
between two parties, the party signs it, and
in signing it he recognizes the designation.
Therefore we have here " protocol so
entitled, signed by young officer who enti-
ties himself " aid-de-.tmp Of his Excellcucy,
the President of the United States. and
who promises f,r the President that he shall
privately use all his influence in order that
the idea Of annexing the Dominican republic
to the United States may acquire such IL de-
gree Of popularity among members Of Con
gress as will be necessary for its accomplish
ment. There was the promise Senators
about Inc know how faithfully thc President
has fulfilled it, how faithfully he has labpred,
privately and publicly, even beyond the pro-
tocol-thc protocol only required that lie
should work privately and publicly, in order
that the idea Of annexing the dominican re-
public should be agreeable to Congress.
The young officer, aid de camp Of the Pres
ident OF the United States, with this import
ant and unprecedented document in his
pocket, returned u Washington. Instead
Of being called to account for this unauthor-
lied transaction, plcdging the Chief Magis-
trate to use his influence privately with
Congress in order to cram down a measure
that the confederate justly supposed to be
offensive, he was sent back to this island
with directions to negotiate a treaty.
would not alludc to that treaty if it had not
been made the subject Of discussion by the
President himself in his annual message
You know IT. The treaty itself is not on
your tables legIslatiyely, it has never been
communicated legislatiyely to Congress. The
other House, which may be called to act
upon this important measure, can know