The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-28


dencs before the Senate that the navy Of the
United States, acting under orders fro N
Washington, has been engaged in measures
of violence and Of belligerens intervention,
Bringing on war without authority OF Con-
gress. The whole business, he adds, is sg-
gravased when it is considered that the
declared object of this violence is the &C
QUESTION Of foreign territory, being half an
island in the Caribbean Sea, and still futher
that this violence has been employed, frat to
prop and maintain q week ruler, himself
unsurper, unfolding him in power that he
might seli his Oountry, and, secondly, it he's
been employed TO menace the black Repub-
lie of Hayti. Such case, Mr.. Sumner
continues, is too grave for silence. The
question is not whether the acquisition of
San Domingo 10 desirable, but whether We
are justified in the means employed to &C
complish this acquisition, asd the evidence
now before US shows too clearly that means
have been employed which cannot
be justified. 1t is obvious, beyond
doubt. that our Government has
seized the war powers, carefully guarded BY
the constitution, and without authority of
Congress, has employed them to trsmple on
the independence and equal rights Of two
nations coequsl with ours. The Senator
Baez aud Grant as copsr,ners
in the melancholy affair, and carefully re-
viewed the history of the former in.his IN
scrupulous usurpstion. He recited the ori
gin of the scheme of annexation of half the
island, which is generally known. He then
minutsly reviewed the testimony to this effect
furnished by the State and Navy Depart
ments, from which it appears that the very
agent who signed the treaties, officially re-
ported that the usurper was maintained in
power by our guns. The Secretary of State
had deceived the President into the idea
that he possessed the kingly prerogative of
declaring war at his own mere motion, and
wishing to deal most gently even with an
undoubsed usurpAtion of kingly prerogAtive.
1t is hard TO hold back when the same usur-
patton is openly prolonged after the Senate
had rejected the treaty on which the exsr-
else of kingly prerogatiVe was founded. The
usurpstion pivoss on nonentisY, always ex-
cepting the kipgly will of tho President
which oonstisusionslly, is q nonsntiiy.
Mr.. Sumner said that, had the President
been SO inspired As to bestow on the South
ern Unionists, white and black, one-half the
time in real will, personal attention, person
al effort and personal intercession, which he
has bestowed upon his attempt to obtain
half an island in the Caribbean SsA, our
Southern Ku-Klux would have existed in
name only, while tranquility would have
reigned everywhere within our borders
General applause in the galleries
Mr.. Sumner concluded: In the evidence
addueed | have confined myself carefully
TO public documents. present this trans
gression, and here it is not who speak, but
testimony. Thus stands the case. Inter
national law las been violated in two of it's
commanding rules: one securing the equal
ity of nations, and the other providing
against beIligerent Intervention, while q
distinctive fundamental principle of the con-
stisution, by which the President is deprived
of the kingly prsrogative,is disregarded, and
this very kingly prerogntive 10 asserted BY
the President. This is the simplest state
meut. If such q transaction, many headed
in wrong, can escape judgment, it is difficult
to see what securities remain, what other
sacred rules of international law may not
be violated, what other foreign nation may
not be struck at, what other belligerent
menace may not be hurled, what other
kingly prerogstive may not be seized
Never before has there been such Presi-
Dental intervention in the Senate as we
have been constrained to witness. The
President visits the Capitol with appeals to
Senators which have been followed by as
semblies at the Executive Mansion, also,
with appeals to Senators. Who can meas
| are the pressure of all kinds by himself OF
agents, especially through the appointing
power, all to secure the cousummation OF
this scheme Thus do we discern in The
acts of ths President, whether on the coas
of San Domingo or here ct Washington, tht
same determination, with the same disregard
Of great principles, as also the same reck
lessness as towards the people of Hsyti
who have never injured the United States
He thought that the only honorable course
for our government to pursue, was, In view
of present circumstances, to reconcile HaJt
and Dominica, and establish tranquility
throughout the Islands.
After few Iemarks by Senators Morton
and Howe, the Senate adjourned
| HoUsE.-The following bills and resolu
tions were introduced and referred:
| By Mr.. Howe, to secure suffrage to tn
people of Utah without distinction Of race
/
By Mr.. Thsyer of Pennsylvania to place th
mission to Russia in all respects on an equs
footing with the missions of Great Britain
France and Germany.
Mr.. Hubbard offered resolution that il
case the committee on Wars and Mean
shall not be appointed at the presen: session
q special committee Of seven be appointe
TO report reform revenue tariff withou
discrimination in favor of particular inte
ests.
The resolution was then referred to tb
Committee on Ways and Means, when 81
pointed.
M. Cox moved to adjourn, Sc,
ing be wanted to see whether San Doming
was stronger in the House than the relievin
of the people from taxation.
The House, at l:l5, adjourned.