Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-04-04


ting some remote semblance, excuse
or apology during the pending of
the treaty, all of which, / insist alb
surd beyond question, though not
entirely impossible in quarter, not
at all unused to constitutional ques-
tions, and needing them little con-
sidering that the asumpsit inserted
IN the treaty by the Secretary Of
State had deceived the President into
tho idea that he possessed the kingly
prerogative of declaring war at his
own mere motion, and wishing to
deal most gently, even with an un
doubted usurpation of the kingly
prerogative, long as the Secretary
OF State is The sworn counselor OF
the President, supplied formula tor
the usurpation, and you will bear
witness that have done nothing but
state the case. 1t is hard to hold
back when the same usurpation is
openly prolonged after the Senate
had rejected the treaty on which the
exercise of the kingly prerogative
was founded, and when the assump-
ait devised by the Secretary of State
had passed into the limbo of things
lost on earth. Here there is no re-
mote infinitesimal semblance of ex-
cuse or apology. Nothing, absolute
| ly nothing. The usurpation pivots
on nonenity, always expecting the
kingly will Of the President, which,
constitutionally, is nonenity. The
great artist Of Bologna, in a much
admired statue, sculptured Mercury
as standing on a puff of air but the
President has not even puff of air
10 stand on.
Enlarging upon the declaration,
That the President had placed himself
al tho head OF moro powerful and
costly KuKlux than that of the
south, Mr. Sumner said: "Had the
President been SO inspired as TO be-
stow on the southern unionists, white
and black. one-half the time zeal,
will, personal attention, personal
effort, and personal intercession
which he has bestowed upon his at
tempt to obtain half an island in the
Caribbean sea, our southern Ku-K lux
would have existed in name only.
while tranquility would have rcigned
every whore within our borders
General applause in tho galleries,
and Kisses
Vice President-The chair cannot
consent that there shall be manifest
atoms of approval or disapproval in
the galleries, and he reprehends one
rs promptly as the other If they
are repeated, he must enforce order
in the Senate
Mr.. Summer proceeded: Now, as
desire the suppression of the Ku-
Klux wherever il shows itself, and
the elevation of the African race
which instals the Ku-Klux on the
, coasts of San Domingo. and which at
the same time insults the African
race in a black Republic, shall be
fairly represented. | speak now OF
: that Ku-Klux Of which at present be
is the declared head, and | speak
: for the African race, whom the Presi
: dent has trampled down. Is there
any Senator in earnest against the
! Ku-Klux ? Let HIM arrest them on
the coast of San Domingo. Is there
! any Senator ready at all times tc
seek the elevation of the African
: race Here is occasion for his best
, efforts
Mr. Sumner then concluded: In
the evidence adduced have cop-
uucu uIJ 7oiI CairIuIy 10 the public
documents. on this uuanswerable
+, testimony, where each part confirms
the rest, and the whole has the har.
mony of truth, | present this trans.
erosion, and here it is not | who
speak but the testimony. Thus
stands the case The international
law has been violated in two acts
one securing the equality of nations
and the other providing against bel.
hgerent Intervention. looking still
further at the facts, we see that all
this great disobedience has for its
: object the acquisition of an outlying
tropical island with large promise
of wealth, and that in carrying out
this scheme our Republic has forcib.
ly maintained an usurper in power
that he might sell his country, and
has dealt blow at the indepen.
dence of Hayti, which, being wrong
to the Republic, was an insult to the
African race; and all this has been
done by prerogative alone, with.
out authority of an act of Congress.
II such transaction can escape
Judgment, it is difficult to see what
securities remain; what other sacred
rules ofiuternational law may not be
violated what other foreign nation
may not be struck at; what other
belligerert menace may not be hurl-
ed what other kingly prerogative
may not be seized Never before
was there such Presidential inter
vention. In the Senate, as we have
been constrained to witness the Pres
ident visits the capitol with appeals
to the Senator'S, and these have been
followed by assemblies at the Execu-
tive mansion. Senators can meas
uro the pressure of all kinds brought
by the President or his agents,
through the appointing power. All
this is to secure the consumation OF
the scheme. Thus do we discern in
he acts of the President, whether
on the coasts ofSan Domingo or here
at Washington, the determination,
with the same disregard of the great
principles, as also the same reckless
ness toward the people of Hayti,
who have never injured the Uniued
States. In view Of these things, the
first subject of inquiry is not Of the
soil climate, productiveness, and
possibilities of wealth, but the ex-
ceptional and abnormal proceedings
of our own Government Before
condemning the treaty or any ques-
ton of acquisition, we must at least
put ourselves right as u nation
~ 4 / 10. al.