Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-05


company, because President Tyler at that tim
asserted that he had no authority to employ fore
i1r the acquisition Of Texas without the asscr
OF congress. His declaration was that he woul
use all ms constitutional means to prevent Mex
can interference, pending the negotiations, an
that the matter would be referred to Congrcs.
when II met, for such action a. il might lcei
proper. lie did not order United States war vosso
70 batter down Mexican towns or sink Moxica
Congress
An animated and long colloquy here eusued be
tween Mr.. Schurz and Mr. Morton, Of Indiana
upon the proper Interpretation Of the dispatc
from our government, informing the dplomati
representative of Mexico that tho United State
would regard with disiayor any attempt on tr
part OF that power TO interfere with the Texan
uufing the pendency Of negotiations. Mr. Schur
cQntended that nothing more than an ordinary di
piomatlc correspondence was addressed 10 Mexico
Whlch could bear no analogy 10 the acts Of Presi
ldent Grant, while Mr.. Morton insisted that Il
was direct threat Of war and was so rcgardc,
oy the country, and that Benton, many years at.
erward had so construed It,
hile occupying the floor Mr.. Schurz was rc
peatediy interrogaied by several senator's upo.
constitutional questions, and was frequent,
prompted by Mr.. Sumner, whose seat is in his i
cinity.
Before Mr. Schurz had concluded. the Sena,
went INTO executive session, and at 5.1j o'cloca
adjourned.
coNriSuArioS Or SENATOR scuuR2s SPEECH
In this connection he was reminded Of the state.
ment yesterday by the Senator from Wisconsin
(Senator ll0we) that Baez, ia the matter of an
nexation, was Influenced by purely patriotic am
unseliish motives, believing such step would
bring peace to his country. lie (Schurzl had
read a newspaper abstract of the forthcoming re-
hp uftfa siI a,sl
teresting exhibition Of sublime want Of selfish.
ness IN that pure patriot Baez. lie there found
among items IN the bill TO be paid hy the United
states $4,000 for property DESTROYED by th
Spaniaids, and 5000 600 for back salaries How
the heart OF that patriot ached to sacrifice for n
welfare Of his iell0wctIzens with the snug sun
OF $4,000 in his pocket and 5000 600 20 be d.
yded among his brothers and relatives. who
mainly constituted the Dominican police force
It was known that United States vessel of wa.
had conveyed the troops Of Bacy from Ayua @.
Dominica. The Tennessee herself had carried
Baez and his personal staff from one point TO an
other, that he might take personal command &
ms troops W hat would we have thought
during the rebellion au English war vessel haa
transported rebel troops from Charleston to No
blei Would not that have been thought an act
war The United States flag had been carrie
at the head Of the troops Of Baez when adyan
ing against Cabral's forces. in order 10 deceir
the latter into the belief they were fghtinn
against the troops OF the United States. lie had
been informed by members of the company that
went with the United States commission to San
Domingo that on the OCCASION of a threatened M
tack By Luperon upon Baez, aportion Of the rock
cts were given them from the United States ycs-
sci Congress to signal that ship for relief, if an
attack was made.
However deeply the Senator from Wisconsin
(iowe) might dive into ancient lore, and however
al ltr 80 l..
might quote Calhoun despatch in case OF Texas
they could not Justify what was wrong nor defend
what IS indeiensible. Gentlemen should uiye ID
up and let the case stand or fall on its own incr-
its. Others might follow in the footsteps Of
those who had spoken, and abuse the Senator
from Massachusetts, more bitterly than bad vet
been done, but their abuse would not alter sin
gle fact in the case in the eye of a single honest
Or patriotic man in this country. lie (Schurz)
disclaimed any i'll feeling against the President,
but he had some feeling for fundamental laws.
Ills administration would not be broken down
unless it broke itself down, and it was not iui
him but for the country to say how far be had
gone in that direction. Ii was time now to dis
pei that confusion Of ideas which could not dis
tinguish between the authority of the United
States and the person OF the President and arrest
that usurpatiOn Of power which gradually and
with cat-like steps was creeping upon this cOun-
try. Congress had never been called 70 confront
stronger attempt at personal government. How
,ould the Senator who voted TO impeach Andrew
Johnson on testimony vague and uncertain, now
10 less than vote Tor these resolutions 10 check
President Grant Referring to various historical
instances in which distinguished military chief
-ains had proven lamentable failures in civil ad-
he said the military exploits of the
Duke of Wellington did not save bis dwelling at
! later day from being pelted with stones by the
lopulace, because Of his ministerial policy
hon - VIE
minister. Similar instances Of mill
airy incompetency in civil affairs and the summa-
y punishment inflicted for such cause in ancient
lines were referred TO. lie appealed to the SUI
lortcrs OF the President not 70 make SAN Domir
20 the test Of party iealy, for no party could ben
he load OF such a wrong. The Republican part,
oud not afford 10 place itself in the attitude OF
laying committed these acts, but should leave
he responsibility with the President alone, where
belonged
Senator Morton said he had referred Yesterday
o the fact that while negotiations We're pending
or the annexation of Texas, Mexico had been
otited by the United States that no hostile de-
lonstrations on her part would be permitted TO-
Yards Texas Senator Schurz denied any thrent
I war was then uttered against Mexico. He
Morton) now reiterated that the whole tenor Of
he dispatches at that time were a plain insinua.
ion to Mexico that any demonstration on her
art against Texas would be received as an az
I war. In support Of this construction he rea
rom the dispatches referred to, and from con
rmatory remarks By Senator Benton in the
enate, many years later. lie then quoted from
exas history to the effect than in reply to a con
iential question Mr.. Upshur, then Secretary
1 State, said that 50 soon as the treaty of an
exation was signed, the United States would
end sufficient force to protect Texas from any
ggression
Senator Schurz said the difference between the
ases Of Texas and San Domingo was that mer,
iplomatic threat was addressed to Mexico.
hing destitute Of special significance but in tn
nse of San Domingo military order was issued
Senator Morton replied that that was distine
ion without difference, because in the case
exas the United States forces had been prompt,
rdered to the Texan coast, to there act as tho
might require.
Further controversy ensued between Messrs
lorton and Schurz as to the analogy of the two
lses, and on motion Of Mr. Harlan the resolu.
ons were laid upon the table by vote of 80
} IL.