Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-03-27
TWO CENTS.

|
notice, he referred to hIs own admission in the
annual message of December last when he
answers that during the last session OF Con-
| Erte treaty Tor the annexation Of the Republic
| Of 81. Domingo failed TO receive the requisite
tvo-thirds OF the Senate" and then AFTER de
nouneing the rejection As "folly," he proceeds
| a. follows "My suggestion is that by joint
| resolution OF the two Houses of Congress the
| Executive be authorized 20 appoint a commits
son 70 heo tate 'redty cits ne dshotiss q Sa,
Domingo for he acquisition Of tAaf island, and
| that an appropriation be ms de TO defray the
| expenses OF such commission. TIE question
| may then be deter mined, either by the action OF
| the senate upon the treaty or the Joint ion
| of the two HOuses OF Congress, upon resolu-
ton OF annexation, as in the case OF the acqui-
| sition OF Texas"
| Thus by the open declaration of the Presi-
| dent was the treaty rejected, while six months
| alter the rejection he asks for a commission 20
| negotiate new treaty. and an appropriation 20
ceiTay the expenses Of the commission: and not
| peroeiving the inspplcsbility of the Texas pre-
| ceGent, he proposes to do the deed by Joint
| Resolution Of Congress. And yet during this
intermediate period, when there vas no unrati-
ned treaty eNtant, the same belligerent inter
ventlon has been proceeding, the same War-ships
have been girdlng the island with their guns
ana The same naval support has been continued
10 The usurper Baez; all al great cost 20 the
country, and by the diversion OF our naval forces
from other places or duty, while the Constitu-
uon has been dismissed out Of sight like dis
charged soldier.
Already you have seen how the beIlieerent
Intervention proceeded; how on the sist ,Iuly
WI L.
draval OF the protection OF the United States
and Of the prospect of annexation at some
future time would instantly lead to a reyolu-
ton headed by CRbral,' how ON the 2sth
August, 1870, Commander Allen reported Baez
as requesting the presence OF a vessel on the
north side OF the island on account of an in
tended invasion by Cabral;" how at the same
time the usurper SAYS that he deems the pres
ence OF a ship of-war in the bay of MsnzanilIo
OF immediate Importance" how on the Sd Sep
TENDER. 1870, Commodore Green reported that
an ms and
the Commodore "t0 bring some of his men
which were al Azua," which the obliging Com
modore did; how under date of October ;.
1s1o, the usurper, after declaring the necessity
OF mar-of-wa at the port OF ST. Domingo
says that "nons would be more convenient than
the lantic tor The facility of entering the river
OZana, owing to her size" and how again on
the same day the usurper writes still another
letter Ito reiteTste the necessity Of the vessels
now IN that bay lssmanal coming TO the south
efn coast All these things they had seen
sttesting constantly bell gerent Intervention
and the maintenance Of Baez in power by our
Navy, which became IFS body guard and omni-
Their Judgment without one word of comment.
reminding them only that no President 4,
quilted 10 set aside the Constitution OF our
country.
Mr.. SUMNER SONS Ur
In concluding his speech, Mr.. Sumner said
MI President, az draw TO a close, allow M
20 repeat the very deep regret with which 1
make this exposure. Most gladly would avoid
II. Controversy, especially Al nv time Of lie.
Las no attraction Tor me; but have been reared
IN ihe school OF duty. aud. NOW a. of old. I can
not see wrong without irving TO arrest IL
Justice and Peace.
In the evidence adductd I have confined
myself carefully to public doc uments, hot tray
eHng out OF the record. Dispatches. naval
orders, naval TeFOTts-these are the uuim-
peachsble authorities. And all these have bee
officially communicated 90 the Senafs. are nov
printed by its order, accessible to AL. On this
uh2hs"eTable ana cumulative testimony, where
F. enaaT aszH Ha.a.ue -
the harmony OF truth, present this trans
erosion. And here il Is not who speak, bar
the testimony.
Thus stands the case. International Law ba-
been violated n two Ot It's comm anding rute-
one securing the Equality OF Nations aud the
other pToyiclng against belhgerent intervention.
while distinctive fundamental principle OF Tie
Constitution, by which the President l. deprived
OF klugly pTeEcgative, is dsregarded, and tEus
very kingly pTerogative Is asserted by the Pres
uent. Ih'S Is tie simplest statement. Looking
still further at the facts We see that all thu
great di obedience las for It's object the scqu.-
sltlon OF an outlyi ing tropical island, with large
promise OF wealth, and that, i'm Carving o7if
THIS scheme, our Repu bic has forcibly main
talned a usurper IN power that he mI ght sell h.
country and has dealt a blow al the indepeu-
deDee of the Black Republic OF hayti, which
besides being wrong to that Republic was az
insult 10 the African race And all thishas
oeeh zone ey lrerogatiTe alone, without the
transaction, many headed in wrong can escane
Judge ment. il is difficult TO zee what securities
lEFRTna-
honal Law may not be yIOlated2 What other
foreign nation may not be struck at VIVA
other belligerent menace may not be aarIed,
what other kingly prerogatiye may not be
On another occasion L showed hsw these
wrongful proceedings had been stained by the
President beyond all example, but in a corres-
pondEg srlrlt. Never before has there been
such Presidential Intervention in the Senate A.
we nave been CONTAINED TO witness. Presiden-
tisl visits TO the Capitol, with appeals 10 Sen4-
Has 81.
Executive Mansion, also with appeals to Sena-
tors. and who can measure The pressure OF all
kIncs by himself or agents, especially through
the APPOINTING power, ali TO eecure the consum-
nation of this scheme In harmony with nm.
effort was the Presidential message, where
while taxing the Senate with "folly' IN reject
ing the treaty We are grayely assured that hv
the proposed acquisition our large debt abroad
Is 10 Ice ultimately exiting uished." thus making
81. Domingo the pack horse OF our vast load az
PERHAPS, copying Don QuixOte when he ImpossG
upon the shoulders of Sancho PanZa the peni-
tentIal stripes which belonged TO himself.
Then, responding TO the belligerent menace
OF his dmira,. the President makes A Kindred
menace by proposing nothing less than The
acquisition OF the =. island OF St. Domingo"
thus adding the Black Republic TO his scheme.
The innecen mt population there were startled.
Their minister Lere protested. Nor Is IL unnat-
uTsl that II shC uid be So SUPPOSE the Queen OF
EDg and. IN her speech at the opening OF Par
Lament, had proposed IN formal terms th,.
acquisition of the United States OF suppose
Louis Napoleon. IN his speech al the opening o:
tLN Jcte MEXICAN war. While 1
the French forces we're in Mexico, had COOL,
proposed the acquisition OF that portion of tie
| nlted States adjoining Mexico and stretching
to the Atlantic, and, in support Of his propo-
sltlon, ba6 set forth the productivencss OF the
soil, the natural wealth that abounded there
anu wound up by announcing that out of this |
might be paid the French debt abroad which
was to be ssdded upon the coveted territory
SUPP ose such proposition By Louis Napoleon
or by the English Queen, made IN formal 1
speech 10 Chambers or Parliament, what would /
have been the feeling in our country ? Nor
would that feeling have been diminished by the |
excuse that the offensive proposition crept into l
the speech by accident. Whether by accident |
OF deslgn, II would attest small consideration
Tor our national existence. But the Haytians /
love their country a. We love ours-especislIy |
are they resolute for national Independence. /,
All this il shown by the reports which reach \
ns now, even If their whole history did not |
attest it.
The language OF the President in charging
the Senate with "folly" was not according 20 4
approved precedents. Clearly this is not /
proper term to be employed by one branch of /
the government with regard 20 another, least of \
all by the President with regard 70 the Senate. |
Folly, cir Was II folly when the Senate refu.et ,
to sanction proceedings by which the eonsi /
rights Of the Black Republic were assaiIeJS 4
Was IL folly not 20 sanction hostilities aeainsf
the Black Republic without the authorftx 81
Congress 1v