Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-02-22

recting the Secretary Of the Navy to
communicate the instructions given
to the commander of the Tennessee,
with the names Of the war vessels in
the waters of the island Of San Do
mingo since the commencement OF
negotiations with Dominica, is in
tended to disclose an unauthorized
use Of the navy, and a usurpation Of
the war power by the President. The
public vessels have not fred on the
Dominicans, but they have been
placed there in a threatening attitude,
and ready to do so if required. The
Seminole was ordered to give
General BabcOck the "moraI sup
port" Of its guns. Commander
Owen was directed to send another
vessel from Key West for the same
purpose. The guns were evidently
to be used if Babcock desired it.
When Babcock had negotiated his
treaty for the lease Of SANTANA Bay lac
said in his report that "the honorable
Secretary Of the Navy was directed
to place three armed vessels in this
harb0r subject to my Instructions
The treaty was obtained under dure5s.
The orders of the President were hos
tile and warlike, and his guns were
pointed on the people of San D0min-
20. 1t was an exercise against a
friendly nation Of the war power,
which Congress alone has the right to
declare and to make. On January
%, 1870, Rear-Admiral Poor, at Key
West, was directed to proceed at
once with the Severn and Dictator, -
the two strongest ships, to Port-au-
Prince, and to threaten Hsyti with
war, if she attacked Baez. On Feb
ruary9 9, 1870, similar Instructions were
given to Commodore Green Of the
Congress. "NOU will use the force at
commando ne was told, $50
resist any attempt by the enemies Of
the Dominican Republic to invade the
Dominican territory by land or sea"
On January 81, 1870, Lieutenant
Commander Allen, of the Swatara,
at New York, was directed to proceed
with all dispatch to San Domingo.
His instructions said; "If you find
when YOU get there, that the Domini-
can government require any assist
ance against the enemies Of the re-
public, you win not hesitate to give
it to them" Subsequent 10 these in
structions, and acting upon the same
principles, the United States ship
Nantucket went to Puerto Plato, and
Commander Bruce reports from that
place, March p, 1870, that ne had
threatened the people there with acts
of war, if they should aid Cabral and
LuperOn. This same vessel acted as a
transport for the troops Of Baez, in
1870, and the latter Acknowledges the
servicesfn an official letter to COmmO-
dore Irwin.
II these facts do not constitute a case
Of warlike aggression unauthorized
by law, it win be difficult to tell what
would. The same acts toward one Of
the great powers would have been
regarded and treated as a proclama-
ton and condition of war actually
existing. Just as he disregards the
Constitution in dealing with the
States, so he disregards it in his in
tercourse with a weak foreign power.
And for what? In one case for party
ends and the p~erpetuaton Of his tyr
over a people i~ndefeasibly free,
and in the other for plumber, for a
big job, for filing the pockets OF him-
self and his satellites, and not for the
good Of the people Of the United
States, who can do without the re-
suits of his robbery. Grant is the
first 4 American Presidential Buccaneer,
and as Sumner is particularly hostile
TO pirates, it is well he has got on his
track. We can only say solemnly
'siC'Um TOWser.'