New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-05

can Convention referred to. made speech,
in which, referring to Cuban affairs, he
charged that the English version of the Gu
ban constitution, so far as it related to eman'
ciFation, was forged interpretation, de-
signed to arouse and secure sympathy under
false pretenses. He pet;ifogged, also, the
question of belligerent rights-so far as
Cuba had any chances aud claim. 1t is not
too much to say tina, Mr.. Summers speech
was the heaviest blow the Cubans ever re-
ceived
Now it appears, and has for a long time
past, as he might have ascer.ained then. had
it not suited the tortuous ways in which Mr..
Summers diplomatic views crawl, that the
so-called Cuban constitution did honestly
provide by its twenty-f first article for the
emancipation of slaves, and by others for
their enfranchisemeut In our diplomatic
rgespondence of 1910, l believe may be
found an accredited copy, translated for or
by United States consular officer Mr..
Sumner could have obtained, as this writer
did, a certified copy, before denouncing the
Cubans. BIT the fact that Mr.. Sumner had
the British
| INDIRECT CLAIMS "ON THE BRAIN
at that time, and was perfectly willing to
make Spanish or Cuban muddle, or both,
whether republicauism gained or not in
Spain, or Cubans were butchered, while
| fighting for impartial liberty, so that no COM
plicasions should be allowed to enter into
our case against Great Britain. by any pos
sibly premature recognition of Cuban bel
ligerency. Perhaps Mr.. Sumner may have
had ample warrant to do all he could hon
estly to prevent such complication; but the
great defender of conscience in public affairs
had no right to even bubble, still less to
ialsify by indirection or outright, in order
to accomplish his purpose. Another fact,
Mr.. Sumner has never in any way relieved
the heroic Cubans from the charges he then
made against them. AS to our
MIDDLE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
Mr.. Summers extravagant and preposter-
Gus inference or demands in the matter of
the indirect claims have been potential in
producing all of seriousness there ever has
been in the negotiations. General Grants
practical and peaceful policy has placed us
in an impregnabe position, both as to d.
plomatic victory over Great Britain as to
our rights as neutrals, and especially crowns
us with honor in the part we have taken in
the successful establishment of the principle
of international arbitration. The muidle
was Charles Summers; the success is II. s.
Grants and Hamilton Fish's.
But Mr.. Sumner weakes; traits-his SEN
timental method of dealing with grave is
sues-his rhetorical pettifogging his Gun.
ming and even dishonest manipulation of
facts and documents-receive their aptest
illustration in his course with regard to San
Domingo and his gushing championship of
THE BLACK REPUBLIC.n
All who have followed the San Domingo
quarrel understand the use Mr.. Sumner has
made of what he alleges to have been Presi
dent Grants arrogance towards Hayti. Ac-
cording to the Senator, Hayt has been the
victim first of the usurper Baez's conduct,
and then Of our tyranny and strength. The
systematic manner in which the Senator has
arranged and then continuously reiterated
certain points, shows that he has done it for
the definite purpose of breaking down per.
sonal antagonist at least whom he so
regards. Mr.. Harlan, of Iowa, punetured
in admirable style, by the application of
common sense and mastery statement of
the simple facts, the first elaborate effort of
Mr.. Sumner on "the Black Republic out
rage
In the last speech Grant is again ar
raigned, and in the recent letter to his
" wards" who fairly cry save me from
my friends if Mr.. Sumner is one in his
present attitude, he repeats it. After reca-
pitulating that the President formed the
idea of annexing San Domingo, Mr.. Sum
ner goes on to describe what he sensatonally
describes as the outrage perpetrated upon
nAyri WITH IT'S 500, 900 BLACKS
engaged in the great experiment of self
government" He declares that Grant
struck at the independence OF the Black
Republic in open menace Of war; and then
in the picturesque and dramatic style
" Ercles vein," the Senator says:
"Sailing into the harbor of Port au Prince
with our most powerful monitor, the Die
tator,' (properly named for the service, also
the frigate Severn as cOnsort and other
monitors in their train, the Admiral. acting
L..
ceeded to the executive mansion, aecompa
MED by the officers of his squadron. and
then, pointing to the great war ships in sight
from the windows. dealt his menace of war.
threatening to sink or capture the Hayden
ships. The president was black not white
The Admiral would have done no such thing
to any white man; nor would our country
have tolerated such menace from any gov
eminent in the world. Here was indig lity
not only to the Black Republic, with its pop
ulation of 500 600, but 10 the African race
everywhere, and especially in our own coun.
try. Nor did it end here. For months the
navy Of the United States was lowering on
the coast. keeping that insuted people in
constant anxiety, while President Grant was
to them like a hawk, sailing in the air and
ready to swoop upon his prey
1t is very effectively told, being Just that
sort of partial truth which is worse than a,
whole falsehood. Hayti at the time was
just coming out of a revolution more severe
than ordinary. Salnave, the legal presi-
dent, ally of San Domingo, and friend of the
United States. the statesman and soldier,
who had helped his ncighbor to throw off
the Spanish yoke, h,d been defeated by
|
! of the Dominican revolutionist. Cabral, had