American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-18


livery when he was ruled out of the Re.
publican Senatorial caucus and removed
from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
and the New York Tribune of April 6
publishes it. The circumstances under
which 1t was prepared and suppressed
were related by the author in the sub
Joined note, dated Washington, June
1871:
To THE REApER-This statement was pre-
pared in March, shortly after the debate in the
Senate. but was withheld at that time from I'M
Willingness TO take part in the controversy while
able friends regarded the question OF principle in
volved as above every personal issue Yielding at
last to various pressure, Mr.. Sumner concluded
Senate, but the treaty with Great Britain and the
case OF the newspaper correspondents were so
engrossed as to leave no tine for anything else.
The following are the essential parts of
the speech:
eUANER's RELATIONS WITH PRESIDENT GRANT.
The speech begins with the avowal that it
Is made with great reluctance and with no
view to revive the heat of recent debates,
but in the discharge of public duty where
the claims of patriotism are above even those
of self-defense. The Senate and the country
have au interest in knowing the truth of this
matter, and SO also has the Republican party
which cannot be Indifferent to prctensions in
its name; nor will anything but the COM
pletest franknese he proper for the occasion ~
After abiding to the assaults made on him,
especially by Senator Howe, of Wisconsin, he
Gays:
IT is alleged that have no personal rela-
tons with the President. Here the answer is
easy. l have precisely the relations which he
has chosen. On reaching Washington in
December last, WAS assured from various
quarters that the White House was angry
with me, and soon after The public journsls
reported the President as saying to Senator
that II he were not President he would call
me to account What he meant never I'M
derstood, nor would attribute 70 him more
than he meant; but that he used the language
reported have no doubt, from information
on this point l have no doubt The same
newspapers reported also that member of
the Presidents household, enjoying his pecul
lar confidence, taking great part in the Santo
Domingo scheme, had menaced me with per-
sonal violence. l could not believe the story
except on positive, unequivocal testimony.
That the menace WAS made on the condition
Of bis not being an army officer l do not
doubt The member of the household, when
Intercepted by my excellent colleague (Mr.
WILSON,, positively denied the menace, but l
am ASSURED, on authority above question, that
he has since acknowledged 1t, while the Pres
ident still retains him in service and sends him
TO this chamber.
during this last session 1 have opposed
the Presidential policy on an important ques-
ton; but always without one word touching
motives, or one suggestion OF corruption on
his part, although l never doubted that there
NO such immunity 1t now appears that
fabens, who came here as plenipotentiary to
press the scheme, has concessions to such
amount that the diplomatist is lost in the
speculator. l always insisted that the Presi-
dent was no party to any such transaction l
should do injustice to my own feelings if l did
not here declare my regret that l could not
agree with the President. / tried to think as
he did, but could not. l listened to the ar
guments on his side; but in vain. The adverse
multiplied with time and re-
Fiction To those who know the motives of
my life it is superfiuous for me to add that
sought simply the good of my country and
humanity, including especially the good of the
much
Already there was anger at the White
House when the scheme TO buy aud annex
half an leland in the Caribbean Sea was
pressed upon the Senate in legislative session
under the guise Of appointing commission,
and 1t became my duty to expose it. Here l
am constrained to show how, at q very large
expense, the usurper BaeZ was maintained In
power by the navy of the United States, to en-
able him to sell his country, while at the
same time the independence of the Black Re-
public Was menaced, all of which was in
violation 81 international law and of the Con-
.tituton OF the United States, which reserves
What I aid was In open debate, where the
record Will speak for me- hand it over to
the most careful scrutiny, knowing that the
President can take no just exception to it un-
less he insists upon limiting proper debate,
and boldly denies the right of q Senator to ex-
press himself freely on great acts of wrong
Nor will any Republican Senator admit that
the President can impose his own sole will
upon the Republican party. Our party is in
lteol1 republic with universal suffrage, and
until measure is adopted by the party no
Republican President eau make it q party
test.
SUMMERS RELATIONS WITH SECRETARY FISH.
sAueh - am panied in making this state
ment with regard to the President, infinitely
more painful 10 me is what must present
with regard to the Secretary of State Here
again remark that 1 am driven to this ex-
pfaAAeaon. His strange and unnatural con-
duct toward me, and his prompting of Sena-
t0ss Whos one after another, have set mp my
alleged relations with him as ground of COM
piaiht, make it necessary for me to proceed.
- We were sworn Senators on the same
day, as far back Us 1851, and from that distant
time we're friends until the Santo Domingo
business intervened. Nothing could exceed
our kindly relations in the past. On the even
ing OF the inauguration of Gen. Grant as
President he was at my house with Mr.. Mot
leg IN friendly communion, and all uniting in
aspirations for the new administration. Litile
did Mr.. Motley or myself imagine in that So
cial hour that one OF our little circle was SO
soon to turn upon us both.
Shortly afterward Mr.: Fish became Seere-
tary Of State, and began his responsible duties
BY appealing to me for help. need not say
to aid him. or much, from his
arrival down to his alienation on the Santo
Domingo business, possess the written rec
ord. For come time lie showed a sympathy
with the scheme almost as little as my own
But As the President grew in earnestness the
Secretary yielded, until tardily he became its
attorney. Repeatedly he came to my house,
pleading for the scheme. Again and again he
urged 1t sometimes at my house and some
of hiS 4 bod H.,
could do SO, and expressed my establishment
with the frankness of old friendship. For
apology he announced that he the Presi-
denrs friend, and took Office as such. But
saad l, You should resign rather than do this
thing This could not refrain from remark
Ing on discovery from dispatches in the State
Department that the usurper Baez was main
t.ined In power by our navy. This plain act
OF wrong required instant redress; but the
Secretary astonished me again by his insensi-
blhty 10 my appeal for justice. He maintained
the President, as the President maintained
Bsez. confess that WAS troubled.
AT last, some time in June, 1870, few
weeks before the Sauto Domingo treaty was
finally rejected by the Senate, the Secretary
came to my house about nine O'Clock in the
evening and remained till after the clock
struck midnight, the whole protracted visit
being occupied in earnest and reiterated ap-
peal that should cease my opposition to the
Presidential scheme; and here he urged that
the election which made Gen. Grant President
had been carried hy him and not by the Re
publican party. SO that his desires were emit
tied to especial attention. In his pressure on
me he complained that had opposed other
projects Of the President. In reply to my in
quiry, he named the repeal of the Tenure of
Office act and the nomination of Mr.. Jones as
Minister to Brussels, both of which the Presi-
dent had much at heart, and he concluded
with the Santo Domingo treaty. l assured
the Secretary firmly and simply that, seeing
the latter as did, with all its surroundings,
my duty was plain, and that must continue