The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-05-01
Senator sumner, the President, and
San Domingo.

San Domingo.
The Late Senator Sumner prepared for
delivery In the Senate, in March. ISL, a
speech In reference 10 the San Domingo
I job. for his persistent opposition 10 which
II L well known he incurred the hatred
and in will Of the President and the rest
Of the ring interested in getting the bill
/ through Congress. This speech, through
the intercession Of some Of Mr.. Summers
friends. was withheld. and has never been
published until since the Senator's death,
when IL found IL way into print Through
the New York Tribune. We append here
70 an interesting extract. Mr.. Sumner
said
AT last. some time In June, 1870,
few weeks before the san Domingo treaty
was finally rejected by the Senate. the
Secretary came 10 my house about
o'clock in the evening and remained till al
ter the clock struck midnight. the whole
protracted visit being occupied in earnest
and reiterated appeal that should cease
my opposition 10 the Presidential scheme;
and here he urged that the election which
made General Grant President had been
carried By him and not by the Republican
party. 20 that his desires were entitled TO
especial attention. In his pressure on me
he complained that | had opposed other
projects Of the President. In reply 10 my
inquiry he named the repeal Of the Ten
ure-of-Office act. and the nomination of
Mr.. Jones a Minister TO Brussels, both Of
which the President had much at heart,
and he concluded with the san Domingo
treaty.
Il assured the Secretary firmly and
simply that, seeing the latter a. l did.
with all it, surroundings. my duty
was plain. and that must con-
tinue TO oppose il as long as it
appeared to me wrong. He was
not satisfied, and renewed his pressure in
various forms. returning 10 the point again
and again with perseyering assiduity that
would not BE- arrested. when at last, find
ing me infiexible, he changed his appeal.
saying, Why not go 10 Londons /
offer you the English mission. 1t Is
yours
''Of his authority from the President
know nothing. l speak only of what he
said. My astonishment was heightened by
Indignation al this too palpable attempt 10
take me from my post OF duty; but / sup
pressed the feeling which rose to the lips,
and rejecting that he was an old friend
and in my own house, answered gently.
We have a minister there that cannot be
beitered.' Thus already did the mission
to London begin TO pivot on san Do
mingo.
:" 4 make this revelation only because il
j. important 10 a correct understanding OF
the case. and because the conversation,
from beginning TO end. was official in char
acter. relating exclusively to public bust
ness. without suggestion or allusion of a
personal nature. and absolutely without
the slightest word OF my part leading in
the most remote degree TO any such over
ture, which was a. unexpected a. unde-
sired
The offer of the Secretary was in no
respect a compliment or Kindness. but in
the strict line Of his endeavor to silence my
opposition TO the San Domingo scheme, a.
too apparent from the facts, while II was
plain. positive and unequivocal. making
Its object and import beyond question. Had
it been merely an inquiry. il were bad
enough under the circumstances. but il
was direct and complete a by plenip0-
tertiary.
shortly afterwar,l. being the day imme-
diately following the rejection of the san
Domingo treaty. Mr.. Motley was summa-
rily removed. according TO present pre-
tense. for an offending not only trivial and
formal. but c0ndOned by time. being a
year old--very much "a sir Walter Raleigh.
after being released from the Tower to
conduct distant expedition a. admiral of
the fleet. was on his return beheaded on a
Judgment OF fifteen years standing The
Secretary in conversation and in CORES
pOndenee with me undertook 10 explain
the removal. insisting for long time that
he was the friend OF MIR. Motley but he
always made the matter worse. while the
heats Of San Domingo entered into the
discussion