Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-02-05
NIOARAaUAN TREATY DnFEATED.
the Measure Fails 90 Receive Two.
thirds Vote.

| WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-The Senate this
evening reached vote on the NioaraguAn
treaty. The vote stood 80 for ratification
aud 20 against ratification. Before the
result was announced, Senator Edmunds,
who voted 10 rAtify, when his name was
called changed his vote from yea to nay,
aud entered q motion TO reconsider, which
is now pending. The defeat Of the treaty
was . great surprise 70 Mr.. Kdmunds,
who hoped TO retrieve 10. days negative
action, aud upon reoonsid deration to obtain
the six votes necessary TO ratify.
WHY THE TRkATY WAS REJECTED.
new York sun special
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-The rejection
Of the Nicaragua treaty to-day by the
Senate was not . surprise to those who
have known something Of the debates in
executive session but 1t was q sore dis
appointment to the state department and
to Mr.. EdmundB, who appears to have
had his heart set on ratification. Had
vote been taken last spring, when the
governu ent was engaged in Secret me-
gotistions with Nicaragua, the treaty
probably would have been ratified. The
stRte department at that time had o very
careful secret CANVASS made Of the Senate,
and its reports showed that over O two
thirds majority could be secured for rati-
fcAiion. Many Democrats who then ex-
pressed themselves as strongly in favor
Of the treaty voted against 1t to-day.
Their change Of mind was due to the fact
that they wished TO leave the matter open
for the new administration to deal with.
Doubtless, too, Mr.. Blaine helped to
put few stumbling blocks In Mr.. Ere.
linghuysen's way,b ut the most serious
opposition that Mr.. Rdmunds encountered
in trying to drive the treaty through the
Senate came from John Sherman. Mr..
Sherman had made . study OF the ques-
tion for years, and had fortified himself
with mass OF facts and arguments that
could not be met by friends Of the
measure. All accounts Of proceedings in
executive session agree in propouncing
Mr.. Sherman's speech the ablest effort
on either side Of the question.
Mr.. Rdmunds attempted TO meet
him with fine spun legal sophistries and
teohnioRlities, but could not break the
force OF Sherman's blows. Mr.. Sherman
carried with him half dozen Republican
votes, which, added to tine almost solid
Democratic vote, prevented Mr.. Edmunds
from getting tW0-thirds for It's ratification.
Mr.. Eimunds had n few Democratic
allies, led by Morgan of Alabama, but
under Mr.. Bsysrd's able leadership, the
large majority Of the Democrats
stood firm against the treaty. Mr..
Rdmunds gave notice that he would
move to reconsider to.dAy's vote, but
there ia little prospect that the result will
be reversed. Some Of the Democratic
senators would have been satisfied to
simply postpone action on the treaty, but
Mr.. Rdmunds insisted upon q irsct vote,
aud got IL. The measure Ia now In less
favorable position than It would have
been had action been simply postponed.
The vote to-day means that the Clay
ton. Bul~er treaty is yet regarded as in
force by q large number Of senators.
Some OF those who voted against the
Nicaragua treaty express themselves as
willing to have our government take
steps toward the abrogstion OF the Clay
ton. Bulwer agreement. Should that be
done, two-thirds vote for the Nicaragua
scheme could bs assured at any time.