New-York tribune., 1885-09-13

- 40 ,,,nd be ant down to write a'message ap
proying of the bill To quote his own words 70
me- he said al gave every reason could think OF
for approving Of 1t. While was writing began
to Doubt AS stated some of the foundation IDEAS,
their naked statement made me disbelieve their
truth, and by tho time had finished and read over
nv message. had convinced myself that was
wrong / sat down. and gave nv reasons 10 the
contrary, and l know Il am right" Thus tho
honesty of his mind triumphed over feeine interest,"
association pride of opinion. and consistency.
The next quality which attracted attention was
his want Of suspicion. Direct brave and un-
affected himself. he never seemed TO reaize any
pretence or subterfuge in other persons or to dream
that they would allow their judg nent of any ques-
tion or conduct in regard to It, to be influenced by
outside onsdsrations. He always assumed that
people were honest in their convictions as well as
their practices, and believed that honest mon
differed only from want of Judgment or lack OF IN
formation. Thus. he was always ready to throw
omen all the information at his command, on any
ouestion. and submit 1t fairly to the Judgment of
those. of whatever opinion they might be- whom he
Thought would deal with it fairly and honestly. In
the frst Civil Service Commission. he appointed as
two out of three of.the members from private lilo
Mr. George William Curtis. of New-fork ana MI
Joseph Msdll, of Chicago in order. as he said that
the question mi ght have fair chance And In the
appointnent of the special commission TO visit St.
Domingo to report upon q subject matter concern
ing which he and his administration were violently
attacked, he named. of his own accord as one OF
the three commissioners, DR.. Samuel Il. Howe, OF
Roston the intimate personal friend and admirer of
Mr. Sumner who was the most bitter opponent of
the ST. Domingo treaty. and led the most violent
attacks upon the Administration in regard to 1t.
And he associated with hun the Hon. Benjamin
Wade. of Ohio and Frederick Douglass. as con-
spcuous friends of the colorod racu whose real in
terests were claimed to be threatened in this
negotiation.
The real motive of General Grant and the policy
of his administration with regard to the ST. Do
minqo question have been but little understood In
the country; indeed, do not know that they have
ever been fairly presented.
General Grant encountered at the very beginning
of his administration the question OF our relations
to the Spanish West India Islands. which was then
agitating the country under the name OF the Cuban
question. These fragments of our continent lie
across the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico, and are
directly in the pathway of our domestic commerce.
Their proximity to us and the intimate intercourse
of their people with our own made them objects of
great interest. while their government by
European nation, with Spanish policy. administered
by irresponsible agents, gave constant occasion for
MISUNDERSTANDING and complicated questions of in
tsrnatonal rights The oppressive character of the
Spanish Government as administered there not only
aw akened the sympathy of the civilized world but
often uvo Sed in its operation direct American In
terests In short the country was excited upon tho
subect aad early in the administration OF General
Grant propositions for the purchase of the Island of
Cuba from Spain. for large sums. were suggested;
and these suggestions might have taken more
definite form but for the sudden death Of General
Prim- Under these circumstances the Island of st.
DOMINGO attracted the attention OF General Grant as
it had previously attracted the attention of and
been the subject Of negotiation by Mr.. Seward. He
sent one of his private secretaries. General o. T..
Babcock an engineer of great ability. to visit the
island and report to him conidentiaily regarding
It's condition and resources. General Bsbcock re-
turned with favorable report. and with sketch
or protocol of proposed treaty. This contem-
plated sort of pIotectorate of the 81. Domingo
portion Of the island by tho United States and iu
cluded lease of the Bay and Peninsula of samana.
as a naval and coaling station for ships in the
West Indies: These propositions after being the
subject Of long and acrimonious debate IN the
Senate failed to receive its approval il was pend
ing the discussion that the formal commission 10
which have referred was sent to the island under
governmental sanction and in q naval vessel The
st. Domingo portion Of the island contained pop
ulation of only about 10000. This comparatively
customed to self-governmcnt and familiar with
its forms and processes. The Island produces
tobacco sugar coffee and all the tropical plants in
abundance IL has mines of gold, silver and salt.
1t is covered with forests of mahogany and log
wood. It's climate was understood to be more
salubrous and less liable to tropical epidemies than
the rest OF the West Indies. 1t is next in size 10
Cuba. and 1t is the wndward island. fankiDg the
whole group. With this island. occupied and its
resources developed by American intelligence and
industry, might expect to surpass both in
quantity and quality. the productions OF Cuba and
reduce her value both TO US and TO Spain that In
few years she wOnd be In situation 20 gravitato
toward US, If desired to have her. without dis
turbauce and alIsOst without expense. IL was ms
understood it. the general idea OF President Grant
thus to Hank" the Cuban question ana ultimately
compel Spain 20 give up .he island. rcmoinber in
this connection an incident, suggestive OF the
perception which General Grant bud OF the chaTac-
terstcs of particular men and ol the sharp Illus
trati0n ia which he sometimes. though rarely
going on, | got the idea rightfully or wrongiully,
that these broader considerations of which have
spoken had not been fully understood, and asked
permission TO present them personally to states
man who had already aTrayed himself IN violent
opposition TO the treaty. hoping to Impress him with
the breadth OF this yiew aud with the ultimate
benefits which would accrue 10 the commercial
interests of this country as well as its prospective
effect toward the Improvement and consequent
elevation OF the cOored race. The President replied
| to me with smile: Ii is useless 10 present this
matter in point OF view to that gentleman. He
did not orig pate il, and will therefore
| to il. He believes in nothing but himself The
reason why he doesn't believe the Bible is because
| he didn't write it,"
OF the most responsible and d Gicult of the
dntes which degOlyed upon General Grants Admin
istrati0n those which out OF the question
OF reconstruction. These often complicated in
principle and difficult and delicate in execution.
| In many of the Southern States those who had
been in rebellion against the General Government
coming forward TO take au interest aud assume
control OF their local affairs. was impossible for
them 10 accept al once the spirit OF the new const
| tutional amendments and almost as impossible to
| conform 10 the methods prescribed by the laws
| made in pursuance of them. They had not time to
hnhL irfl Il