New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-04
NO THANKS TO PRETORIA
WHY PRESIDENT GRANT VETOED CON
GRESS'S RESOLUTION IN 1875

interesting
international incident in which the South Afri-
can Republics capital the central figure. on
account of which incident" there arose a mild
conflict between the law making and the Execu-
tive branches of the United States Government
under circumstances of unusual and noteworthy
character.
While Americans were congratulating them
selves upon the suspicious celebration of the
hundredth anniversary of American indie
pendence messages Of felcitation and congratu-
lation from the heads Of several foreign nations
were received by the Government at Washing
ton through the proper official channels. At
the time. however, a message of this nat
ure, purporting to convey Congratulations from
the Republic of Pretoria South Africa" and
another message from the Argentine Republic
were misdirected to the Congress of the United
States instead of to the Department of State at
Washington. These waits from abroad afford
ed opportunity to certain enthusiastic mem
bers to rush through Congress two joint resolu-
lions, purporting to direct the Secretary
of State to acknowledge dispatch of congratu-
lation from the Argentine Republic and the high
appreciation of Congress of the compliment thus
conveyed" the other directing the Secretary of
State to communicate to the Republic of Pre-
toria' the high appreciation of Congress of the
complimentary terms in which said republic has
referred to the first centennial of our National
independence"
These Congressional enactments were formally
laid before President Grant for his approval;
but after brief examination, the President We
toed both resolutions, returning them to the
House, in which they originated accompanied
by a message explaining the reasons for his OBJ
jections:
Sympathizing as 1 do in the spirit Of courtesy
and friendly recognition which has prompted
the passage of these resolutions, 1 cannot escape
he
tently involved the exercise of power which
tnfringes upon the constitutional rights of the
Executive. The usage of governments generally
confines their correspondence and interchange
of opinion and of sentiments of cOngratulation
well of discussion to one certain estab-
lished agency. To allow correspondence or in
terchange between States to be conducted by or
with more than such agency would neces
sarily lead to confusion, and possibly 10 contra
dctory presentation of views and to interna-
tional complications. No information is
furnished as to the terms or purport of the com
munications to which acknowledgements are de-
sired; copy of the communications accom-
panied the resolutions, is the of the
officer or of the body to whom Acknowledge
ment could be addressed given 1t is not known
whether these congratulatory addresses proceed
from the head of the State or from legislative
bodies. From the tenor of the two joint reso-
lutons it is to be inferred that these communi-
cations probably purely cOngratulatory
Friendly and kindly intentioned they may be-
the presentation by a foreign State of any COM
munication to a branch of the Government not
contemplated by the Constitution for the recep-
ton of communications from foreign States
might, if allowed TO pass without notice, become
a precedent for the address by foreigners or by
foreign States of communications of a different
nature and with wicked designs. And, re-
CARDS the resolution relating to the Republic of
Pretoria cannot learn that any State Gov
eminent of that name exists.
President Grant probably knew, from the pub
lie records. that the communication from Pre-
toria which formed the basis for the action in
Congress was a letter from the VOlksraad of
the Republic of the Transvaal, written at Pre-
toria and addressed to THE Chairman of the
House of Representatives of the United States;
1t was polite message from the principal legis-
lative body of African republic addressed to
one branch of the Congress of the United States,
conveying congratulations of the former to the
latter upon the occasion Of the celebration of
the first centenary of American independence. !
Nevertheless the President only reason
ably cautious, there having been then fresh in
bis memory a somewhat embarrassing occur
the attempt of Charles Stewart Parnell and
O'Connor Power, members of the British Par
lament, present to the President of the United
States address the occurrence of the
American Centennial. Their address, however, !
was never presented to the President owing to
the fact that Messrs. Parnel and Power had not !
proceeded through the proper channel to reach |
the President of the United States, and, besides,
the British Minister at Washington found the |
address objectionable in tone toward his Gov |