Year: 1871

tofore professed to be pre- eminently the
friends of the rights of man believed
would be my most violent assailants if
neglected SO clear duty. Accordingly,
after having appointed a commission to
visit the island. who declined on account
of sickness, | selected a second gentle
man, in whose capacity, judgment and
integrity / had and have yet the most
unbouuded confidence He visited San
Domingo, not to secure or hasten annex
alton, but unprejudiced and unbiased to
learn all the facts about the government,
the people and the resources of that re-
public. He went certainly as well pre-
pared to make an unfavorable report as a
favorable one if the facts warranted it.
His report fully corroborated the views
of the previous commissioners, and upon
its receipt felt that sense Of duty and
due regard for our great national inter-
! ests required me to negotiate a treaty for
the acquisition of the republic of San
Doiuingo. Is, .'f.


As soon as it became publicly known
that such treaty had been negotiated,
the attention of the country was occa-
pied with the allegation calculated to
prejudice the merits Of the case, and
with aspersions upon those whose duty
had connected them with it, Amidst the
public excitement thus created, the treaty
failed to receive the requisite two-thirds
vote of the Senate and was rejected, but
whether the action of that body was
based wholly upon the merits of the
treaty or might not have been in some
degree influenced by such unfo,,nded al
! legations, could no. be known 10 the
people, because the debates Of the Sen
ate in secret session are not pub bed
Under these circumstances | deemed il
due to the office which / hold, and due
to the character of the agents who had
been charged with the the investigation
that such proceedings should be had as
would enable the people to know the
truth. A commission was therefore
constituted under authority of Congress,
consisting of gentlemen selected with
special reference to their high character
and capacity for the laborous work en-.
trusted to them, who were instructed to
visit the spot and report upon the facts
Other eminent citizens were requested to
accompany the commissioners, in order
that the people might have the benefit
of their views. Students of science and
correspondents of the press. without re-
gard to political opinions, were invited to
join the expedition, and their numbers
were limited only by the capacity of the
vessel.


The mere rejection by the Senate of a
treaty negotiated by the President only
indicates difference of opinion between
two coordinate Departments of the gov
ernment, without touching the character
or wounding the pride of either. But
when such rejection takes place simulta-
neously, with charges openly made Of
corruption on the part of the President
or of those employed by him. the case is
different. Indeed in such a case the
honor of the nation demands invcstiga-
ton. This has been accomplished by
the report of the commissioners herewith
transmitted, and which fully vindicates
the purity of the motives and action OF
those who represented the United States
in the negotiations. And now my task
is flushed, and with it ends all personal
solicitude upon the subject.


My duty being done, yours begins, and
I gladly haud over the whole matter to
the Judgment of the Anne rican people
and of their representatives in Congress
assembled. The facts will now be spread
before the country and decision render
ed by that tribunal whose convictions
seldom err, and against whose will | have
no policy to enforce My opinion remains
unchanged; indeed, it is confirmed by
the report that the interests of our coun'
try and of San Domingo alike invite the
annexation of that republic.


In view of the difference of opinion
upon this subject, l suggest that no &C.
ton be taken at the present session be-
yond the printing and general dissemina.
ton of the report. Before the next ses-
sion of Congress the people will have
considered the subject and formed an in
telligent opinion concerning it, to which
opinion. deliberately made up, it will be
the duty of every department of the gov
ernment to give heed, and no one will
more cheerfully conform to it than my
SELF 1t is not only the theory of ouI
Constitution that the will of the people
constitutionally expressed is the supreme
law, but have ever believed that " men
are wiser than any one man." and if the
people, upon full presentation Of the
facts, shall decide that the annexation i:
not desirable, every department of the
government should acquiesce in that de-
cision.