Year: 1871

Thus the most important position in


the practical business ofthe Senate Is the
Craftsmanship OF the Committee on For.
cign Relations. 1t requires, more than
any other trust in the gift Of the Senate,
sagacious craftsmanship, extensive learn.
ing, and the confidence Of the people.
Under the administration Of the last three
Presidents, it has been occupied, to the
satisfaction Of the country by Mr. Sum.
ner; and it Is admitted, in the Senate and
out of it, that there Is no other Senator so
well qualified for the position as he. The
actual choice Of the head of o committee,
by the vote OF the Senate, Is not matter
upon which any external influence can
properly be brought 10 bear.


But, unfortunately for the Senate, the
majority have not only determined to re.
move Otr. Sumner, but they have made
notorious their reason for the act. The
reason is, that the President, the other
branch of the Executive, in its control
over our foreign policy, does not find in
him man whom he can shape to his
will. The President has scheme Of his
own; one which very great part Of both
Houses Of Congress, and nearly all the
people of the country, regard as personal,
not national and Senator Sumner op.
poses the use OF powers not granted to
the Executive by the Constitution for car
rying out this scheme. In short, the
President, for ends with which he has
fully identified himself, but Of the wisdom
Of which he cannot satisfy the country,
demands that the Senate will allow him
to dictate to 1t the appointment of its own
committees.


The acceptance Of this dictation by the
Senate is the surrender TO the President
Of the powers which the Constitution de.
vised as o check upon him. It is
warning TO every member of that body
that the will Of a master is to be tho rule
Of their deliberations; and that oppOsi.
ton to that will, in the interest Of the pco
pie and Of the law, will be the signal for
persecution. II the Senate Is thus open
to the influence and control of the Ad.
ministratiOn, all the checks upon .the
Presidents will in our foreign affairs be.
come more than Useless; for they are not
checks, but mere occasions for the prac-
tice Of an interference with the Senate
which cannot fail to be in itsclfmost per.
nicious and Corrupting. Better at once
to give the absolute power OF making
treaties and appointing all the officers Of
the Senate and Of tho diplomatic service
to the President alone; that Is make the
Senate OF the United States precisely simi.
lar 10 the late Senate of tic late French
Emperor.


In this case, however, the unconstitu.
tional and usurpng course by which o
treaty has been negotiated without I'm am.
basSador, and acts of war carried on
against friendly republic without the
consent Of Congress, the course which
Senator Sumner has exposed and resisted,
has won but barren victory. A glance
at the vote In the caucus upon turning
him out Of his post shows that the states.
manship Of the body, tho intellect and
character which give it its power, are
against the change. Irvotes were weigh.
ell, not counted, he would remain; and
they will not be counted, but weighed, at
the tribunal of public opinion. The ap.
peal from argument 10 tho bludgeOn,
against Mr., Summers attack on slavery
extension, was the conlession'of South
Carolina that the extension Of slavery
could not be defended. The appeal from
argument 10 prescription against his dc.
tense Of the Constitution from usurpatiOns
Is the confession of the San Domingo con
spiratOrs that their case has no chance
before the country but by suppressing the
protest Of experience, conscience, and pub.
lie honor against It.