Year: 1870


Morton, of Indiana, for the appoint
ment of a Commission to proceed
to San Domingo for the purposes Of
ascertaining the condition of the
people, their sentiments in regard
to annexation to the United States,
&c.


Senator Sumner delivered o
lengthy speech against the resolu-
tions and took occasion TO speak OF
the President of the United States
in a manner so remarkable for its
abuse that we presume will make its
author popular with the Democracy
from that day forward.


From the telegraphic account OF
the debate, we give below the SUBJ
stance OF Senator Morton's reply,
with some reu.a;, by others, and
the final result of the debate:


Mr.. MORTON replied at length
and in detail to the points made by
Mr.. Sumner. Referring to Mr..
Summers suggestion that he (Mor-
ton was the confidential adviser OF
the President and frequent visitor
at the White House, where he con-
ferred with the President in the
-blue room, he admitted that he had
frequently seen the President in the
blue room, because he was some
what lame and unable to get up
stairs, and the President was kind
enough to come down to see him
there. When he went into the blue
room it was not for secrecy or pri-
vate conference. He had never b.
truded his opinions on the President
on any subject, and never gave it
unless asked for, and then endea-
vored to give it honestly and tell
the truth. If the Senator meant to
impute to him the fact that he was
friend of the President, personally
and politically, he was quite right.
He had been his friend and admire-
ever since the battle of Fort Donel-
son. and although he sometimes
disagreed with the President in re-
gard TO appointments and other
matters, he always tried to differ
with him in such way as not to as
sail his personal character, or de-
moralize the party of which he was
the head. A series of assaults had
been made on the President from
time to time ever since mis- inaugu-
ration, and scarcely had one subsi
ded before another was begun. The
President had been treated with
bitterness, persecution, violence and
calumny that had not been visited
on any executive of the United
States since the days of Thomas
jefferson. But one by one these
assaults had utterly failed; they had
been exposed and had become con-
temptible to The people of the coun-
try; the arrows of calumny had fall
len by his side. and although it had
been frequently announced that the
President had fallen, he had always
managed to fall on his feet, and so
would fall through his administra-
ton, or connection with public life.
The administration thus far was a
great success. The assaults on it
were of a personal character, and
did not touch the great and won
derful success of the admins ration.
The gen. raj results of the ad-
ininistration were grand al
most beyond precedent, and if they
should go on for the next two years
as it had for the last twenty months.
these grand results would be so
conspicuous, understood and ad-
mired by all men, that they would
overwhelm all opposition. The
people did not look st personal
considerations. They did not care
whether Mr. Cox or Mr.. Delano was
Secretary of the Interior, or whether
Mr. Motley or Mr.Schenck was Am
hassador to the Conrt of st. James.
What they waated to know was that
the government was well and faith
fully administered, knowing that all
these personal considerations were
blushed aside as mere worthless
ssraws. The assault of the Senator
from Massachusetts on the Fresi-
dent was most unprovoked and in
defensible. It was not a difference
from the President in mere political
considerations, but he had substan-
TALLY charged the President with
usurpation and crime, and had COM
pared his administration to that Of
Buchanan and Pierce. He had
drawn 4 comparison between Saget.
the murderer and usurper of the
Republic of Hayti, and President
Grant, much to the disparagement
of the President ofthe United States.
The argument of the Senator from
Massachusetts throughout had DEM
onstratedthe importance and neces-
siiy of an Investigation. Mr.. Sum-
ner had appeared upon the stand as
a witness and had testified copiously
and voluminously, but had not pro-
duced any testimony to sustain any
of MS own assertions. The resoiu-
ton for this proposed commission
that should 60 upon the GROUND, ana
make an examination so far as one
couli be made, and report back the
facts to Congress. SO that Congress
might judge itself whether or not
annexation was desirable. When
he introduced the resolution he
supposed it'could not elicit debate:
he supposed tnat they. would not be
opposed, but would pass without
opposition. Nearly all the points
made by the Senator from Massa-
chuscLts were immalerial to the pur-
pose or the resolution. The Sena-
tor had spent his force in matters
which, 81 far as the resolution was
concerned, might be designated as
frivolous and wholly immateriaf


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