If the President of the United States had contented himself with thus joining issue with the President of Hayti, I should have left the two face to face; but, not content with making this issue, the President of the United States proceeds to menace the independence of Hayti. Sir, the case is serious. Acting in the spirit of his commodore, he nine times over makes this menace. I have the Message here, and now I substantiate what I say. The part relating to this subject begins,—
“During the last session of Congress a treaty for the annexation of the Republic of San Domingo to the United States failed to receive the requisite two-thirds vote of the Senate.”
Here he speaks of the rejection of the treaty for the annexion of Dominica, calling it “the Republic of San Domingo.” This is distinctive. Then he proceeds to demand the annexion of the whole island. I read as follows:—
“I now firmly believe, that, the moment it is known that the United States have entirely abandoned the project of accepting as a part of its territory the island of San Domingo, a free port will be negotiated for by European nations in the Bay of Samana.”
I say nothing of the latter part of the proposition; I leave that to the judgment of the Senate; but here you have a proposition for the whole island of San Domingo. The Senate have rejected a treaty for the annexion of the Republic of San Domingo.
Mr. Morton. Mr. President,——
Mr. Sumner. The Senator will not interrupt me now. I shall finish this statement presently, and then he may interrupt me.—Having thus laid down his basis proposing the annexion of the whole island, which is called by the geographers sometimes Hayti and sometimes San Domingo, the President then proceeds to his second menace:—
“The acquisition of San Domingo is desirable because of its geographical position.”
He has already described it as “the island of San Domingo,” and it is desirable because of its geographical position,—an argument as applicable to Hayti as to Dominica.
Then he proceeds to the third:—