Referring back, of course, to what he has already said.
Then he proposes,—
“A commission to negotiate a treaty with the authorities of San Domingo for the acquisition of that island, and that an appropriation be made to defray the expenses of such commission.”
Here is the proposition undisguised.
And he winds up with the ninth:—
“So convinced am I of the advantages to flow from the acquisition of San Domingo,” &c.
Thus nine times——
Mr. Morton rose.
Mr. Sumner. Not quite yet. The Senator will take notice when I have done with this point, and then he shall have the floor.—Nine times in this Message has the President, after joining issue first with the President of Hayti,—nine times has he menaced the independence of the Haytian Republic. Some remarkable propositions at times are received with nine cheers. Here is a menace nine times over; and throughout the whole of that San Domingo column, written with so much intensity, we are called to consider commercial, financial, material advantages, and not one word is lisped of justice or humanity, not one word of what we owe to the neighboring Republic of Hayti, nine times menaced.