From the moment the Treaty was first proposed it met with great opposition in the Legislature, and many people predicted that the Senate would never ratify it.
The feeling of the public was, however, so strongly in favor of the Treaty, that it was thought it would surely be ratified after certain objectionable clauses were changed.
The Committee on Foreign Relations took the Treaty in hand to make these alterations; and when it was reported back to the Senate, people hoped that it was in a form that would be found acceptable.
This has not proved to be the case.
The Constitution of the United States requires a two-thirds vote for the ratification of a treaty, which of course you understand means that two-thirds of the Senators present must vote for it, or it is lost.
On Wednesday, the 5th, there were sixty-nine present when the vote was called. Forty-three voted for ratification, twenty-six against it.
You will see by this that the Treaty was defeated by only three votes.
When this Treaty was signed at Washington in January, everybody rejoiced. The United States was praised by all Europe for being the first nation to take such an important step in the advancement of peace.
The leading papers declare that, in spite of the rejection of the Treaty by the Senate, the American people are still in favor of it; and that, had the matter been given to the people to decide, the result would have been different.