The Simmer San Domingo Resolutions

Tbe followiuir W Ute ivsolui mus on whioh Seuitor Humoer based his made on Mondny : W7w-'- Any negotiation by OM nation with il peopl inferior in popularon and power, h-iving in view aoquiaition of torritory, should bo abovc uil suspieion of uifluanco from superior forte ; and, in testimony to this prinaiple, Spain boasted that the reineorporation of Dominica with hor nionarchy, in 1661, was accomplished without the prosenoe f a single Spaniah Bhip on the coasts, or a Spanish soldier on the land, all of whioh appcars in official documenis; and Whtreai, The United States, being a icpublio' founded on the righta of man, can not depart from snoh a principie and suca a precedent without weakening the obligations of justice between nations, and inflictiiu.' a blow upon republican institutions ; thercforo ifeWiW, That, in obedieneo to oorrect principie, and thatrepublioan institutions may not suffer, the naval forcos of tho United Stiitcss should be withdrawn from the coast of Santo Domingo during tho pendency of negotiations for the acquisition of anv part of that island. I: ,-,h,:f. That since tho èquality of all nations with regard to population, size, and power is an axiom of international law, as the èquality of all men is an axioni of our Deelaration of Indepondeno, nothing can be done to a sinall or weak nation that would not done to a largo or poworful nation, or that wc would not nllow to be done to oursclves ; and, therefore, any treatment of the Republio of Hayti by the Navy of the United States, inconsistent with this principie, is an infraction of international law in one of its gtcat safeguards, and should bo disowned Dy government of the United Statee. Rcaolwl, That sinco certain naval offioers of tho United States, with large war ressels, inoluding the monitor callcd the Dictator and tho frigate Sevrrn, with powerful armaments, acting under instructions from the Exeeutive, and without the authority of an act of Congross, have enterod one. or more port of the Reflublic of Hayti, a friendly nation, and under the menace of open and instant war, have aoorced and restrained that republic in its soveraigntj and independence under the intcrinirioiial law : therefbre, .iu.jüstice to the Republio of Hayti, also in. recognition of its equal rightsin ín tbi' fámily of nations, and in deferenco to the fundamental principies of our own institutions, theso hostilo acts should be disavowed by the government of tho United States. Baolted, That under the ConstituHon of the United States the power to declare war is placed under the safeguard of an act of Congress. That the President alone cannot declare war ; that this is a peculiar principie of our government by which it is distinguished from monarchical governments, whero the power to declare war, also thu treaty making power, is in the Exeeutive alone ; that in pursuance of this principie the President cannot by any act of his own as by an unratified treaty obtain any such power and thus.jjivest Congress of its supremo control ;" and that, therefore, the employment of the navy { without the authority of Congress, in acts of hostility against a friendly fureign nation, or inbelligerent intervention in tlie affairs of a foreign nation, is an infraction of the Constitution of the United Shit es. and a usurpation of powers not conferred upon the President. ResotecJ, That whilo the President, without any previous deelaration of war by act of Congress, may defend the countrj against invasión by foreign encuñes, he isnot justified in exercising the same power in a foreign outlying island, which has not vet become part of tho United States that" the title, under an unratified treaty ia at most inchoate, created by the President alone,, in which respect it ditters from any such. title created by act of Congress and since it is created by the Presiden alone, without the support of law, wheth er in legislation or a ratifled treaty, tho employment of the navy in the mainte nance of the government there ia withou any excuse of national defence, as also "Ífeí!Jíterl'fiJít"in 'ány " pröèeeduiga Tor the acquisition of part of the Island o Santo Domingo, whatever may bo its temptations of soil, climate, and productions, there must be no exereise of influence by superior force, nor any violation of public law, wbether international or constitutional, and therefore the present procecdings, which havo been conductec at great cost of money, under the constant shadow of superior foree, andthrough the belligercut intervention of our navj acting in violation of international law, and initiating war without the authority of an act of Congress, must le abandoned to the oud that justice may be maintained, nnd that proeeedings so hostile to correct principios may not become an example for the future. ResolreiJ, That instead of seeking to quire part oí the lslanu of Santo Donungo by belligerent intervention, without the authority of an act of Congress, it would have been in better accord with tlic principies of our repuLlie, and its misaion of peaco and beneficence had our government, in the spirit of good neighborhood, and by frieudly aotion, instoad of 1. inherent intervention strivcn for the establishment of tranquility througliout the ■ffhole island, so that the internal dissennions of Sunto Domingo, and its disturbad relations with Ilayti, might bo brought to a close, thus obtaining that security which is the first condition of prosperity ; all of which being in the nature of good offices, would have been without any violation of international law, and wiüiout any usurpation of war powera tinder the Constitution of the United States. lienolced, That whfttèver may bc tho title to territory mtdei an aaratifled troaty, it is positivo that after a failuro of a tveaty in the Senate all pretext to tíüe i sothat our government is in all respecte a stranger to sucli territory, without excuse or apology for any mteiferenoe againat its enemies, foreign ordomestic, and therefore any belligerent intervention' or act of war on the coast of the Island of San Domingo, after the failure of the Dominican treaty in the Senate, is unauthorized violence, without the support of law or n ison, and proceeding directly fiom that kingly prarogotive which ia disowncd bv the Constitution of the United States.