Washington DC May 14 1871
President Grant was riding a high moment. He had just returned from Santo Domingo to watch Dominican Republic flag come down and Old Glory raised to replace it. The Dominican Republic Annexation Treaty had been a close run vote. If Senator Summer hadn’t died when he did Grant doubted it would had passed, but when Summer died last spring the rallying force to defeat the treaty had melted away. Hell his death was making life a lot easier for everyone in the State Department. The treaty had just did get out of the Senate with 42 to 14 vote. But that was enough, and now the Dominican Territory could serve as a safe haven for former slaves from their former masters.
As he walked into his office he knew he to speak with Secretary Fish about the ongoing talks with the British. But first he wanted to read this morning’s newspaper. After reading a few pieces on the annexation of the Dominican Republic, President Grant found on the European War of 1870-71[1]. He wonder what took the French so long to finally agree to the terms put forward by Bismarck and Lanza had put forward. But they had finally agreed to hand over Alsace-Lorraine to the Germans and Nice and Savoy to the Italians. The French also had to pay a six billion Franc war indemnity between the two nations that had defeated France. [2]
Grant put down the newspaper after finishing reading the piece on the European War. As he was putting the paper down there was a knock at the door. President Grant spoke, “Enter.”
In came Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. He spoke, “It’s good to see you again Mister President.”
“Its good to see you to Hamilton. So how are the talks with the British going?”
“We have worked out a treaty that is really good for us.”
“That’s great news Hamilton, so what is the treaty.”
“In return for dropping the Alabama and Florida claims [3] they agreed to give up control of British Colombia and their North-Western Territory for a lump sum of 15 million dollars. The British would still keep Vancouver and Baffin Islands in this treaty.”
[1] ITL version of the Franco-Prussian War
[2] Five billion to Germany, One Billion to Italy
[3] ITL the claims were unworthy of 65 million dollars.
President Grant was riding a high moment. He had just returned from Santo Domingo to watch Dominican Republic flag come down and Old Glory raised to replace it. The Dominican Republic Annexation Treaty had been a close run vote. If Senator Summer hadn’t died when he did Grant doubted it would had passed, but when Summer died last spring the rallying force to defeat the treaty had melted away. Hell his death was making life a lot easier for everyone in the State Department. The treaty had just did get out of the Senate with 42 to 14 vote. But that was enough, and now the Dominican Territory could serve as a safe haven for former slaves from their former masters.
As he walked into his office he knew he to speak with Secretary Fish about the ongoing talks with the British. But first he wanted to read this morning’s newspaper. After reading a few pieces on the annexation of the Dominican Republic, President Grant found on the European War of 1870-71[1]. He wonder what took the French so long to finally agree to the terms put forward by Bismarck and Lanza had put forward. But they had finally agreed to hand over Alsace-Lorraine to the Germans and Nice and Savoy to the Italians. The French also had to pay a six billion Franc war indemnity between the two nations that had defeated France. [2]
Grant put down the newspaper after finishing reading the piece on the European War. As he was putting the paper down there was a knock at the door. President Grant spoke, “Enter.”
In came Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. He spoke, “It’s good to see you again Mister President.”
“Its good to see you to Hamilton. So how are the talks with the British going?”
“We have worked out a treaty that is really good for us.”
“That’s great news Hamilton, so what is the treaty.”
“In return for dropping the Alabama and Florida claims [3] they agreed to give up control of British Colombia and their North-Western Territory for a lump sum of 15 million dollars. The British would still keep Vancouver and Baffin Islands in this treaty.”
[1] ITL version of the Franco-Prussian War
[2] Five billion to Germany, One Billion to Italy
[3] ITL the claims were unworthy of 65 million dollars.
