Studies in American History 
209 
reference of the question of independence to a vote of the people of the 
Dominion. Independence means annexation. They are one and the same 
thing. 
Altho in subsequent negotiations Fish dropped Canada 
from the discussion, the President, who was determined to 
annex San Domingo, was favorable to the annexation of Can- 
ada also. He was still under the influence of the view held 
by Sumner, that the settlement of money claims should be 
combined with a movement in the direction of the withdrawal 
of the British flag in whole or in part from the North Amer- 
ican continent. In suggesting to Fish instructions for a 
minister to replace Motley at London, he proposed that he 
should attempt a negotiation of the Alabama claims upon a 
basis of payment of actual losses, revision of the principles of 
international law, and “the submission to the voters of the 
Dominion of the question of independence”. Fish, altho he 
did not doubt the eventual destiny of the Canadian provinces 
to be annexed to the United States and still hoped for early 
annexation, was now not so sure of the realization of the 
president’s expectations of annexation during his administra- 
tion. 
Near the close of 1870 a series of events contributed to has- 
ten the negotiations with Great Britain for the adjustment 
of the Alabama claims. About the middle of November, Con- 
stantin Catacazy, the Russian minister, suggested to Fish that 
the condition of European affairs indicated that it was an 
opportune time to press for an immediate settlement. On 
November 20, 1870, in a conversation with Thornton, Fish 
alluded to Catacazy’s suggestion and in reply to Thornton’s 
inquiry, stated a basis of settlement which omitted any men- 
tion of Canada. 
Two weeks later Grant sent to Congress his annual message 
in which he devoted considerable space to Canada, whose 
policy was so intimately associated with future American 
development. Advocating the annexation of San Domingo, 
not only as a good financial and economic measure, but also 
as a cure for evils in Cuba and Porto Rico, and with a view 
to Cuba, Hawaii, Canada, and other future acquisitions, he 
declared, “The time is not distant when, in the natural course 
of events, the European political connections with this con- 
tinent will cease.” Regretting that the attitude of Great 
Britain (who was unwilling to admit that she had been guilty 
of any negligence) had made it impossible to reach any con- 
