The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-14 00:00:00

4 4 To THE CORTES,

" In the old Spanish Island, the first land of the
Western world which the great Christopher Colum-
bus considered worthy of an important establish-
ment, in that great Antilles where many years after
its separation from the metropolis not a drop of

Spanish blood was shed, now flows that generous
blood, and the rigours of a pestiferous climate aiding
the enemy make terrible ravages in the ranks of our
valiant soldiers.

"'Phis sanguinary struggle, which is also attended
by the disadvantage of uselessly and profitlessly ex-
pending the public treasure and consuming the abun-
dant products of our colonial possessions, was not
provoked by the attempts of anterior Cabinets to
carry out an ambitious war of conquest, so opposed
to the rational, just, pacific, and disinterested policy
so long observed by Spain. Neither did it originate
from the necessity of repelling foreign aggressions,
of opposing force to force at any cost, considering only
the defence of insulted honour ; such was not the
case ; this cruel struggle commenced the day fol-
lowing that on which her Majesty's Government of
that day believed that all the inhabitants of the Do-
minican Republic asked and solicited with impatient
desire to be reincorporated with the Spanish nation,
aspiring to the happiness enjoyed by those of Cuba
and Puerto Rico.

" Such a desire might not be certain, but it was
very probable. The Government, actuated by theft
sentiments, had faith in that which appeared to in-
spire the Dominicans, and therefore accepted
'co effect the an-
so ardently to
vnoextesat,ioanndwilicocuhmatiellsesdtaht7_ptaije:te:4,
desire.

on this account the Ministers, hi a solemn do-
cument, described this event as auspicious, highly
honourable for Spain, and one not often encountered
in the annals of peoples. For this, also, after refer-
ring to the lamentable history of San Domingo since
the proclamation of its independence in 1821 fol-
lowing the example of other provinces of the Ameri-
can continent—after drawing the sad picture of such
prolonged misfortune, of a state of things in which
the sources of public and private wealth were ex-
hausted, independence completely lost for want of
strength to maintain it, liberty no less lost through
the insecurity felt by the citizens and the continual
agitations of the republic—the Ministers invoked
every sentiment of justice, humanity, and honour in
counselling the annexation of this unhappy island.

They believed such a measure was all the more de-
sirable, considering the circumstances and character
of its inhabitants, the fertility of its soil, and the
strong attachment which the people, after past ex-
cesses, whereby they had been terribly disabused,
professed towards their ancient metropolis.
The annexation was thus founded upon two most
noble, just, and weighty reasons. The first was the
right inherent in the unanimous will of a people, a
right not disputed, and previously affirmed by the
general assent of the nations of Europe and Ame-
rica in a recent case. The second was the duty of
humanity, of compassion towards the unfortunate
people who sought favour and mercy, overwhelmed
as they were by a sea of disasters and misfortune.
No other right supported nor supports the Spanish
Government in holding the Spanish portion of the
island of San Domingo ; neither the right of revin-
dication nor the right of conquest, both being op-
posed to the policy of the Government, the inte-
rests of the people, and the friendly relations which
Spain has always endeavoured to maintain with the
independent States of America, which once formed
part of the immense territory protected by the tute-
lary mantles of the Kings of Spain.
" But such flattering hopes soon disappeared ;
fatal symptoms very soon manifested themselves
that the annexation had not that spontaneous and
unanimous support upon which it was based. Ne-
vertheless, it was the duty of the Government to
ascertain with certainty whether those violent pro-
tests, several times repeated, did not proceed only
from a discontented few, but were the expression of
the feeling of a people who rejected the legitimate
power they had invoked in a time of trouble and
distress. The agitation increased and gained towns
and frontiers, extending over the whole of the ter-
ritory, and at this day the Spanish portion of the
island of San Domingo presents to the civilised
world the spectacle of an entire people in arms un-
gratefully resisting as tyrants those whom they
called in as preservers.
"So strange a political phenomenon has been
examined by the Ministers undersigned with deli-
cate attention and deep study. They have tho-