The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-29 00:00:00

THE DOMINICAN NEGOTIATIONS.

The Senate Investigating Committee in the case of
Hatch in St. Domingo continued the examination of
General Babcock to-day. The testimony was chiefly in
reply to Perry's statement that Babcock wrote to Baez
to appoint Mr. Fabens to represent the Dominican
Government at Washington. This General Babcock
denied, but admitted that he did suggest the appointment
of M. Gautier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. As fur-
ther bearing upon the case of Hatch, General Babcock
presented the report of Commander W. W. Queen, of the
cruise of the Tuscarora after the revolutionary steamer
Telegrafo, giving an extract as follows :—" The policy
of the Government of the Island Tortola in
relation to the Telegrafo has, been extremely
vacillating, caused, no doubt, in a great measure by
the persons interested in the vessel, many of whom are at
present here. Having accompanied Governor Pine from
Antigua, the Governor himself has developed that the
sale of the vessel was a sham. The officer effecting the
sale has been dismissed, and the money paid into the
colonial treasury, and the commission in the sale has been
returned. The only paper which the vessel was enabled
to exhibit at Tortola was a bill of health furnished by one
Hatch, an American, at Barahona, a Dominican port,
not a port of entry. A certificate dated August 6, 1869,
also states that the vessel put into Tortola under the
Dominican colours, produced at the custom-house a clear-
ance and bill of health from the port of Barahona, St.
Domingo, and no other documents to prove her nationality
and ownership were exhibited."
A letter was presented regarding some of Perry's trans-
actions while acting as consul, that when the Tybee was
in port at St. Domingo, in March last, a Danish subject
prosecuted an American sailor belonging to that vessel ;
that Consul Perry went into the Court-room, and during
the trial of the case slapped the plaintiff, who was a
coloured man, in the face : that the court broke up and
Consul Perry fled to the consulate and hoisted his flag for
protection. The letter of the Dominican Government
was produced in which the conduct of Consul Perry was
complained of. The laws of the country in such cases
required imprisonment and a fine. The Government
adopted a pacific course, and merely requested the recall
of Consul Perry. A very long letter from Mr. Hatch to
General Babcock was also read.

The above account is the Babcock version. The Perry-
ites have a slightly varied account. They say that Babcock
was cornered several times, and that he admitted that he
t3ok Fabens with him to Samana, and told the men he
left in charge of the American flag in that place to look to
Colonel Fabens. They also say that it was proved that
Babcock recommended the Navy Department to appoint
Fabens to take charge of the coal station at Samana, and
that he admitted having procured the release of an me-
rican sailor guilty of murder, although he refused to in-
terfere in Hatch's case. The following is the note of
Gautier, which admits that Hatch was confined for hos-
tility to the annexation project :
" ST. DOMINGO CITY, Feb. 19, 1870.

" MR. CorrsuL,—ln virtue of the evidence produced
pending the trial of Mr. Davis Hatch, he was condemned
to death, when President Baez appealed to the honourable
body of Senators, asking them by means of a special
message for their co-operation to save the life of that indi-
vidual, and for no other motive than that of his being a
citizen of North America. According to our insti
tutions the grace of life which is accorded to one
condemned to death does not prevent, by any
means, his being consigned to perpetual imprison-
ment ; but the President directs that his pass-
ports may be given him as soon as circumstances
will permit, so that he may enjoy full liberty
in any place wherein his acts will be inoffensive to us. The
repeated and urgent solicitations which you hnve made in
favour of the said Hatch, united with the desire which
my government has to please that of Washington, should
have persuaded us to concede his passports at once had it
not been for the irrreoncileable enmity with which he
attacks the government in all of its acts through the
newspapers and their agents, inventing calumnies to divert
the publlc mind against annexation to the United States,
which desire has been manifested so loudly and publicly
by the people. I desire that you will be good enough to
assure his Excellency, the Secretary of State, in
Washington, the prolonged sojourn of Mr. Hatch here
has been only to punish his hostile action in New York,
assuring him, at the same time, that if this reason will not
satisfy him, and that should he insist on his (Hatch) being
permitted to go to the government which has had no
other aim than that of preventing_ falsehood,
and the misleading of public opinion in the United States,
we will be very glad to satisfy his wishes. I avail myself
of this occasion to reiterate to you the sentiments of my
most distinguished consideration.
" M. M. GAUTIER,
" Minister of Foreign Affairs.
" To Raymond H. Perry, U. S. C. A."
This letter was written in answer to a peremptory de-
mand for Hatch's release, made by Consul Perry. The
latter made another demand after receiving this note, and
failing to accomplish his object immediately sent for
Admiral Poor, accompanied by whom he went to Presi-
dent Baez and requested the release of Hatch forthwith-
' This belligerent demand was instantly complied with.
This letter of Gaiitier's was read before the special Senate
committee, and is said to have produced quite an impres-
sion.—New York Herald.