New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-13
ST. DOHiINGO.

The rumor that France has taken possession
Of the peninsula of SANTANA, is furnishing The
Satanic Press with the occasion for good
deal of buster which may as well be shown up
at its true value.
In the first place, the Dominican Republic
is an independent government, and is virtually
though not officially recognized as such by the
United States 1t is notorious that she has
for years been seeking either the protection OF
France or annexation to that power. This she
does of her own free will, and because she
Judges best so to do. BY what right shall We
forbid her. Certainly there is no principle IN
what is called the declaration of Mr.. Monroe
to Justify us in interfering That declaration
is directed against the formation of new colo
MES in America by any European State. lt
may be explained so as to cover and forbid the
cession Of Cuba to England or France. Cuba
being mere dependency Of Spain, without
national organization or existence of its own.
But when an independent people, acting
through their lawful government, decide to be-
come annexed to either of those powers, or to
any other, we can have no just ground Of COM
plant. We have ourselves taken the lead in
annexing Texas, and must hold our tongues
when our example is followed.
Nor can the brutal argument that our inter-
ests are opposed to the reported transaction
be admitted. The interest of France in the
West Indies is immediate and political, while
ours is but commercial and contingent She
has territory there to protect and power to
strengthen; we have none. She has debt Of
some ten millions of dollars against Hayti,
whose payment she cannot better secure than
by annexing the Dominican Republic and CON-
pellng his Imperial Majesty, Faustin l. to keep
the peace; we have nothing of the sort, except
few dubious claims for damages TO our ship
ping On the ground of interest her right TO
annex is much better than ours TO protest
against it,
Besides, the day has gone by for us to act in
the premises. For years all our policy in that
region has tended to no other result than to
throw the Spanish part Of the island into the
hands of France. Our true course was TO
strengthen Hayti; We have done our best 20
cripple her Had We chosen, we might with.
out waste ef effort or Of money, have exer-
cised benefcent and controlling influence in
the island; now We are hated and distrusted
by Haytians and Dominicans alike.
We knew that the Dominicans wanted to 90
to France and if We desired to prevent il, our
course was 10 mediate and bring them back to
Hayti. Ths-e was time when We might have
arranged terms agreeable TO both parties, by
which the whole island would have been re-
united under one Government Instead OF
this, the American Administration, following
the lead OF France, has steadily done its best
10 keep up the separation and TO convert the
eastern part of the Island into French Terri
tory. Ii is true that those distinguished di.
plomatists, Messrs. Duff and Ben. T. Greene.
meditated little fibustiering diversion which
they hoped would transform the island into
another Texas, but they did not reckon enough
upon the natural Jealousy Of Catholic and
Spanish people for one in which the predomi.
nant laws, language, habits and manners, are
English, and Professionalism the religion Of
the majority. Whenever Dominica becomes
q part OF the French Empire, the American
Government may congratulate itself that il
has achieved this result under the auspices of
such eminent spectators.
There were three courses open to our diplo-
macy We could insist upon the return of the
Dominicans under the Haytian Government.
which would have kept them efectually out of
the hands of any European power; orwe could