The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-14

uohs Nv once-tO MP IL lmmeulately In tne
bud-it is the bounden duty of conservative
men of all parties to rally and to unite in put
ting down the organization which trades in
treason and grows fat upon schism and re
belliOn.
Highhanded Intervention OF tho French
and English fn Sants Domlngo.
Leniency towards the poor and the weak is
rare virtue of the rich and the powerful. 1t is
even rarer among nations than individuals.
Great Britain, for instance was never known
to exercise it. France rarely does, although
she makes loud boasts of her generous sympa-
thies.
We all know that the island of Hayi is
divided politically into two States-the Spanish
republic of Santo Domingo and the negro
nondescript late empire of Soulouque. For
some reason, said to be jealousy Of the infu
ence of the United States, both England and
France have always been "down" on the re-
public of Santo Domingo. For many years
they have omitted no opportunity to bully and
brow.beat such Of its various administrations
as they imagined were infected with American
sympathes. Sometimes it has been On one pre-
text, sometimes on another. A few years ago
they succeeded in establishing tool of their
own in the Presidency of the republic, Baez by
name, whose administration was signalized by
the most INSCRIPTIONS and mercenary policy,
the details of which, so far as financial malfeas-
aDce is concerned, are presented in our Santo
Domingo correspondence, received yesterday,
and printed in another part OF this days
HERALD. Among other acts which resulted In
his summary expulsion from the country by an
indgant and injured people, was his prohgate
tampering with the currency, for his own bene-
fit and that of bis foreign coadjutors, the Con-
suls of France, England and Spain. He food
ed the country with an irredeemable paper cur
rency. under the force Of usurped govern
ment authority, using it without limit in his
private speculaiions and purchases, and issuing
it as fast as it could be turned out from
presses kept going night and day. Millions on
millions of this worthless paper were worked off
on an unwilling people at constantly depre-
ciatipg rates, until four thousand dollars in pa
per only equalled in value one in gold or
silver, How much further this process might
have gone on, it is impossible to say-probably
until a silver dollar would have brought ten
thousand in paper. But. as we have said,
the people anticipated that result by turn
ing the author of the mischief neck and
heels out of power-packing him off to join
Soulouque in Jamaica.
The foreign confederates Of Baez exerted
themselves to support their instrument, but in
vain. Their next step was to pick quarrel
with the government which succeeded him.
They were not long without pretext. The
new government had to deal at once with the
paper money question. It's redemption at par,
even if the State had the revenues of Great
Britain at command was out Of the question.
1t was necessary to fix some admissible value,
which was done by law at the rate of 1000 dol
lars of paper to one of coin-the highest rate
at which it was circulating before Baez was
driven out. To this the consuls objected, de-
MED the right of the government to fix such
rate, and insisted on the redemption Of the
amounts held by themselves and their friends
at rates about ten times higher than those at
which they had taken them. This was de-
clined; whereupon, in the hope Of efecting
revolution, they struck their flags and went OFF
in body.
In the month Of December they all came
back, supported by joint French, English and
Spanish squadron, and, it seems, insisted on the
rehoistipg of their flags under salute, on pain
of q bombardment Of the capital. OF course
President Santana had to submit They next
demanded that the paper money held by them
selves and their countrymen, Baez's partners,
should be redeemed at the rate of five hundred
to one, instead of two thousand to one, as fixed
at rates of from two thousand to four thousand
TO one, this was, apart from its morality, a
handsome operation. But their demands do not
appear to have stopped here. 1t is minated
that they will next attempt to force union Of
Santo Domingo with Hayti which result, as
they well know, in view of established Ameri-
can policy, would close the island forever to
American influence. How this scheme will be
carried out, or attempted TO be carried out.
remains to be seen. We doubt its feasibility;
but it is one which the United States should
watch closely, and, in case of danger, interpose
theoretically to prevent The possession
of the dominating bay of SANTANA has long
been an object Of English and French ambi-
ton. 1t cannot be secured from the repub
lie of Santo Domingo; but it would be easy
Of acquisition from the negroes of Hayti
--
THE LAWRENCE CATAsTRoPHE.---It will be
seen by the evidence taken before the Coroner's
Jury, that the statements current as to the
known insecurity Of the Pemberton Mills, at
the time oftbeir first occupation, are fully borne