The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-02
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1861

Florida, it will be found-after crossing the inlet,
sixty miles wide, from the Atlantic ocean 10 the
Gulf of Mexico-to intersect the Island of Cuba
at a point about one-third of its length. The
Northern shore of the remaining two-thirds of
that Island Winds in gentle curve, in a South
Easterly direclion finally terminating at Cape
Maysi. What is known as the sWindward Pas
sage'-a strait which connects the Atlantic
Ocean with the Caribbean Sea-separates Cuba
from Hayti-the distance between Cape Maysi, the
Eastern terminus of the former Island, and Cape
St. Nicholas, the Western terminus of the latter,
being not more than twenty-five miles In the
Western portion of Hayti, covering about one
third of the of the Island is established the
Republic of Hayti, Port au Prince being its Cant.
tai. The Eastern division of the same Island and
by far the most mountainous, constitutes the Re
public of Dominica, of which San Domingo is the
Capital. The Mona Passage, another entrance
from the Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea- separates
on that side Hayti from the Island of Porto Rico,
the strait that divides them being about the same
breadth as the Windward Passage-twenty-fv
miles. 1t will thus be seen that Hayti lies exactly
midway between Cuba'and Porto Rico both of which
are Spanish dependencies and any Power holding
these three Islands would be in possession of the
Ocean gateways to the Calf of Mexico, the Carib
bean Sea- and all the States of Central America
We have been the more particular in describing
the geographical situation of these Islands, and
their relative positions in regard to each other
because intelligence reaches US from Havana to
the effect that Spain has seized upon that part of
the Island of Hayt which is known to us as the
Dominican Rnnuh1io
San Domingo, and is about to re-annex it to the
Spanish Crown. There is nothing at all impro-
babe in this report, though it is not unlikely-if
1t should turn out to be true-that the fact of this
reassertion of an authority which had been aban.
doned for nearly half century, will lead to grave
complications with this government The histo-
ry of San Domingo is the history of nearly all
the Spanish possessions on this continent. Dis
covered by COLUMBUS in 1892, and claimed and
held by right of discovery, Hispanioa, San
Domingo, or Hayti, for by these various names
the Island has been known, continued under the
exclusive jurisdiction of Spain until 1891 when
the Western part of it-that which is now styled
Hayti-was coded by the treaty of Ryswick to
France. The remaining two thirds-the present
Dominican Republicans Spanish colony until
1885, when it too was coded by the treaty of
Basic to France, who thus acquired possession of
the whole Island. 1t did not long remain
under French rule Shortly after the an
nexation took place, the negro slaves
rose in instruction under ToUssAINT L'OU.
VENTURE, DEssALINEs, and CHR1sropHE, and after
series OF massacres, scarcely paraleled any
where, succeeded in either numbering or expel-
ling all the white population. and in establishing
a monarchy in the Northeast division of the
Island, under 0HRlsToPHE, and Republic in the
Southwest, under PETIoN. In 1903 the Domi-
means, oppressed by the tyranny of DEssALINEs,
called upon Spain for assistance who seized upon
the opportunity which was thus presented to her,
to regain possession of her former colony She
held it but for brief period. The following
year the Dominicans again broke out into rebel
lion, declared their independence, expelled the
Spanish Governor, abolished slavery, and estab-
lished republican form of government. The
Island continued divided, for some years, into
three separate and distinct plncipalities-a Re-
public, under PETIoN, in the South West; the
monarchy, under CHRIsToPHE, in the Northwest
and the Dominican Republic, under various Chiefs
in the East. This distinction was kept I'D
until after the death of PETIoN in 1918, when the
popularity of BOYER enabled him to unite all the
governments under rule, BOYER himself being
chosen President Of the Republic for life In 1874
the negroes of what is now the Republic of Hayti,
obtaining the ascendancy, conferred the Presden-
cy upon General RIvIERE. The Dominicans
fearing the expulsion utter determination of the
Spanish population, again rose in Instruction
and, succeeding in maintaining their indepen-
dence, chose PEDRO SANTANA the liberatng chief
tain, for their President His term of office ex-
piring in $40, JMENEs was elected Chief Magis-
trate in his stead; and SANTANA, who had become
odous to the people, in consequence of the current
belief that he had intrigued with the Court of
Madrid to transfer San Domingo back to Spain,
was banished from the Island. JIMENEs, on the
other hand, had scarcely been elevated to power
before he conspired with SoULoUoUE, the Emperor
of Hayti, to unite the Dominican portion of the
Island with that of the tawdry negro empire of
the West The near approach of SoULoUqUss
army of invasion induced the Domlnicans to recall
SANTANA from exile, and to invest him with Die
tatorial powers. In the Spring of lS49 he sig
nally defeated the Haytien forces, and drove Sou
LoUQUE back to his Capital in disgrace. The fol-
iO"lhS sSdl hOOOLOlQUE HldTCueu OuCc luOTe
against the Dominicans; but was again encoun-
tered, and his forces completely routed in
pitched battle The independence of San Do
mingo being thus secured, SANTANA re-
signed his Dictatorship in favor of BAEz,
who was elected Constitutional President
BAEz becoming unpopular, by reason of his favor
ing the policy of the Church party, SANTANA was
re elected to the Presidency in 1858; but, four
years later, BAEz. again trumped over his great
rival. BAEz had not, however, been more than
six months in power before the general dssatisfac
ton with his policy led, in 1858, to popular
rising against his authority, which, being sup
ported by SANTANA, resulted in the expulsion of
BAEz and the return of SANTANA to the Presidency.
Theoretically, the Dominicans are as free as the
people of the UNITED STATES, after whose Consti-
tuition that of San Domingo is modelled The
laws in relation to the naturalization of foreigners
are sngulary liberal. ''Free farms, farming
"utenss, and provisions for six MONTHS are Of
fered to settlers, and no distinction, as in Hayti,
is made in favor of colored persons. These
laws, it is now alleged, Spain has, for some
years past, been taking advantage of, to intro
duce, under the auspices of President SANTANA,
large bodies of emigrants into the Island, "with
''the view of promoting Spanish interests, and of
Invoking the aid of the Spanish Government, at
"the first sign of resistance on the part of the
''natve population" The plot is said to have
succeeded. This disaffection of the mixed breeds,
we are told, became gradually so men
acing that, on the 10th of last month,
Spanish forces were disembarked from on
board the vessels of war in the harbor; the
Spanish flag was hoSted at San Domingo, the
Capital, and, at the last advices from Havana,
a squadron of war steamers carrying large rein
forcements of troops, had been despatched to sup
port the movement, which was so successfully
inaugurated, and which, if report speaks true, is
designed to reestablish the authority of Spain in
Hispaniola, the most ancient of all her South
American dependencies. We forbear from making
any comment at this time, upon movement
which may have been misunderstood, and con-
corning which we have as yet but imperfect
details. Until we know more with regard
to the matter, the foregoing resume of the
history of the Island will serve, perhaps, to en-
tighten some of our readers, and will certainly
enable u.s. on any further occasion, to render better
understood such remarks as we may have occasion
to make upon the question of Spanish occupation.
Yesterday the MORRILL, Tariff Bill went into
operation. In connection with this fact, it may
not only prove interesting, but suggestive, to
,nonv of onr readers to nresant a hrief history of