St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-04-18

Spanish Conquest Of st. Domingo.

II was but a comparatively short
time ago, that the project of pur-
chasing and anncxihg Cuba was ca
gerly pushed by the American Govern
ment. Spain was considered of little
account as power on the western
continent. 1t seems, however, that
we moderated her power and were
blind to her designs. Taking advan.
tage Of the distractions of our Gov.
eminent, and the impossibility of its
carrying out the Monroe doctrine,
Spain has coolly taken possession of
st. Domingo. Whether this is to be
considered as an isolated adventure,
or as the first of series Of attempts
to re-annex her old American prov
inces, it painfully exhibits the weak
ness to which the American Govern
ment has been reduced by the princi
pies and practices of the sccessionists.
The New York Evening Post called
attention few weeks since to the
following passage in the Madrid COR
respondent Of Paris paper, which
seemed to indicate an intent on the
part of Spain to seize the occasion Of
our domestic troubles to look after
the Spanish interests in America, and
to check the expansive tendencies of
our population
The Anglo-Saxon race, settled on the soil
discovered by Columbus and conquered by
Spaniards, increases in threatening ratio, and
holds DamOcles sword not only over the West
Indies, but also over all the American coun.
tries where the language of Cervantes is spo-
ken And the troubles now threatening the
existence of the American Union are not sub
jects of grief to the people of Spain. Her po-
ltical integrity, her interests of race and of
religion, and her policy require that stop be
put to the progress of this swelling population;
if it were proper to be pleased with other peo-
ples misfortunes, Spain would, perhaps, have
reason to rejoice at what is happening on the
other side Of the ocean. Meanwhile the Span
ish government intends to watch closely the
Spanish provinces of America not that they
are now exposed to any risk whatever, because
government must look TO future events even
when they are still far distant.
1t seems, as regards San Domingo,
that a process of colonization has
been going on, by the introduction of
large bodies of emigrants into the
island, with the view of promoting
Spanish interests and consequent dis
affection toward the republican gov
eminent, and at the first sign of re-
sistance on the part of the native pop
ulation, to invoke the aid Of the Span
ish government On the 10th of last
month, the black native inhabitants
were surprised by the hosting Of the
Spanish flag and the arrival, on the
23d ult., Of Spanish frigate from
Havana, with a thousand troops on
board, with the announcement that
others were to follow, settled the fact
heretofore resting on mere rumor, that
the republican President, Santana, had
sold San Domingo to Spain. We shall
probably soon hear of q native insur-
rection against the Spanish power, and
one which, from the temper Of the
people, will undoubtedly be bloody
and long continued. 1t is singular
fact, that just as the American Gov
eminent, which has long considered
Spanish ruin almost inevitable, and
which has made SO many efforts to
acquire Cuba, is in danger Of being
broken up, Spain should not only re-
tain her old possessions, but make a
new conquest Of an important island
contiguous TO Our own shOscs- Our
domestic discussions render a vigor-
GUS foreign policy almost impossible
for the present, and We must expect
to see but little Difference paid to our
wishes and interests by the naughty
countries Of Europe while our Union
is endangered.