The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-12

We have to recur to the secret missiau 81
St. Domingo, with which, it is reported, Mr..
Frederick Seward has been charged. 1t
seems that the aim Of the United States is
to buy the Bay of SANTANA. Now, this is
matter of serious import.
Situate on the eastern side of the Island of
Hayti the Bay of SANTANA is not only one of
the finest, largest and safest harbors in the
world, but, in q naval poiutfof view, it is of
uneeualed importance in the Antilles and
surrounding waters. Indeed, it lies to the
windward of st, Domingo, Cuba, Jamaica
and the Gulf Of Mexico, to which last access
can be had only by steering north sor south
of SANTANA in order to enter either the diff
cult channel running between Cuba and the
Florida Keys, or else the channel between
Cuba and the head land of Yucatan. The
largest fleets can anchor there in perfect
safety from the weatherras well as from the
enemy, for the entrance to the bay is pass
age Of about three miles, which can easily be
defended By batteries on both shores. The
fine situation of this bay has always caught
the eye of navigators, because, together with
these nautical and stragetical advantages
the Bay of SANTANA has others eminently val
liable. Several rivers flow into it, one
of which, the Yuma, is navigable for over ff
ty-miles. The bay is surrounded by forests
Astounding in the finest timbers used in build
| ing, and, finally, the country around contains
| mines of iron, copper and lead, and, together
| with these, coal mines, which are still mors
valuable. g.3@e 1
Had France kept ST. Domingo the Bay o
Saman would long since have become one o
| the busiest countries for European trade with
the islands and mainland of America. d
! Ogeron. at the time governor of the colony
had founded settlement there in 1878. NJ
de Gaiiffet made the attempt again in 1899
and the count d'Estaing took up the plal
again 1T64 and tried to start it ON a magnif
| cent scale. But the bay at that time belong
ed to Spain, and the bargain begun with thu
court of Madrid ended in nothing. In 1872
| General Conzelot revived the splendid pla1
of d Estaing, and it was taken up by the gov
ernment of Louis Philippi in lS46, but faiie'
because of the formal opposition made b.
the. British cabinet, who were enabled u
present an argument against 1t that ADMITTED
of no reply, namely, France having lost he
| colony of st. Domingo had no real claim t.
30 the right ofoccupying SANTANA. We mus
| at this moment look upon the recent attemp
| made BY The United States in the same light
| as to what relates to the question of right
| But still ether considerations must be appeal
| ed to against the pretensions of the Washing
| ton government. ~
| IF the United States becomes masters @
| of the Bay of SANTANA it is evident that the
viii occupy prepondersting position in tn
| Antilles, and viii be able to set themselve
| up as the sovereign arbiters of the destinie
of that archipelago. The republics of 81
| Domingo and Hayti, where we vet have IN
terests of so much weight, would be entirel
at their discretion. They would have, in !
measure. Cuba, Porto Rico, Jamaica, and al
the Antilles under their thumb. We are NO
enemies of the United States, and we hav
| given striking and constant eproof5 of thi
| fact. But we cannot bring our sympathy u
to that point at which it would turn into
| a blind condescension for ambitious schemes
and menace the legitimate and secular right
of Europe as well as the interests of thos
ed, or have tendency 10 form, IN mHH The form gf
titles or elsewhere. Hence we are entirel
| opposed to the plan now attributed to tn
Americans OF becoming masters of the Ba
OF SANTANA and, though, we have given u
possession OF Hayti, we did not do so to wi
ness afterwards a great foreign power TAX
our place there, no matter what power
may be, whether of the old or the new worle
but rather for the purpose of setting up an
exaltlng on American soil the principle c
| nadonahties, as well as the incontestibl
| right of the Haytians to govern themselves
| Hence it would be with regret that we shout,
| witness the United States following I'D thi
| project, which could not fail to become
| cause of disquiet to France, Spain, Englant
| and the republic of Hayti.
Our consul general at Port an Prince, Nj
Maximus Regband, has had the honor G
battling the project previous to the annexs
| ton of the Dominican republic to Spain
Could we succeed now so WELL in case tn
United States have really the intentions al
| tributed to them?