New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-10
THE SIN DOMINGO GOVERNMENT IN
CONG RESS

in the West Indies. We have never doubted
the ultimate advantage Of such possession,
although there is such thing as paying too
largely for an island which, by the laws OF
nature, is movable property. This Is
WHY we have never been able TO see
the wisdom Of the policy OF Mr.
Seward, who desires the Government to
purchase one of the smallest of the Islands
containing a good harbor for seven millions
and half of dollars. But there is feeling
abroad in the country, and prevalent in Con-
gress that annexation to the United States con-
fers distinction and advantage, and is, there
fore, boon to be solicited from u.s. and to be
by us granted or denied as we see fit. This
Government rests upon the natural rights OF
man. Without violation of those rights, 10y
atty and allegiance cannot become purchase
BILE commodity.
Unless we mistake the purport OF intelligence
that comes to us from Washington, the United
States may have to choose, ere long, whether
it will buy very small and not particularly
valuable island for q preposterousy high prce,
OF confer the solicited boon of annexation upon
an island of the West Indies which is, next to
Cuba, the largest, most fertile, and most valu-
able of them all an island which has harDOrs
on every side, contains almost every species OF
natural wealth which the earth produces and
the mountains and plains of which offer every
variety of climate that either enriches or in
vigorates our race Hayti is three times as
large as the State of New-Jersey, or little
more than half as large as New-York. 1t
would be difficult to name portion OF the
earth's surface which exhibits such variety OF
objects and products useful to man. In Its
valleys and plains every plant and tree OF the
tropics grows luxuriantly on It's uplands ana
mountains are produced many OF the grains
and fruits of the temperate zones, and In the
bowels of the earth there are all valuable
metals and minerals. This is the beautiful
isle which Mr.. Carlyle had in his mind when
he advised a band of English noblemen and
| gentlemen to enter upon the noble work OF re-
ducing to Slavery the colored inhabitants OF
some one of the Antilles, and to live in lordly
! ease upon the fruits of their unrequited toll.
Hayt now contains a population of 100000,
nearly all of whom have III their veins some
negro blood. If we may judge of their present
prowess by their past exploits, the eccentric
philosopher has cut ont difficult task for his
| nobemen and gentlemen. Hayti and San Do
mingo, the two political divisions Of this island,
are independent nations. No foreign power
has, or claims to have, dominion over them, or
over any portion of their soil They are free
to join any power on earth which may be
willing to receive them, and no other power
has aught to say in the matter.
We utter nothing disparaging to the people
of Hayti, when we remark that, with all their
courage and resolution, they are not of them
selves capable of making tho most of the
gorgeous and productive region which Provi-
dence has assigned to them. For centuries held
in Slavery, they have made noble efforts, since
their emancipation, TO deliver themselves from
the bondage of ignorance and superstition.
The desire of their best men is TO raise the
entire population of the island to an equality
with the most advanced nations in intelligence
and civilization and to fix their liberties the
stable basis of republican institutions. This is
the heartfelt desire of the ruling portion of the
people, the men of education, who must ever
constitute in the long run. the governing class.
But these men know, and have long known,
that they cannot accomplish this task unaided.
The mass of ignorance is too great and too
dense for them TO penetrate. To be an edu-
Gated, vigorous, and public-spirited citizen of
one man picked out of thousand Nor is
there now in the island that amount of active
capital which is necessary to make decent be-
ginning of developing its resources. Political
knowledge and political experience are signally
wanting there, and hence there has never been
that stability in the Government which is one
of the fundamental conditions of prosperity
and progress. Revolution follows revolution,
no party being strong enough to rule, nor
skillful enough TO accomplish political objects
by political methods alone.
In these circumstances, the leading men Of
both parties, we are informed, desire the help
of the United States. They deem it best, so
we are assured, to join their fortunes with
ours, and work out the problem of their future
under our flag and under our institutions This
desire has been made known to public men in
Washington, and Congress has been asked to
say that, in case St. Domingo should seek an
nexation with the United States, the United
States would welcome her sister Republic, and
admit her to the Union, first as a territory,
and finally as sovereign State. The precise
political reasons why the request is made in
this form are known, and need not be detailed
at the present moment. 1t suflices to know
that the controlling men of st. Domingo deem
this the course most likely TO promote their
object. Things cannot remain as they are in
the West Indies. IL cannot be that one of the
most variOusly and richly productive regions
upon which the sun shines, is TO contribute no
more than it does to the wealth and enjoyment
of man. Cuba, itself an empire, is moving to-
ward independence, and toward something
more than ependence-independent sove-
reignty as State of this Union. With the