The New York herald., 1869-12-09
Vice Admiral Porters on the Re-
sources, Beauties and Advan-
tages of t'Ae Island.
HIS VISIT .1HERE IN 1876.
The Politicll Condition and Manners of
the Domnnisans and Eaytlens Nearly
GArter OF a Century ago.


Navy, George Bancroft, VITA view to obtaining
renaple luiurnau0n regarding the political con-
diuon manners OF the people aud resources
or the country, wh!en, comparatively speaA-
Hag, were tnat Tune almost unknown IN the
United States. Porter kept highly interesting Jour-
nal Oh Ii 5 travels and dongs, which, no doubt,
would he invaluable at tus time, when there Is
sucn i desire 10 learn iii ABOUT the people and
resources OF that counry; but, unfortunately,
the Porter journal Was absuaesed by some
of the rebel conspiratos from the State
Department, where II had neea deposited
ard has never since been restored. The oDJect OF
;he reue.s thus tasting away with them Tue torler
Journal explained W LAe tueory tiaS they coniem-
plated sel1iag some of the West India islands, anu
rightly calculated lnat the information gAthereo bt
Por.er would oI tue greatest utiiity Lieutehaa,
Porter however during tie course ol ais travels Ia
dominica and Has "a seAt several ioAg despalcnes To
Secretary Bancroft, cesefIoinS AZ considerable
lengtn those countries ana tneIr peoples These
dispatches nave been preserved &nd as tney can
not rll " be Interesting ~ tnis lime, forward
you copies Oi some OF The more important Follow
ing are tas PRINCIPAL letters Written by Porter 10
WASHINGTON CRY.
SIR Raye the honor to lay beole soa sne report
OF my proceedings wElle on sae islaau ot St. DO
MihGo. As Tue ouJecs o. 14is government was 10
o1LA4I accurate information respecting tne people
pcIOlsI4s 10 tue I.Sh 4SPuDlC oi Buih4ACd uthS
kept ny Journal n4o.s ILIni.lar style IAal Is
usualy auoplsu Ia Iepo4ts u tnis ki4d. a genera
aeSl nptlVu HouIu convey uat u iatnl llea ol lhe
mau~era Aud eustotls ot i nation anu II NAYS
lnsertsu some litte occurrences CiaL appear OF 10
lmpUr.a-ce, 1t VAS or tne purpose o. giving better
lal.. 0l tAe peci-t!tes Is. LAS peopie. iee thas
IeAteaueu La.s l~jsl4 ~ IL unwa. rll.abe ien4tn,
uuL afJsA 4tu.I LnJ aCsi.e " comply MICn mJ
mst1uSlous oW4u. 10 l4y oelns supoa aulnaVe 10
another oucer wAue on tAe sand many lnlelestins
STATISTIC we've lGt ODLAla~d W Inc. Comd ous
pu. u,seiI ll COMMUNICATION villa The gogerumell
4.,#A ltNi ma al
by retersIug 10 y iusL4ucslJaS, That my aux cou-
sIsteL III Ootaiains AoIiition IN the ihte!lof ANA
the CymLI4Adef toOk upon himself lne duly ol
cUlAm dAicatAs witI tAe RoSefaheab Oh al,
matters le4.14us 10 tAe iAorhadan lequired oy Lac
DATED o.a.es GOt1EA.A1At. oJtAlned no puuic
ouc0Men,s eXCspt SAGA ds cou4a pJy these coa-
sist principally ~ DOi.t!tal Laws aHI lhey accom-.
pany tlis repO.t dl.O aay D'i0te Jod q WORK en-
tilted 'ueOg Ae uc Iiie a iI@1 ct des EyeAenenls
les plus HeiIr u-Ui- &c -uI Eltoc. Dy H. ArdorOn.
&c. ~ Ieaes ~ tAe uls.cAi d.V solS oi tie stlnI
MAel II MAS al 0IiASt 1As JdiisA-t'uu vi tis5 "a DuI
wal. many cases, aU ~ - lac ptesen. c0nd4tUI
OF LAe coaaJ. IL Is ".ttcn ~ itay zen aud wit,
OF course, iouuu very partial. / procured very
handsome map vi lEe slal4, Wnich noped 10 LAY
sJeIOIe JGG NlA me ACCOMPANY ~ pdpets. IL Was
leIi by nus ae WIN tna co "a uer vi tae porpose
Hho pro AlSch 80 I0tW%ra ~, ana 4 siau present. 1t
thC mU4Ieat IL arrives. III t.4S uleiAt.ne Oner
o-nef mol so Aec..de ANA sJ.ea W ta'el car-
I..d II Win iAe ~ Auius ..lG oa tHy youtnJ. AsI
was ny uesIe aOt ~ co4plUIiiSe tAe goYerninent Ia
auy way, GVo.Ied AL COMMUNICATIONS no. aos0.
ia4eJ becesssiJ though tisfe MAS strong aiSpua-
t!eA maIAesseu 20 u4dW me iAlo cOtrespoadehee
buCl uad y ltA the aueuorittes are ol Conse.
al
lAey also .ccOul sAaJ tAe TepVI.
/ nave IatAhed yOdt Tiones In executing the
duty on winch was sent sA~, Ue e&treu ueiy nappS.
IL "as one that was leH ~ ne and 1 lslrust I1y
own a0l.A>ses ~ lsAs performance v, Al.
la 10 H. PORTER.
Lieutenant lnued states 4savy.
TO Hon. GEORGE bANCH0FT, secretary vi tne Navy.
81. DOMINGO, May :, 1910
SIR have the honor 10 address yOu icon tuis
place, where We arrived a.ter IL passage of twe4ty-
nye days. found I@le neither cJnsui cOui.ne..
caai agent consequently sdah pe Obliged 10 gain the
information Ces.red from other sources a4d my own
Observation. " e found the DOnlnlctu nag ny.us
heie, tnls being the capital OF tiat republic, ana
Glter the customary saiute5 were exchanged / ac-
coMpauled Lieutea&dt Commanding aunt ON shore
10 wait upon Ills hAceIency, PRESIDENT santana
received US W La al duU nOaors ana eX pressed
raaca pleasure ut the artyal aa American vessel
o.War aId desire iu furnish any IniormauOn that
might iaYUr the views oi Tue CnItel states govern
hent.
attention had been pald TO tle solicitations oI rnls
government asking recognition oi thelf indepenI
enee, wMg4 be AgltIa% IA, aG capaoe Of inaaLall.
lug anu uaNe Aas ~.ned up 70 tes nt9e WttloIt Ine
countenanCe or aSs!StInce ui any European govern
ment. When tod oi tie nature OF our Visit lie also
expressed surprise, a. H. considered that the Untea
states government had been duy informed OF all
matters reating to tile dominican government and
the latLe mas been watung VITA tue Eype vi a recu1
milton Ot their lndel lendeaee. lie referred 10 tue
visit OF Mr. Hogan 30 the Island, anu vas uudgr tue
impression th@t he had laid dl tae laornauon he
had procured before the PIesldent Of tne United
States tie government here weat great troabe To
Obtain aAd Mr. Hogan eit here witn wnat they con
~
resources ul Tue siana luf ol government, &e., ana
the posslbl y and Cdpa5y ~ sustain themselves IN
tnelf present position. lie remarked tDat ueing n
dipomatSt, anq thinking tig Uult9d States siucere
III us intentions, lie na1 communicated freely VIA
Their AGENT wHo assured tuetn tuere was every
prospect oi tIelr beng recognized. aad he unues.-
tatingJ provided whateyef Information was repaired
u enhghten the United states government IN regacd
TO aairs on tine island or tnal wutt a ue ot peaadt
10 them IN thetr conmercal rs atons. ~
Not beng aOie 10 INFORM ms Excel ency why 10
was the government OF the United states was not
~ G~tT.f
remarked thdt We used no dipIomauc arts except
Win tspse nations tNa. would eudsavor to over
reach Us; tnat our diplomacy was As open as our
natures, ana was coLadehE the President did not
possess Tue Information, Otherwise he would hot
nave sent for It. Not being aware what relation
existed between our government ana Sir. hogan
a. that tine, 1 was not aJe 10 INFORM him, ald /
thn& tney are stIil under the Impression tnat he
Was an accredited agent As sacn they paid hiu
every attention, placed puorlc vessels at MS dis
posal, anu provided ntm with means 10 prosecute
A'i tes.SISnes @ At ugh the isiand.
) ."ihh tne.e WIN De no dt.tcu.ty in carrying Out
your instructions, though 90 not expect ia All
ca7es 80 come exactly al the trutn as the govern.
meat Is not suhGicnEls NeA estaulsnen in unla1n
correct returns.
30 lar 1 nave been agreeaoly disauoolnted In tho
popUalon. If good Orter. n cOntentsl community
ano tne absence oi crime he tine requisites of coust-
tutng gool government, tneu these ueo1,a a ~
emIAenGy qu9lIled 10 govern tnemseiyes tiouyn
must SAY that i1e.r Political economy ls oI Vely
low crdI 4hefe exists among the.n great desire
To lmprONe; but Che almost tJta absence u ever,-
Lllh2 ikcscnOsiS OI any good system 0i education
plcye9t5' Ct9m from advancing aS raptdH as tbey
should 40 Ihey have scarcely any police. Few
Serious "a iees Oehs ever C1Ahiltei, ana TIER JAMS
llAY bS SGi,0 Ue Almost WttnJut tenant, except.
lhg, Al may be- prisouer5 taAea IA wal, and Ia y
nave hot nOre hafd5hips imposed them
than is customary Ia ordinary cases; aad no better
P0O eai oe sven oi Leit honesty thAn Uy repeating
"Hdt was tstdWo " peison lons RESIDENT among
tAcm.-'A iibN load OF aOIars - frequently Sent
lsoh oae luwn y ano ncr IA cuarge OF tue ulueletr
Wi.hc ut a rCeeIS Iof IL o. without guard ant IN
40 instance nave they been known 70 lali Ia tlcr
uast' rms hlae "a society j. Tie more 10 be won.
dered at as ne people are extremely poor, anu az
~ o.. 81 N u q