The New York herald., 1869-04-26

principles are the next thugs the cards. BaeZ has
always leaned that way. lie was educated IN Europe
aud has travelled In rhe United States lie knows
that an able, far-sighted and not Over-scrupulous
Eur0pean munster Is APT 70 see hs point ana ahe
bit OF tangled red tape which some cunning diplo-
mat has, with solemn show OF seriousness, invited
him TO unravel. They may turn and twist the ques.
ton as they like but Il comes to this at last. Shall
St. Domingo lead the van in adding the three Antilles
to the United states, or shall II take position as the
nucleus OF free trade confederation under European
patr0nagef Incredulity may sneer but few months
VIII prove that this Is not stated lightly on mean
authority.
The Negotiations Between Washington and
st. DOmingO-Public and Private History
Schemes and Counter Schemes-Present
Attitude Of the Annexation Question.
ST. DOMINGO, April 10, 1869.
There Is a wonderful rafting OF dry bones among
the fossils OF Dominican of1cialdom. The European
consuls are searching into all manner Of old docu-
ments to prove to their respective governments that
the omniverous American eagle is about to swoop
down the round circle OF Antilles and that moth
ing short Of general combination Of all the crowns
Of Europe can keep this terrible bird Of prey from
cutching them all, leaving the aforesaid crowned
heads without single coffee sugar or spice island
in the American seas. -
1t is probably known TO you before this time that
the so-called mission OF M. Angerard from this gov
ernment to Washington was. not to put
too fine a point upon It, clever ruse
of NJ. Landas, the French Vice Consul, to
entrap the annexation party here into showing
their cards at Washington, and so place the whole
affair within the cognizance and manipulation Of
Napoeon's Minister at that point. The trick so
well played that even that wary old rat Secretary
Seward was caught by II. Grants friends seem not
to have liked any part OF Seward's tumble and
quietly took measures to make up their own game at
both ends OF the line. To clear the table and learn
exactly what was before and behind them, a compe-
tent persOn-probably more than One--was sent here
to study the records and maintain close correspond
ence with Washington. Minister Fabens has come
and gone two or three times to collect travelled
enlsn ana bring up the missing links OF data and
all the foreign cOnsuls are busy unearthing buried
documents and forgotten letters to make out their
chain Of evidence against the "designing and raven
ous United States. No power is better entitled to
the truth and the whole truth, than the permanent
fonrth estate Of repubhcs-the independent press
the whole of the facts together the HERALD may
have them all before its readers. -
To begin with the beginning Of the Dominican re-
publc-that is to say at its birth, in 1874. The
Washington Cabinet assumed most singular posi-
tion. When the Eastern or old Spanish DIVISION
comprising two-thirds Of the island OF HaytNbroke
away from its forced union with the strictly negro
government Of the French end, Mr.. Caminero-a
most accomplished white genteman-was sent to
ask the United States to recognize the infant Doml
nican republic as a member of the American system.
CaminerO pressed reasons for the friendship and
moral support Of the Washington government these
considerations
Frst-That its central position in the Antilles and
its proximity to the United States would make 1t al
wavs desirable to have 1t free and republican State
independent OF European domination. The Domini-
can republic was the only American State In the
West Indies, all the other islands being European
r. q a IP
as Dahomey
Second-He urged that this republic, having res
cued Its independence from the yoke OF exclusive
negro dominion, proceeded not only to establish the
equal rights OF all to Its fundamental law, but
nad by express conditions in its constitution opened
public domain. ils valuable forests and fisheries
and its extensive mineral deposits TO the use and
occupation OF foreigners as freely as to the natives
OF the sol that In brief, by accepting the DOmlni
can republic as member OF the American system
the United states would gain thereby all the adyan
tages OF SO much additional territory without the
cost or responsibility Of maintaining it.
Mr.. CaAnero's mission failed for reasons peculiar
10 the time. An idea was entertained by many lead
ing men that we must have somewhere in or about
the United States purely negro State, and to them
the island Of Hayti seemed the divinely appointed
any price. They thought and SAID the whites
already there must be crowded out; that an
Anglo African empire might rise to absorb the rule
OF the entire circle Of West India islands Cuba in
cuded. The negro supremacy party was If not strong
In ITSELF active anu always on tne alert 70 serve ther
Dominican republic was quietly ignored a. Washing
ton until about 1850, when the Cuban Junta renewed
the subject with certain Senators. The Cuban Revo-
lutonary Junta OF 1s47 conceived the plan or obtain
ing, under the guise OF commercial charter, the
control OF a maritime depot the fine bay Of Man.
zanilo which deeply indens the north coast OF the
island Of Hayti exactly on the line between Dominican
republic They hoped, by Substituting one or both OF
the rival governments to purchase immunity,
II not assistance, in their revolutionary pro-
lects on Cuba. A member Of Congress- who
had solicited the confidence OF the Cuban
leaders mentioned the plan to member of the
Washington Cabinet who Thought It his duty to
foled, OF course, but 1t had the result OF making
Spain. France and England very kindly and careful
In protecting the Dominican government and keep
DOMINICAN question was revived at washington, il
not directly by the Cuban revolutionsts certainly
by those warmly and openly In favor OF annexing-
that island TO the United States. General w. l..
CaZneau, OF Texas, seconded by the Senators and
the entire State delegation IN Congress- submitted
TO the Pierce Caoinet the project Of acquiring naval
station In the bay OF Sanana for the bay OF Mama
Milo. Secretary Marcy was not in favor Of outside
acquisitions but Guthrie, OF the Treasury and Davis,
OF the War Department were earnest In Its favor,
and Cazneau, after preliminary visit to examine the
ground, was sent to 81. Domiugo IN 1854, In the
station ut Samana. George B. Mcclellan accom-
7panied Cazneau this mission TO select the site. He
went round to SANTANA Bay in the Columbia, exam
ined the bay and designated the place, which, a few
years later the Spanish engineers declared to bel
1the uneaualed natural Gibraltar OF the Carlbbeanl
Isca7 II rs matter OF historic notoriety that-<he
French and English squadrons In these seas were
ordered to present sufficient naval force in front
OF ST. domingo 10 Cneck the COnCluSOn Oh treaty
which would place such dangerous Power as the
United States at the most commanding point of the
Antillesn CaZneau protested-tthe HERALD pub
lished all the particulars at the tmel-but the WASH
inqton Cabinet really caring little about ST. Domingo
In those days, dropped Sanana as an affair OF more
trouble than value.
When the United States government threw aside
the consideration OF Samana. Cazneau proposed to
the Dominican president plan for declaring Sama-
ma or ManzanIllo q free and neutral port and ceding
TO private company the public domain and full
use OF all harbor privileges within the ceded dis
rio mi day
negotiation cut or and abandoned at European die
tation that singleidead old Indian lost all faith In
Yankee courage or craftsmanship. -
On the accession OF Mr.. Buchanan the original
project OF the lease OF a United states naval depot
at Samana with the conditions precedent OF the
bay and peninsula being declared free port forever
neutral OF war. was again brought forward by Cas-
neau. Unfortunately the most energetic advocate
OF the plan senator Douglas, and that for time
disinclined President Buchanan TO act upon IL.
Meantime Spain had taken the alarm and her agents.
assisted by those OF other European Powers, were