Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-11-18
TIE STATE OF SAN DOMINGO.

TIE STATE OF SAN DOMINGO.
Negotiations are taking place be-
tween the government of the Do
minican Republic and that of the
United States, with the view of the
acquisition of the former by tue lat
ter, in the same way we acquired
Texas. AS the subject is attracting
considerable attention we prescn
the following from the hicago
Tribune, as to where this Dc ,ican
Republic is and of what il is CON-
posed:
1t is the eastern portion of the Is
land Of Hayti, which lies almost due
east of Cuba The island contains
two republics-Hayti and Dominica
and the latter has much the larger
portion Of the territory, but less
than ono fourth of the whole pop
ulation.
The area of Dominica is about
1900 square miles, and it has a
population of perhaps 10000, of
whom, say, 10000 are whites, and
the others of African and European
descent. The interior is mountain
Gus and covered with tropical for
ests, and the plains extend from the
mountains to the coast and are well
watered. The harbor Of San Do
mingo, on the south, and the bay
of SANTANA are equal to any in the
West Indies. The climate is better
than that of Cuba, and the soil is
fertile. The island, however, has
not been, for the last seventy five
years, cultivated with any industry,
the occupation of the people be
ing confined to cattle raising and
ebony cutting. The gold and silver
and iron of the mountains have not
been mined since the Spanish pos
session.
The imports to the United States
for 1865 were valued from Hayti,
$3.50, 600; from San Domingo, $50
600. Of these the principal articles
were raw cotton, sugar, coffee, dye
woods, gum arabic, hides and cocoa.
San Domingo is divided into five
provinces. There is an army of 20,
600 troops of all arms, and small
navy. The language of the people
is Spanish, and the religion Roman
Catholic. The government is that
ola president, with Congress con-
sisting of two branches. Hayti and
Dominica were several times united,
but in 1874 were divided by revolu-
ton. Bu. the country has been for
twenty years in a state Of chronic
revolution, and the Dominicans
have long since concluded that there
can be no peace until they are taken
under the flag Of the United States.
For several years they have propo-
sed to cede the Bay of SANTANA to
the United States, and now offer the
whole republic.
The othen part of the island,
which is known as the Republic of
Hayti, contains 10000 square miles
and population of 100000. The
natural conditions of the island
might be made productive, but for
half century there has been war
between the two parts of the island,
CT internal wars in each republic,
and there has, consequently, been
but little attention to the cultivation
of the soil. or any other industrial
pursuit. The exports to the United
States during the last few years have
been less thnn they were ten years
ago. In considering the question
of the acquisition of Dominica it is
necessary to consider also the prob
able acquisition of Hayti. The enc
will follow the other most unques-
tionably'and the re- establishment of
peace would make the whole island
q garden of beauty and Of produc-
tiyeness.