New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-16
PRESIDENT BAEZS BARGAIN.

suffer the American people to cherish any self
delusiOn in the matter of st. Domingo. lhere
is no cheaper, no trashier kind OF polltlcal
sentimentalism than that of annexation, II we
view it as means either of swelling the ma
tional pride and responsibility or of acquiring
political capital on the basis of bankrupt States
and desert territories. Having just taken our
degree in war, with the conviction that it is
hard enough in all conscience to take care OF
ourselves, we have perhaps outlived any passion
for sowing our desires in other peoples fields,
of taking charge of other peoples elephants,
and of assuming the arduous office OF protector
to those who may desire, after all, nothing SO
much as to protect themselves, even II they
mutilate their constitutions and societies very
deplorably in the attempt. 1t is by no means
an easy undertaking to fight the volcano, Dut
OUT ultra Southern cotemporaries have ngat
to hope that tie egpptive principle prevalent in
their communities will quiet down in its own
time, and leave their populations cool. Now
there are half dozen gardens overrun by the
vermin of disorder or lying halt waste,
which bouncing enterprise would stock greedlly
with cotton. corn, and tobacco, plentlfully ira
verse with the locomotive and freight train,
and solve che questions of Indians, negroes
coolies, pronOancers, all at breath, and that
the breath of steam-e ngine. They would
plow their new fields, as it were, with earth
quake, and run their teams with lightning;
and everybody knows how in those tropic cOun-
tries if one tickes the land with twig it laughs
with cotton. corn, coffee, cacao, tobacco sugar
cane, bananas, oranges, and what not. The
10 in
to everybody ; but who is ignorant OF the dis
counts which war and rumors of war make
upon tropic riches land who does not suspect
that there is little of SOdOms apple in the
political fruit of certain tropic neighborhoods
We could no doubt, open up an agitation for
annexation in half dozen republics which no
one thinks of at this moment We could win
ourselves Paradises of revolution-but mOdera-
ton and propriety forbid.
Three gOOd-natured and wel-known gentle
men, with q breezy com mission to take the air
of the tropics, and to talk with President Baez
if he had anything to say of the weather or
otherwise. have gone to st. ID OmingO. 1t is
anything but probable that the Government
has empowered them to make bargains of any
kind and if President Baez has babbled to
but which he wishes to sell, the three Com
mssiOners are fortified. we trust, by an in
nOcence of official character which the ingenious
Dominican cannot get over. Yet the sensa-
tional press has been agow with stories of
the purchase of SANTANA Bay and the an
nexation of st. Domingo, with an
accompanying naval occupation by the United
States, all negotiated by the daring trio, Gen.
Babcock, Senator Cole, and Judge OSullvan.
What strikes on the first blush of this affair
is that President Baez has no constitutional
power to arrange for the barter of the integ-
rity of the Dominican territory. There Is q
second thought that the proposition has good
many enemies among the DOminicans them
selves. We are assured by a number of them
that only fear of the tyranny of Baez and
duced large part of that annexation feeling
which some of our rowing diplomatists have
been eager to record. Senator Cole, we have
heard, represents that the prisons of st. Do
mingo testify to the humanity of Baez, whereas
the Dominicans tell us that hundreds of politi-
cal prisoners have been groaning in Jail at his
capital for two years back. At all events, it
is quite probable that the people, who, when
penned in their cities by the Spaniards, de-
clared for Spain, but who. once among the
mountains. cried for death to the invader,
have an obstinate love Of country, such as it
is, and some ancient prejudices against aliena-
ton. A race of pr nouncers they may be,
with no certain means of political livelihood,
but skies and sunshine win the hearts of
gypsies, and coiiee-fields and palm-trees, and
sky-crowned mountains, have charms all the
more for the dusby Dominican.
We shall watch with interest the progress
of President Baez's dispositions respecting
this vexed Dominican question. 1t happens to
him to vindcate that portion of the Domini-
can constitution which is nearest to Its ex-
cheduer and to preside over the game which
has been so long played with the tortured des-
TIMES of our island friends He has been long
anxious to sell for cash, we have understood
the SANTANA Bay property, and has coquetted
with English, French, Spanish, and now Amer
lean interests, to make sure of that one viz.
tue necessary in chronic revolutions
President Baez is at liberty to enjoy his dream !;
we trust that it will conduct TO some better
conclusion than the hostility of the Domini-
cans or the sad conviction that his country
must be got rid of mt any cost; but it concerns
us most to hope that our airy ambassadors
will not be deceived or oyer-tempted, and that
our Government will be prepared to allow to
the Domincans the very largest liberty to
settle their question for themselves.