The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-07

tOL. AAAIA.
honor. 1t is to he h9Dcd that this moderate
demand may be acceded to by Spain with
ont further delay. Should the pending me-
gotiations unfortunately and unexpectedly
| be without result, 1t will then become my
DUTY. to communicate that fact to Congress,
| and invite its action on the subject. -
The long.deferred peace conference be-
tween Spain and the allied South American
Republics has been inaueurated In WASH
| ington under the auspices Of the United
| States. Pursuant TO the recommendation
| contained in the resolution Of the House Of
Representatives Of the 18th of December,
1896. the Executive Department of the Gov
ernment offered It's friendly offices for the
promotion of peace and harmony between
Spain and the allied Republics. Hesitations
and obstacles occurred TO the acceptance of
the offer. Ultimately, however, confer
ence was arranged. and was opened in this
city on the Goth Of October last, at which ]
authorized the Secretary ofthc State to pre-
| side. 1t was attended bv ministers of Spain,
Peru, Chile, and Ecuador. In consequence
| Of the absence of representative from Boz
liyia. the conference was adjourned until
the attendance Of o plenipotentiary from
that Republic could be secured, or other
measures could be adopted towards COM
passing its object. '"
! The allied and other republics Of Spanish
| origin on this continent may see in this fact
a new proof Of our sincere interest in their
welfare Of our desire to see them blessed
! with good governments, capable Of main-
tanning order and OF preserving their re-
| spectiye territorial Integrity, and Of our sim
ccre wish to extend our own commercial
and social relations with them. The time
4 nhnI r,-
natural order of events, the European DO
| litical connection with this continent will
cease. Our policy should be shaped, in
view Of this probability, so as to ally the
commercial interests Of the Spanish-Ameri-
can States more closely to our own, and
thus give the United States all the pre-
cmincnce and all the advantage which Mr..
| Monroe, Mr.. Adams, and Mr.. Clay contem-
plated when they proposed to join in the
Congress Of Panama.
During the last session Of Congress q
treaty for The annexation Of the Republic
of SIN Domingo to the United States failed
to receive the requisite two-thirds vote OF
| the Senate. | was thoroughly convinced
then that the best interest of this country,
commercially and materially, demanded its
ratification.
Time has only confirmed me in this view,
and ! now firmly believe the moment it is
known that the United States have entirely
abandoned the project of accepting rs 4
part of its territory the Island Of San Do
mingo, q free port will be negotiated for by
European nations in the bay of SANTANA.
A large commercial city will spring up, TO
which we will be tributary without receiv-
ing corresponding benefits, and then will
be seen the folly Of our rejecting so great a
prize. The Government of San Domingo
has voluntarily sought this annexation. 1t
is weak power, numbering probably less
than 100, GOO souls, and yet possessin" one
otthc richest territories under the sun.
1t is capable of supporting q population
OF ten millions of people in luxury. The
people of San Domingo Are not capable OF
maintaining themselves in their present
condition, and must look for outside sup
free institutions and laws, our progress
and civilization. Shall we refuse them
The acquisition of San Domingo is desir;t-
ble, because OF its geographical position.
1t commands the entrance to the Carrib-
bean sea and the Isthnus transit of COM
merce.
1t possesses the richest soil. the best and
most capaciouS harDors, the most SalubrlouS
climate, and the most valuable products oI
the forest mine and soil OF amy of the
West India Islands. It's possession by Us
commerce Of immense magnitude, which
will 60 far towards restoring to lis our lost
merchant marine.
1T will give 10 Us those articles which we
Iconsumc so largely and do not produce,
thus cquaiizing our exports and imports
In ease OF foreign war, it will give Us com.
mand OF all the islands referred to, and
thus prevent al enemy from ever again pos.
>cssing himself Of a rendezvous upon our
very coast.
/. At present our coast trade between the
states bordering Oh the Atlantic and those
bordering on the Gulf Of Mexico is cut in
two ly the Bahamas and the Antilles.
! Twice we must, rs it were, pass through
foreign countries TO get by sea from Georgia
to the west coast of Florida. San Domingo,
with stable government, under which her
immense resources can he developed, will
( give rcmuucrative wages to tens Of thou.
sands OF laborers not now upon the island
This labor Will take advantage of every
available means of transportation to aban-
don the adjacent islands and seek the bless
+ ines of freedom and its sequencc-each in.
habtant receiving the reward of his own
labor. Porto Rico and Cuba will have to
| abolish slavery a> measure Of sclEpreser.
vation to retain their laborerS. San Do
!, mingo will become large consumer of the
products of the northern farms and manu-
| ljClOTlcS. Ne cheap lttte III WulCu uCE cll-
izens can be furnished with food, tools, and
machinery will make it necessary that con.
tiguous islands should have the same nd
vantages, in order to compete in the pro.
duction of sugar, coffee, tobacco, tropical
fruits, &c. This will open to Us a still
wider market for our products.
The production OF our own supply OF
these articles will cut oil more than ono
hundred millions of our annual imports,
besides largely increasing our exports.
| With such 4 picture it is easy to see how
our large debt abroad is ultimately to be
eXlinguished. With balance Of trade
against us, including interest on bonds held
by foreigners, and money spent by our citi'
| zens travelling in foreign lands, equal to the
entire yield of the precious metal in this
country, it is not so easy to see how this re.
suit is to be otherwise accomplished. The
acquisition Of San Domingois is an adherence
to the Monroe doctrine it is a measure oil
national protection; it is asserting our just
claim to controlling influence over the
great commercial traffic soon to flow from
the West to the East by way of the IsthmuS
of Darien it is to build up our merchant
marine il is to furnish new markets for
| the products Of our farms, shops, and MAN
ulactories; it is to make slavery insupport-
| able in Cuba and Porto Rico at once, and
ultimately SO in Brazil; it is to settle the
| unhappy condition of Cuba, and end an
eXterminating conflict; it's to provide hon.
| est means of paying our honest debts with.
| out overtaxing the people; it is to furnish
our citizens with the necessaries OF every
| day life ut cheaper rates than ever before,
! and it is, in fine, rapid stride toward that
| greatness which the intelligence, industry,