The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-17

been the special correspondent and preSt
DENTAL Jenkins to visit the old city Of SaI
Domingo, and do the haggling with thu
bankrupt Baez for the sale OF that repu6
lie TO Uncle Sam. BabcOck had som(
help in his researces from Senator Coll
and other distinguished Pacific coasters
but his exact status could have scarcely
been the same us that Of his victim, Hatch
who was described by Senator Chandler
as ian American, who went down therC
and got concession of saltmine or some
thing of that kind. HO is q troublesome
meddlesome, worthless fellow, who with
out any diplomatic authority whatever
having no sort OF authority, gave certiti
cate to u ship Of war Of tie rcvolutionist
tn leave port in San Domingo to prey
upon the Government OF San Domingo
Ilcgave this, and signed it diplomatically
whereas he had no more diplomatic au
thority than any boy who sits yonder a
our page" -.
1t Is worth while TO remark here tha
Senator ChNndlers intense ambition tc
extend our prOtectOrate over foreign is
lands isl quite compatible with his diSinCli
nation 10 give protection to any American
citizen who happened to be in the way O
his islands. The charge Ex-senator Ferry
against BabCock is direct, and ms follows
I" Mr.. Hatch was au American citizen
thrown into prison by Baez, and wher
demanded by the American Commercial
Agent, General BabCock, Commissioner
of the United States, interviewed against
the release OF the prisoner, upon his OWL
avowed declaration TO the American
Commercial Agent that if the prisoner
was released he, after his release, would
interfere with and be an obstacle in the
way Of the project Of the annexation o
San Domingo, which General Babcock
had then in charge. ur.....,.....L.
lowing to this intervention (said Sena.
tor Ferry Of an officer OF the Army Oi
the United States there on the spot, liav.
ing under his control the Navy of the
United States, IN innocent citizen
OF the United States was for months kept
confined in crowded and unhealthy
prison, and finally only released upon the
demand made by Admiral Poor TO the
president of the Dominican Republic, to
whom the President of the Dominican
Republic had made the same excuse for
the non.relcasc of Hatch, to-wit, that
Hatch, if released, would operate against
the ratification of the treaty of anncxa-
ton. So that, upon the statement Of the
Dominican authorities themselves to these
officers OF our Government, this man, for
more than six months, without any charge
against him, was kept confined in Do.
minican prison, lest, If released, he should
make known here in Washington Obiec-
tions which existed to the consummatiOn
oil the annexation of San Domingo.
"Now, | state these facts, fully and
clearly understanding the entire import Of
what | say"
II this charge had any just basis In it,
Mr.. Sumner did well to say that General
Babcock ought TO be cashiereds But you
never find the Senate taking up anything
in nOn.political frame Of mind, and as
soon us Ferry and Sumner had made their
declaration against BabcOcli, it was plain
that the Republican side was Immediately
divided III two halves--thG SubServiGnts
and the Independents. Morton, Thayer,
Nye, md Others, Mt once insisted that
Babcock,,s cilse should not go TO the rGgu-
lar Committee on Foreign affairs, Of which
Sumner il Chairman, hut to select Com
mitec, and they carried their point Nor
ton, who never lets up on Coliax, insisted
that Ire should not be excused from up.
Z, pointing this delicate committee, and, in
point OF fact, there was no just reason why
Colfax should have been excused, inas-
much us government makes no allowance
for intcr.official delicacy. ColtaX distin-
guished himself by tho skill with which
he made up this committee Nye he
made Chairman, q Senator strong fOr. all
anncxatiOns; Howard and Williams, also
two alinexationists. he put In with Nye;
Ferry and Shurz, opponents Of San Do.
mingO, gave a seasoning TO this grave
council; Warner, who is probably in ac-
cord with the President, was then added
to balance YiCkers, the Democrat appended
to the tail. II Is a strong committee, and
! it will undoubtedly make two reports, one
protesting that white is black, and the
other that black Is white. No more than
this could be expected from special com.
mittcc Of modern Senators, whose logic
begins. with q conclusion. I.lVlT.
BabCock is small, genial, stOutish,
scmi.fOrid young officer, and about the
truth or fillsity Of the charge against him
can get no valid information. If true, it
shows Il sadly involved condition Of
diplomacy that, for the sake of helping
the President to bug an island, a staff Off.
Ger would go into Vaccinations against a
citizen who is already component part
Of the State. Reasoning from analogy,
should say that the President took into
his confidence and put on onerous service
extremely young and cxpulsive gentlemen
Anybody who has read the history OF
WNshington's administration has observed
what untoward State ceremonies were in.
troducel,by his gallant Jacto'uHl, David
Humphreys, and what supcrtluouG ideas oI
personal sovereignty were set In Washing
ions nOtdIe by Knox and Hamilton. Its
one thing to rule without politicians, and
another thing to rule without men 0i cXpc'
rienCc. There is all the difference in the
world between taking the advice Of Simon
4 Cameron and General BabcoClI, and yet il
is very probable that from different ten.
peraments and education the advice might
be the same in either case, and that pro.
ciscly what they discovered the President
wished.
This thing Is sure: the people of the
country at large do not want San Domin'
90, even If It could, be had for nothing
| Nobody secs what We could do with it as
II possession that we cannot do with it as
an independent State. To steal it out
right would be, perhaps, just as honest AG
TO buy it from President Bacz, and Just rs
cheap besides The theory Of outpoSts
does not seem 10 strike the average Amer
lean rs very brilliant theory, Impo1'
concern rls, ut present, quito rs much as
outposts. The President seems TO retain
but one idea out Of the many which must
have possessed him as a Democrat in for