Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-12-13

! ShOuld DC at some cost to the n atom
al Treasury, | hope such encourage
ment will be given as win secure
American shipping on the high seas,
and American ship.buildng at home.
TIE ST >fH-AMERIcAN PEACE CONFERENCE.
The loag deferred peace conference be-
tween Spain and allied South American Re
publcs has been inaugurated in Washington
under the auspices OF the United States Pur.
suant to the recommendation, contained in the
resolution of the House Of Representatives of
the l7th of December, 1866, the Executive
Department of the Government offered its
friendly offices for the promotion of peace
and harmony between Spain and the allied
Republics. Hesitations and obstacles occur
red TO the acceptance of the offer. Ultimate
~, however, a conference was arranged and
was opened in this city on the both Of October
last, aC which | authorized the Secretary of
State to preside. 1t was attended by the
ministers of Spain, Peru, Chill and Ecuador
In consequence of the absence OF a represen-
tatiye from Bolivia, the conference was adj
iourned until the attendance of plenip0ten-
tiary from that Republic could be secured or
other m, assures could be adopted towards
compassi its object. The allied and other
Republic of Spanish origin on this continent
may see this fact a new proof Of our sin
cere inte st in their welfare, Of our desire 10
see them blessed with good governments ca
pabe OF maintaining order and preserving
their RESI- etive territorial integrity, and of
our since wish to exter our own CONNER
cial and cial relations with them. The time
is not pr ably far distant when, in the nat
ural cour OF events, European political con-
necton th this continent viii cease. Our
policy nd be shaped, in view of this prob
ability, as 10 ally the commercial interests
OF the Spanish American states more closely
to our own, and thus give the United States
all the pre-emnence and all the advantages
which Mr. Monroe, Mr. Adams and Mr. CLAY
contemplated when they proposed to Join the
congress OF Panama.
THE SAN DOMINGO QUESTION.
During the last session of Congress, a treaty
for the annexation Of San Domingo to the
United States failed to receive the requisite
twothirds vote Of the Senate. | was thor
oughly convinced then that the best interests
ofthe country, commercially and materially,
demanded its ratification. Time has only
confirmed me in this view | now firmly be-
leve that the moment it is known that the
United States have entirely abandoned the
project of accepting as part of its territory,
the Island of San Domingo, free port will
be negotiated for by European nations in the
Bay Of SamaEa. large commercial city
will spring up, to which we vii! be tributary to
without receiving corresponding benefits
The Government Of San Domingo has volun-
tarily sought annexation 1t lisa weak power,
numbering probably less than 1870 600 souls,
and yet possessing one of the richest localities
under Oh, sun, capable Of supporting popu-
alton of 100000 people in luxury. The
people Of san Domingo are not capable of
maintainit themselves in their present con
dtion, a / must look for outside support
They yea u for the protection Of our free in
stitutions md laws, our Congress and civiliza-
ton. 81 II We refuse them? The acqusi-
tion Of So Domingo is desirable because of
its geographical position H. commands the
entrance 10 tie Caribbean sea aud the 18th
mus tral sit Of commerce 1t possesses the
richest soil, the best and most cdpaciuus har-
bors, the most salubrious climate, and the most
valuable products Of the forest and soil Ofany
OF the West India islands. Its possession by
nited States viii in a few years build up
coastwise commerce Of immense magnitude,
which VIII 20 far towards restoring 10 us our
lost mer ant marine. IL will give TO us those
articles mich we consume greatly and do not
produce, thus cquaiziug our exports and i'm
ports In case o. foreign war, il will give
us command of all the islands referred to, and
thus prevent an enemy from again possessing
himself Of a rendezvous upon our coast. It
prevents our coast trade between the states
bordering on the Atlantic and those bordering
on the Gulfof Mexico and by the Bahamas and
the Antilles Twice we must, as it were pass
through foreign countries to get by from Geor.
gia to the cast coast ofFlorida. San Domin--
90, with stable government under which her
immense resources can be developed, will
give remuncrative wages for 100 600 Of labor
4
take advantage o every available means Of
transportation to abandon the adjacent coun-
tries and seek the blessings Gifts freedom aud
It's sequence Each inhabit2nt viii receive
the reward Of his own labor Porto Rico and
Cuba will have to abolish slavery as meas
urc Of self preservation to retain their labor
ers. san Domingo will become large con-
sumner Of he products Of Northern farms and
manufact res The cheap rate at which her
citizens On be furnished with food tools ana
machincI viii make Unnecessary that the con
tiguous i ilnds should have the same advan
tages in der to compete with the production
Of sugar, coffee, tobacco, tropical fruits, etc
This viii pen to us wider market for our
products The production Of our supply Of
these art les will cut off more thau one hun
drci mil Dns of our annual imports, besides
largely il rcasing our exports. With such a
picture, is easy to see how our large debt
is ultimately to be extuguished with bal
ance Of lde against US, including the inter
est of the bonds held by foreigners and Of the
money shipment Of our citizens travelling in
foreign lands, equal to the entire Weld of the
precious metal in this country. II is not so
easy to see how this result is to be otherwise
accomplished. The acquisition of San Domin
90 is an adhesion to the Monroe DOCTRINES
measure of national protection. 1t is as
sorting our just claim to the controlling inhu.
encc over the great commercial traffic soon
to flow from the West TO the East bv wav Of
the Isthmus of Darien. 1t is to build up our
merchants; it is to furnish new markets for
the products of our farms, shops and manu-
factories; it is 60 make slavery unsupportablc
in Cuba and Porto Rico, at once and ultimate
~, ana also in Brazil; it is to settle the un-
happy condition Of Cuba, and end an EXTERN
mating conflict; il is to provide honest means
Of paving our honest debts without oveg-taX-
ing the people; it is to furnish our citizens
with the necesSaries Of every day life at cheap
cr rates than ever before, and it is, in fine,
rapid tride towards that greatness which the
Intelligence, industry and enterprise of the
citizens If the United States has entitled this
country 10 assume among the nations. In
view of thc Importance Of this question,
earncstl, urge upon Couglcss early action eX
pgessiyc its views as 30 the best means of
acquirin San Domingo w suggestion is
that by Joint resolution Of the two Houses Of
Congress. the Executive be authorized to ap-
point commission 70 negotiate for treaty
with the authorities Of san Domingo FOR tie
acquisition Of that island and that an APP
ropriatan be made to defrav tho expenses Of
such commission. The question NAV then be
determined by .he lion Of the two Houses
| OF Congress upon resolution Of annexation,
Ms in the case Of the annexation of Texas
! SO as 10 convince al of the advantages 10
| flow from the acquisition OF san Domingo. and
OF the great disadvautages--I might almost
/ say caamities- from non-acquisition. will
| say that believe the subject has only to be ii
/ vcstigated 70 be approved.
FREE PORTS OF THE RIO GRANDE.
1t is 10 be regretted that our representa-.
| tons in regard to the injurious effects, es-
| pccially upon the revenue Of the Government,
in exempting from port duties large tract of
the territory on our borders, have not only
| been frutless, but that /. is even proposed in
that country to extend the limits within which
the privilege alluded to has hitherto been en-
| ioyed. The expediency Of looking into the
Il -