The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-05

Editorial Opinions Of the Lending Journals
Upon Current TOpics-COmpiied EverV
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
GRANTS FIRST NEGOTIATION FOR
FOREIGN SOIL.


Among the West India group of islands is
one named Hispaniola by the Spanish dis
coverers, but called Hayti (Which means high
land country by the natives. 1t is about 800
miles in length from cast to west, and 60 to
11O miles in breadth. Discovered by Spain
in 1892, adventurers from Europe went
thither to work its reputed mines, made
slaves of the natives, aud the colony increased
in wealth; but soon, the mining proving un-
productive, the miners went elsewhere, and
the colony became burden. Spain held
possession till 1880, when buccaneers, chiefly
French, gained a foothold from the neighbor-
ing small island Of Tortuga, and by the
treaty of Ryswick, in 1897, the western
portion of the island was ceded to France,
and one hundred years later (1705) the
eastern portion was, by the treaty OF Bale,
also ceded to France. Thus France had
all the island The. population at this
time could be classified into three classes
whites, mulattoes, and blacks-the last being
slaves. The French national decree of 1871,
giving to the colored people all the rights of
French citizens, set on foot quarrel between
the two first-named classes on the island
during which the negro slaves rose up for
their own defense against both. In the mean
time the French Assembly repealed its first
decree, which act of repeal made matters
still worse. The negroes either massacred or
6ADSI6u ueHTlY I'LL Iu0 uIHTIu6u WulJ6S' LII
1893, England, with q large force, took pos
session Of the island but the climate was
too deadly, and within five years she re-
tired. France recognized the negro Tous-
saint L'Ouverture as general-in-chief, who
proved himself able and indefatigable, and
in 1901 formally proclaimed the Independent
Republic of San Domingo under him. When
the treaty of Amiens had concluded the war
in Europe between France and Great Britain,
Napoleon sent, to reduce the revoted colony
to his sway, twenty-six ships of the line and
25,000 troops, under his brother-in-law,
Leclerc, who captured Toussaint, sent him to
France, where he died in prison. This
struggle for victory between the French and
the negroes surpasses description in its deeds
of cruelty and revenge; and in 1908 the
French forces surrendered to the negro Gene
raj Dessalines, and agreed to evacuate the
island. The next year the negro general was
crowned Emperor of the aot0le island, with
its name changed to Hayti; he proclaimed
massacre of all whites, and was assassinated
in 1906; when another negro, Christophe,
and Petion fought for power. 1t
was during the conflicts between these
two, and to aid one against the
other, that the vessel American Eagle was
fitted out in this port, seized by the collector
under the neutrality act of 1894, whereon
arose the noted case of Gelston VS.. Hoyt, in
which the Supreme Court said that, as neither
Christophe nor Petion were recognized as
''princes or states" by the executive depart
ment of this Government, the libel was bad
The former ruled in the north and the latter
in the south of the island. Peton died in
1918, and Boyer took his place. Christophe
committed suicide two years later; when
Boyer rushed in, grabbed everything and
the island was one again under the Republic
of Hayti, and her independence confirmed by
France, April, 1926. Boyer held sway over
the entire island till 1S43, when he was driven
out by Riviere, against whom revolt in turn
was made, and he fed to Jamaica. In 1916,
Soulouque, slave and boot-black, was
elected President of Hayti, or the western
part of the island, and in 1852 took the
crown from the altar in his own hands, and,
like Napoleon /, crowned himself Emperor,
and then his wife Adelina. So much for
Hayti.
On the fall of Riviere, the Spaniards in the
eastern end of the island, whereupon President
Grant has fixed his eyes, asserted their inde-
pendence and proclaimed the Dominican
Republic. Santana was elected President.
He was followed by Jimenes in 1S+8. In the
meantime Santana, having whipped Sou
louque of Hayti (the western end) in battle
compelled Jimenes to resign, and Baez was
elected In 1853 Baez was banished, anG
Santana raised to the Presidency.
Finally, on the 10th of May, 1861, there ap
peared in Madrid a royal decree, which con
cluded thus-
"The territory which constituted the Dominican
Republic is and remains reincorporated into thu
monarchy"
Horrid to relate, Spain did reoccupy ant
repossess islands adjacent to this continent
Where was the Monroe doctrine then
Where was Seward? Where were all the
Republican babblers now heard in the lant
against European possession? Lincoln wal
President. Where was he? Let Banks
Howe, Logan and company straightway intro
duce re esolutions into Congress inquiring fol
and of everybody how Spain dared thus tC
retake San Domingo.
Spain endeavored to do what she could il
Dominica, which had, in fact, invited he
there. She spent many millions of dollars
IL roads, harbor improvements, and in recti
fication Of its money system; but finally, il
1865, Spain renowned, by decree of May 8
possession of the territory.
How does President Grant expect to gov
can the country? 1t will be, if the treaty i
forthwith ratified the first of our acquisition
off the continent. The Supreme Court of tn
United States, in the case of Dred Scott, sal
that there is no power of the Government t
make or hold new acquisitions as a colony
New territory must be taken to be held onl
''as an inchoate State, which is in a terrific
rial condition of pupilage to become &C
equal State in due time. Possibly this &C
ministration only will respect such decision
of the court as meet its approval, and will eI
deavor to govern its island purchases as colC
MES, which Senator Morton assimilates [
small boats towed astern the ship, and which
in respect to those towed by Europe, he pr,
poses to cut adrift, to be picked up by ou