The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-20
Action off Past and Pressnt AdmLnis-
trationa-Thes .Osjeots In Vlew-The
Country, Se.

had previously made treaties of commerce aad
navigation with various friendly EHzopean ma
tions, and oa the 24th oi October, 1857, con-
cluded similar treaty with the United States.
Prior to this, however, the United States
Government hsd manifested considerable In
terest In the island. In ls46 commission
was sent out with instructions to. inquire as- to
the extent Of the territory OF the republic, as
to the character and composition Of the popu-
latiOn, as to the number and discipline of the
troops, az to the people H the country and It's
division in races, and as to It's finances. He
are those which formerly belonged t0cSpain;
that the population was about 100000, OF
whom 10000 were blacks and over 100000
were whites. In the following year the s1bjecs
was again taken up by the administration Of
Mr.. Polk, :and under directions Of Mr. BAN
croft, the then Secretary of the Navy, Lleuten-
ant {n0w AdmiraD D. D. Porter traversed the
whole island from east to west and from north.
to south, and made an elaborate and highly ID
and OF the character Of the population. -,
During the administration of Mr.. Pierce,
Captain {afterwsrd Major General) George 3.
Mcclellan, was ntby the War Department
to survey the bay and peninsula Of Samana,
and valuable report was made by him. The
agent Of this department at that time wrote
Clellan wr6te me on the Sd Instant, Informing
Irnethat the position selected for coal depot
will require. at least two square miles of land,
and perhaps somewhat more. In pursuance
of Instructions Iwifl ehdeavor to obtain THESE
eoncessions.n Efforts were also made under
the sdmiRistration OF Mr.. Pierce TO negotiate q
general treaty with that republic, which ap-.
psrently did not resultto,the satisfaction Of
this department. .,..
In 1856 the United States commercial agent
at San Domingo wrote 10 the department that
he had received word from President Santana
that the desired treaty should be concluded as
soon as possible. But now c0mpenced diff
culties with other governmental. In July Of
that year, the copsuls Of Spain. England and
France, held secret interview withthe Boni:
nlcan Cabinet the ioHeet Of which was to
oblige the withdrawal OF the American treaty,
threatening them, in case Of refusal, to put
IN execution threats already made, declaring
that 1t would never be permitted for the peo-
pie of the United States TO have q foothold In
the Dominican Republic. u
Our commercial agent also wrote: II am
authorized to offer TO the United States Gov
ernment, not only any location m the Bay Of
ssmana for their purposes, but tho coal mines
vantage they require" On the 36th Of 0cto-
Der following the. acting commercial agent,
Mr.. Pereirs, notified the department Of q
change In the government unfriendly to the
United States, and on the 22d OF November he
wrote that the common town cry was sD0wn
with the Yankees" and that he and his family
owed their protection from violence to the un-
solicited interference Of the commander OF
British man-Ofwar.
The Government Of Spain, which fell with
the revolution Of 1868 at Madrid, following the
example of The French in Mexico, took advan-
tage Of the late internal dissensions and con-
flots in the United States 10 endeay0r to re-
possess the portion of the island of St. Domingo
referred to In the resolution. The political
too palpable to need extended comment. One
side Of the Mona Channel being already un ier
Spanish rule, the possession 6t tho Bay Of
Samana would give the absolute eontzofef the
main entrance TO the Caribbean Sea, With the
political and military consequences that would
flow from that fact After sacrificing many
lives In endeavoring to force mon
represented by the consular officer Of the Vnf
ted States, were OF the. opinion. that America
should be ruled by Americans, Spain abandon
ed the contest.
About the month of August, 1866, aprovison-
al government was established. and e call was
made for the election Of delegates to con-
vention for the purpose Of framing eonsatu-
innate connection with this country found I'm
mediate expression in the consular 6orrespon-
dence. 49,.
The secretary gives history of the negotia-
tions for the lease Of the Bay Of >Samana up to
the close of President Johnson's admI1istrar 1
ton, which he says demonstrated the facts /
that the island was worth annexing, and that |
the people desired to beannsxed TO the United |
States. Nevertheless, It was thought best by |
Che present administration not to act without |
further Information derived Shfangh accurate /
and trustworthy sourcss, and So on july. Is,
1869, General Babcock was appointed special
agent to go to'San Domingo and obtain the In !
desired. -.
General Babcock was Instructed to make in |
qulrles in referehce to the population Of that
republic, in towns, in the country, and on the |
north and south coasts, and In the interior, re-
spectively, giving the number Of whites and |
pure African and mixed bloods separately. He |
was also instructed to obtain accurate int0rma-
ton in regard 10 the position of the govern |
ment and people toward the United states; the |
character OF the government, whether military !
Dr. civil, whether 1t be suitable or liable to be
1verthrown; What the revenues fthe country |
may be, and whence derived; the tonnage, |
classified 80 as to show the proportion of Its |
foreign and cQastfng trade under ITS own flag, |
and under those of foreign countries; what |
The deb, foreign and domestic, may. be, how
ong 1t may have to run, and where held; |
whether any other foreign power may be |
point of that country; and, generally, any In
formation tending to illustrate the condition |
and resources Of That republic, and the eharac- |
;er and influence of thOse charged with It's des- |
.inies. He was further instructed to inquire |
nto the issues Of paper money, and as to the |
supposed views Of foreign powers towards |
hat country. Upon bis return General Bah |
,ock made favorable report. fully confirming |
he information previously In possession of the /
department.. He was therefore directed to
return in order to aid Mr. Raymond d. Perry, |
The commercial agent of the United States, to
negotiate treaty for the annexation OF the
Whole territory OF the republic to the United
States, and as an alternative proposition for
he lease Of the Penlnsula.and Bay oil Samana:
treaty for the annexation Of the territory OF
he republic and negotiations for the lease OF
he Peninsula and Bay OF SaWana were accord
nQIy concluded. The treaty did not receive !
he assent the Serfate. The negotiations are
,till pending before that boGy.
1t appears from the documents enclosed In
he secretary's letter that, on January 29, 1870,
Minister Bassett, In Hayti, addressed letter I
% the commander of any United States ship
)f-War at or near Samana, in which he said |
hat, under instructions from the government
It Washington, he had warned the existing
Of Hayti not to interfere In any
manner In the Internal affairs OF the Republic
If Dominica .t.A
Rear-Admiral Poor informed President Sa-
ret, under date Of February 10, 1870, that,
Turing the existence Of these negotiations,
be United States Government was determfn-
a, with gil its power to prevent any inter-
erence ON the, part Of the Hayttens or any /
'ther power with the Dominican Government.
NY interference or attack, therefore, by |
raRpIa Under tho uauffor nv opu off,or ao0