New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-13

10 j. W. FabeRs, December, H. 1869, of
i,oS5 feet fronting on the harhor, in perpetuty,
| a. siI- per annum. These grants cover large
part oil me anoccupied available front of the
haroor. There was also lease by the NUM-
epai government or the city of San Domingo
oil wharf front of limited extent and import
! ance TO W. l.. Cazneau
| Inc commissioners were not unmindsul Of
! various rumors which had been circulated on
| DIVERS occasions, that concessions or grants of
land were made to officials of the Government
| OF the United States when the treaty of annex
alton was negotiated in 1869. No pains were
! spared to ascertain the exact truth on this sub
Ject. In addition to an examination of all
grants from the Government of the Republic,
| the COMMISSION further carried their researches
| TO all municipal grants by the town of SANTANA.
where rumor had located the supposed grants.
| LIE officers OF the municipality and the records
were carefully examined. INQUIRY was also
made OF the authorities of the city of San Do
mingo. After this investigation the Commits
sion can declare, without hesitation that there
was no particle OF evidence or color Of evidence
Tor these charges.
In order to be assured that the treaty f,rn-
ished to us was true and full copy of the orig
| inal In the archives of the Dominican Govern
ment, they thought 1t important to examine the
original carefully and 10 determine whether
either the treaty Of annexation or the SANTANA
tease contain any concession or grant or secret
clause iavorlng any United States official This
they ala In the presence of the President and his
CABINET, In the formal manner which will be
found set out at length in their journal of
date February Is, 1871. 1t was ascertained
that no such clause was contained in the treaty.
or lease. They received. also, the solemn as
surance OF the President and his Cabinet as
Will be found IN their journal of the same date,
that no such grant or concession was made in
any way IN connection with the negotiation or
preparation OF the treaty.
TERMS OF ANNEXATION DESIRED.
The terms and conditions on which the Do.
mlRIcan Government and people desire to be
annexed are expressed in the treaty negotiated
III 1869, which provided for the annexation of
that Republic To the United States "a Terri
tory. In discussing this subject the President
and his Cabinet manifested liberal and accom-
modating spirit
AT the suggestion Of the Commission the Do
minlcan Government was willing to modify the
treaty SO az To devote one-tifth of the public
lands 10 the establishment and maintenance of
common schools in the Territory, provided the
United States appropriate three hundred thou
sand acres ct land to establish "A college or
colleges for instruction in agriculture mining,
engineering and kindred subjects.
or DOMINICAN INDEPENDENCE
Their attention having been called to certain
declarations regarding the independence Of the
Dominican Republic and the attachment of the
people thereto, those points were especially
dwelt upon by the Commissioners. As already
stated, the question was frequently asked, In
case the Independence of the Dominican Re
public were possible, would you prefer it to
annexation" The general answer was, - We
would prefer Independence but Independence
is impossible" That this.latter declaration il
the result OF true insight into the condition
OF the country by those who knew it best-that
IL Is the only conclusion To which thoughtful
lover of that country can come-is manifest by
the facts.
There is but one chance for that Republic
ever to recover its independence-to become,
after proper period of probation, one of u
union OF States, the freedom and substantial
independence of each being guaranteed by tho
strength of all.
1t is beyond the province of the Commits
sloners, under the resolution of Congress, to
recommend that such course be adopted or
abstained from.
Inc most important commerce of the island,
oy lar, the tobacco trade, is carried on mainly
by Germans, and is with the principal seaport
OF the new German empire To such an extent
has this tendency developed itsefthat this trade
is rapidly becoming German monopoly.
RELATIONS or SAN DOMINGO TO FREE LABOR IN
THE WEST INDIES.
The influence which San Domingo under q
stable government would exercise upon the
Institution of slavery has not escaped attention.
1t would be all on the side of freedom. Nor
would that influence be merely moral With
liberty, order, free labor, and the immigration
which would be attracted by these with a vast
advantage in the West India trade arising from
the fact that any duties laid by the United
States on West India productions for revenue
would be discrimination against slave products,
and would nure to the protection of Dominican
free labor, it is not too much to expect that San
Domingo might be developed into a powerful
State, which, by the inevitable laws of trade,
would make slave labor in the neighboring
islands Improbable, and, by the spread of it's
ideas, render the whole slave and caste system
odious.
HAYTr.
The Commissioners, of course felt deep
interest Of the experiment in selEgoyernment
which the blacks are trying in lIayti.
They intimated to the President and his
council their dispositions and desires, but they
received no encouragement to pursue their in
| qulrles.
They asked verbally, and through our Minis
| ter in writing for permission to explore the
interior of the island but this was met in a
| spirit equivalent to "a refusal. They contented
| themselves, therefore, with taking such test-
| mony and gathering such information upon
| matters bearing upon the question Of annexa-
alton as they could without giving oiense
In reviewing the whole field OF their nvesti-
| cations, looking to the interests of both divi.
| sions of the island, they are firmly persuaded
| that the annexation of San Domingo to lie
| United States would be hardly less henefcial TO
the Haytian than to the Dominican people.
! This benefit would arise, first, from the exam
| pie which would doubtless be afforded of we'll
regulated, orderly, and prosperous State-the
| great need of that part of the world, and which
| it has as yet never seen. A second and more
| direct benefit would arise from the equitable
establishment of boundary line between the
| French-speaking and the Spanish-speaking ma
tions upon that island, and its guarantee by a
| strong power. This would end the exhausting
border warfare which has been one of the great
est curses of Hayti, as we'll as San Domingo,
and would enable both to devote their energies
| thenceforward to the education Of their people
! and the development of their resources.
| Respectfully submitted, Il. +. WADE,
A. ID. WHITE,
! S. q. HOWE.
| The President Of the United States.
The union of the two wings OF the hepuoh-
can party in Missouri is Immediately followed