The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-06


tanty of great risks, but with possibility of great
gains TO further these operations proclamatons
are formed. These emanate nominally from the
leaders of the insurreconary force of the day, but
they generally present the clearest internal evil
dence that their pretended authors never saw
them. From these parties and their agents come
rumors and even circumstantial accounts OF insur-
rections where none exist. The Oommlissioners
encountered several instances OF this Ihls lhsut-
rection brokerage would doubtless cease as soon as
It is the policy of any strong nation to prevent IT,
In all the struggles OF various admlnlstratlons
against revolutionists and destructives, the local
and municipal liberties of provinces, districts and
towns have suffered greatly. The eKigenCies of the
central civil ard military authority seem 10 have
prevented the growth of any large scale of that
system OF local self-gOverument which forms the
gioi ndvcl of freedom in the United States. STILL
Tie germs of LEGAL liberty are by no means totally
destfoved Ayuntamlentos, or Town Councils, are
sull retained. These are bodies elected by the
people, holding regular sessions keeping records oil
Their proceedings, and exercising considerable care
inithe registration OF vital statistics.
biTo these bodies belong the local administratlon
They are small, and the length OF the term OF
Offices prevents, in some degree, the immediate In
luence of popular will being felt upon them: Stil
they serve at least to keep up the tradition of local
freedom and some habit of local management OF
affairs. The men chosen seem worthy OF their trust
The Commissioners were impressed with the gene
raj character and ability OF the members OF these
municipal bodies There among them many
who would do honor to similar councils in any
country. The difficulties and dangers with which
these men have been environed seem 10 nave deep
ened and strengthened their characters, while In
teie in political affairs has been by the cir
cumstances nearly crushed out of the more timid
majority. 1t was among this class that the Com
mission and their agents found their most inteli-
gent welcome, and unrestrained conversation with
them showed that this welcome was not mere for
mality to which they had been compelled. 1t APP
peafed to the Commissioners that, under govern
ment guaranteeing liberty and order, these mun-
cipsl bodies, scattered through the country, might
become centres of a better system than the Domini
can Republic has yet known. Spanish reincOrpo-
ton the constant succession of ofinsurrectonary lead
ere, and the long series of disturbances to which
it has been the fate of the Dominican people
to be subjected, many years since led thoughtful
lief uRg A.
tion generally to acquiesce quietly at first, in the
occupation of the republic, by the forces of Spain
in 1861. That occupation had been brought about
by the management of Santana and others,
then in power aided by two Spanish ships of war,
it was suddenly consummated, to the surprise Of
the great majority of the citizens. The Commis-
sOners took especial pains in all parts of the coun-
try to examine into the causes of the failure that
followed this annexation as well as of the unpopu
| larity and overthrow OF the spanish rule In the
| island. These have oeen generally stated to them
That, contrary to the understanding between
| the Dominican and Spanish governments the pub
lie offices of all sorts unduly filed with Span
| iards to the exclusion of Domnicans.
g That the Spanish subordinate functionaries
! were rot generally native SpaDiards, but Spanish
subjects drawn from Cuba and Porto Rico, colonies
where blacks ard men OF color are held as slaves,
and that the atmosphere in which these men h ad
| been brought up had filled them with prejudice
| which unified them utterly for the administration
| Of government in country where the great majo-
Tty OF the population are coored and considera-
| BILE number are blacks.
many of the soldiers, were brutal beyond endur-
ance, and that very little effective redress could be
obtained. 1t was stated to the Commissioners, by a
clergyman in charge of one of the most import rtant
| parishes On the island, man of acknowledged de-
votiCn TO Christian duty and entirely trustworthy,
that the Spanish Governor of that province had, to
his certain know ledge, been concerned in the
sinatiOn OF mother to obtain control OF the person
of hor daughter. That he had entered the clergy
mans house, stick in hand and threatened him
with ignominous chastise ment and that in various
ways the Spanards oppressed the people, treat
ing them as conquered, and insulting their local
| authorities.
4. That the Spanish rulers showed mania for
regulating the details OF ordinary life in some cases
| resulting in positive indigntles TO the people.
g. That the ecclesiastical administration at
! variance with their ideas. Practically religious
liberation had grown up In the Republic. This
| fact the new Archbishop under the Spaniards does
not seem to have recognized. Protestant churches
were shut and orders were issued to the clergy of
the Established Church to enforce a multitude Of
vexatious regulations upon their focks, involving
spying uIon families. TO use the language OF a
! venerable priest: "rhe Archbishop a worthy
man, but he seemed to consider that he was living
! in the time of the Inquisiton." The clergy were
| dissatisfied at that policy. Remonstrances were
made and a letter from one Catholic clergyman to
| the Archbishop stated that "Such measures beht
! neither this age nor this country" To these NAV
which possess very large and widespread mem :
bership among the best men OF the island, was un-
6. That there were manifested on various occa-
siOns certain deepseated political ideas. OF these
may be mentioned opposition to monarchy, and to
colonial subsection and attachment to the name of
! the Republic.
T.. mat thCTe was aroused a popular apprenen-
sion, founded upon knowledge Of Spanish admin
istraton on the neighborng islands, that slavery
would be re-established either by reducing the CO.
lOred Dominican people to the condition OF slaves,
or by importatiOns. Although these causes
equally operative in ALL parts of the country,
and the better classes of Spanish officials mi gated
them considerably in some districts, they were suiii-
cient, when joined to uneasiness under the colonial
yoke, to cause an insurrection which soon became
| revolution.
The people revolted in all parts of the interior,
and, aided by greater knowledge of the country
and greater familiarity with guerilla warfare, re-
sisted all attempts to put them down. They finally
drove the Spaniards into the strongholds on the
coast, where the soldiers died by wholesale of the
| malignant fevers, engendered in close and filthy
| barracks devoid of all sanitary appliances. OF
the Spanish losses exact data could be obtained.
| The best opinion seemed to be that the Spaniards
sent in all about thirty-hVe thousand troops, of
| whom between six and eight thousand were lost by
| desertion and the causes above alluded TO. AL
| though bitterly disappointed in the results of the
| Spanish annexation, the people who were soon in
yOlved in new revolutions ceased not to look abroad
| in the hope of relief.
parts of the country, even the remotest the people
found to be familiar with the question of an
neHation to the United States, and to have dis
cussed IL among themselves with intelligence. All
classes in all parts of the Republic were consulted
Magistrates and ecclesiastics of every grade, Off
cals civil and military, citizens of all professions
and occupations in town and country, and every
! where there was general agreement in the
| declaration that their only hope of perma-
nent peace and prosperity is in annexation
! 10 and becoming part of the people of the
| United States. They generally declared their be-
lief that the strong arm of this Republic, taking
them under protection as part of the nation, would
at once end the efforts and hopes of every sedious
revolutionary leader, and establish law, order and
prosperity. The incorporation into public sentl-
ment OF feeling strongly favorable to annexa-
Power, is partially due to the presence in Varpus
parts OF the country OF small colonies of cOloTel
Or4 4Rafr