The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-11

Editorial Opinions OF the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics Compiled Every
DaV for the Evening Telegraph.
CONFIDENTIAL CORRESPONDENCE RE
SPEOTING SAN DOMINGO.

mingo is quickly told.
on the 10th Of May, 1861, some months be-
fore the signing Of the tripartite convention
relative 10 Mexico, royal decree appeared in
Madrid, dated from AraDjuez, in the following
terms.-'sThe territory which constituted the |
Dominican republic is and remains reincorpo- |
rated with the kingdom.
Columbus. at the period of the first Disco |
very Of the New World, gave 10 Spain the
island which be called Hispaniola. The treaty |
Of Ryswick, in 1897, allotted to France that |
part Of the island called San Domingo, while |
the other part remained Spanish. The treaty
Of Bssle, in 1895, ceded to the French repub-
lie the entire island The treaties of 1914 and |
1915 returned TO Spain that portion she had |
lost and the ancient French portion became |
independent under the name of the republic
of Hayti In 1922 the Spanish colony of San
Domingo, following the emancipation move
ment OF South America and the example of
the nsighboring continent, proclaimed its in
dependence.
After having been annexed for twenty-five
years to the other portion of the island, the
Spanish portion declared its independence in
1874, which il maintained until the day
General Santana, in 1861, restored it to the
authority of Spain, which power was not
destined to enjoy the acquisition for a long
time, for Spain, by decree of May D, 1865,
renounced its claim to the possession of the
reincorporated territory.
The confidential respondence-coniden-
tial in the sense that MIR. Seward informed
our Minister in Madrid that the views of this
Government we're communicated to the latter
''confdentially" we gave yesterday
from the archives of the Department Of State
throws valuable light on the circumstances
under which Spain retired from her posses
sion and armed occupancy of San Domingo
Impartial persons can judge for themselves
whether her retirement was aided or brought
al hxxx hat he xxto1 h.,
deemed the pledges of the United States con-
veyed by Mr.. Seward to Madrid in respect to
the future course of this country towards
those whom the Nation newspaper so per-
sistently styles ''Spanlsh Catholic negroes"
1t is very edifying for us Democrats to
read, as the secrets of Republican diplomacy
are uncovered from time to time, how pre-
vious Democratic administrations were de-
nounced to foreign nations from the Depart
ment Of State, or under its inspiration, as
the impersonation of political badness Such
was the cue taken by Mr.. Seward with Great
Britain when, in what he thought a temporary
exigency, he endeavored to persuade Earl
Russell to accept the United States as q CO.
declarant to the adjustment of privateering,
2uno pro tunc, under the Paris arrange
ment of 1856; and even MIR. Adams so
far lent himself to the hypocritical cant
as to call the Seward regime a "re-
formed government" in comparison, of
course, with that of Cass, Marcy, and
Everett his predecessors in Office. Oddly
enough in the correspondence now before
us Republican diplomatic agents denounce
Democratic efforts to make an honorable and
useful acquisition of certain West India
islands as the vile work of persons like Jeffer-
son Davis and Pierre Soule. Use is made of
the names of these two gentlemen by way of
conveying the opinion entertained then of
upright schemes of foreign acquisition
of property in the neighborhood of
the Caribbean Sea. Then it was a Uile Ostend
policy in which such as Pierce, Marcy Bu-
ohanan, John Y. Mason, and Soule repre-
sentlng the Democratic party, were occupied
No one ever ventured the suggestion that
there was any touch or taint of pecuniary
gain or that there were greedy camp-followers
in these efforts. MIR. Everett's admirable
reply of December /, 1852, Immediately after
the election of President Pierce, in ans wer
to the British and French propositions that
this Government join in tripartite oonven-
tion to guarantee abstinence from efforts to
obtain possession of Cuba, was made after
its distinguished author had ascertained
the views OF the incoming President in the
matter and was intended to express Demo
cratic opinion as well as the convictions of
President Fillmore. But it is long step
from that note to Count Sartiges to a state
ment that it's author would, if now on
earth, sanction the pending scheme of Baez-
Grant.
II the authors of the plan now before Con-
gress were really endeayoring to throw light
on the probabless future of San Domingo
under our rule they would obtain and pub
lish authentic accounts of Spanish experience
there from 1861 to 1865. Spain is not ma
tion given to easy surrender. She holds on
as long as'hope can exist, and sometimes even
beyond hope A true Castilan rarely aban-
dons his ground in the face of undue menace.
Spain was, in effect, invited to San Domingo
and spent there large amounts of money in
the improvement of the country by building
roads and public buildings such as Spain con-
structs wherever she is in possession Bat
despite all this, Spanish officers and troops
were actually poisoned and assassinated till
the troops were withdrawn. Dominioans may
prefer the rule of another foreigner-to wit.
ourselves-but this country wishes proof on
the point.
THE MUZZLE FOR A PLAIN SPEAKER.
From the NJ Y. Times.
Certain gentlemen have preferred charges
against Rev. DIR. Lanahan assistant agent
of the Methodist Book Concern, alleging
that he has made false statements in regard
to losses and frauds in that establishment
(thereby causing great damage to the Con-
Germ and scandal to the Church,, and pray
ing that he may be suspended, tried, and, if
found guilty, deposed from Office. DIR. Lana
han maintains on his part that his statements
as above are true, and that he is prepared TO
prove them. The trial is to take plaee on
the 10Th of January, at No. SO5 Broadway
The Book Committee, and also the Bishons
who are to be convened to try the case. owe
1t to themselves and to the Church that
the Investigation shall ha tbo.oroL