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


and which has been made occasion Of acrimo
NOUS debates in Congress, as we'll as Of unjust
aspersions elsewhere, / may, / trust, be in
dulged in single remark. No man can hope
to perform duties so delicate and responsible al
pertain to the Presidential Office without some
times mourning the hostility of those who deem
their opinions and Wishes treated with Insult
cient consideration and he who undertakes to
conduct the affairs Of great government 9
faithful public servant, if sustained by the ap
prevail of his own conscience, may rely with
confidence upon the candor and intelligence Of
a free people, whose best interests he has
striven to subserve, and can bear with patience
the censure of disappointed men.
US. GRANT
EXECUTIVE MANSION, April S, 1871.
Report OF the Comm ssiOners.s
The Commissioners begin by referring to the
action of Congress in providing for the appoint
ment of a commission to visit and inquire into
the condition of the Dominican Republic
allude to their departure on the Tennessee, and
give the result of their Investigations as fol
lows:
POLITICAL STATE AND CoNDITON-FoRN OF GOV
ERNMENT.
The present government Of the Dominican
Republic is ia theory constitutional republic
According to its constitution the government i:
divided into three branches, the executive, legis
latiye, and judicial. The first consists of 6
President and Vice President elected by ar
electoral college for a term Of six years, with &
difference of three years in the time of their
election. Both the President and Vice Presi
dent are ineligible to the presidency during the
following term. The President appoints q
Council of State, consisting of Minister OF
Public Instruction; of the Interior, Police
and Agriculture of Public Works and Com
merce; and of War and Marine; on one Of
these four Ministers the duties of Minister Of
Foreign Relations devolve at the will Of the
President
The Legislative branch of the Government
consists OF a Senate, (Senado ConsultOr) elected
by the primary assemblies, and has two mem
bers for the city of San Domingo, two for San
tlago, and one for each of the other provinces
and districts-nine members in all. These hold
office for six years, andSmay be reelected
Each province and district has a. Governor
and each parish and military post has com
mandant, nominated by the Executive and re
sponsible to him. The towns are governed by
ayuntamientos or councils elected by the pri
mary assemblies for three years.
The judiciary consists of Supreme Court,
whose seat is at the capital, with a President
tour Ministers, and an Attorney General, who
are chosen by the Senate from nominations
made by the electoral college, and who hold
Office five years.
The Commissioners found the Government
organized and in complete operation in all its
departments, exercising every function of le
legitimate government, with General Buena.
ventura Baez as the Chief Magistrate, in the
full and peaceable possession of all parts OF
tbs republic. except on the Haytian border,
which is disturbed by insurrectionary leaders
aided by Haytians, and political intriguers and
emissaries who have cOngregated at various
points in the neighboring islands. These are
melted to extraordinary activity at this time by
the fear of annexation to the United States.
From all that the Commissioners could ascer
tain, President Baez has the respect of great
majority of the dominican people for his ad
mInlstratlve abilities, and the strong attach
ment of many of the leading men, who regard
him as the only statesman among them who can
hold the nation against domestic factions and
foreign foes.
The frequency of civil connections during a
long period, and the consequent insecurity OF
have paralyzed industry discouraged
and so impoverished the country
that for the last two years the financial re
informed us, have been inadequate to pay ts
expenses. Meanwhile it has been constantly
harassed with incursiOns and attempts at revO-
luton. Only the ability of the administration
and the large share of confidence reposed in il
by strong majority Of the people, could have
maintained it in existence through so many
difficulties.
EXISTING INSTRUCTIONS.
The instructions which still exist are headed
by Cabral and Luperon. The former of these
lis universally conceded to be the more iln
portant; but neither has distinct flag or
regularly organized army neither is the expo
nent OF clearly defined policy. Both seem
animated by interests, attachments, and resent
ments purely personal. That General Cabra
does not claim to be the legal head of the Re
public; that he does not claim to represent
the principle of constitutional or legal authority
and order, is shown by the fact that, in hi.
proclamation, and in "a communication to tn,
Commission, he styles himself "Chief of tn,
Revolution )" and the journal pretending t.
emanate from him at San Juan, but well un
derstood to be printed at the Haytian capital
is styled " Bulletin Of the Revotoltsom."
As to Luperon, the testimony both in tn,
Clbao and on the coast is that he is simply ,
bandit, stained with crime.
The disturbance of which Cabral is the beat
has its seat in the western part of the Republi,
on the Haytian frontier. 1t is claimed thai
the districts of San Juan and Neyba. in which
his operations are conducted, embrace a large
population devoted to him but the testimony
of several refugees and heads of families from
that district, as we'll as considerable corrobora
tive evidence, shows that the region named
between the incursions Of the Haytans and The
prevalence Of instruction, is nearly depopu
lated and that the force Immediately at Cabral's
command does not exceed a few hundred men
who, In case of emergency, force into their ser
vice all the male population upon whom the,
can lay their hands.
The Commissioners believe that had thes
leaders welded only their own forces an,
resources they would long ago have been pu
down. Their whole Importance is derived from
the help of foreign intriguers and from tn,
fact that behind them stands the Haytian ma
ton, which has nearly three times the popula
ton and revenue of the Dominican Renublie
which has never relented in its aggressiy,
policy; and at whose head is a Presden
elevated by bloody insurrection. inyolvin.
the murder of his predecessor.
CAUSES OF DISTURBANCE.
Besides the revolts which have been named
and the Haytian aggressions, some mino
causes have, in the weaked condition of tn,
Republic, tended to aggravate its difficulties
First of these may be mentioned the provin
cial jealousy existing between the people 0
the great district north Of the central chain O
mountains and those inhabiting the southern
side.
Next more serious cause of disturbance I,