Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-24

The Government of San Domingo.
General Boynton, the correspondent of the
Cincinnati Gazette with the San Domingo COM
mission, gives the following sketch of the con-
stitution of San Domingo and the way in which
the government is administered:
The government is constituted as follows:
A president is elected by open ballot every
four years, and vice president for four years
also; but his election does not take place till
two years after that for president, 50 that he
holds through half of two successive presiden-
tial terms.
The senate is composed of seven members
who serve six years, one being elected by open
ballot in each of the departments. There is no
lower house. The number and designation of
the cabinet correspond very nearly to our own,
though at present two are each performing the
duties of two cabinet officers. This arises when
ever cabinet minister differs seriously with the
president, and in consequence finds it necessary
to look out for his personal safety.
The supreme court is composed of a chief
justice and four associates, selected by the SEN
ate, from list of five names sent up by the
voters from each province. Those selected,
however, are chosen without regard to the num-
Der taken from any province. All may be from
the same one, if the senate SO decides. There
was at one time system of district courts, but
these have been virtually abolished, although
the laws provide for them. Each town has an
dtcdtdt and council, which settle all minor mat
ters But in fact, under Baez, the military
court has displaced nearly everything else, but
Baez. He Is the commander-in-chief of the
Dominican army and navy, and, at least for the
pending matter of annexation, he is the Domini-
can republic.
In one sense, however, this is not strictly true.
Ii would be more accurate to say that he and his
are the republic. The principal cabinet officer,
NJ. Gautier, is his brother-in-law.
One brother is governor of Santo Domingo;
another is governor of Azua and another the
commander-in-chie of the forces in that prov
ince, and senator from the same. The presi-
dent is not married, and has not been, but one
of his sons is governor of Santiago, and vice
president, in place Of Gomez, who fed from
Santo Domingo because he differed from Baez
upon the subject of annexation Another son
is deputy collector in the custom house at the
capital.
Such are the outlines of Dominican republic
cantsm. After three weeks of industrious study
MIR. Wade pronounces it Sin practice an absolute
military despotism."
There seems to be no doubt that the large ma
jority OF the population express themselves
strongly TO the commission in favor of annexa-
ton. The existence of minority who are OBJ
posed to the project is admitted by all. The eX-
perience of the last ten days at the capital has
served TO greatly strengthen the opinion ex-
pressed in former letter that many witnesses
before The commission did not dare to give their
real views regarding annexation for fear of Baez
Several more have been found who, when sure
their names would not be used, have freely ex-
pressed their earnest opposition to annexation.