Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-04-11
formerly involved in the dispute
with Hayti being 1000 square miles.

THE GRANTS TO AMEhlCANsss4N
The commissioners were not UNI
mindful of the various rumors which
bad been circulated on divers occas-
ions, that concessions or grants OF
land were made to officials of the
government of the United States
when the treaty of annexation was
negotiated in 1869 No pains were
spared to ascertain the exact truth
of this statement. In addition TO an
examination of all grants from the
government Of the republic, the
Commissioners further carried their
researches to the municipal grants
by the town of SANTANA, whore RI
NOR had located the supposed grants.
The officers of tho municipality and
the records were carefully examined.
Inquiries were also made of tho au-
thorities Of the city of San Domingo.
After this Investigation the Commits
sioners can declare, without hesita-
ton. that there is 40 particle OF evi
dence for these charges.
UNANIMOUS FOR ANNEXATION.
\ The Dominicans repeat their will
ingness to be annexed on the terms
of the treaty of 1869, asking in addi-
ton, payment for rent for SANTANA
Bay during the two years the nego-
tiations have been pending. They
are also willing to appropriate
one-fifth of the public funds for
schools, providing the United States
will appropriate $500, 900 for the es-
tablshment of an agricultural and
scientific college. In relation to Do
minican independence, the Commits
sioners Say there is but one chance
for that republic ever to secure it's
independence; to become, after a
period of probation, one of union
of states, the freedom and substantial
independence Of eaceh being guaran-
teed by the strength of all, II is be-
yond the province OF the Commits
sioners, under the resolution of Con-
gress, TO recommend that such q
course be adopted or abstained from.
They simply state their belief, found
ed upon the observations they could
make, and Of the facts they could
learn, that this is the only way in
which Dominican independence can
be secured, and that if it should be
Judged best not to adopt the course,
even the present shadow of indie
pendence will be taken away. The
Dominican territory is one of the
fairest and richest on the earth
Unless some such means as those
above mentioned are resorted TO, il
is to lie exhausted and helpless until
some strong nation shall seize and
hold it in colonial subsection.
GERMAN ENTERPRISE.
The commercial relations of the
Dominican part of the island present
one indication not to be passed with
out mention. The most important
commerce of the island by far, the
tobacco trade, is carried on mainly
| by Germans, and is with the princi
| pal seaport of the new German En-
pire. To such an extent has thii
tendency developed itself, that thi
trade is rapidly becoming German
monopoly. The Commissioner
found the number of German sub
jects in important business operation
aud agencies on the north of the is
land to exceed those of any otbe
foreign power, and their influence i
extending steadily up into the centra
districts.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
The influence which San Domingc
nndar a stable gouonment, would ex
ercise upon the institution ofslavery
has not escaped attention. Geograph
ically, it lies between the two las
strongholds of slavery in Nortl
America, Cuba on the west ant
Porto Rico on the east. In the i'm
potency of it's government il exer
cises little influence, but the inhab
itants are earnestly opposed to slav
cry, and, under more favorable cir
cumstances, their moral infuenc,
would be felt in the neigh boring is
land. 1t would be all on the side O
freedom. Nor would that infuenc,
be merely moral. Commercial influ
ences would work in the same di
rection. San Domingo is capable o.
supporting millions Of people; lane
is cheap; in fertility it certainly
equals, and probably exceeds, The
neighboring isles, and it is even bet
ter suited to the production of su.
gar and coffee. 1t could supply the
whole market of the United States
with these great West India staples
During the year above mentioned
II per cent Of all the imports o.
the United States were the produc.
tion of slave labor. This trade is
the main support which the slave
system has. With liberty or free
labor, and the immigration which
would be attracted by these, with n
vast advantage in the West India
trade, arising from the fact that an
duties laid by the United States on
West India productions for revenue
would be q discrimination agains
slave products, and would insure 0
the protection of Dominican free la
Dor, It'll not to much to expect that
San Domingo might be developed in
to powerful State, which, by the
inevitable course of trade, would
make slave labor in the neigh boring
islands Improbable, and by the
spread of it's ideas render the whole
slave and caste system odious.
HAYTI.
The Commissioners ofcourse felt a
deep interest in the experiment of
self-government which the blacks
are trying in Hayti. They stated
to the President of the republic that
they should be glad to be put in the
way of ascertaining what were the
claims of Hayti upon San Domingo.
what were the views and wishes of
the Haytien people with respect to
any changes that might be brought
about in the neighboriDg republic,