Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-02-16

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Before ~ arrival n tho Uaite(
0oaeescOmmlsiouessin Gan Domingo
was announced, An extsa0fdiaATy
lst4x was published from Rear
Admind Lee TO the Secretary Of th.
Navy. In which the Reas-AdmirA
warmly advocates asDexaticm, n
though 10 allows that Il wo0h y
tie scquisiti0n Of civil war and Asan'
ciai trouble. Probably ne thinks
that ia strong power tskas posses.
sion Of the country, anarchy will
yield to order, and we shalt obtain
''cheap coffee and sugar." Bat The
important points In his letter ere
that he mentions several Of our
armed ships ~ In the San Domingo
waters, and that he sententiOusly
concludes BY saying: with the
annexation OF San Domingo the
boundary question will b settled BY
an easy and natural revolution Of
opinion In Hayti for annexation 10
America. The circumstances al
seem favorable"
We trust that the Administration
Is fully aware that the country sees
the ships In those waters, and that q
project Of annexation, contaminated
under the guns OF our navy, win be
not only . serious biunder bot =
crime. In that case the Dominican
territory would not be annexed. 1t
would be seized by conquest, a.
Germany has seized Alsace and LOr.
raine, and without the justification
which Germany may plead; while
IAN ensy and natural revolution OF
opinion" In Hayi, produced by the
American naval commander threat
ening the Hayticn President In his
own palace with the destruction Of
his capital, would be shameful
prostitution Of the power Of this
government. The presence Of our
fleet In the Dominican and Haytien
hafbOrs at this time Is a circumstance
very much graver than seems to be
understood at Washington. The
people Of the United States have not
nsked for the annexation Of any part
nf the island. They do not wish II.
The project springs from policy
which they have repudiated. hut ~
the President isvery much interested
in annexation, and very anxious for
1t, and AZ an able and impartial
commission has been sent to investi.
gate and report upon the whole
subject, the country awaits infor-
nation.
still, II there Is to be annexation
which Is untimely, undesirable, and
neutrality-suspicious. be accomplished
hon0rabiy. Yet, with the fleet In
the waters Of San Domingo, after the
threats conveyed to the President Of
the Haytien Republic by our minis
ter In his letter, and by our Admiral
in his conversation, II can not be
Ionorably accomplished. Public
opinion In this country may finally
acquiesce In Dominican annexation
II the D0tnlnicans themselves wish
it. But while our ships are lying
before their capital we can not know
whether they wish II or not. The
Secretary OF State admits that the
influence of the ships was to keep the
peace. Then II they had not been
there, the peace might have been
broken. and the Daez Government
overthrow, and annexation defeat.
cd. IF the United States mean to
cocrce the D0minicans, let the ships
refnain. But II we intend that their
action shall be entirely free, let the
Secretary Of tho Navy order the ships
away. Above oil, II one Of cur
ntimirals has threatened the executive
chlef OF government with which
ours Is ct peace that he would open
fire upon him II he took any action
adverse to our wishes In Q matter
which involved the destruction 81
his government and the absorption
Of his country, let the admiral be
called before q court Of inquiry. It
was an act Of war, and when did
Coneseas declare war against Hayti :
The mt necessity Of the situation
IL the reeall ofthe ships. Ills very
generally believed that they are
there to sustain President Daes, who
represents the Dominican party ol
annexation; and 10 long rs they re-
main there the people Of the United
States will very properly decline to
perceive amy proof that II Is the IN,
biassu wish OF the Dominlcans TO be
annexed. Quite ~ urgent n the
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