Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-02-15

TOT 7
San Domingo.

When, few weeks since, yenturcd 10 sueo,.,
few things favorable to the annexation of I'M
Island, or Of Dominica, | did not think Of seen
remarks from cur two Congressman, one for o,5
the other against the Commission that has eono =
the Island. The remarks of Judge Poland wo,.
in his usual candid manner--simply VOTING f..
the delegation that he might have light, kno,
the wants and wishes of that people, underston,
better their prcudccs for or against annexation
and all the bearings which such an investigate,
committee might furnish him. Mr. Willard,
remarks were Characteristic, too, and | am hmm,
10 say did the cause which he opposed great rood
few more such speeches wouh triumphantlv
annex MIR. Schurz also gave us the speech no
would have delivered upon the annexation of Tho
Island Ills were greatly the physiological re,
sons, VIZ Inhabitants Of the torrid zone wer.
unit l1r union with those of the temperate. and
never ought 10 be associated with them in oo,o,,
ments SO he would send no Commission 4.
to this latter premise, the remissness or imho
cility OF the isiandcrs-let 1t be ever "A great Il,
It not good reason why more Of Northern nj,
temperate zone enterprise should be infused into
them If they have hitherto been restless and
lawless, is not that reason why GOOD aws sbo,li
not be enacted for them2 II they have been
treated really as colonists, and kept merely to en-.
neh France and Spain, is not that a reason WHY
they should not be independent a. any state If
our union and enjoy all the blessings of a nid
fostering and equitable government Bat !,
they were 80 passive, inefficient, incompetent a.,
lazy, as Mr. 5. would have US believe. how con.'
1t t. pass that they have had such Immense o.,
ports and filed the world with establishment ats,
magnitude Of their industries viii the Litts
German hero answer that one question: What
state in this union, Of about the same population
has ever exported Of its own products one-halfas
much as that Island? lie forgcts too that the
most efficient army considering It's armament, the
world ever saw, was from the natives Of til.
Island. He iorgets, though Fmnce and England
has occasion to remember, that tactcian, all
things considered equal 10 Won Moltke and in the
same person general equal Mt least to Soult. was
given to the world in the person of Touissaint
hOuverturc, native Of this Island. Mr. s. ha,
little ground ior any physiological argument from
the history Of the people there.
Bat Of whatever zone they are, are they forever
to be excluded from good and efficient govern
Of educational institutions, and from an open and
universally possessed Bible Allowing even
greater objections than these which have been pre-
maturely thrust before the people Of the L. S,
that there is element Of awlessness and Grimm.
ality there, (Which has not yet been perpetratedJ
which is to he dreaded, does it compare with VIVA,
is found in the Ku Kux Of Socessia2 Have a.
many murders been committed there upon limo
cent men the past year as in South Carolina
Is there a. many mean and deylish devices prac-
ticed, TO iniure the aborug classes, as are prsc.
ticed on equal territory ia Alabama or Mi,,is.
sippil If 50, when is that good time coming
when righteousness shall FIJI the earth. if better
principles be not instilled into the people by bct.
ter educational and religious institutions? When
will all those supposed eyl-doers have occasion 10
dread the enforcement Of good laws IT 1t be DOT
when the island, or part Of it, becomes a member
Of this republic But il the inhabitants upon the
whole are industrious and law abiding, then all
these objections fail
If our principles Of government are capable Of
indefinite expansion, let the republic be expanded
to the Antilles II we have anything superior to
their initiatory republic, and whilom absolutism,
or the oppression Of France or Spain, as praeticed
on them in former times, let them have it. II
any plead for their absolute independence as a
nation, We would join in the plea, If the people
themselves prefer it but If they prefer 10 be
united with us, receive them. But absolute ma
tionaiiy cannot be maintained by ~ small pop
ulation without being intOlerably oncrous Ngr
could they defend themselves against the device
Of the ambitious and blood thirsty any better than
they have heretofore rhey might contribute as
sstance to an imperilled nation, but they would
enjoy far more liberty, be exempted from very
many burdens, and have every individual and
commercial right secured by annexation While
slavery existed here, - have united the island
would have been 10 extend slavery, not liberty.
nor republianism But now, freedom must 20
with the flag. All rghts must be secured a, Ear as
any rights can be secured by government. and is
not the probability largely in favor Of benedting
both sides by the union ism