Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-04-06

Isl 8 -------s
Message from fhe rrssident Accompssy.
ing the Report OF the Comm nissieners.
,WAsHINGTox, April 8, /
To the Senate and House Of Representa'
tiUeS
have the honor to submit herewith to
the two Houses of Congress, the re.
port of, the Commissioners appointed
in pursuance of the joint resolution ap.
proved January II, 1871. IT will be OBJ
served that this report more than susteins
all that have heretofore said in regard to
the productiveness and healthfuiness o1
the Republic of San Domingo, OF the
unanimity of the people for annexation to
the United States, and of their peaeeable
character. 1t is due to the public, as ii
certainly is to myself that should here
give all the circumstances which first led
to the negotiation of a treaty for the an
nexation of the Republic of San Do
mingo to the United States. When I ac-
cepted the arduous and responsible position
which / now hold, / did not dream of in
stituting steps for the acquisition of insular
possessions. al
believed, however, that our institutions
were broad enough to extent over the en-
tire continent as rapidly as other people
might desire to bring themselves under
our protection. i believed, .futher, that
we should not permit any indepen dent
Government, within the limits of N erth
America, to pass from condition4 eflin-
dependence,t to ownership or protection un-
der an European power. e03tA
s7lvt3 -.--rT ANNEXATION AsKED.7 -sr,f-T
After my Inauguration as President, !
was waited upon by an agent of President
Baez, with proposition to annex the Re
public, of San Domingo to- the CHited
h.,
capacity of the Island, the desire of the
people, and their character and habits
about as they have been described by the
Commissioners, whose report cconnpanies
this message. - SIS aHAs~ = Aa
He stated further that, being weak in
numbers and poor in purse; they were not
capable of developing their great resources;
that the people had no INCENTIVE to indus
try, on account of the lack of protection
for their accumulations, and that if not ac-
cepted by the United States, with the in
stftutions which they loved above those of
any other nation; they would be compell
ed to seek protection elsewhere. To these
statements made mo reply, and
gave no indication of what thought of
the proposition. In the course of time /
was waited upon by q second gentleman
from San Domingo, who made the same
representations and who was received in
had been laid before me, and withan earn
est desire to maiRtain tile Monroe doctrine,
/ believed that it would be derelect in my
duty if j did not take measures to ascertain
the exact wish of the Government and the
inhabitants of the republic of San Domingo
in regard to annexation and communicate
the information to the people of the United
States. Under the attending circumstances
felt that If turned deaf ear to this ap-
II s<~1,[ Fat, l. al
ed with fragrant neglect of the public in
terests and an utter disregard of the well
fare of down-trodden race, praying for
the blessings Of free and strong Govern
ment and for protection in the enjoyment
of the fruits of their own industry. Those
opponents of annexation, who have hereto
fore, professed to be pre-eminently the
friends of the rights of man, believed
would be my most violent assailants if
neglected so clear duty. Accordingly,
after having appointed a commission to
of sickness, / selected a second gentleman,
in whose capacity, judgment and integrity
J. had and have. yet the most unbounded
confidence. - - - ~ Fslf
THE MATTER INVESTIGATED.
He visited San Domingo, not to secure or
hasten annexation, but, unprejudicedI and
to learn all facts about the gov
ernment, the people and the resources of
that Republic. He went, certainly, as well
prepared to make an unfayorable report as
a favorable one, if the facts warranted it.
His report fully corroborated the, views of
previous commissioners, and upon its re-
ceipt felt that sense of duty and due
regard for our great national interests re-
quired me to negotiate a treaty for the ae-
QUESTION of the Republic of San Domingo.
AS soon as it became publicly known that
such treaty had been negotiated, the at
tention Of the country was occupied with
allegations calculated to prejudice the nier-
its of the case, and with aspersions upon
those whose duty had connected them with
it, Amidst the public excitement thus
created the treaty failed to receive the
requisite two-thirds vote of the Senate,
and was rejected; but whether the action
of this body was based wholly upon the
merits of the treaty, or might not have
been in some degree Influenced BY such
unfounded allegations, could not be known
by the people, because the debates of the
Senate in secret sessions are not published.
Under these circumstances l deemed it
due to the office which hold, and due to
the character of the agents who had
been charged with the Investigation,
that such proceedings should be had as
would enable the people to know the truth.
THE COMMISSIONERS REPORT.
A commission was, therefore, constituted
under authority of Congress, consisting of
gentlemen selected with special reference
to their high character and capacity forthe
laborious work entrusted to them VINO
were instructed to visit the spot and report
upon the facts. Other eminentI citizens
were requested to accompany the COM
mission, in order that the people might
have the benefit of their yiewsa Etuients
without regard to political opinions, were
invited to join the expedition, and their
numbers were limited only by the capaci-
ty OF the vessel. r The mere rejection, by
the Senate, of a treaty negotiated by the
PRESIDENT only indicates difference OF
opinion between the two coordinate de-
partments of the Government, without
touching the character or woundiDg the
the pride of either. But when such re-
Jectlon takes place simultaneously with
49,