New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-30


are diversified in character. Almost all tho
productions of the tropical and temperate
zones find = genial soil and climate in some
part of it's various regions. The sugar cane,
cotton, tobacco rice and cocoa are grown in
great abundance; while the plantain, va
nilla, potato, and other minor articles. are
indigenous to the soil. The mountains are
covered with valuable timber, among which
are especially to be noticed the mahogany.
satinwood, live oak, and other useful de-
scriptions Of trees.
'.NOr are the mineral riches of this island
less important. 1t is well known that from
the period of its discovery by the Spaniards
large quantities of gold have been extracted
from the soil, chiefly, however, by washing
from the hills. 1t is known that there also
exists the most cOpiOus supplies of copper,
coal, rock salt, iron ore, nltre and other
valuable minerals. These. however, owing
been but imperfectly developed.
"This magnificent island, upon which
| nature has lavishcd her choicest treasures
with a prOfuse hand, has, however, been
| the victim of all the misery which man can
intiict upon his brother man. It was occu-
pied by the divided authority of France
and Spain, the former possessing the west
ern portion, and the latter the eastern part
| of the island. while the line of demafcatiOn
a northerly and southwardly course across
| it. The part belonging to Spain extended
over rather greater extent of superfices
than that which appertaincd to France.
about the year 1889, the island had per-
haps attained its highest condition of pros
! perity, and its exports were then deemed
more abundant and more valuable than
those of Cuba At that period broke out
| those devastating intestine connections
| wv, roA III ia
unfortunate region, marked by traits of
ferocity and depth of human suffering
rarely equaled and never surpassed. The
black population of the French moiety of
| the island rose in insurrectiOn against their
masters; servile war ragged with all it's
terrOrs. Armies. the pride and boast Of
France, were annih;lated by the combined
influences Of war and climate; the negroes
established their ascendency, and the indie
tendency of the Haytian republic was
finally recognized by the French monarch
in 1925. in consideration of large pecuni-
airy indemnity, payable to the former pro-
| prietors of the soil.
1T is, however, to be remarked. what can
| not indeed be readily understood and has
not been satisfactorily explained, so far as
| my information extends, that although the
| political authority of the blacks had been
| extended as early as 1921 over the Spanish
| portion of the island, so that it was wholly
subjugated to their sway, yet this recog-
milton of independence by France is in
| terms restricted to the French part of the
| island.
"This extension of the black authority
continued. without intermission, until the
| opening of the yeayl 44, when the inhabitants
| Of the Spanish portion of the island raised
the standard Of revolt, threw of the igno-
miniOus yoke which had been imposed by
| the authorities of Hayti. and declared their
| independence. Since that period the war
between the two parties has been continued.
| but the new community has thus far sue
| cessfully maintained its independence, has
| organized a regular form of government,
established written fundamental constitu-
ton based upon republican principles and
holds out the best founded prospects of tri.
umphing in the contest even to the extent
of extending its authority throughout the
| entire island.
''Such was the origin. and in brief such
tho present position Of the new republic. to
which l have the honor of being commits
| stoned.
| "The territories of the republic are those
which formerly belonged to Spain, and con.
stitute about moiety Of the island. whether
we estimate the extent of country, the
character of the soil. and generally the
| sources of wealth. The population con
sists of about two hundred and thirty thou
sand, of whom forty thousand are blacks
and over one hundred thousand are whites.
| In 1854, General George b. Mcclellan
who had been dispatched to the part Of the
island in question, to inquire whether fl
stations for supplies and repairs could be
found in its bays and harbOrs, made a re
port which confirmed the views of Mr.
Hogan, so far as it treats the same topics
| We quote a passage or two respecting the
harbOr of SANTANA:
| 1.-THE harbOr of SANTANA is almost directly
in the route of all vessels using the Mona
passage, and gives complete command OF
that very important thOroughfare, which is
the most safely approached and most adj
vantageous in its position with regard tc
the Spanish main and Caribbean Sea. of al
the frequented passages. The
Bay of SANTANA, extending some thirty
miles from east to west, and from nine t.
twelve north and south, is formed by the
narrow peninsula of the same name.
The largest ships of the line can enter this
bay with the utmost ease, and find secure
anchorage within, entirely out of cannon
range from vessels outside the keys
We give the words of reliable witnesses
on the spot, as the most authentic mode o.
displaying the present condition of the
island. If the severe vicissitudes of it,
fortune have reduced its prosperity to low
ebb, its population to few scattered com
munities; its old capabilities evidently re
main the same as they were in seventeen
hundred and ninety, when her exports wer,
more valuable than those of Cuba. 1t il
for US now to avail ourselves of these capa
bilities. Her slumbering mountain sides
her valleys, hills, forests and mines silentl,
implOre the return of her better days, ant
in her robe of right royal hues, that NJ
cline but hers can color, in the mantle of
| "That eternal snrinc
| That here enamels everything"
she flies to the sheltering wings of he
greatest friend, the only nation near he
that has the undoubted power to insure he
prosperity and happiness.
And now, what are the objections to en-
tertaining this proposition by entering upol
full inquiry as to its merits ! 1t is said:
l. That inquiry commits us to the policy
If the inquiry should, Unexpectedly to b
sure. shsw state of thingS clearly unfav
orable to the measure, it is to be suppOse
that the governments passion for the islam
has so far run away with its senses that
could not recognize the objections and yiel'
its purpose Where is the party. which
the branch of the government, who is tn
man, so hampered by this policy thatit coul
not, for good reasons shown, be easily aban
d0ned? This objection to inquiry, as prt
liminary to action, only betrays an expects
ton that investigation will advance til
policy.
2. 1t is said that sharpers and jockey
have already bought up or leased Ian
around SANTANA Bay. Quite likely. People
especially the Yankee folk. will do thes
things. Not railroad spans the Wester
prairies that did not find, as soon as it al
sumed shape in the brains of its protector.
that these mysterious prospectors had go
all the station lands and city foundation
| al sfc 1iuo ot,,p ~x-s11 Iafo