The New York herald., 1871-01-11
rho 81. Doynins" Question In ConSrcrs-A
Decisive Victory Cor General Grant.


The proceedings ia Congress yesterday, in
| addition TO another little blast from Sumner in
the Senate, were marked by a memorable
event in the House of Representatives. We
refer to the passage OF the st. Domingo reso-
lution-by vote Of l03 to 63--providing for
the appointment by the President Of commits
sion of three members and secretary to 60
down to the island, and particularly to that
part occupied by the republic of Dominica,
and find out there all about its history, politi-
cal and social; its government and population !;
its debts, diplomatic engagements and finan-
cial resources; its climate and products,
IMMORAL, vegetable and marine, and 80 forth,
in order that Congress-, before proceeding to
annexation, may be better posted than It was
in the purchase of Alaska. The resolution
passed yesterday by the House is that which
was passed some two weeks ago by the Senate,
with the addition-a mere tub to the whale
Of proviso that nothing In this proceeding
shall be construed as committing Congress to
the policy of annexation. This amendment
carries the resolution back to the Senate for
its concurrence, of which there can be no
doubt. We may, therefore, consider this COM
mission as ''fxed fact" and as signifying
nothing less, but something more, than the
annexation of the republic of Dominica. ,ss
The House debate discloses the extraordi-
nary fact that the great annexation party before
the war, the democrats, in solid front, are
opposed to this annexation, and that they are
supported in the House, as in the Senate, by
some scattering republicans. Mr.. Willard,
republican, of Vermont, was opposed to this
nothing short of annexation. He understood
that it was all arranged that the commission
is to hurry down to the island and get back
again with its report in time for final action
on annexation during the present session. Mr..
Cox, democrat, of New York, pronounced this
commission fer information mere pretence !;
that no information was wanted; that it was
only repetition of the spies sent out by
Joshua to ''spy out the land" while he was
moving to occupy it, and that the scheme was
''bg job" Mr.. Hoar, Of Massachusetts, re-
publican, considered this resolution a mere
farce. The scheme was annexation, and we
did not want this island, filed with the scum of
the tropics and adventurers from all lands-the
old whig cry about Texas. In eleven States,
he said, we have rebellous element striking
hands with Tammany Hall to get possession
Of the government, and he did not want to
help them. Mr.. Voorhees,, of Indiana, demo-
crat, was requested by resolutions of his
State Legislature to vote against this thing
Mr.. Stevenson, Of Ohio, republican, was in
favor Of the anexation, because the island is
desirable, being rich III bays and harbors, rich
in gold and silver, and rich in coffee, sugar
and all other tropical products From these
points In the debate we reach the conclusion
that the republic Of Dominica, within the next
six months If not within the next three months,
will be Territory of the United States, by the
democratic process Of annexation applied in
the case Of Texas, and that before the expira-
ton Of twelve months the republic Of Hayti
will follow suit, thus giving US the whole
island Of Hayti or Santo Domingo.
This island, after Cuba, the largest, is really
the richest and most beautiful Of all the West
Indies It is three hundred and ninety-six
miles long and in Its broadest part
one hundred and sixty-three miles wide,
aud its area is very nearly the same
as that Of South Carolina. It is deeply
indented with bays and ihlets, and beautihed
by chains Of fertile mountains. the lofty peaks
in some cases rising to height Of ever seven
thousand feet above the sea. The mineral
products of the island include gold, platina,
silver, quicksilver, copper, iron, tin, sulphur,
manganese, antimony, rsck salt, bitumen,
jasper, marble, opal, lazulite. chalcedony. &c.
The gold mines Of the Cibal mountains
in the sixteenth century were very pro-
ductive. St. Domingo, as whole, is one of
the healthiest of the West Indies, and this is
due to the salubriQus air of its mountains,
which are clothed with majestic pines,
mahogany, oaks, cedars, fustic, satin wood,
ignumvita and other trees. Cabinet woods
abound In the island, and the richest Towering
plants. The soil is equally generous in its
products Of corn, coffee, sugar, cotton,
tobacco, indigo, cocoa, plaintains, bananas,
yams batatas, oranges, piueapples, melons,
cranes and other fruits. The island is
divided between the two republics, Dominica
and Hayti, the former having an area Of
seventeen Thousand and the latter an area Of
ten thousand square miles-Doininica being
the Spanish and Hayti the French end of the
island-tbe one being otherwise distinguished
as the Spanish mulatto and the other as the
French negro republic.
We need not here repeat che financial, COM
mercial, political and military reasons sug-
gested in President Granite late annual mes
sage in favor Of the acquisition of this island.
Nor is its annexation new idea. At least as
far back as tweuty-six or twenty-seyen years