Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-04-13
9nlitifal.
Presidents Message Acc0mpa.
nyiHg the Report.

nyiHg the Report.
The following is the Presidents me;
} sage transmitting the report of the Sa
: Domingo Commissioners:
To the Senate and House Of Represen
tdtires:
have the honor to submit herewith
to the two Houses Of. Congress the re
port of the Commissioners appointed il
pursuance to the joint resolution ap
proved January II 1871. 1t will be OBJ
served that this report more than sus
tains all have heretofore said in REGARD
to the productiveness and bealthfui
ness of the republic of San Domingo
the unanimity of the people for annex
alton to the Tn ted States, and theil
peaceable character. 1t is due to ths
1 public andsi1fyself that / should herr
4 give all the circumstances which led tx
negotiation OF the treaty for the an
! nexation of therepublic of San Domingo
to the United States. = >.
When / accepted the arduous and
4 responsible position which now hold
did not dream of instituting any steps
for the acquisition of an insular posses.
sion. believed, however, that our In
stitutions were broad enough to extend
over the entire continent as rapidly as
other peoples might desire to bring
themselves under our protection. be-
iieved farther that we shopd not per
NIT any ind pendent. s<sovernment
within the limits of North America to
pass from condition of Independence
to one of fownership or protection under
an European power. Soon after my
| inauguration as President, / was waited
upon by an agent from President Baez,
with proposition to annex, the Repub-
lie of San Domingo to the United States.
This gentleman represented the capac-
ity of the Island, the desire of the peO-
pie, and their character and habits
about as they. have been described by
the Commissioners. stsk-
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 IN
centive to industry on account of the
lack of protection for their acc mula-
tions, and1tha eif not accepted by the
United States hose institutions they
loved above those of an other nation,
they would be compelled to seek pro-
lection elsewhere. TO these statements
made no reply, and gave no indica-
tions Of what / thought of the PROPOSE
ton. In.the course of dIke I was wait
ed upon by the second gentleman from
San Domingo, who made the same rep
reSentation, and who was received in.
like manner. = 50
- Inview of the fact which had been.
laid before me, and with an earnest de-
sire to maintain the Monroe doctrine, I
believe that would be negligent in my
duty if / did not take measures to as
certain the exact wishes of the Govern
ment and inhabitants of the Republic
of San Domingo in regard to annexa-
ltiOn and communicate it to to the peo-
pie of the United States. Under the
attending circumstances felt that if I
turned deafear to this appeal might.
in the future be justly charged with a
fragrant neglect of public interests and
an utter disregard for the welfare of the
dOwn-trodden race, praying for the
blessings OF a free and strong govern
ment, and for protection in the enjoy
ment of the fruits of their own in
duStry.
Accordingly, after having appointed
Commissioners to visit the Island, 1
selected gentleman in whose capacity,
judgment and integrity had and have
yet the most unbOunded confidence.
He visited San Domingo, not to secure
or hasten annexation, but, unbiased,
tc learn the facts about the Govern
ment, people, mi resources of that
people. Re went as well prepared to
make an unfaverable report as favor
able one, if the facts warranted it. His
report fully corroborated the views of
the previous Commissioners, and upon
its receipt felt that sense of the duty
and due regard for our great national
interests required me to negotiate a 4
treaty for the acquisition of the Repub-
lie of San Domingo. As soon as it be-
came publicly known that such treaty
lad been negotiated, the attention of
the country was occupied with allega-
tions calculated to prejudice the merits
of the case with those whose duty had
connected them With it. --iasa, a
Amidst the public excitement thus
created, the treaty failed to receive the.
requisite two-tbirds vote in the Senate,
and was rejected, but whether the ac-
ton of that body was based wholly upon
the merits Of that treaty, or might not
have been in some degree Influenced by
such unfounded allegations, coul 4 not
be known by the people because the
debates in the Senate were in secret
session and not published. Then
Commission was constituted under the
authority of Congress, consisting of gen.
tlemen selected with special reference
to their high character and capacity for
the work entrusted to them, who were
instructed to visit the spot and report
upon facts Other eminent citizens
were requested to accompany the Com
missiOners in order that the people
might have the benefit of their views.
Students of science and correspondents
of the press, without regard to their
political opinions, were invited to join
the expedition. and the number was
limited, only by the capacity of the
vessel.
The mere rejection by the Senate of
the treaty negotiated by the President
only Indicates the difference of the
opinion of the Government, without
touching the character or wounding the
pride of either, but when such negotia-
takes place simultaneously with charges
openly made of corruption on the part
of the President and those employed by
him, the case is different indeed, in
such cases, the honor of the Nation de-
mands investigation. This has been
been accomplished by the report of the
Commissioners herewith transmitted,
which fully indicates the purity Of the
motives and action of those who repre-
sented the United States in the neg0tia-
ton; and now my taskis finished, and,
with it ends all personal solicitude upon |
the subject. My duty being done, yeun
begins.
The facts will now be spread before
the country and decision rendered by
that tribunal whose convictions so sell
dom err, and against whose will have