The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-02-10

"VtfoNssVfst w thN tVt""V''"s
on the San Domingo question, is going
"the rounds' of our exchanges. In
that article the Jetersonidn says:
San Domingo never nourlshed, except under
the lash Of slavery, protected by the strong arm
which was newer taken into account ss com S
mercial set Of. since freedom triumphed in
not 1ourished since Why does II not flourish
nowf
In reply to the two questions we an
swer want of stable government and
consequent protection to life and prop
erty. The question raised as TO the
profits or propriety OF negro slavery is
now of no consequence and does not
require or merit discussion. But we
ask, IL San Domingo so to 80 years ago
was capable of exporting annually one
hundred millions dollars worth of pro-
ductions, under oppressive and unsta-
BILE government, how much more is the
island capable of under substantial
government? The relative profits of
productions with or without slavery,
and with or without stable government,
are to be considered, but we insist that
the latter greatly preponderates over
the former. By the annexation, the
single item of free coffee and sugar
would outweigh all costs OF purchase
and government of the island so far as
the individual citizens of the United
States are concerned. The Je6ersonian
further says:
No,
gress. They may be made citizens, but in all
other respects the, remain the same. The an
nexation OF San Domingo would attach TO us an
element that has proved heretofore, one of vexa-
tion aud peril to every white man connect ed with
But mems natures are changed by good
government. IF not, then the whole
idea of government is failure. Its
very purpose is to make men behave
themselves and to improve their condi-
tion. The 'element" spoken of has
never of itself been troublesome to the
people of the United States. Emphat-
ically, SO far as this country is con-
oerned, they have been the passive
bone about which two dogs were fight
ing. Naturally docile the negro has
always been easily governed in the
presence and by the power of the white
man. However placed, under every
circumstance, when properly governed
he will seek his natural condition: the
servant of the white man. AS such SER
want, good laws may make him as val
liable and as content when free as in
any other condition. We also call the
attention of our cotemporary to the fact
which he has evidently overlooked,
that the negro proper has been driven
out of San Domingo to Hayti (the other
end of the island) and that the people
left in San Domingo approach the white
generally the descendants of mulatto
and Spanish parents, stock that is
believed to be an improvement upon
pure African, and claimed to be an i'm
provement even upon pure African and
pure white mixed. Again, the Jt6srso.
aidn says:
Ngsr We have ,r had negro equality forged upon us
us what to hope for and expect, before extend
ing the area?
The debasement of the whites has
been effected. That Is already fixed
fact, and Is not now question for con-
sideration. Whether we have half a
million more or less of the inferior
breeds to govern is q matter of little
concern. If we can govern four mill
lions of them we can as readily govern
four and half-if we can not, the all
dition could make matters no worse.
As to the general subject, Mr.. POLK,
who justly ranks as one of the wisest
and ablest of the Presidents of the past,
and the brilliancy of whose admins.
tration shines brightest in the proud
constellation of American Statesman
ship, was the first to propose the an.
nexation of San Domingo. The unrea-
sonable opposition OF his political an
tagonists, fresh from their defeat on the |
Texas issue, and the faint-heartedness
of his friends (mostly the latter alone |
prevented him from acquiring the is.
land.
1t is absurd for the Democracy to op-
pose the proposition now. Annexation
south and west has ever been the policy
of all Democratic administrations and
Is the traditional creed of the party. |
The political party that effected the an
nexation Of Louisiana, Florida, Texas,
California, New Mexico, with its infe-
rior population) Arizona, &C., &C. and |
their multitudes of Indians, truly cuts a
sorry figure now in opposing San Do
mingo, the equal of the best of them
comparatively in natural wealth, and
transcendently important as a Naval
station. Having established the policy |
of annexation, and maintained it al all |
times, the Democratic party shoald be
the last to condemn the logical results |
to which that policy leads.
1t is pitiful figure the politicians
cut in opposing the measure now mere
ly because Gen. GRANT supports it. If
he is guilty of all the raseality that is
char ged upon him in connection with
the subject, and ten thousand times
more, that can not affect the merits of
the question one way or the other. AS
well might it be argued that the whole
government ought to be abolished be-
cause rogues get into Congress and all
other Offices, at times, and that the
people should be swept from existence
because there are said to be some rascals
amongst them. For the sake u peace
with our contemporaries we are willing
to believe Gen. GRANT to be all sorts of
a humbug, or as bad as they want to
make him (if they prove their charges)
yet we cannot swallow the dose when
they ask US to believe that he is totally
incapable of good action, nor can we
subscribe to the doctrine that a good
thing becomes bad one because he ad-
vocates Ii. If he effects the annexation
of San Domingo it will be the proudest
feather in his cap and 1t will be an ever
lasting reproach to the Democracy if
IL, nat haI 10