Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-03-11
Santo Domingo Tropical Idleness


We have been here ten days, and
whatever may have been the cause, there
is a feeling of satisfaction in remaining
in this ancient city. Its ruins have lost
none of their charms; the air, enervating
as it is, is still delicious; the heat is not
oppressive; the forests and plantations
retain their beauty; and the habits of
the people are still novelty. Those of
us not officially attached to the Commits
sion have spent the time in wandering
about the city and its surroundings
One day, walking around the thick and
massive wall of masonry which sur
rounds the town, beside the parapets,
along curtains, into bastions, through
sallyports; the next day visiting the Off
cials of Government; the next dodg;ng
into the old ruins, moss-covered and gray
with years, where the lizard hides now
visiting the old converts, and chapels,
and towers, and palaces; then wander
ing lazily through the deserted streets,
where the lordly officers of Spain, and
France, and England strutted hundreds
Of years ago; another day making the
tour of the shops, which are innumerable
and interesting, and another mounting
our horses and riding far into the inte-
rior. We have bathed in the surf of the
sea, we have fished in the river Ozama,
renowned in history; we have smoked
our cigars in the vice-regal palace OF Don
Diego Columbus, OF what is left of it,
and also in the tower in which tradition
says his father was prisoner in 1900,
and we have slept, slept soundly at all
hours of the day and night. Is it any
wonder that we do not tire of this city
this, which was once called the City Of
Palaces, was once the metropolis of the
American world
The palace in which our apartments
are is called the national palace. 1t was
vacant when the Commission arrived,
and had been untensnted for some time.
1t is in better preservation than any 9TH
or building in the city, which is not say
ing much, and its location is excellent.
1t has been for don't know how many
years, occupied by the Emperor, or Gov
ernor, or President, as the case might he,
as his residence, and every indication
shows that it was once the abode of lux
ury and refinement. The reason of its
present dcsertion is widespread super
stition that an evil star shines over it,
and brings all its occupants to some an
lucky end. The ianitor of the building
is a very old and very black negro, who
speaks French with more energy than
precision, and boasts of Gallic parentage
This claim is made here so frequently as
to recall that touching passage of Niche
let, in which he represents, as a proof Of
the superior civilization and humanity Of
the French, the number of haltbreeds
they leave behind them wherever they
g0-"so different" he cries, 'trom the
brutal morality OF the Anglo-SaXon
race" This hybrid philosopher has seen
wonderful things in this old pile no end
of ghosts, little, big and midde-sized,
black and white, stalking through the
ancient corridors under the benign regi-
men of the XVIII Amendment. Once
he saw Toussaint L'Ouverture spooking
about with an air of mournful majesty.
His stories are sure of ready credence.
Every family of decent selt-respect OH the
island has private ghost ot it's own,
and disbelief in then is considered fiat
blasphemy.
CHARACTER OF TIRE INHABITANTS.
The people of this portion of Santo
Domingo are materially different from
those of Samaua and vicinity. They
dress better, but as class, they are
more shililess, and where their good
clothes come from is neither here nor
there. There are, of course, many high
ly-respectable persons here, a good many
Spaniards, some Frenchmen, and very
few Americans. In speaking of the
shiftlessness of the people, / refer only
to the colored population of the middel
and lower classes-what would be call
ed, were it not a misnomer, the laboring
classes. These people will not work un-
der present circumstances, il they can
avoid it. They get their living easily,
for every thing is SO bountiiul that little
labor is required to obtain mere subsist-
ence, aud that is at present all that is
sought. As at Samana aud vicinity, they