The New York herald., 1871-03-17
ST. DOMINGO.
Another Batch Of Correspondence from
the Herald Commissioners.
THE HUNT FOR ANNEXATION.
Sayings and DOings Of Old Ben Wade and
His Associates.
D0minicans Pretty Unanimous for
Union with Our States.
BAEZ AS A FIRST CLASS BAMBO0ZLER.
Don Quixote Howe Attacking
Tropical Windmills.
Learned Examination of Whooping
Coughers and Washerwomen.
PEN PICTURE OF AZUA.
The Great Bugaboo Cabral, the
Anti-Annexation:st.
VISIT TO HI A Y TT.
President SaGet Nervous
and Excited.
President Saget NervOui
and Excited.
OUR MINISTER AT PORT AU PRINCE.

VUtl WIhtot LII NJ VUnl nv TnVVCs
Movements of the Commission on ers-Whnt They
Think of Anne axation-A Puxzlng Qucstion-
The Don QuixOte OF the Party.
81. DOMINGO CITY, Feb 10, 1871.
THE COMMISSIONERS.
since closed my correspondence by the Tybee
few days ago. the programme OF the Commission, as
to its future proceeding, has been modified. noeed
is changed almost every day. The only practical
man Ia old Ben Wade. and he is overrucd by the
others. the present programme should be carried
out the whole party will leave this place about next
wednesday. The Tennessee, with most OF the Com
mission and correspondents, will goto Azua, to some
other points the south side OF The island, and
round 10 Port au Prince. Commissioner White con-
templates crossing the island with a few compa-
mons to Puerto Plata, the north side following
the course taken by party that went over few
days ago. The Nantasket sailed on Friday to
Samana, and win go thence to Puerto Plata
to take up Mr.. White and the Others and VIII
then meet the Tennessee either at Cape Haytien or
Port au Prince. 1t Is intended that the Tennessee,
after reaching Port au Prince, shall 60 either with
al the commission or part to Kingston,
Jamaica, and to Santiago de Cuba. This,
IL Is saiu, Is to get mail expected there, to
obtain supplies and to enable our adventurous and
visionary Commissioners to compare Cuba ana ia
matca-One under slave labor and the other under
freed negro labor--with st. Domingo. Why did not
Congress provide for rowing mission 70 the South
Sea islands and other parts Of the globe without
any MT of time or money There is no end OF the
comparisons or contrasts that might be drawn,
though none might be very favorable to st. Domingo
In Ns present condition.
THEIR VIEWS ON ANNEXATION
II any reliance can be placed upon the present
impressions and views Of the Commissioners they
wilnot be strongly In favor Of anneXing the whole
of st. Domingo at present They viii be
more inclined, probably, to swallow 1t piece
by piece, waiting to see how the first
urcuthlul may be digested before taking
another. They may favor taking SANTANA as foot
,hold and TO extend a quasi sort of protectorate
over the rest OF Dominica, and perhaps, over Hayu
as well. There is a decided affection for these
cOlored people and a desire to put them under the
American nag; but even DR.. Howe, who thinks a
black man would become superior to the white,
with the same chances of development is IN doubt
the proprety Of admitting them as iull Ameri-
citizens right away. However, as oil the Com
mission are the negroworshipping radical persua-
sion it is difficult to conjecture how TAR they may
be disposed to 90. There may be different opinions
and sort OF majority and minority report, for both
Mr.. White and DR.. Howe are ambitious to cut pro-
minent figure in this st. Domingo business. They
have thrown the secretary completely in the shade
and, by their JOINT votes, overrule Mr.. Wade. Stn.
everything goes on harmonious enough in a social
way. The expedition Is regarded as pleasant sort
OF thlng-a kind OF frolic-and no one allows diff
ference Of opinen or object TO interfere with enjoy
ment.
A PUZZLE.
One OF the most puzzling things about st. Do
mingo, and on which good deal has been said in
Congress Is The history OF the recent Spanish occu
patton OF and expulsion from the country The
Iommssion has been investigating that, but under
the same disadvantages Of oil Its Investigations re-
EaTtilng the real sentiment OF the people. On one
side it has been SAID the Spaniards were invited by
the voice OF the people to repossess their ancient
colony, and on the other sde that there never was
a general desire TO be governed by spain AGAIN;
Lnat in fact, the Spaniards came here through an
intrigue with the Dominican President Santana
md through q forced or pretended vote under his
despotic authority. The Dominlcans nave offered
themselves and their country, or rather ST. Domingo
has been offered BY one or other of It's despoc pre-
sdents to several OF the great nations OF the world
Spain alone grasped the otter. This, as well
known. was at the commencement of our great
tried to establish an imperial government under a
European dynasty IN ols,s Mexico ., Looking at the
! utterly PROSTATE, and fast going to decay
and Darbarism, 1t was natural that the
preserve order and improve the country, and that
they should have chosen the nation from which they
spElng and which, speaks their own LANGUAGE
SUCH circumstances aud relationship TO the Span
q renioIt with SPAIN. II was more reasonable that
they snould desire this than that they should wish
op and na1s Il Is 81 qne re1 %aor
the pe4plc did favor a reunion with spain, as a
majority now appears to be in favor Of annexation
10 the unlte States.
lint It is said by some that there was no free ex
Messipn.cf opinion, and that Santana exercised as
nauCh arbitrary power ever the people and the Ques-
tlOR as Bae1 does now. In March and April Of 1851
Mr. w. L. GaZneau, writing from 81. Domingo to the
Secretary ofktate atW ashngton Mr. Seward Says
"Ine people are suilen and detected, for not one
man in hundred throughout the country Is
willing to shbmlt to the rule OF Spain,
force to keep them IN subsection. BY the adrott
management OF the Cabinet tDominican) the country
mas been surprised into seeming acquiesence, Tor
the masses were at q loss what TO do when strong
military attachments suddenly raised the dag Of
Spain In various interior towns. These acts are OIL
ciay reported by agents sent for the purpose as the
spontaneous movement OF the people, while in fact
care was taken tnat they should have no free voice
vote in the matter 1t Is certain that I'D this city
they witnessed II with every sign OF disgust and con-
sterngtlon. assure YOU that the whole proceeding
is a daring fraud upon the Dominican people and
can only be maintained by military iorce as q con-
guered country" TINS picture OF Mr.. tazpeau,
probably ls 0verdrawn for he was strong partisan
IN opposition to Santaua's policy and was working
for annexation 10 the United states. Stil IL shows
that there Is no such thing as enlgntened pubic
opinion, or public opinion at ALL III ST. Domingo.
The people have Den, as tney are today, the slaves
OF the men holding supreme power.
IND OF what annexation means, or Of the lns,itu-
Mons or nature OF the government OF the United
states, Or course, few oil the more inteiEiNent,
particularly In the seaboard towns, are better In.
struc,ed, But even from what hs4e 10 known 0f our