Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-21

| ard of excellence as is found in any country
so thinly populated and without the education
al facilities which the free school furnishes.
The religion is Roman Catholic almost uni
versally. The church is powerful in point OF
numbers, but poor in worldly goods. The
mineral wealth of the Republic cannot be very
accurately ascertained, as several months
would be required to present an intelligent
report. We have discovered, however, coal
In small quantities, but of poor quality. The
country about SANTANA, which was said to
abound in COAL was pretty thoroughly gone
over, aud no discoveries made except OF a
thin vein of lignate. There are some iron
mines and mines Of salt which seem mex
hausitble. There are indications oipetroleum
in many portions Of the island, and some has
been collected of as good quality as that OF
Pennsylvania. No copper has yet been found,
although Prof. Blake, who went through the
best portion Of the island, has not yet made
his report.rsHea will arrive with President
White AS to the products of the Island In
fruits and vegetables, the report can show on
" one result--the most fav orable that car be
imagined. Every kind Of fruit and vegetable
that any trrpical country can produce is
grown here. The material wealth in forests
and textile fbers is immense. The mahogany
lingumvite, satinwoo logwood, and many
other of the most costly woods used IN COM
merce, are abundant in almost every part OF
the island, and there are streams enough TO
propel the necessary machinery to prepare
these woods for market
The subject of the debt and the facts re-
lating to the same are retained by the Com
missioners. Mr.. Wade has lately said that
he had no doubt that one and half millions
would be sufficient to discharge every honora-
Bile obligation against the Republic. The
whole amount of claims, acknowledged and
discredited, is said to be less than three mil
lions. This question, however, will not be
decided until the text of the Report is made
public In regard to the terms upon which a
treaty of annexation can be negotiated be-
tween Baez and the United States the Com
missioners had some conversation with the
President. He freely acknowledged that he
was absolutely and helplessly in the power of
the United States; that he could not long sus-
tain himself; that he had given everything
the Republic possessed, and if the Commits
sioners could tiud anything more they could
take it, that he could not dictate terms that
if the United States would pay his debts
(meaning the debts Of the Repubie), he could
demand nothing else, and that, finally, he
would accept of the same terms granted before
as Satisfactory, namely, 81 100000. The re-
port OF the Commissioners on the subject OF
the rivers, harbors, and bays, which the
resolutions call for, will probably be similar
to the facts obtained in the several geogra-
plies and aliases of the country, as no hew
bays, or harbors, or rivers, have been dls-
covered. The concessions to individuals,
companies, &C., of grants of lands and priv-
leges, are few i'll number, and unimportant
except one, that to the New York Geographi-
cal Company of one fifth of all the public
lands for making surveys, maps, &c. Some
others Of little consequence have been made,
but none whatever to Gen. Babcock, or 10 any
of the Presidents friends. These are the
! facts, although it is unnecessary to give them,
as nobody can reasonably believe that Presi-
dent Grant or any of his households interest
cd pecuniarily in any matters relating TO the
island President Baez, it is true, made a
tender of large tract of land (his object is
| not known to Gen. Babcock, and this Baez
| has confessed. But Gen. Babcock indignant
IL declined, and thus the matter stands The
only subject of importance upon which the
Commission is required TO report, not alluded
to above, is that of the boundary between
Hayti and Santo Domingo. This is ques-
ton that will probably excite much discus
sion before it is Settled, but settlement is
not at all necessary before annexation. Mr..
Wade and DIR. Howe have decided to prepare
the report and have il ready to submit to the
President soon they arrive in Washing
ton. There is no reason 10 believe that Pres-
dent White Will not concur in the views of the
other Commissioners.