New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-20


trees of large growth. Formidable, however, as
are the natural obstacles to making and keep
ing good open roads in Santo Domingo, be-
lieve that strong and stable government is
only necessary to give to the people of that
country the same means of trave and transpor-
tation enjoyed in this and European countries.
The people now, in truth, almost look upon
roads as an evil to be summed. They are the
highways of revolution, and the peace-loving
people endeavor to avoid them.
One of my friends, noticing the fact that
people get as far away from their roads and
build their little houses as much out of sight
as possible, asked ons of this class to explain
that circumstance. The answer was it was
for security against war and against being
pressed into military service. People who live
near the common roads are exposed every little
while to the danger of having their little prop
erty swept away from them by rival chiefs, and
of being themselves pressed into one army or
another of these chiefs, who keep the country
always in q state of war. When we are far out
of the way we are in measure safe from the
visits of these foraging parties and press gangs,
who take our property and press us into the
service of one or the other of the political
rivals who may be contending for power and
place. These gangs swarm over the country
generally in a hurry and take what they can
get quickly, and hence those on the best high
ways suffer most and suffer first. Thus, what
should be regarded as desirable and almost in
dispensable, are looked upon as evils from
which the people cannot get too far removed.
Of course, there is little disposition in the
people to repair and keep in good condition
highways which are so often the means of de-
strnction of their property and prospects in
life. The very roads of Santo Domingo cry out
for stable government and peace, and if were
a citizen of that country would lay aside all
pride of nationality, if need be, for the sake
of such government and such peace.
1t must not be inferred from these remarks,
or indeed from anything that have elsewhere
said in these columns, that there are no signs
of patriotism, industry, enterprise, and progress
in Santo Domingo. l have spoken Of Santo
Domingo as a whole and not Of the people
Individually. Intelligent, enterprising, indus
trious, and patriotic men may be found there
as they are found elsewhere. In the neighbor-
hood Of Aqua there are many small farms,
which, for thorough and intelligent cultivation,
and for the general comfort of those who live
on them, would do no discredit to some of our
Western farmers. have in my mind sugar
plantation of eight hundred acres, about three
miles from Aqua, owned by Mr.. MARcHENA,
worked by hired labor. 1t is a model OF neat
ness and marvel of fertility. In view Of what
has been said of the impossibility of successful
free labor in Santo Domingo, saw this beau
tiful plantation with its splendid sugar-cane
fields, its delicious fruits, and well-kept grounds
with peculiar pleasure. 1t was a great fact,
well worth a dozen theories. 1t settled the
question. For, if men can and will work for
fair wages and make that plantation a success,
as its owner was pleased to tell Us it was q sue
cess, and to which all that was seen about it
was confrmatory testimony, there is no good
reasons for supposing others may not go and
do likewise.
Mr.. MARcHENA informed US, as others had in
formed us, that there was no difficulty in OBJ.
tanning all the labor he wanted, except in times
of civil strife that these wars often happened
in seasons when everything depended upon
getting laborers to attend to the crop, and,
though he met with losses from that cause, he
was still making money on his plantation.
The people saw in the neighborhood of
Aqua, both men and women, gave evidence of
excellent health. They were we'll formed and
remarkably athletic. They were unusually tall
and straight in their persons. and graceful in
their movements. In point of color they
far as / could see there was nothing Of that
prejudice of race which still aflcts our other
wise highly civilized country. Senator BENJA-
MIN F. WADE, myself, and others, dined with men
of all celors in Azua; and will say for him,
the brave old American that he is, and one who
combines in himself the best qualities of Amer
lean character, that he made himself perfectly
at home with us all. never saw colored men
anywhere who evinced 80 much of conscious
manhood as | saw among the two thousand
men assembled at Azua to protect the border
from the threatened invasion by CABRAL The
!
the hour of danger proved their love of coun-
try and their confidence in President BAEz for
they were allowed to scatter themselves around
the country for several miles, on their word of
honor, and come into camp at the first sound
of signal gun, whether at midnight, morning
or midday Axuai il a small town of five or six
hundred inhabitants. Its population was
swelled to two thousand when was there, yet
there was not enc breach OF the peace, not one
case Of disordery conduct on the part of soldiers
or citizens. 1t was pleasant to see these
soldiers armed to the teeth, yet assuming no
airs, peacefully mingling with the people.
Aqua is certainly queer old town to Ame-
rican eyes. 1t is simply congregation of
shanties, built of light material, covered with
palm leaves, located about promiscuously with
out regard to form or comeliness 1t has been
burnt down three or four times lately-once by
accident, and twice or thrice by war. 1t has
each time been rapidly, though manifestly not
very solidy, rebuilt. The climate Of Aqua is
favorable to burning, for it almost never rains
in the town, though it rains copiously upon the