New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-24
rPRoa OUR own CORRESPONDENT


AND INDUSTRY.
| fPROa OUR own CORRESPONDENT
| S,Nro D0uINGO Feb. 11.-rcn days in the Lotos
Iandl Il was of this island that Thomson had faint
maintains when he sang of his realm of Incidence,
a pleasing land of Drowsyhead it was' The
richer and more luxurious verse of Tennyson pants
IL more completely as the land in which 1t seemed
oI,yovs afternoon As VIC swing in our hammocSs
ON fine balcony Of our palace, arc too lazy TO 10
more than echo in our hearts the refrain OF the loIos
eating world-scekcrs Oh, rest we, brother mariners
We will not wander more" All about us ana Deio"
us breaches the gospel Of CALM Inc heavens
| ara cloudless The deep green Negcta'on
SWANS gently In the languid and GLORIOUS
| air There is no hurry nor Josthhg III
the narrow street. The prospcrous-looking tiades-
| men saunter by under their wide-spreadmg req
umbrellas that surround them with Tose-coioieu
atmosphere. They are not tormented by any uIe'inS
of cent per cent. The market women roll along VII"
sailor-ke undulation they would let thelr lemons
sour in the baskets before they would quicken ''ei
| pace The donkeys go by in brown studies, lorgeo
f Of their packs. The babies roll TRANQUILITY III the
cutters, like bronze Cupids, innocent OF degenerate
fashions. The wind comes from time to time, as IN
duty bound. to firt with the flag that hangs in
sunerb Indifference across the way, but there IS no
ardor in his greeting nor the flags response. spen
did green parrot sits doing on his perch He NOUS
| half loses his footing and swears gently In Cas-
| lillian The town moves and speaks gently; lhele
| are no loud voices nor heaVy Iootlahs'
| II ia az if the old lords of the land
were somewhere asleep in tho neighOorhoou
and the descendants of their yassIs feared 10 Wake
them. Their voices are low and serYile, their steps
| soft and gliding; they have the gentle manners anu
quick ciyility of slaves. There is suDue cohueioh
in the air. The seeds Of sleep are borne on the III
! sipuatingwinds. When you have slept you are not
refreshed and effort useless and lnconeru-
ous under this langud sky that the only advantage
| Of waking is to sleep again.
There is fat stod cOntentment and satisfaction
pervading tho general mind Ambition comes ohly
in spurts and flashes. Wealth is not keeny sought;
power drifts into tho hands that think 1t worm
| grasping. An indOent obedience rewards usurpmg
enterprise At the sight of obstacles progress recois
| into reaction There is hardly energy enough to
beget hypocrisy. SlOth shores cynically III the
shade, as mashamed as the unswaudled
babies that sprawl about the door"ays
Whether this state of general Incidence should 10
charged TO any specific cause, leave philosophers
and politicians to decide for themselves Some Will
affirm il is the climate, which produces like results
all over the world: others will say it is the unsettled
and uncertain condition Of affairs, and the doubt OF
the future st others will explain that there is no
money here no incentive TO activity, no promise OF
reward no intelligent direction, personal security
| The climate certainly cannot be changed by human
| power and the future can only determine whether
these people can be made useful, and at tho same
! time happy and progressive or whether free white
labor can long exist in the most beautiful
and bountiful of Gods farms-whether. IN
deed. the finest country in the world must
forever shut its door TO those who can
best appreciate IT, and open it only to on III
felior race. speak thus because l am impressed
with the idea that this island, or some portion OF IT.
will some day DO annexed TO the United States and
that that day is not far distant. believe that the
United States Commissioners, now here and in daily
conference with hundreds of people from all parts ot
tho island, viii take such report back with thein
that Congress will readily adopt the policy OF the
Administration. II is popular error that the Com
mission is required by the resolutions Of Congress to
report on tho subject of annexation, whether or not
annexation is advisable The Commission will make
no recommendation on the subject, because it is not
required to do so but satisfied its report Will
be taken as favorable to the acquisition OF the ter
ritory This conclusion I reach, not from any mt
nation from the members of the Commission, but
from knowledge of the facts which they have thus
far obtained, all of which-and their labors have
been wide and general-tend strongly TO sustain the
! policy of President Grant
| TROPICAL IDLENEss.
But started TO speak Of the climate and its inhu-
ence in restraining exertion. We have been here
ten DAYS and whatever may be the the cause, there
is feeling of satisfaction in remaining In this an
Gent city, Its ruins have lost none OF their charm;
the air enervating 1t is, is still dehcous the heat
is not oppressive the forests and plantations retain
their beauty and the habits Of the people are still
a novelty Those Of not officially attached to the
Commission have spent the time in wandering about
the city and its surroundings. OneIda walking
around the thick and massive wall of masonry which
surrounds the town. beside the parapets, along cur
tans into basions through sallypOrts the next day
visiting the officials Of Government; the next
lodging 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 wandering lazily through the de-
serted streets where the Ordy 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 interior. We have
bathed in the surf of the sea, have shed in the
river Ozama, renowned in history; we have smoked
our cigars in the vice-regal palace of Don Diego
Columbus what is left Of it, and also in the tower
in which tradition says his father prisoner In
1900 and we have slept slept soundly at all hours Of
the uay anu Dlgnt, Is III any WOuueI lidJ we 40 NOT
tire of this city-this, which 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 Com
| mission arrived, and had been untenanted for some
time. 1t is in better preservation than any other
building i'll the city, which is not saying much, aud
! its location is excellent 1t has been for don't
know for how many years occupied by the Emperor,
or Governor, President. ~ the case might be, as
! his resdence. and eyerv Indication shnMs that il