Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-01


to give it its full name, Santa Barbara de
SANTANA Santa Barbara being the patron
saint, whose fete is celebrated with much
pomp the 9th of December. The town has
had the same gloomy, checkered history as
most of the West Indian cities and islands
founded and abandoned, refunded by French
buccaneers, who were driven out by the
Spaniards, reoccupied by the French, who
were again dispossessed, this time by the
English. The present charter dates back to
the year 1907, and was given by the French.
Since then there have been revolutions and
counter-revolution internal dissensions, and
foreign wars. 1t has been city Of refuge
for political exiles from Hayti, and, what is
perhaps more interesting for US, was the
place whittier the American Colonization So
ciety sent, in 1924, q number of negroes from
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, some
of whom are still living, and with their de
scendants, constitute the most intelligent and
well-to-do portion of the inhabitants of the
town and peninsula of SANTANA. The town
consists of 80 or 90 buildings. Sixty of these
are dwellings, the others shops, stOrehOuses,
church, guard house, etc. The streets are
narrow and muddy, the houses onestory
buildings of wood. with thatch, the more
am bitious rooted with corrugated iron. Glass
is unknown, and would be useless in coun-
try where the only object of windows is to
let in a breeze, and the only need Of shutters
to keep out the sun In the center of the
town is the Catholic church, barn-like
structure, with a cracked bell hung outside
in a rude frame.
There are about 300 inhabitants, % whites Of
different nationalities, the remainder cOlored,
descendants of the Haytiau colonists come
hither in President Boyer's time, more recent
Havtian refugees and Dominicans of French
descent (these three classes forming the large
maiority,) and minority Of Spanish Do
minicans. a French patOis is more gener-
ally spoken than Spanish.
At one extremity Of the town Is the fort,
an open wooden structure, in front of
which stand two dilapidated rusty guns. The
last salute fired cost the gunner an arm +;
the next will probably cost him his life.
Opposite the fort is the new Methodist
church. The old one WAS burned by the
Spaniards IN 1868. The present one stands
on a low hill overlooking Z marsh where
lie buried multitudes Of their Old enemies,
the Spanish soldiers. who died during the
last invasion. The village is sustained by
local traffic, stimulated by the arrival OF oc-
casional vessels There Is no woOd-cutting
or any kind Of manufacture carried on, al
though the best OF ship timber and material
for posts abound.
The day of our arrival the Commissioners
visited the authorities Of the town. who
were alterward invited Cd board, and received
with due honor. The following days they
were requested to lie present at an in formal
examination of which Photographic report
was taken. Among those examined was the
Civil Gov. Senior Ac0sta, who is also Gen
eral IN the Dominican army. lie is full
blooded black, go years old, and cannot read
or write. but speaks French and Spanish, il
- a ~
all classes The real power, however, Is IN
the hands Of Col Enrique Abreu n hand
some quadroon Of 35, polished and fairly ed
ucated he reads and writes French and
Spanish and, in addition, speaks some Eng
lish The Alcalde or judge Eugenio Garcia,
was next examined, q shrewd old OctOroOn,
the son OF a planter Of Spanish descent, and
a playmate of the Governor, who was his
fathers slave Gracia's son il the Admin
lstrad0r or Collector OF the Port If SANTANA.
and has charge also of leasing the govern
ment lands All the books and papers in
the possession OF the above officers were care
fully examined, and the officials Themselves
were very frank and communicative, being
told that annexation was by no means vet
decided on. and, it they really desired it, their
best plans would be to make perfectly truth
ful and unreserved statements
DIVISION OF LABOR.
The Commission had not been ia Domini-
can waters twelve hours when they had
equipped and sent out three lndepend, ex-
Dc ditiOns-two ol them scientific, the third
for the purpose of conveying dispatches %
President Baez At Sant0 Domingo. One SEE
entifc party, under Prof. Ward, started for
Cape CabrOn. on q general geological sur
vey while Prof. Blake went to the head Of
the bav to explore the region where coal has
been said 10 abound The party conveying
dispatches TO President Baoz was acclmpan-
led By Mr. Jacobs, practical farmer, who
was requested to report on the agriculture OF
the great valley Of the Yuma, named by Co
lumbus Ia Vega Real, the royal plain, which
name it still pre- serves. Prof. \ewcOmb wac
requested t. report on the sanitary condition
Of SANTANA and the physical condition of the
natives Mr.. Fred Douglass TO examine int
the condition and ideas OF the English-speak-
ing colored emigrants Of the Peninsula, and
Gen Sigel to report on the Bay of SANTANA
in relation to its protection OF American in
terests in adjacent waters.
THE PEOPLE AND THEIR WISHES.
The Commissioners were especially struck
bv the remarkable intelligence and iudcVend-
ence of the negroes Of American descent as
compared with their brethren Of the pres ent
day in the United States. BY their own un-
aided efforts they nave won for themselves
the respect Of their neighbors, ami have
steadily advanced IN material prosperity.
Their great desire is for annexation, for 10
them IL represents order and quiet, OF, as
one expressed it, the privilege OF reap!ng
what one has sOwn. They are tired Of lnsur-
rections and revolutions and midnight
attaks. The Catholic priest, very intelli-
/ gent and well-educated Italian, spoke favor
I IL r. 20 bo In. Ia1
/ what the Yankees could do in California
| The same testimony was, of course, gwen by
/ the Rev Mr.. James and his brother, the
/ former the pastor OF the Methodist Church
and the latter the teacher Of the school estab-
lished under the supervision of the church
The Rev. Mr.. James is one Of the American
emigrants of 1894, and most intelligent arc
valuable man. lie said that the kindest re-
lations existed between the Protestants anC
the Catholics. Some of the latter send then
children to the Methodist schools and seem tc
have great respect for their Protestant neigh
bors, who constitute by general consent
the most enlightened and prosperous portion
of the community.
Among the most important interviews was
one held by Mr.. ana Mrs. Burr, Americans
from Maine, who came to SANTANA two years
ago and leased a piece of land, on which Mr.
Burr has built cOmmodiOus house and devOt
ed himself to the raising OF fruit for the Nortt
ern market. At present he is raising banan
as He said he had found difficulty il
working hard at all seasons and hours of thu
day. lie would advise all new corners t,
rest an hour or two at noon
AT THE CAPITAL.
SANTo DoMINGo CITY, Feb. 2-We lef
SANTANA early Monday morning, the Both
and steamed slowly along the bold headlands
with wind and sea against us, and Tuesday
afternoon came in sight Of Santo Domingo