Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-05-11
SAN DOIIMGO.
Presidents Nessage ofTransnittal

4
To the Senate aud House Of Representative.
have the honor to subait herewith iC
the two ii.suses OF Congress, the report
al tue Commissioners appointed in pur-
sIln c 20 j0iut resolution approved Janu.
ary IL, 1871.
It vii he observed that this report
n ~re thda sustaiDs ali | have heretofore
said in regard tn the productiveness and
lIcalthfuiness nj the Republic OF san Do
mingo, unauinirv of the people for an
nexl;ien To The United States. and their
pesceaoic character. IL Is due To- ,li,
public and ,n myself that | should here
give al tire circl !. siauccS whlci iirst tel
To :he negotiation of the Republic vi san
Domingo to The Cn;i.c States
When accepted tic ar'liDls ani re-
sponsibic position which now hnid. |
dia no. dream OF ius,ituiins any STEPS Tor
the acquisition ot lnSalar possessions. |
believe, however, til 1t our Institutions
were broad enoIgh To extend oser the
entire conilHcnt Is rapidly as other peo-
pie might desire To bring ihcm,e selves
ander our protection. | believe further
that We should not permit any in1.prni
eni government wilLin the limits of North
America to pass from "A condition of In
dependence la any ownership or prolec
ii. under an European power.
soon after nv inauguration az Presi-
dent was waited upoa by AN agent al
President Bscz with proposition 10 an
mex the Republic of San Domingo To the
United States. Tbis gentlemen repre-
sented The capacity OF The lsani the de
sire of the penple, AMI their character
and habits, about Us they have been de
scriDed by the Commissioners whose re-
port accompanies this message. lie
stated furtner that bciug weak in mum
bers, in power and in purse. they were
not capable of developing their great re-
sources; tha. the people had no incen-
live To industry IN account Jf no prolec-
tion TO. heir Accommodations. and that If
not accepted by the United States, the in
siitutions of which they loved above
tbnse of any other nation. they would he
c"mpei,si tn seek protection from else
where To these statements | made no
reply and gave no indication of what
thought of the Propositions.
La the course OF time | was waited up-
on by second gentleman from san 10
mingo, who made The same reprssen-
tations, and who was received I'm like
manner. In view of the facts which had
beea lain before me and with an earnest
desire to maIDtain the Monroe doctrine,
believe that wanld be neg ectfui of NV
duty ii did not take measures 10 ascer
tain what the government and inhabi-
tauis ofihe Republic of San D"mineo
thought in regard tn annexation and cnul-
,nuuic ste the Information tn the people ~
The United States. Under The attending
circumstances felt if I turned "A deaf
Car To this appeal might in future be
Justly charged with h'.grant neglect Of
public interest, and an n.'cr disregard Of
the welfare of downtrodden race, pray
ing for The blessings OF free an6 strong
government and for protection IN the en-
juyInsat of the fruits OF their owa indus
Try.
Those opponents to annexation who
have heretofore professed tn be pre-em
emily the friends of the rights of mar,
believed would be my most siolent as
sailanis. II | neglected so clear a duty.
Accordingly, after having appointed a
commissioner to visit The island. but who
declined on account Of sickness. sele:,
ed second gentleman. in whose capacity,
judgment and integrity had. aud have
yet, The most unbounded confidence. He
visited San Domingo, not tn secure cr
f,ster annexation, but unpreiuliced and
unbiased, To learn facts about the govern
ment people and resources Of that Re
public. He went cer,ainly as well pre-
pared 10 make an uniavorabe report as a
favorable one. If the facts warranted it.
| Ills report fully corroborated the views
of previous commissioners. and upon It's
receipt felt that % sense of duty and q
due regard for our great national Interests !
| required me to negotiate treaty for the
acquisition vf the Republic of San Do
miugo.
AS soon as II was known that such a
treaty had been negotiated the attention
Of the country was occupied with allega
tions calculated To prejudice the merits
of the case and those whose duty hail
connected them whit. Amidst the pub
| lic excitement thus created, the treaiv
failed to receive the requisite two-tbirGs
yo,e of the Senate aud was rejected. Bu'
whether the actioi, of that body was
based wholly on the merits OF the treaty.
or might not have been in some degree
influenced by such unfouuded allegations.
could not be known by the people. be
cause the debates ofthe Senate Id secret
session are not published.
Under these circumstances deemed il
due to the Office which I hold, and due tv
the character Of the agents who had been
charred With the ihvestigatiop, that such
proceeding should DO had as would ens-