Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-04-14

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il the people, upon full representation
of the facts, shall decide that annexation
is not desirable, every department of the
government ought to acquiesce in that
decision. a0g,rrta lil
In again submitting to Congress the
subject upon which the public sentiment
has been divided, and which has been
made the occasion of acrimonious debates
in Congress, as well as unjust assertions
elsewhere, may, / trust, be indulged in a
single remark: No man can hope to per-
form duties SO delicate and responsible as
pertain to the Presidential Office without
sometimes incurring the hostility of those
who deem their opinions and wishes
treated with insufficient consideration,
and he who undertakes to conduct the
affairs of great government as q faithful
public servant, if sustained by the appro-
val of his own conscience, may rely with
confidence upon the candOr and intelli-
gence of free people whose interests he
has striven to subserve, and can bear
with patience theccnsurc ~ disappointed
men. q. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, April 5, 1871.
The Report.
The following is the report of the
Commissioners:
The report opens by giving the
resolution under which the commits
sion OF inquiry was appointed. In
accordance with the resolution, the
Commissioners proceeded to the
island of San Domingo. They trav-
erscd the Dominican republic from
end to end in several directions,
either by their agents or in person,
one Commissioner crossing it from
south to north, and another from
east to west, They spent several
weeks at the capital, in daily con-
ference with the President and chief
officers of the government, in exam
ining the official records, and as at
all other places, in constant inter
course with the people, taking the
testimony Of witnesses. They visi-
ted the vicinity Of the western bOr-
der Of the country, where it was
reported there were disturbance, and
remained a week at the capital of
the ncighboring Republic Of Hayti,
where some supplementary invcsti-
cations were made as to the political
state and condition and form of gov
crnmcDt.
TIE GOVERNMENT.
The present government of the
Dominican Republic is in theory
constitutional republic. According
to its constitution, the government
is divided into three branches-the
executive, Legislative, and judicial.
The first consists Of President and
Vice President, elected by an cleo
toral college for term of six years,
with a difference Of three years in
the time of their election. Both
President and Vice President are
ineligible to the Presidency during
the following term.
The President appoints a Council
of State, consisting of the Ministers
of Public Instruction, Interior,
Police and Agriculture, Public
Works, Commerce, War, and
Marine. On one of these four Min
istcrs the duties of the Minister of
Foreign Relations devolves, at the
will of the President. The Legislative
branch of the government consists
of a Scnatc-senudo consmlto-elec-
ted by primary assemblies, and has
two members for the city of San
Domingo, two for Santiago, and one
for each of the other provinces and
districts - nine members in all.
These hold office six years, and may
be reelected. Each province and
district has Il Governor and each
parish and military post Com
mandant, nominated by the Execu-
tive, and responsible to him. The
towns are governed by dguntaniotos
of councils, elected by the primary
assembly for three years. The judi
ciary consists of a Supreme Court,
whose seat is at the capital, with a
President, four ministers and one
Attorney General, who are chosen
by the Senate from nominations
made by the electoral college, and
who hold Office five years. In every
province and district there is a
court of first instance, sitting in the
respective capitals, consisting Of
Judge, Prosecutor and Attorney
General, all nominated by the Exc
cutive, and holding Office five years.
1t was found that this court had, in
many parts of the republic, fallen
into disusc. Finally, each town and
parish, or commune, has an alcado,
appointed by the executive, and
holding office at his pleasure, and
corresponding to our justice OF the
peace. In this latter case, practice
is certainly far better than theory.
In all parts of the republic it was
found that the alcados held office
virtually during good behavior and
not one was found whose character
did not inspire respect.
CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.
The Commission found the gov
ernment organized and in complete
operation in all its departments,
exercising every function Of lcgiti-
mate government, with Gen. Bucna-
vcnto Baez as Chief Magistrate, in
full and pcaceable possession of all
parts of the republic except OH the
Haytien border, which is disturbed
by insurrectionary leaders, aided by
tic Haytiens and politicalintrigucrs.
These are incited to be extraordi-
nari1y active at this time by the fear
of annexation to the United States.
From all that the commissioners
could ascertain, President Baez has
the respect Of the great majority of
the Dominican people for his admin
istrative abilities, and the strong
attachment of many leading men,
who regard him as the only states
man among them who can hold them
together against domestic factions
and foreign foes. In l84S, after
five years of anarchy, consequent
on the expulsion Of the Haytien
power, Gen. Bacz was regularly
elected President of the republic. 1t
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