Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-04-14


States. From all that the Commissioners could |
ascertain, President Baez has the respect Of great
majority Of the Dominican people for hssodminis
trative Abilities and the strong attachment Of
many leading men, who regard him as the only |
statesman among them who can hold them to-
gether against domestic factions and foreign foes
In 1s4s after ave years of anarchy consequent on
the expulsion of the Haytien power, Gen. Baez
was regularly elected President of the republic.
II appears that he was chosen as the may Eho, by
his education, fortune and public services would
be most likely to secure general confidence and
heal the wounds inflicted by the civil and foreign
wars. In one OF the delegations Of leading cti-
zens who rendered to him the Chief Magistrscy,
was Cen Cabral. There s credible testimony to
the fact that, under him, despite the difficulties
that have beset him, the republic has enjoyed as
much liberty as any of his predecessors dared to
allow, and more tranquility than they knew how
to give. Nor do the Commissioners find that there
Is any opponent of the present administration Of
that republic who has now or who ever has had,
any claim to the Chief Magistracy by title SUI
ever technical defects there might have been in his
original title to the office, 1t was confirmed by q
national convention and ratified by tho assent and
The frequency Of civil commotion during long
period, and the consequent insecurity of property
have paralyzed industry discouraged accumula-
ton, and impoverished the country that for the
last two years the financial resources of the gov
ernment, its officers informed us, have been In
adequate to pay expenses
THE lNsURRECTIoNs
which still exist are headed by Cabral and Lupe
ron. The former of these is universally conceded
to be the more important, but neither has a dis
tinct flag or a regularly organized army. The
Commission found that Cabial does not claim to
be the legal head of the republic; that he does
not claim to represent the principal constitutional
or legal authority, and this is shown by the fact
that In his proclamation and in communication
to the commission he styles himself chief of the
revoluton and journal pretending to enanate
from him at San Juan, but well understood to be
printed at the Haytien capital is styled the Bule
In Of he Rsg0itUioa. AS to Luperon, the testi-
(iDTO
simply bandit, stained with crimes. He has not,
far Us could be learned, distinguished himself in
any regular manner, his main exploits being in
sundry robberies and piratical operations on the
coast the latter by means of a steamer furnished
island. The disturbance of which Cabral is the
head has its seat in the western part of the repub
lie, on the Haytien frontier. Thief orcc Immediate
ly at Cabral's command does not exceed few
hundred men, who, in case of emergency, force
into their service all the male population upon
whom they can lay their hands. 1t has been
claimed that he has controlled the Dominican
part of Barohona, and received supplies through
It, but this certainly is no longer the case. On
the other hand II is charged by the pres.
ent Dominican Government that he has
received supplies through Hayt and that Haytien
soldiers and arms have been at his disposal, The
Commissioners obtained evidence of this fact from
many sources. They also examined Haytien pris-
oners speaking only the language of Haytiens,
and having in their hands muekets bearing the
Haytien stamp. The Commissioners believe that
had the revolutionsts welded only their own
forces and resources, they would long ago have
been put down. Their whole. Importance Is de-
rived from the help of foreign intrguers and from
the fact that behind them stands the Haytien ma
ton, which has nearly three times the population
and revenue of the Dominican Republic and
which has never reented in its aggressive policy,
and at whose head is a President elevated by a
bloody insurrection, involving the murder of his
| predecessor. Besides Haytien aggressions other
causes aggravate the difficulties of the Dominican
| Republic. Among them are provincial jealousies
between the north and south sides OF the island,
| the number of military chiefs heading small clans
in various districts, and the convenience neighbor-
| ly Islands afford for revolutionist and nsurrec-
tionary operations. All these difficulties the Com
missioners believe would disappear should the
| Dominican Republic be efectually protected by
| connection with strong nation. The local self
| government of the island has been greatly OBJ
structed by interna, difficulties and disturbances,
yet many town councils still preserve an efficient
! existence, and are composed of members OF good
| character and ability.
| THE SPANISH OCCUPATION
of the island in 1861 is found to have been con-
| summated by fraud, and to have been most unsat'
isfactory and oppressive in its results, civil and re-
ligious, threatening danger to the Masonic frater
| nity-a large and influential order in the island
and the re-establishment of slavery, either by i'm
| portation or the reduction of the inhabitants to
| bondage. The people revolted and drove the
Spanish into the stronghold on the coast, where
the soldiers died by Wholesale of malignant fevers
engendered in the close and filthy barracks, de
void of all sanitary appliances. OF the Spanish
losses, no exact data could be obtained. The hes
opinion seemed TO be that the Spaniards sent in al
about $4,000 troops, of whom between 5000 ant
5000 were lost by deserton and other causes. Al
though bitterly disappointed in the results of the
Spanish annexation, the people, who were soon in
vOlyed in new revolutions, cease not to look abroad
THE QUESTION OF ANNEXATION.
TO the surprise of the Commission, in almost al
parts of the country, even the remotest, the peo
pie were found to he familiar with the question o
annexation to the United States and have discussed
it among themselves with intelligence. All classes
in all parts of the republic were consulted; magis
trates and ecclesiastcs of every grade; official
civil, and military citizens; all professions and oc
equations; in town and country, and everywhere
there was general agreement in the declaration
that their only hope of permanent peace and pros
perity is in annexation to and becoming part of th
people of the United States. They generally de
clare their belief that the strong arm of this re
N The naGn wonS o s en5 he eor
and hopes of every seditious revolutionary leader
and establish law, order, and prosperity.
The incorporation into the public sentiment o
q feeling strongly favorable to annexation to tn
United States in preference to any other power, !
partially due to the presence in various parts o
small colonies of colored people formerly IRON
the United States.
The Commissioners entirely discredit the report
that annexation would be resisted by desperate
measures in any part OF the island, and cite a
J length their own experience, and their entire i'm
munity from harm of every kind while on til
island as evidence of the correctness of their con
clusion.
] THE PEOPLE OF SAN DOMINGO
are of mixed blood, honest, temperate, inotfer
sive destitute of prejudice of race or color: pau
persm, beggary, and high crimes being PRACTICAL
! unknown. Among the popular vices is pett
gambliI G, extensively indulged in by the SPANS
| portion of the population. All are Roman Cath
2 olics except the American emigrants who ar
. Methodists and Baptsts, though no intolerance O
I religious persecution can be discovered. The pee
pie generally own land which they cultivate a
though agricultural operations are limited by lac
of a market and frequent political disturbance
though the Dominicans are not averse 10 wOrl
g when sure of reasonable reward. Labor Is
8 abundant supply at so or less a month. Fe
schools exist, and the people generally are unedI
4 Gated, though the Commissioners believe Oppo
G tunites for education would be eagerly improved
!, the Dominicans being possessed of proverbs
: shrewdness and ability. Only one small and poo
| ly equipped printing Office exists in the Repub
y The general political capacity of the people
d regarded favorably, there having been for yea
neither slavery nor caste spirit to deprive them
s their manliness. The courage and devotiO
G wasted in insurrection abundantly prove their c.
o pacity for self-government and regular polite
i action. The Commissioners estimate the actu
/ population of the Republic at 10000, more tha
8 nineteen -twentieths being native Dominican
o White blood prepOnderates largely, majority b
:, ing much nearer white than black.
q THE RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY
y are vast and various, and its products may be /
e creased with scarcely any other limit than the !
II Dor expended upon them. There is evidence
Q mineral wealth in several parts of the island. III
geologist's expedition reports the existence of or
of iron, copper and gold, with deposits of lignit
rock salt and petroleum. Iron ore is abundant,
easy access, and will doubtless be made avaab
for the cheap production of pig iron. The cOpp
ores are of fair degree of richness, and leads ha
;. been opened to a slight extent. The report
-