Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-19


purest Of motives in whatever he had done to pro-
mote the swift accomplishment Of the annexation
oi san Domingo 10 this country The recent re-
port OF the Commissioners, was not to be consid-
cred as any better authority than the writings Of
other gentlemen who had been longer in the
island. Cautious action was needed upon the
subject, for treaty or joint resolution Of annex
alton once made and adopted must I've final and
lrIevocable, and whatever the train Of evils there
is no remedy. let this West India stream of an
nexati0n but once pour its full current into the
history Of the United States, and its polluted
track will be visible for all coming time, or so
long as the Union shall be preserved from the
great gulf below.
BULLY AMONG REPUBLICs.
Our reputation among sister republics in
America the Senator did not consider wholly un-
blemished, and it was not likely TO grow brighter
from Santo Domingo complications Our expert
ence with Mexico when Texas became a part Of
this Unon the Greytown affair in 1859 the ca
reer OF Walker, the fllibuster; our difficulty with
Paraguay for ten years or more our attitude
toward Cuba the trouble with Peru in 1850
recent unpleasantness with Brazil were recited
TO show that there was no special love for this
government among those nations. The annexa-
ton OF SantO Domingo, whether Of spontaneous
origin or nursed by the military, naval and inan-
cial power Of the United States, cannot fail TO
excite the jealousy and fear of all the American
republics, and the American Republic should be
the protector the counsellor and guide of all her
sister republics, and not a land shark among
them.
ARE ouR PEOPLE HOMOGENEOUS
As another objection to tho annexation of Santo
Domingo at present, Senator Morrill, suggested
the query whether our people are now homoge-
neous enough TO secure the safety Of the Repub-
lie. To say nothing Of our lately acquired Sibc-
ria, commonly called Alaska, it must be conce-
ded that Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and that
portion Of Texas bordering upon Mexico, are
yet not only essentially un American, but they
have no overwhelming attachment 10 our form
OF government nor to the Anglo-Saxon race. II
the strong arm Of the United States should at
any time become weak, it would receive no sue
cor from these localities (the conspicuous acqui-
sit0ns of manifest destiny), but their population
would at any time, most likely, flock 10 the banner
Of any eocked-hat revolutionist.
Il is also TO be apprehended that the late mas
tcrs Of the emancipated race in the Southern
States will make few sacrifices for the onlighten-
mont OF that race or do anything which will ele-
Vate the eolored people above dependence.
COSTLY ELEPHANT.
Instead Of the Bay of SANTANA being needed as
a harbor for the protection of our commerce, il
would he costly elephant on out hands. The
TACT that the Tennessee, with five hundred men
and nine alert newspaper reporters on board,
was as much lost to the world for the long period
of thrty-three days as though she had been ma
yigating in the open Polar sea, exhibits in the
strongest light the absence of trade and ships in
the route of Samana, and also its useless remote
ness as harbor for us OF any other nation. The
bay, too shallow for ships, even Of the second
class, ike the tennessee, TO approach within
three miles Of the shores, and proverbaly un-
healthy offers no protection whatever to Ameri-
can shipping interests. II naval station is
needed in the W est Indies, il is much more so in
the MEDITERRANEAN. To reach Sumana, even the
trade which now goes nearest must sail two
hundred and forty miles out Of the way TO reach
tins out OF the way station, and then sail back
again two hundred and forty miles-making in
all voyage Of four hundred and eighty miles
10 no purpose for when Sumana is thus reach
ed the only business is, and would be- TO get away
Ii was not needed for national defence, for we
have nothing there 20 defend, and the plea that
we want the harbOr of Samana for any purpose
Is only link in the evidence that Hayti, not
SantO Domingo, is really coveted and sought
for the harbors of Hayti only could furnish any
real accommodation, being far better and less re-
mote.
The United States has already land enough. and
the people Of Dominica are not the kind TO be-
come part Of our population. They are in low
est state OF poverty, and must remain 30 because
they will not work. They are grossly ignorant :;
and must remain so because they have no aspir-
alton to be otherwise. They are foreign, in
compatible race, and never can become h0moge-
neous, IN manners or customs, language or reli-
gion, with our people.
BY any treaty, San Domingo must he permit
ted TO come into our system on an equal footing
ruth other Territories, 10 be admitted in due ti,ne
as State or il admitted by joint resolution,
It must take position at once as a State II must
have Representatives and Senator's in due time,
or at once.
NO ANNEXATION roLRRABLE EXCEPT NoRTHwARD.
Honor most clearly does not lie in pushing
American institutions in the direction of the
equator, where even freedom purest metal Yields
to the leryent heat, Even the American Republic
cannot " be immortal in the arms of fire v At
the north there IS country interlocked and dove
tailed 10 our northern boundary throughout its
whole magnificent extent, with people of kind
red stock and tongue, which, without money and
price, and with their own consent will
at some time surely show, perhaps in the second
term of Gen. Grant, that they are ready to Join
and improve their fortunes by going hand in hand
and abreast with the Great Republic. The Brit.
lsh Provinces are OF age and Great Britain daily
hints to them that it is quite time for them to shift
Tor themselves. Their annexation 10 this country
the Senator considered inevitable What the laws
Of the universe join together cannot be kept as
under. lie was seriously apprehensiye that the
project for Dominican annexation will seriously
eapardize our prospects in the North and per-
haps postpone the interests and happiness of mil
lions OF people indefinitely.
THE SEWARD BATCH OF TREATIES ALL BAD.
The present administration was so unfortunate
rs to receive as a legacy from the late versatile
Secretary of State, Mr.. Seward, a series of great
treaties for petty annexation and petty reciproci.
". Not one Of these infelicitous treaties had
i origin with the present administration, which
yves to them no original fealty whatsoever.
The Monroe doctrine was not that we were to
ieize all the land adjoining US, nor was it that
European yultures were to be driven away in
rider that the American eagle might swoop
iown and clutch the prey Such had not been
he well settled policy Of the nation until it re-
NAMED for CUR late Secretary of State, always
grand in his conceptions, even when wrong, first
% grasp the north pole, and then to leap back al
most to the equator.
OUR FUTURE GROWTH.
After demonstrating that Hayti needs Santo
Domingo vastly more than this country does the
senator declared that it was unreasonable to ex-
lect our past ratio of increase for an indefinite
ength of time When the best lands shall be
as we may find at some time they
will be, and certainly when our population be-
'omes dense, it would be unphilosophical and
ontrary to all history 10 expect the same ratio of
Increase from births, nor could we hope the same
Increase from immigration.
There will be a declension in the power to abb
orb as well as in the sources of supply. During
he fiscal year 1870 we received 357, immi.
grants. Since lsi7, only twenty-three years, the
lumber Of foreigners who have made our country
heir home amounts to 1927 $50 Our present
'opuiatlon, but Tor such accessons, would amount
o only one,third of what it is now. The average
'ost OF raising man in any civilized country Is
ather over than under $1,000, and of a woman
'ather less but the average is still not less than
I 1000, Upon removal to a new country they
Iugment its capital by the transierence Of their
value as future producers and the ex-
Manageable value of all property which belongs
% them. We have brought to us annually from
broad a capital of $50 900 900 by persons who
.dd each year, by their labor, two or three hun
ired millions more. Santo Domingo could not be |
II the slightest value. TO US unless repeopled and
applied with capital, to be subtracted from our
tock or accepted as questionable foreign gifts
he spawn of the Caribbean sea and the Mexican |