Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-04-13
HISTORY OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
The Presidents Course Fully INDICATED.

The following is the Presidents
message transmitting the report of
the San Domingo Commissioners to
the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
l have the honorto submit here
with to the two Houses of Congress
the report of the Commissioners ap-
pointed in pursuance of the joint
resolution approved January -,
1871. 1t will be observed that this
report more than sustains all that l
have heretofore said in regard to the
productivenesss and healthfulness
of the Republic of. San Domingo,
the unanimity of the people for an
nexation to the United States and
their peaceable character. 1t is due
to the public, as it certainly is to
myself, that 1 should here give all
the circumstances which first led to
the negotiation of treaty for the
annexation of the Republic of San
Domingo to the United States.
When / accepted the arduous and
responsible position which l now
hold, l did not dream of instituting
any steps for the acquisition of an
insular possession. / believe, how
ever, that our institutions were broad
enough to extend over the entire
continent as rapidly as other peo-
Piles might desire to bring them
selves under our protection. l be
lieve, further, that we should not
permit any Independent Govern
ment within the limits of North
America to pass from a condition
of independence to one of owner
ship or protection under an
European power.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE NEGOIA-
Soon after my Inauguration as
President, l was waited upon by an
agent of President BaeZ, with q
proposition to annex the Republic
of San Domingo to the United
States. This gentleman represented
the capacity of the Island, the de-
sire of the people and their charac-
ter and habits about as they have
been described by the Commission
ers, whose report accompanies this
message. He stated further that,
being weak in numbers and poor in
purse, they were not capable Of de-
veloping their great resources, that
the people had no incentive to in
dustry on account of lack of pro-
lection for their accumulations, and
that if not accepted by the United
States, whose instructions they loved
above any other nation, they
would be compelled to seek protec-
ton elsewhere. To these state
ments l made no reply, and gave no
indications of what l thought of
the proposition. In the course of
time 1 was waited upon by a second
gentleman from San Domingo, who
made the same representations, and
who was received in like manner.
In view of the facts which had
been laid before me, and with earn
est desire to maintain the Monroe
Doctrine, l believed that / would be
derelicit in my duty if did not
take measures to ascertain the exact
wish Of the Government and inhab-
itants of the Republic of San Do
mingo in regard to annexation, and
communicate the information to the
people of the United States. Under
attending circumstances, felt that
if l turned deaf ear to this appeal
L might in future be justly charged
with fragrant neglect of the public
interests and utter disregard of the
welfare of a down-trodden race
praying .or the blessing of a free
and strong Government, and for
protection in the employment of the
fruits Of their own industry. Those
opponents to annexation who have
heretofore professed to be pre-em-
inently friends of the rights of man
l believed would be my most violent
assailants if l neglected so clear a
duty. Accordingly after having ap-
pointed Commissioners to visit the
Island, who declined on account of
sickness, selected second gentle
man, in whose capacity, judgment
and integrity l had and have yet the
most unbounded confidence. He
visited San Domingo, not to secure
or hasten annexation, but unpreju-
diced and unbiased to learn the facts
about the Government, people and
resources of that Republic. He
went, certainly, as well prepared to
make an unfavorable report as a IA
vorable one if the facts war
ranted it. His report fully corrob-
GRATED the views of previous Com
missioners, and upon its receipt l
felt that sense of duty and due re-
gard for our great national interests
required me to negotiate treaty for
1.-THE acquisition of the Republic of
San Domingo. As. soon as it be-
came publicly known that such a
treaty had been negotiated the at
tention of the country was occupied
with allegation calculated to preju-
dice the merits of the case. Amidst
the public excitement thus created
the treaty failed to receive the re-
quisite two-thirds vote of the Senate,
and was rejected. But whether the
action of that body was based
wholly upon the merits of the treaty,
or might not have been in some de-
gree influenced by such unfounded
allegations, could not be known by
the people, because the debates Of
the Senate in secret session are not
published.
THE PRESIDENTS soIICTUEn FOR
Full. INVESTIGATION.
Under these circumstances /
deemed it due to the office which !
hold, and due to the character of
the agents who had been charged
with the investigation, that such
proceedings should be had as would
enable the people to know the
truth. A Commission was there
fore constituted under the authority
of Congress, consisting of gentle
men selected with special reference