The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-04-14

~, -. .ts,, could learn, that this is tine only
ll.s 80 --bicb Dominioan government can be
s.cT.,e5. and that If il be judged best not to
.5a-t frat course even the present shadow OF |
SnSsperdence viii be taken away. The Do /
-1in;eau territory is one Of ths fairest and /
richast on earth, and unless some such means
as above mentioned are resorted to it is to lie
ezhsusted and helpless until some strong ma
ton shall seize it and hold it IN colonial sub
lection. ~
The commercial relations Of the Dominican
part Of the island presents one indication not
70 Be passed without mention. The most inn
pcrtant commerce Of the island by far, the
tobacco trade Is carried on mainly by Germans
and is with the principal seaport Of the new
German Empire. TO sgch an extent has tins
tendency developed itself, that this traders
rapidly becomiRga German monopoly. Inc
1 Commissioners found the number OF German
/ subjects In important business operations and
agencies on the north side of the island to ex-
/ ceed those Of any other foreign power, and
their influence is extending steadily up into
the great central districts.
The influence which Santa Domingo, under
a stable Government, would exercise upon the
institution Of slavery, has not escaped atten-
| ton Geographically, it lies between the two
last strongholds Of Slavery in North America
Cubs on the west and Porto Rico on the
east. In the present impoteneY Of the gov.
/ eminent, it exercises but little influence. but
tie inhabitants are earnestly opposed to slave
~, and under more favorable circumstances
their moral influence would be felt in the
neighboring islands. It would all be on the
sides OF freedom. Nor would that influence be
merely moral. The commercial influences
would work IN the same direction. San Do
mingo is capablerOf- supporting millions Of
people. The landis cheap, and in fertility It
4 certainly equals, and probably surpasses the
the neighboring islands, and it is even better
suited to the production Of sugar and coffee
I y could supply the whole market of the
UNITED Sutes with these greet west India
staples. During the year above mentioned
II per cent OF all the imports of the United
states were the productions of slave labor.
his trade IS the main support which the slave
system now has. With liberty, order. free
labor and the immigration which wouId he
Attracted by these, with a vast advantage in
the West India trade, arising from the fact
! thst duties laid by the United States on West
, India productions for revenue would he dis
crimination a9Ainst slave products, and would
enure to the protection Of Dominican free Ia.
hor. It IS not too much 70 expect that Santc
Domingo might be developed into a powerful
STATE, which, by the inevitable law of trade
would make slave labor in the neiphborinf
; islands improbable, and BY the spread of il,
iores render the whole slave and caste system
odoius.
; 1he Commissioners, Of course, felt deer
5 interest IN the experiment of self-goverumen
whlcn tne oiacks are trying in Hayti The,
, stated to the President of that Republic tina
: they should be glad 10 be put in tbe vVav q
pertaining what were the claims of Hsvti
, rpon San Domingo, and what were fbe view,
and wishes Of the Haytien people with resnac
any changes that might be brought abont r
e the neignborins Republic, they received nc
!. encouragement TO pursue their enquiries
5 / They asked verbally, and THROUGH our Minis
, tor in writing, fer permission to explora m,
S interior of the island; but this was Inet in !
: spirit equivalent to refussl They conteutei
, themselves, therefore, with taking sucl tesfi
mo1y and gathering such information upor
| the matters bearing upon the question of an.
nexatlon as they could, without giving offense
/ La reviewing the whole field of their investi.
cations, looking to the interests of both divis.
IONS OF the island, they are firmly persuaded
thatthe annexation of San Domingo TO the
United States would be hardly less beneficial
to the Haytien than to the Dominican people
the benefit would arise, first, from the exam.
pie which would doubtless be afforded of a
well regulated, orderly and prosperous State
(the great need of that part Of the world). and
which It has as yet never seen; a second and
more direct benefit would arise from the eaui-
able establishment Of boundary line between
eaiS AASuSA sIeaRiuB ana the spanish speak
ing nations upon that island, and its guaran-
tees by strong power. This would end the
exhaustng border warfare, which has been
one OF the greatest cures of Hayti, ae well as
Santo Domingo, and would enable both TO de-
vote their energies theneeforward to the edu-
cation OF their people and the development
u their resources.
Respectfully submitted,
y. 7. WADE,
ANDREW D. WHITE,
s. @. HowE,
To the President Of the United States.