Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-04-13


members in all. These hold Office six year,, and
may be re elected. Each province and district has
Governor, and each parish and military post
Commandant, nominated by the Executive, and re-
sponsible to him. The towns are governed by
Agsntamiasos, or Councils, elected BY the primary
assembly for three years. The Judiciary consists
with President, four Minister'S, and one Attorney
General, who are chosen by the Senate from nom
n, nat made ey the .aE s and Ss
trct there is court Of first instance, sitting in the
respective capitals, consisting Of Judge, Prose
entor, ana Attorney ienesai, al nomna'eo oy inc
found that this court had In many parts OF the re-
public, fallen Into disuse. Finally, each town and
parish, or commune, had 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 b 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.
The Commissioners found the government Or
ganized and In complete operation In all its de-
partments, exercising every function Of legitimate
government, with Gen. Buaneyento Baez ~ Chief
Magistrate, in full and peaceabe possession Of all
parts of the republic except on the Haytien Dor
der which is disturbed by insurrectonary leaders,
aided by the Haytiens and political intriguers:
These are melted to be extraordinarily 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 great
trative abilities, and the strong attachment OF
many leading men, who regard him az the only
statesman amcng 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 Hayden power, Gen. Baez
was regularly elected President Of the republic.
1t appears that he was chosen as the man who, 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 citi-
zens who rendered to him the Chief Magistracy,
was Gen. Cabral. There is credible testimony to
the fact that, under him, despite the difficulties
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 su-
periOr to that OF the present incumbent. What
technical defects there might have been in his
original title to the office, 1t was confirmed by q
national convention and ratified by the assent and
support of the people.
The frequency of civil commotion during long
period, and the consequent insecurity of property
have paralyzed industry, discouraged accumula-
ton, and 20 impoverished the country that for the
last two years the financial resources of the gov
ernment as its officers informed us, have been in
adequate to pay expenses.
THE INsURRECTIONs
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 dis
tinct flag q regularly organized army. The
be he legal Of the repuSe that he does
or legal authority, and this Is shown By the fact
to the commission he styles himself chief of the
revolution, and journal pretending to emanate
from him at San Juan, but well understood to be
lin Of he RsoolNson. As to Lupsron, the testi.
mOny both at Cibro and on the coast is that he is
simply a!bandit, stained with crimes. He has not,
SO far as could be learned distinguished himself
any r0uu ms hafpU n
sundry robberies and piratical operations on the
coast, the latter by means OF steamer furnished
HIM BY Instruction brokers on neigIhboring
head has its seat In the western part of the repnb
lie, on the Haytien frontier. Thief orcs 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 Barcelona, and received supplies through
II, but this certainly Ii no longer the case. On
the other hand it is charged by the pres
ent Dominican Government that he has
received supplies through Hayt, and that Haytien
soldiers and arms have been ut 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 muskets bearing the
Haytien stamp. The Commissioners believe that
had the revolutionists welded only their own
been put down. Their whole Importance is de-
rived from the help of foreign intriguers 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 relented in ts aggressive policy,
and at whose head is President elevated by a
bloody instruction, involving the murder Of his
predecessor. Besides Hayten 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 insurrec-
a lx4 LAT
missionerr believe would disappear should the
Dominican Republic be efectually protected by
connection win strong nation, The local self
government Of the island has been greatly OBJ
structed by interna! dficulties and disturbances,
yet many town councils still preserve efficient
existence, and are composed Of members Of good
character and ability
- THE SPANISH OCCUPATION
of the island In 1861 il found to have been con
summated by fraud, and to have been most unsat-
sfacory and oppressive In its results civil and re-
igious, threatening danger to the Masonic frater-
nity-a large and influential order In the island
and the adjustment 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 best
opinion seemed to be that the spaniards sent in all
5000 we're lost by desertion and other causes Al
though bitterly disappointed In the results of the
Spanish anne atiOn, the people, who were soon In
volved In new revolutions, not to look abroad
In the hope of relief
THE QUESTION OF ANNEXATION.
To the surprise of the Commission, In almost all
parts of the country, even the remotest, the Peo-
pie were found to be familiar with the question OF
annexation to the United States and hav discussed
II among themselves with intelligence All classes,
in all parts Of the republic, were consulted magis
trates and ecclesiastics Of every grade; ofhcial
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 the
people of the United States. They generally de-
clare their belief that the strong arm of this re-
public, in taking them under its protection as q
part Of the nation, would at once end the efforts
and hopes az every seditOus revolutionary leader,
and establish Law, order, and prosperity.
The Incorporation into the public sentiment Of
feeling strongly favorable to annexation to the
United States In preference to any other power, s
partially due to the presence In various parts OF
small colonies Of cOlored people formerly from
the United Btstee.
The Commissioners entirely dscredit the reports
that annexation would be resisted by desperate
measures In any part Of the island, and cite at
length their own experience, and their entire i'm
muntty nom harm Of every kind whie on the
island - evidence Of The correctness Of their con-
clusi0n.
THE PEOPLE or SAN DOMINGO
are Of mixed blood, honest, temperate, molten
sive, destitute OF prejudice OF race or color: pau
perism, beggAry, and high crimes being practically
unknown. Among the uOOutaY vfcea n npftv