New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-06

CARRAL that tue great. body of the people
were with CABRAI:s that BAEz vas mere
political jockey, holding his place not through !
the affections and saffrages of the people, bat
hy sort of military despotism; that the
country was at war, and that annexation would
commit the American people to dance OF
blood that there were questions of boundary
sure to lead to trouble that the climate was
only fit for negroes to live in and that none
but the worst class of the American people
would be likely to 60 there. On the voyage
out heard many other bad things about the
country It's people were barbarous, treacher-
ous lazy, helpless, ignorant, superstitious, dis
eased in fact, there was within that country
not one good thing. Our ship was not an an
nexation ship. There was scarcely an officer
on board from the captain downward who had
good word to say for the policy of annexa-
ton. Among the reporters, and speak it not
disparagingly, some of the ablest declared In
advance that they were opposed to annexation.
They had right to their opinions, and in good
strong English they did not hesitate to express
their opinions. From this my readers will see
that the bias | received from Senator SUMNER
was not weakened by my surroundings on ship
board. Even the commission on the voyage
out seemed to lean toward opposition to annex
atien. | do not remember single word indi-
eating a purpose to favor the measure. Even
our literature on board was rather against than
for Santo Domingo. Mr.. SUMNER speech was
read and re-read. CARL SEIZURE was nowhere
nd I'D
pamphlet on Santo Domingo was laughed at as
extravagant and faneiful in the extreme, gotten
up to serve the purpose of certain land sharks
who had large claims, whose value would be
greatly enhanced by annexation.
1t was said that even the personal safety of
the commissioners would be assured on shore
only while they kept under the guns Of the
Tennessee that if they ventured three miles
beyond the coast, they would be gobbled up by
the CABRAL men, who were on the look out for
them: that we should not he permitted to see
the opponents OF annexation that BAEz would
have everything cut and dried to deceive the
commission that any one daring to oppose
the scheme or to give testimony adverse to its
consummaton would be shot or hanged that
take the country, and almost before they got pos
possession they had been driven off or murdered.
The harbors of the country were exposed
as worthless, and capable OF defense only by
| the outlay of unnumbered millions of money
| for that purpose. Even the great Bay of Sa-
mana was denounced as shallow and unsafe
for vessels of any considerable tonnage. The
mahogany, about which there had been SO
much talk, had been nearly all cut Off
heavy debt rested upon the country and would
have to he paid by the United States in case
of annexation. and we were already staggering
under debt Of our own almost too heavy for
the back of loyalty. That, in case of civil war;
il would be impossible to suppress it: and. in
case of forci IN war; it would be impossible for
to defend the country. The climate was hOrri-
BILE. 1t rained every day in the year and for
most of the time all day.
Such. then, was the murky atmosphere, the
glass darkly, through which | was asked to
look at Santo Domingo. 1t was a lard of
hurricanes earthquakes, tempests, malaria.
yellow fever, elephantiasis, leprosy, syphilis,
pestiience. and death Worse things were
never said against any country than listened
to during all the voyage, and that. too, from
men who seemed to he well.informed and sin
cere. In the light of those statements, the an
nexation of SantO Domingo seemed most
perilous scheme-sure to bring ruin upon our
country if ever contaminated.
Well, / have now seen for myself and am in
position at least to tell what have learned |
and will do so at the proper time. set ont
with the purpose of doing so when began this
letter, but the delay in the publication of the
report of the Commission of Inquiry, and my |
wish not in any way to anticipate their more
authoritative utterance. lead me to break off my
letter here. FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
The further consideration of this important subject will be
resumed in the next number of this journal.