Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-03-27
TIE POLICY OF OR GOVERNMENT
TOWARDS saw DOMINGO.
Important Dispatch Of Secretary
KObesOD TO keaR Admiral Lee.

In view OF existing circumstances, we have
obtained permission to publish the following
dispatch or tie Secretary of the Navy to Rear
Acmirsl Lee, commanding the North AtIanti,
feet
NAVY DEPARTMENT..
Washington, March 81. 1SIl.i
TO RsGr hdmiTGI s. y. Lee, Commanding Mort.
Atlantic FLEET
Admiral: herewith enclose copy OF letter
which puTpoTts 10 have been addressed on the
18th Ga, Of February last BY the officer comma d.
< the IT, BnesSee to the Honorable Beniami n =
Wade, chairman of the commission sent to San
IOmlHgo on that vessel, and which war nah
listed in the correspondence of the New W.
Tribune on the 18th day OF the present ,,o,+h
KS tue orders to rue commander of the S'eppes.
~te we're simply TO convey the comr sIssioD or,
q cir expedition 10 such ports as thew Tnigb, -"
sIre. and cont an nothing further of reneraI in
stIuetlon or direction, naturally feel SOM
what doubtful Of the authenti sitv OF An.
letter; but as 1t has been pub Jiskes &C an
thentlc, and contains much WI Och il Gallon
lated to mislead the people and author,ties OF
Sah D3inlngo As 20 me true spir' and extent OF
there, and may perhaps embaT rass to some ex-
tent, the officers IN command OF those We sseIs
ideas therein contained, thro augh YOU the com,
mandant of the feet in those, wsters
You will perceive that in mis- letter the writer
assumes ..l IN erect that II ny person connected
with the Commission was AIKEN prisoner by tn
opponents OF the Dominic An government yi,hiu
thth 1nes, ne would De IN reality a spy, and
might, under the rules OF. civilized warfare, DC
treated as such, becaU 80 the United States
has, in the opinion OF the writer TsthrDugh
the orders OF its Ex ecutive TO the naTaI
,., there; . chosen to take part in the
lie. This statement is unfounded in fac
and inference, and has evidently been male
hssuly' IN ignorance OF the real circumstance
OF the case, or IN misspprehension OF their
legal effect. The United States is dealing with
The regularly cor stitGted government of the
dominican rePnonc, 10 manner and for pur
viii ip+a
and though the right OF revolution against con
stituted authority for just and ADEQUATE cause
lnheres IN every people, yet the constituted
government IL, until 1t is actually overthrow
the legal representative OF the nation in all its
relations 10 other people, and the right of re 70
iaton does not carry with il, TO the revolution
lists pending their contest, the right to treat the
agents OF other nations as enemies, when not in
arms against them, while they are acting, a.
they have an International right TO act, in ac-
cOTdance with the laws of the existing govern
ment. Such treatment, without formal notice
| Is contrary to the rules of civilized warfare
and the notice, II given, is at the peril OF the
insurgents, and is justified only when disturb
| ance Uses to the dignity OF re vOiution
But neither the United States nor its EHecu-
i've hss chosen 10 take part, or has taken part,
| in the internal conflicts of the Dominican re-
ubnc. The situation IL this
The President OF the United States has BY
The Constitution, the right to make treaties
subject 20 the raOi catlOn OF the Senate The
Congress or the United States IN 1850 appTopri-
a'eO considerable sum or money for the IN
bCiStOo1 purpose Oh acquiring Dy lease or Dur
chase part OF the Island of San domingo. The
| bay aud penlnsula or SANTANA were considereL
most appropriate for our purpose as q naya;
/ station; and the Rspublic of San DOmiu,,
\ itself, with Its favorable position and nan
/ raj resources. its friendly gOverprD ant
and people, seemed for jhe purroses
or commerce and civilization far the
most desirable for US Of tn ,se fragments OF ouT
4 continent which lie across the gstewavs OF our
Domestic commerce and shut up the eutraur.
to our great inland sea. To initiate all treatieS
% Z ~ TENT
/ thus lie Lad the constitutional power TO nego.
tate IRE aties LOT the cession Of SANTANA and the
annexation Of the Dom mic IN Republici, N.
mon proper consideration, lie thought il rigu-
and Tor the interest Of the country, whose n
terests are 10 thls extent intrusted 10 his judg-
lheLt, Il was his constitutional duty % do =
In pursuance of this constitutional righr he J,t
negotiate such treaties with the existing yux-
eInmeIt OF the republic, confcssedly the gov
err nt NJ both dc fGc-O and dc jurs These treA -
were Of course iDchOate, and su bject to be con
armed or defeated by the action OF tha Seuz-e a.
| tIe nlted states and OF the people Ofths Dom
nlcan republic; but by such treat es AMI pentiuy
such huai action, the United States acdtlirei Al
! interest IN the thing Negotiated tor wh.ch
/ could not be rigntiully disturbed Oy any other
power and II was the plain duty Of the Execp-
i've 70 protect, II need be, the Integrity of tLis
cOnstltutlODauy acquired interest, so that n !.
subject or the negotiation mi ght remain int act
! until the final action OF the ratifying powsr.
| could be properly had.
This duty = plain, and IN every case or vain
abe aequisltlon the execution Of IT will be ex-
pected and approved by the people. Itwa in
| The discharge OF such duty that, in the EARL
part OF the present century, President Madison
ma, ehed the armies Of the United States INTO
ana actually took and held possession OF the
/ ten itory then known as West Florida (includng
What is now the State of Alabama tor whic6
ss1ritory negoustions wers then pending, after
Wards concluded and settled with Spain. Tim.
/ action was approved by Congress and the Deo-
PIE, not as an exercise OF war power, but a. the
Iroteetng OF an interest consttutionslly &C
! quiTed, and which the Executive was bound n
MAINTAIN intact, while IL remained in us
In the present case the President has hilbert
9Hny pursued IN relation to the republic OF San
Domingo this same recognized policy OF our
| government. and under the treaty and by mean.
81 the appropriation bv Congress for such Dyr-
| pose we TOOK possession OF the bay and Peuin,u-
| "A OF SamAua- his possession We still hold
ara Whlle our nag flies there we must protect
Tom every interference the interest which il
represents. In carrying out this RECON- led
| 20 icy' the government OF the United States
has not hred 3 shot nor landed man In
hostile attitude on the island Vt San DO
mingo, and has neither interfered in tha
| internal Conflicts OF the Dominican RepubTr,
Eor coeIced any other power. It has simj.lv an
noIhcec 70 ali people generally, and po.t.cu-
laIly 20 Such as appeared IN q threatenin.s att.-
tude, lt- determination TO protect. unit! fD1ily
dis o cd OF, the interest il had acquired u that
| Tepubhc, from all attacks from without ia
boundaries. and from the interference OF any
foreign power, so that in the event of M.
| treaties being ratified there would be I,..t The
ttlng contracted for. with NO hostile 20 sessions
intervening 70 destroy our right OF pre.e mpilou
To 10 this is certainly not ''tO make war or
Ito take part in the conflicts OF a country nor
10 coeTce, nor TO attempt 20 co-rce any
power. IL = Ou: the simple perform ance of
a duty to Congress and TO the nation, in
the preservation IN It's existing condition
o. what we have cOnstitutionally entered
INTO negotiations, cOnstitutionallv To ac-
cure. Under the orders of the Executive il
IS part OF the duty OF those ships of your feet
Mhlch are al any lime cruising in the water. of
eah domingo TO maintain this status against
every power; and while we would nor Weld the
ileht 70 interfere with il to the most powerful
government, We cannot cOncede that right even
10 the weakest
Very respectfully, GEO. NJ. RrFssoS.
Secretary Ut NAVY.