The Portland daily press., 1871-02-21
f. q r Ell n


| DIrION AND VALUE.
New YORK, Feb 20-The following dis patch
IS 1orDis he'd by one of the correspondents on
board the Tennessee:
spent the SIX days delay at Samana Bay at
haid work and got statements from represeu-
talves Of ali classes, mc>t Ut which Were fa-
vorab'e to annexation Many office holders,
however, are sp-culaGng whether they will be
displaced by American officers, aud while they
olu not raise the question with he commission
TAXED freely win Others. There is nothing
whatever TO show that any official Of the Un t.
Gu otates was concerned 10 any o,eratons Of
private character in the feghborhouu Of
oanana, but Fatins and O'SulIivan, with
some associates OF the former, have a lease of
neaF,y all the water front aud Tor a cousldera.
o'e Instance back, which has deep water in
'front.' OF IL. Tue grant is far below the u.uaI
rates, and the aniual consideration of S112 is
~tbout regard to ab Increase in price. Faorus
bas a'so imported lumber and o.her stores tree
ol Duty under plea that they were for he U nit
| "a States There Is system OF Internal tax-
alton, and it is doubtful whether the n ,tiv.s
would submit The country is as rich as III.
| most earnest friends have represented, and lbe
| season at present 's very beatty aud the hes
| less than at Washington in the summer, The
people are very iguoraut, indoieut, and mostly
| live in hnts, aud the whole land seems asleep.
| Ehe most popoious part of the population is
| the negro colony which came from Philadel-
nhia in 1924. They now number 500, and all e
| Methodists.
| Tne harDor of Samanas will not aG nit ships
| of the second class like the Tennessee Il will
require large expenditures to put coal 81 alton
IN proper condition, but it is capable of max.
ing one OF the finest in the world. FOrtifica-
| tions VIII necessarily be as extensive as IN New
Aofk CITY. There il no haIbor at this pace
| except for vessels belOw fourth rate Ali our
steamers lay in the open roadstead with apked
| nres; The com mission is honestly arriving at
| full and tree investigation bat no e OF lis
members express their opinion Their receo.-
| ton here was quite formal and followed by a
| familiar conversation. The ceremony took
place at the Executive mansion of The repuo-
nc. Del MoDte Gantier and the Minister of
| War were present. Mr.. Wade presented
statement of the action of Congress aud read
the following letter OF authority from Presidenr
Grant:
E5eeutice Mansion, Washington, D. c., Jan.
To His Excellency B. Baez, President of the
Republic Of San Domingo: -Sir-In accord.
ance with the joint resolution of the two
Houses OF Congress OF the Uoited States I
have appolnted three distinguished citizens of
the United States, to wit, hon. B. Wade.
many years Senator, Preshient A. D. White of
Cornell University and DR.. S. G.'Howe, dis
tinanisEed for bis philanthropy learning and.
services 10 relieving the bliUd Of much Of the
monotony of lie incident 10 their lDtrmities
by opening to tpem The world of letters. as a
commission to visit the Republic of san Do.
mln2o and to obtain the Information called tor
by the resolution. Associated with the com
MISSION Is Judge Allen G. Burton, secretary
10 the same gentlemen, who has hOnored b,s
country by serving it 10 a diplomatic capacity
beg to lntrod uce these gentlemen and ask for
them yOor kind Offices.
With great respect.
Your obedient servant,
(Sianed) q. S. GRANT.
Baez replied: Gentlemen, I have received
with much pleasure the auioera ph note which
tbs Excellency President Grant has seat me
through SO highly appreciated u medium.
understand that your mission ordered by the
Y CLlte0 > ates is one absolutely of peace. This
y the aspiration aud object OF the Republic.
one OF the 2raud motives which has produced |
these ne EQUATIONS is that our people desire the
pachcaton OF The country and the develop
mtnt OF us riches, by means Of labor, ana 50
guarantee the exls ience Of liberty ana tue prop
eriy OF the citizens. You may count on the |
most ample and absolute lib-rty IN exercising |
your commission. The govsr0ment offers
whatever data you may consider necessary aud |
Will LAKE special pleasure in giving you every |
satisfaction in making our Investigations. As |
to the spohtanety OF the resolution oi the Do |
mlnican people, We desire aIdeDtly that you |
Will consult LOT only the immense majority IN |
favor OF annexation, but also those who are op-
posed to it.
Tue above is the official translation of the
speech.
Alter formal speeches the interview took the |
form Ut question and answer. Baez asserted |
that the oppositlon to annexation was not with |
the D9minlcsns but With the Aayiiens. Ca |
bIal had no DominicaDs To support him worthy |
OF notice. The iact is be is not in comUaud IF |
the forces cohmoniy styled his. The off GERS |
we're Haytien and The whole life of the nlove-
ment was with the Hay ten an lhori,ies
MIR. Wade here said that such statements |
were SO at varian:e with the com nouly 1ecelv-
ed opinion IN the Uniled States, that he felt
constrained TO ask whether il could be rel ed |
upou. Baez replied that 1t was entirely accu-
Fate. and o show basis lOr it prod uced official
letters giving detailed iDiormaliou OF arrange.
ments made with the Haytien rs for an ipcur-
zion, pomipally under Cabral, while the COM
mission Was here, for the purpose of influence
lug its opinions. The case made out by Batz
certainly showed deep hO.lnty on the part OF
Hayti 10 Baez and his pvns. The Ioice with
Cabral Raez gave as one regiment oniy, and
there was prospect that one or two more were
about 10 join him. His real POSITION is six
miles west OF AZuan, and be has -coustautly
been along the Hayden frontier. Even the
DominIcans near him have taken no part but
faflen bach as he advanced. Blez expressed
great confidence thai ne had not overrated the
oesHe OF the people Tor annexation, but hoped |
the con mssloners would question pretty freely
On that point in all direcLlous. A second and |
less formal meeting was arranged at Baez's |
house.
Small parties Of scientific corps will be sent
into The country from here in various dirsc-
tions. The commissi IN is proceeding In a very
unosteusarous way and is very industrious
1t VIII report what it sees aud d d.scovers hear
ing upon the questions embraced in the Sem
ate resolution, but will express no opinion up.
on Inc poilcy OF annexation. What was seen
VI .ne People around Samaua was OF llLtle con-
sequence compared with the Investigation into
tnc value OF the place as a naval st,tion An
seemed to agree that the present cond,t,on ,f
the finances would justify it, ard thai The bar.
Dor where The coating station is shonld ba nh.
tanned by our eovernment by lease or nur.
chase. The real investigation iDto the views
ana dlsposition OF the people and resources of
the country will begin here. II is tbe present
inteotl"n To go from this place soma time nexf
week to Azuan, and visit the region around
DIVA, thence proceed to the north side of the
Island, probably stopping at Port au Prince
o1e or two days, If deemed admissible. From
Puerto Platte, or some point near either, the
commissioners or small parties will visit lbe
great cities. Thus lar the prob Ell s which
seem to be regarded as most important, the
question whether our system Of tax alton would
DO submitted 10, whether war with Hayti
wouid soon follow, and whether out treasury
]ust now Can stand the large appropriation |
which annexation would require Immediately.
the richness OF the county, mag a fice ice of
foliage aud beauty and grandeur OF mountains
cannot be overraed. TIere is, however, neith-
er energy nor THRIFT The commission hOpes
to start Tor bone soon after the first of Marcn
There has been no case OF illness in the party
and the season is healthy every where in the is
land. So far as beard from all the United
States officers oE the Island well. The re-
port OF the cOmmIsSiOD can hardly be ready ior
Congress betors the latter part OF March or ten
days after their arrival in Washington. 1t
will doubtless contain very favorable sum
niug up Of the material resources OF The island
and q strong cOmmepdatiOn Of SANTANA as a
naval station. The bearing of the observations
made and studies presented upon the political,
social aud economical questions connected with
annexation will probably be touched upon only
so far as to Call public atieLt ton to them, out
without presenting an arg ume Mt for or ae ainst
annexation. The report will undoubtedly viu-
dicate the RresIdeuIs motives and declare that
his sole connection with the matter has be- en-
in his official capacity, and that be is not con-
cerned in private operations of any kind -
There has, however. been very questionable
use of the war power directed against Hayt,,
as the officers of the navy have pos,tiye orders
to use lneir ships to DEFEND Baez against his
enemies in the Island. These orders do not
show on their face that they originated in the
department, but came direct from the COM
maudIng officer OF The feet over a year ago |
Tue survey of the public lauds by the New
YORK company Is eCipg rapidly forward. The |
contract with the Dominican government gives
them QUE Il tn of the whole amount. con
tract was first made with Fabens and he ar
ranged with New York c.pita talists Interests
have been offered to unofficial parties in Wash
iDgton. The agent of The oompauy making
the survey is also agent Of the governm-n Mt to
see that the company does not get all the best |
land. Thus far $4,000 has been expended In
surveylog ihe company is selecting as far as
possible land outside of al. Spanish grants
Inere Is millions of dollars of profit in the |
scneme II the annexation is consummated.
France.
FORCED CONTRIBUTIONS DEFERRED.