The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-04

Justice to neighborlng people calls for
a reply to an article in o late number of
your paper, which ask leave to make,
though am very reluctant to reopen the
matter at this time.
The commissioners to Santo Domingo re-
ported as the result of their personal OBJ
servations certain interesting and important
facts. The chief Of these were "a. 80 I. J.
LIST. That large proportion OF the Do
minican people arc Of a high type of physi-
cal organization, and may be properly
classed with the white race. OF '5s.,f
I'd. That they manifested an unexpected
degree of intelligence and of culture = \.
Sd. That they are accustomed to the ex-
ercise of considerable municipal and politi-
cal power. '...sNi .g ~ y
4th. That people Of all ranks do earnest
ly and almost unanimously desire annexa-
ton to the United States. Indeed, the
word prayer would express their feeling
upon this matter better than the word de-
sire. 80. - - - ?
The. commissioners set forth these facts
over their own names. They were con-
frmcd by their secretaries, among whom
were Frederick Douglass and Judge Bur-
ton. A corps OF scientific men, number
ing with their assistants over score, re-
ported the same general facts, and most OF
them over their own names. The report
ers oil newspapers OF all parties almost
unanimously confirmed these statements,
especially the last one. to wit: the una
nimity OF the desire OF the dominican peo-
pie for annexation. L know that the inyes-
tigation OF the island and OF its people was
made honestly, earnestly and thoroughly.
The commissioners We're not blind; nor
were they hoodwinked by. Baez. The
canvass OF the people was minute and ex-
tensive; men and women OF all ranks were
conversed with face to face. Two of the
commissioners were familiar with the two
languages most used IN the island. The
scientific corps was composed OF intelligent
men. The other witnesses were regular
reporters OF American newspapers surer
guaranty for intelligence than titles OF
IL. d. or even of M. Z.
The commissioners appended the volumi-
nous testimony which they had taken from
magistrates. essts, soldiers, artisans, pea
sants.--frorn men ard from women OF all
occupations. and tho government printed
and published the report. Surely. Ut was
worth some attention, even though 1t con-
flicted with opinions and dogmatlc asser-
tons, based upon congressional library
lore, and with Statements of political adj
yenturers and ,exiles, whether Haytian or
Dominican. q e. ~ - = 'i-iAi II
But st. Domingo was already, and for
the time, dead cock in the political pit.
The clanlor Of party drowned the voice of
humanity, and the report was still-born.
Our people had been made to take a snap
Judgment upon the question of annexation,
in utter ignorance of its important bearing
upon the subject of West Indian and Bra
lillian slavery. and upon the spread of free
dom on all sides. The time foretold by an
illustrious senator in his prophetic voice,
about America. had indeed come, "When
the name of our republic should be exalted,
until every nejphbor Welding to the inevi-
table attraction should seek new life in be-
coming part of the great whole" The
people of St. Domingo believed the pro-
phecy. They prayed .to. become part of
the great whole - but cur people were
made to turn aideaf ear to our prayer.
Perplexed by side issues skilfully para
ded, disturbed by fierce charges of execu-
tive lsurpatons and wrongs, fearful of
breaking political ranks, our people forgot
its high mission, and pronounced against
the peaceful extension of our institutions to
a suffering neighbor, who prayed for them.
1t was grievous error, and wrong. Nor
have they been allowed to see their error
and their wrong. Any attempt to revive
the question of annexation is secuted as
disturbance of the dominant party. On the
other hand, no opportunity is lost of giving
a kick at the corpse of annexation, or of vii
flying the administration as the supposed
parent of it. For instance, the mainte-
nance of a naval force in Dominican waters
is bitterly denounced.
Our ships must be employed somewhere.
The President has stationed few of them
In Dominican waters, and has thereby kept
the peace in the regions round about, and
prevented instruction in the island and
bloody invasion from without. 1t is unfair
to impugn the motives of the administra-
ton in this matter, or to assail the charac-
ter of the President. The officials sent to
the island may have exceeded their author
ity !, the, naval officers may have bullied
the Haytien government when they should
have persuaded it. They may have pointed
empty guns instead Of arguments. The
President may have been technically wrong
etried by the Pigments of international laws,
established in the interests of despotism)
but he has been morally right. lie has
been the real protector, not only of the re-
public of Santo Domingo, but of all that
was truly republican in Hayti. Would to
God our fleet in the Corean sea could have