New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-09

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In accordance viii rs rseclGtion, til
Commissioners procooded to It's laland Q
Sen nBmingU. They .trayersed the Domin
| lean republic from end to end. in severn
| directions, either by their agents OF in per
son; one eOsnmissioner crossing it from sOutl
| to north, and another from east to west
They spent several weeks at the capital il
daily confernnce with the prosident- ana
chief officers Of the government, in examin
ing the ofticial records, and, as at all Othel
places, in constant intercourse with thu
people, and taking the testimony Of wit
nesses.
They visited the vicinity Of the western
border of the country, where it was reported
there were disturbances, and remained 9
week at the capital of the neighboring re
public of Hsyti, where some supplementary
investigations were made as to the political
state, condition and form of government.
The present government Of the DOmini-
can republic is in theory a constitutional
republic. According to its constitution the
government 10 divided into three branches
executive, legislative and judicial. The
first consists of the president and vice pres.
ident, elected by, an electoral college for y
term of six years, with difference of three
years in the time Of their election. The
president and vice president are ineligible
70 the presidency during the following term.
The president appoints council Of State,
consisting Of Minister Of Public Instruc-
ton: Interior, Police and Agriculture; Pub
lie Works; Commerce and Marine. On one
of these four ministers the duties Of Minis
ter of Foreign Relations devOlves.
The legislative branch of the government
consists of Senate (SenadO cOnsultO)
elected by primary assemblies, and has
two members for the city Of San Domingo.
two for Santiago, and one for each Of the
other provinces and districts-nine MEM
beers in all. These hold office six years and
may be reelected.
Each province and district has govern
ment, and each parish and military post has
c0mmandant, nominated by the execu-
tive and responsible to him.
The towns are governed by aguntorniatos
or councils, elected by primary assemblies
for three years. -
The judiciary consists of . supreme
court, whose seat is at the, capital, with q
president, four ministers and one attorney
general, who are chosen by the Senate from
nominations made by the electoral college,
and who hold Office i've years.
In every province and district there is q
court Of first instance, sitting in the respect
i've capitals, consisting Of judge, prosecu-
tor and attorney general, all nominated by
the executive, and holding Office for five
years.
1t was found that this court had, in many
parts of the republic, fallen into disuse,
and finally each town and parish or COM
mune has an alcade, appointed by the execu-
tive and holding Office at his pleasure, and
corresponding to our justice of the peace.
In this latter case justice lie far better than
theory, for in all parts of the republic it
was found that alcades held office virtually
during good behavior, and not one was
found whose character did not inspire
respect.
The commissioners found the government
organized and in complete operation in all
its departments, exercising every function
Of legitimate government
Baez, as chief magistrate, is in full and
peaceable possession Of all parts of the
republic, except ON the Hsytien border,
which Is disturbed by insurrectionary lead
era, and by Haytiens and political in
triguere: and these are melted to be extra
ordinarily active at this time by fear of an
nexation to the United States. From all
that the commissioners could ascertain,
President Baez has the respect of great
majority of the Dominican people for his
administrative abilities, and the strong at
tachment of many leading men, who regard
him as the only leading statesman among
them who can hold the nation against do
nestle faction and foreign foes.
In the year l848, after five years of an
archy, consequent upon the expulsion of
Haytien power, General Baez was regularly
elected President of the republic. 1t ap-
pears that he was chosen as man who, by
his education, fortune and public services,
would be most likely to secure the general
confidence and health wounds inflicted by
civil and foreign wars. In one of the del
egations of leading citizens who rendered to
him the Chief Magistracy, was General
Cabral. There il audible testimony to the
fact that under him the republic has en-
jOyed a. much liberty a. any of his prede-
cess0rs dared allow, and more tranquility
than they knew how to give. Nor do the
find that there is any oppo-
nent to tho present administration of that
republic who has now OF who ever has had
any claim to the chief magistracy by title
superior to that Of the present incumbent.
Whatever technical defects there might
have been in his original title to the Office,
it was confirmed by q national convention,
and ratified by the assent and support of
the people.
The frequency of civil connections during
. long period and consequent insecurity of
have paralyzed industry, dis
cOuraged accumulation and 60 Impoverished
The country that for at least two years the
financial resources Of the government, as its
officers informed us, have been Inadequate
TO pay expenses.
The instructions which still exist are
headed by Cabral and LuperOn. The for
mer Of these is universally ceded ito be the
more important, but neither has q distinct
lag or regularly organized army. The
al I'd ~
claim to be the legal head of the republic;
hat he does not claim to represent the prin
;ipal constitutional or legal authority, as is
'hown by the fact that in his proclamation
Ind communication to the commission he
Ityles himself chief of the revolution, and
he Journal, pretending to emanate from
San Juan, but understood to be printed at
he Haytien capital, is styled the Bulletin of
As to Luperon, the testimony is that he is |
imply bandit. stained with crimes. He |
has not, SO far as could be learned, distin- |
yulshed himself in any regular manner, his |
main exploits being in sundry robberies and |
operations on the coast, the latter |
means steamer furnished him by insur. |
'ection brokers on neighboring island.
The disturbance of which Cabral is the |
aead has its seat in the eastern part of the |
.epublic, on the Haytien frontier. The
Orce OF the army at 'Cabrafs command
loes not exceed q few hundred men, who,
q cases of emergency, force into their SER |
rice all the male population upon whom |
hey lay their hands. 1t has been claimed |
hat he has controlled the Dominican part |
# Barobora and received supplies through |
t, but this certainly is no longer the case. |
IN the other hand, it is charged by the |
present Dominican government that he has |
eceived supplies through Hayti. and that |
daytien soldiers and arms have been at his |