New-York tribune., 1871-04-06
TIL S4NrO DOlfINGo REp0EE


n,issioncrs Wade, Howe, and White or Santo
Domingo, accompanied by brief message
clearly explaining the motives which impcNcd
him to negotiate the treaty and subsequently
10 urge the invest cation just concluded.
These explanations were not demanded;
even the persistent efforts TO misreprcsent the
personal motives Influencing the President
and his agents in The negotiation did not
render explanation necessary. And yet the
message will be heartily welcomed aS
showing how trivial were tho foundations
for reports and GcoUsations which un-
cuestionably affected for brief time
now happily ended, wc trUst-the morale and
efficiency OF the Republican party. The mes
SAGE is plain tale which will put 10 rest
many malicious stories.
The President states that shortly after his
Inauguration agents of President Bacz repre-
seutcd. to him the deplOrable condition OF
Santo Domingo, explaining that its chief OBJ
stacle to prosperity was the perpetual sense OF
insecurity, and that the great need was the
protection of some strong Power. They sought
annexation TO the United States; if this was
refused it was their design to ask
protection of some European Power. The first
8pul;catiOn seems to have been treated wiCh
indifference the second accompanied by the
same approximations as the first, suggested
to the President The duty OF laying the prop
osition before the country and of obtaining
the wishes of the inhabitants of the island
on tie question Of annexation. The re-
port OF Commissioner BabcOck, who was
Immediately sent to SantO Domingo, was
r. 4 IL, of fa1
was rejected by the Senate, but under such
circumstances, "a The President claims in The
present message, as reflected upon the motives
Of those whose duties connected them with the
negotiation. He felt it due to himself and his
agents that investigation should be had, and
hence the Commission. We cannot agree with
the President in thinking that the inquiry was
in any sense necessary for his vindicatiOn; his
honesty In these transactions no honest man
bad called in question, though his legal right
has been q subject Of debate. But with his
sensitivcness on this point all fair-mindcd
men viii sympathiLa.
In one sense, the report now submitted was
no more demanded than the Presidents mes
sage, for the physical features of the island
and the political difficulties of its govern
| exhaustive, and contains some things which are
new but not important to the consideration Of
the question involved. A peaceful but igno-
rant people. inclined to industry but without
the incentive of a stable government compe-
tent to protect them in their property; natu-
rally fertile country Of which only n small frac-
tiOn Is under cultivation, and in which an acre or
two of land well TILED su0ces 10 provide family
with food; government simple cheap, and
rot oppressive, administered by men Of more
ihan average ability and culture this is the
story OF the Commissioners, told wthout COM
ment, and accompanied by numerous facts.
The debt of the Republic is asceltained
to be about one aud a half millions. The
resources are yet to be developed. The Com
missioLcrs found no concessions made to any
United States official to influence the neeotia-
tion of the treaty and most of the grants record
ed were for enterprises which cannot fail if car
ricd ont, to improve the country and develop its
resources. The most Of these proposed i'm
movements seem to have been suggested by
tbc nrobable annexation of the island to this
country, and the failure of the scheme will
doubtless cause these enterprises TO be aban
doned.
The President in his message, disclaming
any further personal sOiicitude on the subject,
wisely suggests the reference OF the report to a
future Congress, in order that the people may
have time 10 examine the facts ana
form their own convictions regarding The
scheme OF annexation. Against tho will
of the people the President has declared be-