The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-10-05
THE SAN DOMINGO QUESTION.
WHAT PRESIDENT GRANT HAD TO DO
WITH IT.


del pha platform did not endorse it. The
Cincinnati and Baltimore did not oppose it.
The New \ ork Tribune has heretofore ia
vored it. Other Liberal and Democratic
papers have been neutral in regard to it.
X x :: y
In his farewell speech on the Presiden-
tial election, Senator Sumner made the
following specific charges against the Pres
ident:
l. That he had perpetrated an outrage
upon Hayti and menaced her independence
with war, in violation of international law.
?. That he kept our navy lowering on
the Haytian coast - like hawk sailing in
air." and has employed United States ships
of war, at great expense, in maintaining
1.-The usurper Baez - in power, thus act
ing in fragrant violation of the Federal
Constitution.
8. That, through his agents, he has con-
nived at and prolonged the Imprisonment
Of Mr. Hatch, ian American citizen"
and that Hatch was "immured - because
it was feared that, if released, he would
write against annexation.
4. That he has inSulted Frederick Doug
lass, first because Mr.. Douglass was ex-
Guided from the Commissioners table on
board of a Potomac steamer, and again
because Mr.. Douglass was omitted from an
invitation to dinner given to the Com
missieners at the Presidential mansion.
The facts are briefly these:
Spanish Sante Domingo comprises two
thirds $4,000 square niles of the island
The Government de facto, through its Min
lister Plenipotent;ary, formally applied to
President Grant three years ago; proposing
annexation to the United States as a terri
tory upon the sole condition of our assnnl-
ing it's national indebtness, which WAS esti-
mated as 4 million and Il half dollars. The
President, before entertaining the PROPOSE
ton, sent down his private secretary, Gen.
Babcock, ann honorable and reliable man,
to ascertain the competency and stability
of the Dominican Government. the senti-
ment of the Dominican people in regard to
annexation, the amount of the debt. and
the value of the territory. Being fully
satisfied upon all these points, two treaties
were negotiated by the State Department
one for the lease OF the peninsula and
magnificent Bay of SANTANA at rent of
$50, 600 year, the other for the annexa-
ton of the whole country; the former to
terminate upon the ratification of the lat
ter, and both subject to the approval of
Congress. The matter was brought be-
before Congress in due time, and all annex
alton was recommended by the President,
sustained by facts and arguments which
have since been reiterated and sustained
by the report of the Commissioners APP
pointed to investigate the subject.
These negotiations were frank and eX
plicit. SO far from stunning Publicity,
the President called in person upon Senator
sumner at his own house, aud in presence
of Colonel Forney, asked for his co-opera-
ton. Mr.. Sumner returned an evasive
answer, which both the President and Col.
Forney understood to be affirmative and
favorable. Soon afterwards, without pre-
vions remonstance, without any effort to
induce the Administration to forego or
modify its plans, Senator Sumner publicly
assailed the Administration and the Presl-
dent as guilty of a violation of all laws,
human and divine.
l. The alleged outrage upon Hayti oc-
Cured as follows: No sooner was it known
that negotiation for annexation was pen
ding than preparations We're made by the
Haytiau authorities to invade their feeble
ncighbor, instigated to this course by the
diplomatic representatives of certain Euro
pean Powers, who were Jealous of Ameri-
supremacy. Hayti, which comprises less
than one-third of the island 10000 square
miles, has repeatedly sought to subiugate
the whole (32, 900 square miles, She fear
ed that Santo Domingo would forever es-
cape from her clutches. The population
of Hayti 900 000) is four fold that of San,o
Domingo 125.000,) and is governed by a
military despotism under the forms of a
republic. Hayti was possessed of an arm
ed steamer. The seaports of Santo Do
mingo. protected by only two small schoon-
ers. were liable too bombardment. The
crisis was iminent, and the Government
of Santo Domingo appealed to our Govern
ment for protection against a danger grow
ing out of this very negotiation. Con-
gress was not in session at the time.
What did tile Administration do? Just
this: In the interest of peace and human
ity it notified the Haylian authorities that
a preliminary treaty of annexation had
been negotiated, and that, until Congress
should lave expressed its decision, AN in
vasion of the Dominican territory by any
foreign Power would be regarded as an act
unfriendly to the United States.
Was this an outrage? Was it viola
ton of international law? So far from it,
any fair-minded man, no matter what his
views concerning annexation may be,
would say that it was a duty. To have
done less or to have done otherwise, under
the circumstances, would have been base
desertion of the gallant little nation whose
only crime was its aspiration to merge it.
self in the great American Republic.
9. With 4 sagacious knowledge of hui
man nature, the President prevented any
necessity of forcible intervention, and
kept the peace between Hayti and Santo
Domingo, by sending several American
vessels of war (which would otherwise
have been cruising at equal expense in the
Mediterranean or upon the South Ameri-
can coast not into Haytian, but into Dom
inican waters, at the request of the DOM
inican Government. Not a gun was fired,
not a sailor was landed upon Haytian ter
ritory. Nor was the Dominican Govern
ment, which Senator Sumner SO insulting
ly terms "the u!surper Baez." upheld by
our fleet. No American interference in the
internal affairs of Santo Domingo was off
cred, nor would it have been Welcomed
The presence of American vessels was val
ued only as an evidence of sympathy and
as a guaranty against foreign invasion;
their subsequent withdrawal in Difference
TO the clamor of tho opposition was fol-
lowed by no popular uprising. The Gov
eminent of President Baez, after the lapse
of years, is today stronger and more pop
ular than ever. Was it violation of in
uernational law for the Russian fleet to
visit the harbor Of New York? just as
much SO, and no more, was the welcome
presence of American ships of war in the
Bay of Mansanillo and the port Of Santo
Domingo.
5. The Congressional committee of in
vestigation have demonstrated that Mr.
Hatch, though native of Connecticut,
afterwards claimed that he was natural
lied subject of Spain. Being a resident of
Santo Domingo he was subject, as such to
Dominican laws, and was legally tried and
sentenced to death for actual participa-
ton it, civil war and revolution. Never
theless, at the interceSsion of the Amer-
can Consul. his sentence was committed to
Imprisonment, and he was finally released
at the request of our Government The
Dominican authorities frankly avow that
his imprisonment was prolonged by them
because they did not choose to be subject
to his calumnies. This they had a perfect
right to do nor had we any right to insist
upon his release.
The appointment of Mr.. Douglass as a
Secretary of the Commission was an honor,
not an insult. Every one who accompan-
ii. l.