The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-04
SAN DOMINGO.

The Germantown Telegraph has the fol
lowing straight forward, sensible article on
the annexation of San Domingo.
1t has transpired that an association of
American capitalists in New York, Phila-
delphia and Boston, has opened negotia-
tions with the government of the republic
of San Domingo for the purchase of the
bay of SANTANA and the adjoining territory,
the purchase money to be applied to the
extinguishment of the republics debt. 1t
is stated that the firm of G. X. Garrison &
Co., of New York, who were the agents in
the affair, intend this for the opening of
commercial relations with the island, but
the whole affair is involved in SO much
mystery that it is impossible to state any
thing with certainty beyond the fact that
Garrison himself admits the bargain. So
far as we can make out, it appears that the
failure of the treaty of annexation in the
L. S. Senate left the established govern
ment of the republic in on awkward pre-
dcament for the want of money, as it had
been expected that the treaty would have
been ratified and the territory annexed,
and consequently no financial measures
were adopted.
In this .juncture it began to be feared
that some of the European powers would
take advantage of the situation and secure
Government could do nothing in the alb
sence of Congressional action, the matter
was taken in hand by merchants interested
in the commerce of the West Indies, who
had been earnestly looking forward to the
establishment of an American port in those
seas. We must have naval station some
where there, and as the territory and bay
Of SANTANA have now become the property
of American citizens the Government can
purchase of them the privileges that we
might have obtained under the treaty. We
must candidly confess that we do not like
this secondhand way of doing business
We were and still are in favor of the an
nexation of San Domingo, and we would
greatly prefer the short and straight for
ward way of ratifying the treaty of annex
ation and taking formal possession of the
island.
Yet the ST. Louis Republican,, a leading
Democratic sheet which earnestly opposed
annexation, processes to approve of this
hybrid proposition, and does it, too, on the
mere strength of some vague announce
ment by telegraph, and without knowing
the details. The force of purblind part
izan folly could not go much farther than
this. Here is a territory capable of raising
all the crops of the tropics, and we could
get it for mere song, and we refuse to
ratify treaty under which it would be
open free to the enterprise and capital of
all our citizens. and yet hand over the best
harbor to private monopoly from which
we must buy or rent naval privileges
| Coupled with this are some ugly rumors
about admitting the territory as State
under the name of SANTANA, whereas the
treaty only provided for admitting it as a
territory like New Mexico. The Republi-
can goes off into dream about our laying
the foundations of colossal empire like
that of British India, under corporate au-
spices. But all our attempts of that kind
have failed. Precisely such dreams were
INDUCED by the ower-California Com
pany, and turned out to be mere moon
shine The Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany was expected to do something in
| Panama, and we had other visions of the
kind about Nicaragua and Honduras, but
all have proved empty and frivolous. The
| fact is that in New York, where these
scheme originate, there is none of that
patient, persevering, laborious spirit of
corporate. enterprise peculiar to England,
or that has been so signally displayed by
| Philadelphia.
The Government of the United States
possesses this spirit in high degree, and
hence the success of all our National colos-
sal enterprises in the vast western wilder
nesses. If. therefore, San Domingo were
a national territory of ours, it would speed
lily become prosperous and populous as well
as wealthy for the protection of the United
States fosters emigration, industry, COM
merce and general thrift and enterprise
But private effort as a substitute for gov
ernmental protection is delusion alto
gether. If San Domingo were ours the
announcement would awaken enterprise
and emigration all over the land, and in a
short time the island would be scene of
American activity of all kinds. We sim
cerely trust, therefore, that both the Ma
tional Administration and the Republicans
in Congress will deal in a manly and fear
less way with this great question, and not
allow the annexation project to be defeated
to suit the few Liberal malcontents in the
Senate and the press. We are against sur
rendering San Domingo to private monop-
! oily, and in favor of a fair and square an.
nexation.