The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-02-01
NUMBER 81.

to the United States. So, inasmucis
as any body can buy or build ships
under the Dominican or any other
flag and compete for the entire West
Indian trade,n we really can not see
how we are to be commercially any
better or worse off if our enterprising
fellow citizens lease or buy ont the
Bay of Sanana and Baez and his COM
petitor with it. IF these citizens
choose to use an outside government
Fthey will take it's place and relations.
That we may make better arrange
ments with them than with the pres
ent authorities is very probable, but
as our ministers and consuls are in
structed to recognize ASIDE Jacto, what
ever government they may wake up
in the morning and find installed, we
suppose there will be 10 difficulty OH
that score. The argument going to
advise the people Of San Domingo
that Baez has no right to sell the title
and jurisdiction Of SANTANA would be
useful if translated f1to the bastard
| Spanish of that island, but as we have
nothing to do with the wisdom or fol-
| ly, the abuses or necessities OF Baez,
we do otinteryene in foreign affairs
by discussing them.
But, we would seriously ask, does
the Picayu,se believe that the annex
alton of the island of San Domingo to
the United States would be a public
eyil7 Will it be public evil ii " the
Bay Of Samana, right at the entrance
of the Mona passage, in the direct limo
of trade to Europe-if even u canal Is
made or a railroad built-shOuld be
placed sooner or later under the pro-
lection of the United .States9
To this inquiry we would like what
the logicians term categorical and
direct answer.
There appears to us no legal or pc
litical impediment to the proposed
purchase and cession of Samana. Any
American citizen may acquire su0 per-
iculo at his own risk whatsoever ter
ritorial or political rights any person
or potentate may have to sell. The
citizen may expatriate or ruin himself,
but he can not complicate his govern
nent by such an act.
Such as we have stated is the STRAIT
egical position in which our confrere
has placed himself. He has separated
himself from his support and reserves.
He even relies upon the aid of the
Northern press, which begins to view
the matter in the same light as our
J first article" etc. In his pride as a
dialectic digladiat0r, he lays open his
guard. Our confrere will have to
abandon his untenable position 'with-
out beat of drum" Or surrender al
discretion. As we prefer his alliance
in work so important and SO popu-
lar, his capitulation to commercial
: expansion would be more acceptable
! than his capture. The alternative is
however, Of no particular consequence
for there can be no doubt of two facts
| first, the citizens of New Orleans dc
: not approve of any dishonest act o
! territorial or commercial acquisition
4 but, second, they do want free o.
g reciprocal trade, with daily steam
from here to any and all the West In
4 dia islands.
The government and people of tn
United States are determined to carr,
out its foreign policy as taught b,
Il jefferson, Monroe, Madison and Polk
n whether it meets the approval of for
: eign or domestic objectors. 1t has al
:, ways done SO.