The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-12-08

eminent of the electors. the eomn,,.o.r
support OF the free school, and The dis
trancbisenent of all who cannot ,sad
and write the English language. After
a liked probation, and would meet nv
hearty approval would not mako tI,;.
apply, however to those already vo,s-s
but | would to all tecomiox So aftartha
expiration of the probation fix4d unon
Foreigners coming to the country to
become citizens. who are educated in,
their own language. would acouire the
requisite knowledge OF ours during the
neeeessar7 residence to obtain natural
ization- III they did not take enough
interest ii' our lsngusge to acquire a
sufficient knowltd dge of 1t to enable
them 10 study the institutions and laws
Of the country intelligently. would
not confer upon them the right to
make such laws, nor to select those
who do.
SANTO DOMINGO.
l Iappend to this message, for conye-
nient reference, a synopsis of adminis-
trative events. and of all recommended
tons to Congress made by me during
the last seven years. Time NAV show
some of these recommendations not to
have beer wisely conceived, but be-
lieve the larger part will be no discred-
1t to the administration. One of these
r eominendations met with united op.
position OF one political party in the
Senate. with strong opposition from
the other, namely: The treaty for the
annexation of Santo Domingo to the
United States. TO which shall especial
ly refer, maintaining, as / do, that IL
my views had been concurred in the
country would bein more prosperous
condition to day, both politically and
financially. Santo Domingo is fertile,
and upon its soil may be grown Just
those tropical products of which the
United States use so much, and which
are produced or prepared for market
now by slave labor almost exclusively,
nancy: sugar, coffee. dyewoods, ma
hogany, tropical fruits, tobacco, etc.
About seventy-tive per cent of the ex-
ports of Cuba are consumed in the
United States. A large percentage of
the exports of Brazil also find the same
market. These are paid for almost
exclusively in coin, legislation, pariic
ularly in G aba, being unfavorable toa
mutual exchange of the products Of
each country. Flour shipped from the
Mississippi River to Havana can pass
by the very entrance to the city on ifs
way to portion of Spain, then pays q
duty fixed upon articles to be re-ex-
ported, transferred TO a Spanish vessel
and brought back almost to the point
OF starting, paying second duty, and
still leave profit over what would be
received by direct shipment. All that
is produced in Cuba could be produced
in Santo Domingo. being q part of the
United States. Commerce between the
Island and the main land would be
free. There would be no export duties
on her shipments nor import duties on
those coming here. There would be no
import duties upon the supplies, machi
merry, ETC., going from the States. The
effect that would have been produced
upon Cuban commerce with these ad-
vantages to America, is observable at
a glance. The Cuban question would
have been settled long ago in favor of
Free Cuba" hundreds of American
vessels would now be advantageously
used in transporting the valuable woods
and other products of the soil of the
Island tc a market, and in carrying
supplies and emigrants to it. The
Island is but sparsely settled, while it
has an area sufficient for the produc-
tive employment of several millions of
people. The soil would have soon
fallen to the hands of the United States
capitalists. The products are so valu-
able in commerce that emigration
there would have been encouraged.
The eInancipated race of the South
would have 'ound there a congenial
home where their civil rights would
not be disputed. and where their labor
would be sought after, and the poorest
among them would have found mean,
to go there in cases of great oppression
and cruelty such as have been practiced
upon them in many places within the
would have sought refuge in Santo
Domingo. | do not suppose the whole
race named would have gone, nor Is it
desirable that they should go. Their
labor is desirable, ,indispens ible almost,
where they are now; but the posses
sion of this territory would have left
the negro master of the situation by
enabling him to demand his right at
home on pain of seeking them else
lere.
/ do not present these views now as
a recommendation for renewal of the
subject of annexation, but do refer
to it to vindicate my previous action
in regard to it.
With the present Congress my official,
life terminates. 1t is not probable that
public affairs will ever again receive at
teDtion from me, further than as a
citizen OF the republic, always taking
deep interest in the honor and integrity
and prosperity of the whole land.
(Signed) U. 3. GRANT,
Executive Mansion. December 5, 1876.