Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-13
The Situation in SantO Domingo
Netc Orleans Democrat.

The present government of Santo Domin-
go, few days ago, added another page to
its history of sanguinary executions.
General Ramon Perez and Julio Frias, Coils.
Sanchez, Lopez and Guerra, and numerous
other officers who were engaged in the last
insurrectional movement, were captured by
the government forces, aud were almost in
stantly shot in cold blood. Three of these
unfortunate men were so badly wounded
that they were executed in a sitting position
with their backs leaning against a low wall.
The island of Hayti was called by the
French Of the last century the Queen OF the
Antilles. 1t contains an area of % 600
square miles, and is situated a short dis
lance to the east of CUBA, from which it is
separated by the Windward passage. The
climate along the coast and on the plains is
warm and unhealthy during the hot months,
but IN the central portion of the island q
knot of mountains, called Ell Cibca, rises
high above the sea and attains an altitude
of 5000 feet. In the mountain regions 1t is
cool and pleasant, when at the same season
the yellow fever is raging on the plains and
along the extended coasts.
From 1765 to the year 1890 the island OF
Hayti was not W justly styled eel Parsiso
de las Indias"-the paradise of the Indies
Its wonderfully fertile soil was cultivated
by over 400, 900 slaves, who were owned by
creoles. 30 wonderfully prolific is the soil,
that under the system OF labor then en-
ployed, 1t yielded on an average $500
pounds Of sugar to the English acre. The
planter lived like princes. Fleets OF Span
ish and French vessels carried the produce
Of their plantations to Europe and brought
back to the prosperous island the manu-
featured goods Of the mother country.
But this prosperity and happiness was
soon changed to a scene of murder, Of
rapine and of desolation. Upon the break
ing out Of the French revolution, in 1889,
the mulattoes of Hayti melted the slaves to
rebel against their masters, and a moiety OF
the white population was extermina, ed.
After committing atrocities of the most
brutal character, after shedding the blood
Of their indulgent masters, the slaves for
the moment rested from their sanguinarv
work. But they became even more Jealous
Of their mulatto leaders than they were OF
the whites and they deposed them and
chose full blood negroes 10 fill their places.
Then arose to power those sanguinarY
cbieftains, LOuverture, Dessalines, Chris
topic and others who, for twenty years,
ruled the island with a rod of iron, while
scenes of blood, of terror and of rapine
were of daily occurrence.
The mulattoes Joined with the whites and
endeavored to beat the negroes back to
their mountain strongholds, but were them
selves defeated and both whites aud mulat--
toes became the slaves of their former
slaves.
The island was divided into two indepen-
dent republics-that of Santo Domingo and
that OF HaYti-and although for a short
time the former was taken possession OF by
the Spaniards, successful revolution drove
them out of the island and Santo Domingo
again became the prey of It's negro inhabi-
tants. From 1910 until the present date,
Hayti has presented a scene of anarchy and
confusion, Of bloodshed and rapine. Scarce
ly a year has passed but two or three sue
cessful revolutions have hurled from power
the negro chieftains whose bloody hands
had grasped the reins Of government.
The revolution that has just been quelled
was no less sanguinary and cruel than many
of those which preceded it. The military
executions mentioned above will, for a
while, probably quiet the insurgents, but it
will not be long before they break out again
fiercer and more uncomprOmisiDg than ever
The problem presented to the people Of
this country is: What shall be done with
this fair island! The nations of Europe ask
the American Government how long this
West Indian paradise shall be Overrun by
the brutal and ferocious blacks, who are fast
reverting to the savage condition of their
African ancestorsg They also declare their
dissatisfaction that this beautiful country,
whose fertile acres should contribute to the
markets OF the world, is in the clutches of
half a million OF saYages, who have con-
verted this West Indian paradise into an
earthly hell.