Year: 1871

The Rev. DIR. vinton ON 81. DOminxo-


Strong Testimony for Annexation.


The letter on St. Domingo, of the Rev. DR..
vinton, of the Trinity Protestant Episcopal
church of this city, which we publish this
morning, furnishes some very strong testimony
in behalf Of the annexation Of that beautiful
and fertile tropical island. In reference to the
advantages which we shall secure and give
to the island with this desirable acquisition,
the learned doctor brings forward an intelli-
gent volunteer witness whose experience Of
forty -one years in the West Indies qualities
him to speak as by authority on the subject.
This witness is the British Governor Walker,
of the Bahama islands, the capital of which is
the fiourishing little commercial city of Nassau,
N P. Governor Walker earnestly hopes that
the United States will secure the island Of st.
Domingo; first, because the Introduction Of
our civilization and culture will redeem the
society of the West Indies; and, secondly,
because the soil and productions Of the island,
SURPRISING those of any other, not excepting
Cuba, would enrich our country beyond any
cost that it's acquisition would demand. But
the evidence upon this point from Christie
pher Columbus down to General Grant, is
overwhelming and SO we need not enlarge
upon 1t.


Next DR.. Vinton, from the hint Of an old
sea captain, calls the attention of General
Grant to a chart of the West Indies, if he
would be convinced Of the naval and CONNER
cial importance of this splendid island, in view
of ship canal across the isthmus of Darlen or
Panama. The enthusiasm Of our distinguished
divine for this annexation carries him 80 far
that he wishes his old friend and schoolmate,
Senator Sumner, would give up his opposition
to the scheme and see the matter in different
light. We fear, however, that Sumner is past
praying for, and we are quite sure that the
good work can and will be done without him.
But our learned doctor, in the very outset Of
his interesting letter, suggests the acquisition
of st. Domingo as sGasstGrium-a winter re-
sort for our invalids; and he says that the uni
versal wish of those at Nassau is s'for a resort
on American soil in the West Indies for the
benefit of invalids' "a wish expressed in long
ing for the annexation Of St. Domingo. To
many of our readers who have learned to asso-
ciate St. Domingo only with the yellow fever
this wish of American invalids at Nassau may
seem somewhat out Of the way but st. Do
mingo, especially among its beautiful and
fertile mountains, which cover a large
portion of the island, enjoys a charm
ing and salubrious climate. We have
no doubt that within year or two from Its
acquisition its winter resorts for our Northern
invalids will be occupied by thousands, aud
that new lease Of life will thus be gained to
most of them.


We have east of the Pacific slope no desira-
BILE winter resort on United States soil for the
invalid who wishes to escape our dreadful
winter winds. They sweep down through
Texas and to the Gulf coast in its whole ex-
tent, even at times to the southern extremity
of the peninsula of Florida. For instance, we
have noticed in our telegraphic reports diff
ference of fifteen degrees in the winter
between the temperature of Key West (Which
is in the midst of that string Of small islands
which extend out into the Gulf Stream from
the southern cape of Florida) and the tenn
perature of Havana, hundred miles only
across the water. This difference comes from
our cold northern winds, the chill of which is
felt even at Key West, but is never felt at
Havana, because Of the intervening warm
atmoa aphere of hundred miles in width rising
from the Gulf Stream. St. Domingo, lying
several hundred miles still farther south, is,
Of course, entirely exempt from chilling
winds, and January among her mountains is
softer and mere delicious than June in Virginia,
and her July temperature never rises to the
maximum of Long Branch. We therefore
cordially approve DR.. Vinton's idea of st.
Domingo as a sanitarium for our invalids who
wish to escape to some island refuge under
''the old flag" thank God, free from the chill
ing and searching winds of our continental
winters.