In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 4th instant, informa tion relative to the proposed annexation of the Dominican portion of the Island of San Domingo. JANUARY 16, 1871.-Read, ordered to lie on the table and be printed. To the Senate of the United States: I transmit to the Senate, in answer to their resolution of the 4th instant, a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying documents, relating to the proposed annexation of the Dominican portion of the island of San Domingo. WASHINGTON, January 16, 1871. U. S. GRANT. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of the Senate of the 4th instant, "That the President of the United States be requested to communicate to the Senate, if in his opinion not incompatible with the public interests, copies of all papers and correspondence relating to the proposed annexation of the Dominican portion of the island of San Domingo, or the purchase of any part thereof, including the first and all subsequent instructions to any agent or consul of the United States, with the correspondence of such agent or consul; also any protocol or convention signed by such agent or consul; also an account of the debt and liabilities of the Dominican government, especially its obligations to the neighboring republic of Hayti; also the provisions of the existing constitution of Dominica, so far as the same relate to the sale or transfer of the national domain; also any treaty with Hayti or France, by which Dominica is bound or affected; also any communication from the neighboring republic of Hayti, or from our minister there, relating to the proposed annexation; also instructions to the commander of our naval squadron in the waters of the island since the commencement of the late negotiations, with the reports and correspondence of such commander; also any information tending to show what European power, if any, proposes to acquire jurisdiction of any part of the island, and if so, of what part; also any information with regard to the position of President Baez, under whom the treaty of annexation was negotiated, and the extent to which he has been maintained in power by the presence of United States vessels of war; also any information with regard to the sentiments of the people in Dominica, and the reported pendency there of civil war; also any information with regard to any claim of jurisdiction by the republic of Hayti over the territory of Dominica," has the honor to report to the President: The limits of those parts of the island of San Domingo which were formerly under the dominion of Spain and France, respectively, were defined with fullness and precision by the treaty between those powers signed at Paris on the 3d of June, 1777, a translation of which is hereunto annexed. This boundary has been compared with the line as shown by the official map of the island, published by the Dominican government, and has been found to correspond with it. A copy of that boundary line, as shown by the official map, is herewith transmitted. By the ninth article of the treaty of peace between them of the 22d of July, 1795, commonly called the treaty of Basle, Spain ceded to France her territory in and sovereignty over that island, which, however, were restored to Spain by the eighth article of the treaty between the allied powers of Europe of the 30th of May, 1814. By an ordinance of King Charles X of France, of the 17th of April, 1825, a translation of which is also hereunto annexed, the independence of the French part of the island was acknowledged upon certain conditions, one of which was that the inhabitants were required to make certain annual payments into the French treasury. These payments were further regulated by formal treaties between France and Hayti of the 31st of October, 1825; 12th of February, 1838; 15th of May, 1847, and 1st of October, 1854. In none of these instruments is any refer ence made to the Spanish part of the island of San Domingo, and no public document of any kind can be found which makes the territory or the inhabitants of that region liable for any of the debt to France assumed by the government of Hayti. it The independence of the Dominican Republic was declared, and a constitution for its government was proclaimed on the 1st of December, 1821. On the 19th of April, 1844, that government issued a decree equalizing the treatment to be given to the flags of all nations in its ports. Under date the 12th of October, 1848, it negotiated a treaty of commerce and navigation with France. On the 6th of March, 1850, concluded a similar treaty with Great Britain. On the 8th of May and the 26th of July, 1852, other similar treaties with France and Denmark were respectively concluded. On the 22d of March, 1854, it concluded a treaty of commerce with Sardinia. On the 18th of February, 1855, the Dominican Republic concluded a treaty of commerce with, and its independence was formally acknowledged by Spain. On the 24th of July, 1856, it concluded a treaty of commerce with the Netherlands, and on the 24th of October, 1867, a similar treaty with the United States. On the 22d of February, 1845, that government having applied to this Government for recognition, Mr. John Hogan was dispatched from this Department as a special agent, with instructions to inquire as to the extent of the territory of the republic; as to the character and composition of the population; as to the number and discipline of the troops; as to the people of the country and its division in races; and as to its finances. Mr. Hogan reported that "the territories of the republic are those which formerly belonged to Spain;" that "the population was about 230,000, of whom 40,000 were blacks, and over 100,000 were whites;" and the other information called for was given in a correspondence and series of tables appended to the report. A copy of the instructions to Mr. Hogan, of his report, and of the inclosures in it, are herewith transmitted. In the following year the subject was again taken up by the administration of Mr. Polk; and, under directions of Mr. Bancroft, the then Secretary of the Navy, Lieutenant (now Admiral) D. D. Porter traversed nearly the whole island from east to west, and from north to south, traveling sometimes ou foot and sometimes on a mule, and made an elaborate and highly favorable report of the resources of the island, and of the character of the population. It is understood that only fragmentary portions of this interesting document remain in the archives of the Navy Department. During the administration of Mr. Pierce, Captain, afterwards Major General, George B. McClellan was sent by the War Department to survey the bay and peninsula of Samana, and a valuable report was made by him, a copy of which is herewith transmitted. The agent of this Department at that time wrote, with reference to this survey: "Captain McClellan wrote me on the 3d instant, informing me 'the position selected for a coal depot will require at least two square miles of land and perhaps somewhat more.' In pursuance of instructions I will endeavor to obtain these concessions." Efforts were also made under the administration of Mr. Pierce to negotiate a general treaty with that republic, which apparently did not result to the satisfaction of this Department. On the 16th of January, 1856, Mr. Elliot, the commercial agent at San Domingo, wrote to the Department: "I have this day received word from President Santana (who has been all the time with the army) that he will be here in a few days, when the treaty shall be immediately attended to, and concluded as soon as possible." "They desire to make a separate convention in regard to Samana, when the country is more tranquil." On the 19th of July following the same officer wrote, "The Spanish chargé and consul general arrived here about the end of December last, and from the very day of his arrival he began speaking to all the members of this government of the extreme injury the American treaty, if made, would cause to Spain, and advised the Executive, in all his interviews, to reject the same resolutely and at all peril. After the treaty was signed he proposed to this government that they should withdraw it, or refuse to ratify its exchange, and in order to accomplish this, he offered a Spanish protectorate, a quantity of troops and a good navy; besides, he would answer for all the consequences that might occur in making opposition to the United States. This was also refused. He then declared that the Spanish government would infinitely prefer securing this for the Haytians than for it to be under any American influence." * * On the 10th of September following, the same officer wrote to the Department that "on the 15th of the last July, the consuls of Spain, England, and France held a secret interview with the Dominican cabinet, the object of which was to oblige the withdrawal of the American treaty, threatening them in case of refusal to put in execution threats already made, declaring that it never would be permitted for the people of the United States to have a foothold in the Dominican Republic." On the same day he wrote, "I am authorized to offer to the United States Government not only any location in the bay of Samana, for their purposes, but the coal mines in that harbor, and any other commercial advantages they may require.” On the 30th of October following the acting commercial agent, Mr. Pereira, notified the Department of a change in the government unfriendly to the United States, and on the 22d of November he wrote that "the common town cry was, down with the Yankees," and that he and his family owed their protection from violence to the unsolicited interference of the commander of a British man-of-war. The government of Spain, which fell with the revolution of 1868 at Madrid, following the example of the French in Mexico, took advantage of the late internal dissensions and conflicts in the United States to endeavor to repossess the portion of the island of San Domingo referred to in the resolution. The political and military objects aimed at in this effort were too palpable to need extended comment. One side of the Mona Channel, being already under Spanish rule, the possession of the bay of Samana would give the absolute control of the main entrance to the Caribbean Sea, with the political and military consequences that would flow from that fact. After sacrificing many thousand lives in endeavoring to force monarchical institutions upon a people who (as represented by the consular officer of the United States) were of opinion that "America should be ruled by Americans," Spain abandoned the contest about the month of August, 1865. A provisional government was established, and a call was made for the election of delegates to a convention for the purpose of framing a constitution. A strong feeling in favor of a more intimate connection with this country found immediate expression in the consular correspondence. Under date of the 14th of August, 1865, the consular officer of the United States wrote to the Department that "in the month of August, 1854. our Government sent here the United States flag-ship Columbia, Com modore Newton, with General George B. McClellan and other engineers, who surveyed the bay of Samana for the purpose of obtaining a naval station in that first of bays in the Antilles. If such should still be the mind of our Government, I am sure it could be obtained.” Before the convention to frame a new constitution met, the provisional government was superseded by what the consular officer styled a “counter revolution," and "General José Maria Cabral was by proclamation announced as the protector of the republic," (dispatch of September 25, 1865.) In the same paper the consular officer says, "Indeed the influ ence of our glorious republic is well nigh omnipotent here.” On the 25th of the same September, the convention for framing a constitution met, eight days having been spent in the election of its members. On the 27th of October following, General Cabral resigned his posi tion as "Protector of the Nation," and the convulsion that followed the departure of the Spaniards appears to have been closed by the election to the presidency of General Baez as the representative of the idea of "universal suffrage," (dispatch of October 25, 1865,) and by the adoption of a constitution in December which was, on the subsequent April, (1866,) set aside, and a former constitution (adopted in 1854) substituted in its place. The consular officer styles the proceedings with which this was done as a "farce." The third article of the first title of this constitution is probably the one referred to in the resolution of the Senate"The territory of the republic is and shall remain inalienable." General Baez appears to have acted as president until the following August, (1866,) when three military chiefs, Pimentel, Garcia, and Lu peron, calling themselves "The Triumvirate of the Republic,” forcibly drove him from power, and issued a decree for the election of a president by a "direct, universal, free, and spontaneous" vote, to be held during three days of the current month. It will be observed that this election was called and held in direct violation of the provisions of the constitution of 1851, which provides for an election by an electoral college to be chosen by limited suffrage. The vote polled was very small, and General Cabral was returned with great unanimity, (dispatch of September 9, 1866.) Mr. Somers Smith, who had just been appointed commercial agent, reports that he felt sanguine that any arrangement that might be desirable could be effected advantageously.” The new government lost no time in conveying to this Government its willingness to part with some of its possessions on the bay of Samana. The manner in which this intimation was made, and the steps which were taken by this Government, cannot be better described than in the language of my predecessor, Mr. Seward. On the 8th of November, 1836, Señor José G. Garcia, secretary of state, in charge of foreign relations of the Dominican Republic, addressed a "very confidential" letter to the Secretary of State of the United States. In that letter Señor Garcia inquired of the undersigned whether, in view of the deplorable condition to which the Dominican Republic had been reduced in consequence of the unequal contest which it had maintained during two years with the Spanish monarch, the United States would be disposed to advance to that republic a million of dollars, in the character of a loan, on just, equitable, and reasonable conditions. Señor Garcia expressed a desire to learn also whether the Government of the United States would be disposed to give to the Dominican Republic, on credit, a number of pieces of heavy artillery, sufficient to meet the necessities she had for them, because all that she had were broken up in her fortifications before the then recent Spanish war. Señor Garcia solicited a confidential reply. Señor Garcia's letter was accompanied by a dispatch of the same date from John Somers Smith, esquire, United States commercial agent at San Domingo, to the Secretary of State. Mr. Smith stated in that dispatch that he had been requested by the Dominican government to address the undersigned on the subject of such a loan as has been before mentioned. Mr. Smith stated that the necessities of the Dominican Republic impelled it to obtain a loan from some quarter, and it addressed the United States in preference to European powers. Mr. Smith stated the nature of the financial embarrassment of the Dominican Republic, and he also set forth its condition in regard to debts and revenues. He stated that the Dominican government was desirous of purchasing certain munitions of war, and a small steam propeller for packet or other service. Mr. Smith further stated that the Dominican government is very liberal in granting privileges to parties desiring to explore and work the numerous and valuable mines with which the country abounds; and that a great revival of business was anticipated to take place soon from the vast resources of that favored country, so rich in mines and valuable woods, and with a soil unsurpassed in the West Indies; and that it was confidently expected that the revenue would soon be adequate to meet all expenditures in connection with the loan for which they applied; that he, Mr. Smith, had been authorized to offer to the United States the use of the coal mines of Samana, and certain keys called Levantado and Carenero at the mouth of the bay of Samana, for such purposes and for such time as might be agreed upon, if satisfactory arrangements should be concluded. Mr.Smith represented that the possession of Levantado and Carenero would be of great advantage as a naval station, commanding, as it does, the transit from Europe to the Gulf of Mexico through the Mona Passage. Mr. Smith stated that during the then recent Spanish annexation the Spanish marine used Levantado as their headquarters, and Carenero was a coal depôt; that the adjacent republic of Hayti was menaced with European war, while war was actually being carried on between Spain and the South American republics of the Pacific; and that the Dominican government was apprehensive that if that war should extend into the waters of the Caribbean Sea, Spain might, in that event, seize again on her old position at Samana. In conclusion Mr. Smith added that he was desired to request of the Government of the United States that, in the event of their declining to accede to the proposition for the loan, it would consider as confidential the offer of that government to lease the islands in the bay of Samana, as its publication might be prejudicial to the Dominican Republic in her relations with other powers. The United States have long desired, for naval, political, and commercial reasons, to obtain a station in the West Indies. The proposition which the Dominican government submitted furnished grounds to expect that those desired advantages might be secured by the United States, through some arrangement with the Dominican Republic, |
