732 



SAN DOMINGO. 



cials at San Domingo, who deposed him from 

 office, and appointed in his place Gen. Gaspar 

 Polanco. The soldiers of the Dominican army 

 joined in this movement. After his election 

 the new President issued the following procla- 

 mation to the troops and manifesto to the 

 people : 



GOD, COUNTRY, AND LIBERTY ! 



Gaspar Polanco, General of Division, President of 

 the Provisional Government. 



MANIFESTO. 



The whole nation well knows the causes that have 

 led to the deposition of General Salcedo, for in no 

 other way his presence in the Government could have 

 spread so general a discontent. But I cannot refrain 

 from mentioning them, both for my own satisfaction 

 and for the purpose of saving the Dominicans from 

 any unjust stigma they may be branded with by their 

 enemies. 



For some time the glorious Restoration initiated on 

 the IGth of August, for the purpose of expelling 

 Spanish despotism from our soil, had lost the vigor 

 of the first days. To the incredible victories, to the 

 portentous deeds of arms, had succeeded discourage- 

 ment and inaction, while such a state of decay ani- 

 mating the hopes of our enemies, was inducing them 

 to conceive the possibility of conquering us. And it 

 could not be otherwise, for the first magistrate of the 

 nation, always distant from the seat of Government, 

 was unadvisedly destroying its best measures and 

 annulling them without regard. 



Such conduct, occasioning embarrassment, difficult 

 to be surmounted, constantly obstructed the march 

 of the revolution, and while there existed an execu- 

 tive in the field and another in the capital, there was 

 in reality no Government at all. General Salcedo 

 thought, also, that he would deserve the title of mag- 

 nanimous in tolerating the excesses of the Spaniards, 

 whilst this culpable tolerance, when energy was a 

 duty, caused the weakening of public spirit ; thus in- 

 voluntarily constituting himself a candidate of a reac- 

 tion which, although it could not be successful, might 

 place the country in great danger. 



His thirst for popularity frequently moved General 

 Salcedo to make abundant issues of paper money, 

 always opposing the will of his colleagues in the Gov- 

 ernment for the purpose of buying at a high price the 

 good-will of a few, thus increasing the discredit of 

 our currency, and totally destroying the basis of our 

 financial system. 



Always persisting in the idea of annulling the acts 

 of his colleagues, he destroyed the Government 

 created on the 14th of September, 18G3; by popular 

 elections, because, in the exercise of its faculties, it 

 had confirmed the sentence of death which the court- 

 martial had pronounced against a convicted and con- 

 fessed traitor thus constituting himself as supreme 

 dictator of the nation, without consulting its will. 



He arbitrarily created a cabinet, and assuming the 

 rights of a people who fight for their liberty, cur- 

 tailed this and misled the national opinion ; but his 

 dictatorship, careless of the administration of public 

 affairs and totally absorbed in his personality, was 

 leaving to crumble, little by little, the grand work 

 of the 16th of August, while he was indulging in frivo- 

 lous amusements and pleasures, which stained the 

 dignity of the people whose representatives he had 

 ignored. 



The present representatives of the Spanish Gov- 

 ernment, who, in view of so many blunders, came to 

 conceive the possibility of a diplomatic and military 

 surprise, initiated negotiations of peace, and General 

 Salcedo, anxious for it, sent a commission to Monte 

 Christi composed of Generals A. Deatjean, Julian B. 

 Curiel, Pablo Rujol, Pedro A. Pimentel, and Colonel 

 M. R. Objio. A few conferences were held with 

 LieutenaK t-General Don Jose de la Gandara, whose 

 bad faith, detected by the commissioners, caused 



them to stop short all negotiation and return to the 

 Dominican camp, giving the cry of alarm. 



General Salcedo, lulled by the hopes of peace, had 

 completely neglected the cantons near Monte Christi ; 

 and although the attitude of the people and the echo 

 of that alarm induced him to publish a warlike allo- 

 cution, he conceived, nevertheless, the idea of send- 

 ing another committee, which, while it showed his 

 weakness toward the enemy, would humiliate the 

 national dignity. In the midst of these delays and 

 negligence, he was surprised by this popular move- 

 ment, which occasioned his downfall, and the patriots, 

 reassured by this act, are again animated by that revo- 

 lutionary vigor which the circumstances demand. I 

 have cheerfully endeavored to direct them, convinced 

 of the necessity of such a reform ; by it the Domini- 

 can nationality has been insured ; it has given new 

 guarantees of triumph to our cause ; it has saved our 

 liberty. Should Spain insist in her purpose of sub- 

 jugating the people I represent, and war becomes 

 inevitable, greater will be our glories. If she desires 

 peace, the road to it is clear. 



President Polanco appointed a new cabinet 

 and issued stringent regulations, refusing to re- 

 ceive into his lines deserters. By a decree, 

 dated the 19th of October, all the titles and 

 forms belonging to monarchical Governments 

 were abolished, as inconsistent with the re- 

 publican system. The formula, " God preserve 

 you many years " (Dios quarde a. V. mi/chos 

 aHos), was ordered to be changed to that of 

 " God and Liberty." To raise money for con- 

 tinuing the war against invasion, the Domini- 

 can Government issued bonds and paper which 

 were taken by the people. 



On Dec. 4 General Cabral obtained a great 

 victory over the Spaniards at La Canela, near 

 Neyba. After a three hours 1 struggle the 

 latter were completely defeated. The enemj 

 left three banners, all their baggage, ninety- 

 seven carbines, three trumpets, all their muni- 

 tions, their mules, &c., &c., besides one hun- 

 dred and seven dead and thirty-five prisoners. 

 Afterwards the towns of Guerra, Los Llanos, 

 and Hato-Mayor, the communes of Macoris and 

 Sabana de la Mar gave their adherence to the 

 national cause in a free and spontaneous pro- 

 nunciamiento, according to a communication 

 from Gen. Mansueta. The Spaniards aban- 

 doned the town of Seybo, Avhich was at once 

 occupied by Gen. Mansueta, and returned to 

 Higuey where they were besieged by the 

 patriots. President Polanco, who was about 

 to start for the northwest, addressed a procla- 

 mation to the people of Cibao, exhorting them 

 to follow him in this new campaign. General 

 Castillo also published a proclamation enjoining 

 the inhabitants of Bani to rally for the national 

 cause, telling them that it was hard for him to 

 fight against brothers whose place was by his 

 side under the same flag. 



Toward the close of the year President Jef- 

 frard, of Hayti, sent two commissioners, Col. 

 E. Eomain and Commissary Douret, to San 

 Domingo for the purpose of transmitting to the 

 provisional Government a few friendly coun- 

 sels, which, if accepted by the Dominicans, 

 would bring peace and independence to the 

 republic. General Geffrard ofl'ered himself aa 



