PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



659 



on the best of terms with their neighbors, speaking 

 the language of the country, and conforming in gen- 

 eral to its customs, and they have formed, in a great- 

 er or less degree, centres from which respect for the 

 United States has gone forth. 



When asked if they would not prefer to remain an 

 independent nation, the people generally answered, 

 that they would be glad to preserve their indepen- 

 dence if it were possible ; but, since experience had 

 shown that the nation could not sustain itself, they 

 were compelled to look abroad for support, and if 

 they must sink their nationality they preferred the 

 American Union, with free institutions, and a friendly 

 people and common interests. They seem to us to 

 be more nearly unanimous in this than we have ever 

 known a people to be upon any political question 

 which they were called upon to consider. It was 

 only by diligent search that the exceedingly small 

 proportion who opposed annexation could oe found 

 at all. The principal part of the opposition which 

 does exist appears to be among certain traders in the 

 ports, some of whom, in case of annexation, would 

 lose control of branches of business, of which, in its 

 present narrow channels, they have a monopoly. 

 Others are but agents of nouses abroad, and, in the 

 event of these branch establishments being with- 

 drawn, would be supplanted. To these should be 

 added certain agents of houses in neighboring islands, 

 who have made pecuniary advances to rebel leaders, 

 though these woujd, without doubt, favor annexation 

 if it were consummated under the direction of those 

 whom they support. Besides these, a small number 

 scattered in various parts of the country oppose an- 

 nexation for reasons peculiar to themselves some 

 from misunderstanding of the matter ; some few from 

 a liking for the turmoil which the present condition 

 of things permits ; some from opposition to the pres- 

 ent administration. The reports and rumors, that 

 there are parties in various sections of the country 

 ready to resort to desperate measures against annexa- 

 tion, seem to be disproved by the following simple 

 facts in the history of the Commission : 



1. On arriving at St. Domingo the commissioners 

 took up their residence in a house in a public street, 

 remote from any official residence or military post. 

 They had at no time any thing in the nature of a 

 guard or watch, and at an early period during their 

 stay the night-watchman of that quarter was removed 

 at their request. They had no weapons of any sort. 

 Persons of every condition passed in and out of the 

 house freely until a late hour of the night. ^ Access 

 was made easy to every one. The commissioners 

 and those accompanying them slept with doors 

 slightly secured, and sometimes not secured at all, 

 and with windows wide open. It would have been 

 entirely within the power of a single man of energy 

 or determination to have cut off the entire party. 

 But no shadow of an attempt upon them was ever 

 detected, no suspected person was ever found. 



2. The commissioners and their agents traversed 

 the country in every direction without guards or 

 weapons. "They slept at night in open cabins, no 

 watch of any sort being kept. The character of the 

 country and the condition of the roads obliged them 

 to move slowly and separately through mountain- 

 passes, ravines, forests, and thickets, in which a hand- 

 ful of resolute opponents could easily have destroyed 

 them. Especially was this true in the Cibao the 

 district generally referred to in unfavorable reports 

 every important route of which they explored. 

 When, as in two or three cases, members of the Com- 

 mission had for short distances an escort of honor, it 

 was made up of citizens in citizens' garb, unarmed, 

 so far as could be seen, and with no military guard 

 whatever. Neither commissioners nor attachds, so 

 far as known, ever carried sword, dagger, or pistol. 

 Their movements were easily foreknown, but they 

 never encountered any shadow of a hostile demon- 

 stration. Nothing but kindness met them in all 

 quarters and among all classes, and this was not less 



marked in the Cibao than elsewhere. The desire for 

 annexation seemed to be even stronger among the 

 rural population than in the cities. The evidence 

 taken, as well as the observations of the commis- 

 sioners, and all who accompanied or aided them, 

 establishes this fact beyond question. It was deemed 

 unnecessary to accumulate the written testimony of 

 witnesses, which was everywhere uniform. The 

 Commission did not have to search after evidence 

 of the disposition of the people. Individual citizens ; 

 bodies of men, delegations from Masonic, industrial, 

 and mutual-aid societies ; representatives of ecclesi- 

 astical associations, people of all kinds came to them 

 in such numbers and with such frequency, that their 

 visits became almost a burden, all declaring their 

 desire for annexation. Soon after the treaty of an- 

 nexation was negotiated, a popular vote was taken 

 in the manner usual in that republic, as required by 

 the treaty, which resulted in an almost unanimous 

 expression in favor of annexation to the United 

 States. Whatever may be individual preferences or 

 opinions as to the best form for taking the vote of an 

 entire nation on a subject of that magnitude, the 

 great mass of the evidence before the Commission 

 goes to show that this was a truthful expression of 

 the will of the people, and in all the expeditions, 

 either of their own body or their agents, ample cor- 

 roboration of this opinion met them at every point. 



The physical, mental, and moral condition of the 

 inhabitants of St. Domingo was found to be much 

 more advanced than had been anticipated. The 

 population is generally of a mixed blood. The great 

 majority, especially along the coast, are neither pure 

 black nor pure white ; they are mixed in every con- 

 ceivable degree. In some parts of the interior con- 

 siderable numbers of the pure white race are to be 

 found, and generally in the mixed race the white 

 blood predominates. The Dominican people differ 

 widely in this particular from the Haytian, among 

 whom the black race is in the complete ascendency. 

 The cultivated and educated, such as the President, 

 members of his Cabinet, Senators, judges, and local 

 magistrates, compare well with the same class in 

 other countrieSj and the uneducated appear equal to 

 the same class in any country with which we are ac- 

 quainted. They seem to be practically destitute of 

 prejudice of class, race, or color. In their intercourse 

 with each other and with strangers they are courteous 

 in manner, respectful, and polite. In all their rela- 

 tions with them the commissioners found them kind 

 and hospitable. The testimony shows them to be 

 an honest and inoffensive people, among whom, in 

 the rural districts, a person may travel alone and 

 unarmed all over the country with treasure without 

 danger. All of the numerous parties attached to the 

 Commission, which traversed various parts of the 

 country, bear the same testimony concerning the 

 people. The judicial officers stated that high crimes, 

 such as murder, arson, burglary, and the like, are 

 nearly unknown among them. No pauper class ex- 

 ists, and begging is almost unknown. They are a 

 temperate people, and drunken men are rarely seen. 

 Among the popular vices is that of petty gambling, 

 which is indulged in openly and extensively, espe- 

 cially by the Spanish portion of the population. They 

 are all Koman Catholic except the American emi- 

 grants, who were sent out in 1824 and succeeding 

 years, who, with their descendants, now form a num- 

 ber of settlements, and amount to several thousand 

 persons. These are mostly Me_thodists and Baptists. 

 They live among the Catholics in peace and harmony. 

 No intolerance or religious persecution can be dis- 

 covered among them. The people are generally 

 poor, living in cheap and humble dwellings, which, 

 though well adapted to their country, might appear 

 rude and uncomfortable to those accustomed to 

 houses for a more rigorous climate. In the country 

 almost every family possesses all the land they desire 

 to cultivate, which is usually one small field ; for, an 

 acre or two well tilled is sufficient, in this fertile land, 



