DR's history with the U.S. in 1870

[Ducadista]

(I could not find a DR History forum so I posted this here)

About a year ago I bought a tablet and was searching for free ebooks. Just for kicks, I put Dominican Republic in the search bar on the Barnes & Noble site. One of the ebooks caught my eye called "Report of the Commission of the Inquiry of Santo Domingo 1871".

This report (a little known fact about DR history w/the U.S., to me at least) is about a commission of politicians, scholars, military and historian that were sent to DR in 1870 by orders of President U. S. Grant to see if DR should be annexed to the U.S..

What is fascinating was the questions they asked the public. But more importantly, the interviews the commission did with colonies that were set up by North Americans (Black and Whites), how they lived day to day, worked and even the public education that was available. Did I mention Fredreck Douglass was part of this commission?

Here are some of interview questions I found interesting:

-Why did you drive the Spaniards out so soon after you had invited them?
-Why should the DR black man like the DR white man better than a Haitian black man?
-How do the morals of the people compare with those of the people of England and those of the States?
-Is the term "Sambo" a term of reproach?
-How far has venerable deceases spread amongst the people?
-How is adultery punished?
-and many more.

DR almost became a U.S. commonwealth, read for yourself to see what happened.

Ducadista 3 cents.

 

[Hillbilly]

Interesting, can you PM me the citation on Barnes and Noble (lazy today)

I have Samuel Hazard's book which is his take on things. But I did not have the questionnaire, which is very interesting..so would be the findings..

Thanks..


HB

 

[Matilda]

Me too please

Matilda

 

[bob saunders]

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=RA4wAQAAMAAJ&rdid=book-RA4wAQAAMAAJ&rdot=1

 

[playacaribe2]

(I could not find a DR History forum so I posted this here)

Reference is made to the attempted annexation right here on DR1. Go to Articles, then History, see the second page.

There were actually several attempts with the US. It failed to gain support for lots of reasons. One was the Congress of the US just did not believe that in 5 days (1870) President Baez was able to garner the support of the entire country for the annexation. At that time Baez was keen to merge with anybody...as the finances of the country were....a mess.

The US too looked to gain a larger foothold in the Caribbean as we wanted to both expand our territory and protect the region from Spanish, French, and British influence.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[PICHARDO]

(I could not find a DR History forum so I posted this here)

About a year ago I bought a tablet and was searching for free ebooks. Just for kicks, I put Dominican Republic in the search bar on the Barnes & Noble site. One of the ebooks caught my eye called "Report of the Commission of the Inquiry of Santo Domingo 1871".

This report (a little known fact about DR history w/the U.S., to me at least) is about a commission of politicians, scholars, military and historian that were sent to DR in 1870 by orders of President U. S. Grant to see if DR should be annexed to the U.S..

What is fascinating was the questions they asked the public. But more importantly, the interviews the commission did with colonies that were set up by North Americans (Black and Whites), how they lived day to day, worked and even the public education that was available. Did I mention Fredreck Douglass was part of this commission?

Here are some of interview questions I found interesting:

-Why did you drive the Spaniards out so soon after you had invited them?
-Why should the DR black man like the DR white man better than a Haitian black man?
-How do the morals of the people compare with those of the people of England and those of the States?
-Is the term "Sambo" a term of reproach?
-How far has venerable deceases spread amongst the people?
-How is adultery punished?
-and many more.

DR almost became a U.S. commonwealth, read for yourself to see what happened.

Ducadista 3 cents.

Each attempt to annex the DR failed in the hall of the US congress for one reason alone:

The black people advocates saw the hand of the still racially motivated whites to use the land annex as an excuse to exile the majority of blacks from their own states to the DR, so to remove the essence of the power/political weight in the US long term. Just as the Haitians had done in the 22 years of occupation, the Spanish and French, but using their own citizens relocation to gain a foothold in the colony, the US sought to send the largely farming population of blacks under the guise of a state funded program to the country in order to decrease their native population in the states back home.

If you go visit the records, you'll find that the most vocal opposition for each of the attempt came from blacks and their supporters within the congress of the US. Even the Navy had stated the military value of hosting a naval base in the bay of Samana as "highly valued".


It was a matter of color, not land grab foremost!

Thanks God we were not converted into the new exile of blacks in the new world post slavery.

 

[Ducadista]

Thanks Bob.

HB, Matilda I just opened the B&N virtual book store that my tablet has and put Dominican Republic and the report can up. Google books has it as well.

Its interesting to hear how people from all around the world migrated to DR. How they lived and even helped out each other. Crime was very low, only one printing press in SD (if I remember correctly) and only about 100,000 people lived in DR at the time. The witness statements start at pg. 209.

Ducadista

 

[playacaribe2]

Each attempt to annex the DR failed in the hall of the US congress for one reason alone:

The black people advocates saw the hand of the still racially motivated whites to use the land annex as an excuse to exile the majority of blacks from their own states to the DR, so to remove the essence of the power/political weight in the US long term. Just as the Haitians had done in the 22 years of occupation, the Spanish and French, but using their own citizens relocation to gain a foothold in the colony, the US sought to send the largely farming population of blacks under the guise of a state funded program to the country in order to decrease their native population in the states back home.

If you go visit the records, you'll find that the most vocal opposition for each of the attempt came from blacks and their supporters within the congress of the US. Even the Navy had stated the military value of hosting a naval base in the bay of Samana as "highly valued".

So then, why was Frederick Douglas, a former slave, a leading abolitionist, an adviser to Abraham Lincoln, and the undeniable champion of the black community at the time, in favor of the annexation?

Visit what records? At least one, and maybe the second annexation attempt came before the slaves were even freed, pre Civil War.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Ducadista]

I was going to ask the same question Playacaribe2, it would not make much sense for Pres. Grant to send a anti-supporter of annexation to DR to help argue his case in favor of. Its unquestionable that freed blacks from the U.S. were being assisted to move to DR at the time, but at the same time, I would think that large farm owners did not want to many to move out (free or slave), who then would work their lands?

 

[playacaribe2]

I was going to ask the same question Playacaribe2, it would not make much sense for Pres. Grant to send a anti-supporter of annexation to DR to help argue his case in favor of. Its unquestionable that freed blacks from the U.S. were being assisted to move to DR at the time, but at the same time, I would think that large farm owners did not want to many to move out (free or slave), who then would work their lands?

In defense of Pichardo, there was an undercurrent of thought to try and find the freed blacks a new home...now that they were free. Charles Sumner, a Senator, leading abolitionist, and friend of Frederick Douglas spearheaded the anti-annexation members of Congress, fearing that very reason.

But it was no secret that President Grant wanted into the Caribbean, it was part of our "Manifest Destiny." Additionally, to keep our adversaries Spain, France and England out of the region.

Your point is well taken though. Who wanted the freed slaves to leave? Certainly not the plantation owners. They had gone from slave ownership to hiring the freed slaves as sharecroppers out of necessity to work those very same plantations, and could ill afford to lose their source of labor.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[bachata]

Thanks God we were not converted into the new exile of blacks in the new world post slavery.

Things would be very different today in DR if African American instead of African Haitians...

JJ

 

[playacaribe2]

There were several movements in those years to get the black people out of the USA. One was the idea of an area consisting of Mississippi and Alabama and a bit more and making a black country out of it and paying compensation to all the white people to move out.

....The most successful of which was established by the American Colonization Society...in what is better known today as Liberia....well before the attempted annexation of the Dominican Republic.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[kdolo]

Things would be very different today in DR if African American instead of African Haitians...

JJ

You guys forget, that DR had already received African American colonists - brought in under Boyer to "darken up" the country - the descendants of one of these groups are still around in Samana.

African Americans have been there a long time - read the report - it mentions these communities alot.

 

[kdolo]

Each attempt to annex the DR failed in the hall of the US congress for one reason alone:

The black people advocates saw the hand of the still racially motivated whites to use the land annex as an excuse to exile the majority of blacks from their own states to the DR, so to remove the essence of the power/political weight in the US long term. Just as the Haitians had done in the 22 years of occupation, the Spanish and French, but using their own citizens relocation to gain a foothold in the colony, the US sought to send the largely farming population of blacks under the guise of a state funded program to the country in order to decrease their native population in the states back home.

If you go visit the records, you'll find that the most vocal opposition for each of the attempt came from blacks and their supporters within the congress of the US. Even the Navy had stated the military value of hosting a naval base in the bay of Samana as "highly valued".


It was a matter of color, not land grab foremost!

Thanks God we were not converted into the new exile of blacks in the new world post slavery.

Well dont forget that "blacks" were in the DR in large numbers from the very beginning of the meeting of Old World and New. - this is obvious to even the casual observer of Dominicans
Secondly, more came in during the Haitian occupation and never left
And third, colonist of African Americans were brought in during the Haitian occupation - one of these communities still exists in Samana to this day.

Read the report: the Commissioners describe DR as primarily black and mixed race country.

 

[kdolo]

I'm blown away that Frederick Douglass visited the DR - Samana - and met with the African American community there - WOW!!.

And thank god Buenaventura Baez failed in his attempt to sell Samana and have Dr annexed off - what a traitor - DR would be like PR today.

 

[bachata]

Kdolo, why Boricuas have the feeling they are better than of us Dominicans?

JJ