A summer on the borders of the Caribbean sea. — John Shaqi
A summer on the borders of the Caribbean sea.Harris, J. Dennis
History
A summer on the borders of the Caribbean sea.
Harris, J. Dennis
Caribbean Area -- Description and travel
Finally, Dessalines, that extraordinary prince of cut-throats, entered
the Spanish territory, slaughtered the French, laid waste the country
for leagues, carried off the remaining slaves, and so bewildered and
astounded the Spanish residents that they gathered up what movable
wealth they could and left the country, “some for Mexico, some for Peru,
while many returned to Spain.”
Such are the principal and to me satisfactory causes which history
assigns for the decline of the island’s thrift, which had reached an
unparalleled degree of prosperity and an unsurpassed grandeur and
magnificence, with a rapidity unrivalled in the annals of the world.
SUBSEQUENT HISTORY.
For the gratification of your many readers, I will continue this
homœopathic sketch of the island’s history up to the present time.
In 1821 the Dominican portion (which embraces about three-fifths of the
island, but having, I think, not more than one-fourth of its population)
declared itself independent of the Spanish crown, but was shortly after
subjugated by Boyer, the President of the Haytien Republic. In 1842 a
revolution in Hayti caused Boyer to flee, and Riviere assumed the
presidency. Two years after, the Dominicans overpowered Riviere, and on
the 27th of February, 1844, reëstablished their government, or rather
the present government of Dominicana. The main features of their
constitution are, that each district or canton choose electors, who meet
in preliminary electoral convention, and elect for four years the
President and other administrative officers, and a certain number of
counsellors, who constitute a congress.
The President, Pedro Santana, is a mixed blood of Spanish and Indian
descent, and is emphatically regarded as a most estimable personage.
Baez, the former President, is said to be of mixed French and African
lineage; in short, there is no difference on account of color.
In 1849, Solouque, the President of Hayti, contrary to the wish of many
Haytiens, undertook to conquer the Dominicans, and bring them
unwillingly under his despotic sway. He entered the territory with five
thousand men, but was met at Las Carreas, and disastrously defeated by
General Santana, “with an army of but four hundred men under his
command.” This is the truth, or history is a lie.
For this brilliant achievement Santana received the title of “Libertador
de la Patria,” and seems to be admired, comparatively speaking, after
the manner of our “liberator” and Father of his country. (Bah!)
But a small portion of the Haytiens, as I have before observed,
sympathized with President Solouque in his abortive attempt to carry out
the “Democratic” policy of territorial expansion. And when General
Geffrard was proclaimed President, it is said the populace demanded
pledges that he would not pursue the policy of his predecessor in this
regard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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