CONTRAST BETWEEN SPAIN AND THE UNITED STATES. And now mark the contrast between the Old Monarchy and the Great Republic. The recent return of the Navy Department to the Senate, in reply to a resolution introduced by me, shows how the whole island has been beleaguered by our Navy, sailing from port to port, and hugging the land with its guns. Here is the return:-- “The following are the names of the vessels which have been in the waters of the island of San Domingo since the commencement of the negotiations with Dominica, with their armaments:-- “Severn,--14 9-inch and 1 60-pounder rifle. “Congress,--14 9-inch and 2 60-pounder rifles. “Nantasket,--6 32-pounders, 4,500 pounds; 1 60-pounder rifle. “Swatara,--6 32-pounders, 4,500 pounds; 1 11-inch. “Yantic,--1 11-inch and 2 9-inch. “Dictator,--2 15-inch. “Saugus,--2 15-inch. “Terror,--4 15-inch. “Albany,--14 9-inch and 1 60-pounder rifle. “Nipsic,--1 11-inch and 2 9-inch. “Seminole,--1 11-inch and 4 32-pounders of 4,200 pounds. “Tennessee,--On spar-deck 2 11-inch, 2 9-inch, 2 100-pounders, and 1 60-pounder; on gun-deck, 16 9-inch. “The ships now [February 17, 1871] in those waters are, as far as is known to the Department, the Congress, the Nantasket, the Yantic, and the Tennessee.”[15] Twelve mighty war-ships, including two, if not three, powerful monitors, maintained at the cost of millions of dollars, being part of the price of the pending negotiation. Besides what we pay to Baez, here are millions down. Rarely have we had such a fleet in any waters: not in the Mediterranean, not in the Pacific, not in the East Indies. It is in the waters of San Domingo that our Navy finds its chosen field. Here is its flag, and here also is its frown. And why this array? If our purpose is peace, why these engines of war? If we seek annexion by the declared will of the people, spontaneous, free, and unanimous, as was the boast of Spain, why these floating batteries to overawe them? If we would do good to the African race, why begin with violence to the Black Republic?