Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies
Scattered unrest and isolated confrontations between Haitians
and Dominicans soon began; by 1838 significant organized
movements against Haitian domination formed. The
most important was led by Juan Pablo Duarte of a prominent
Santo Domingo family who returned from seven years of study
in Europe to find his father's business had been ruined under
Haitian occupation. Unlike many of the country's subsequent
caudillo rulers, Duarte was an idealist, an ascetic, and a genuine
nationalist. Although he played no significant part in its
rule, he is considered the father of his country. He certainly
provided the inspiration and impetus for achieving independence
from Haiti.
In July 1838, Duarte led the effort to create a secret movement,
dubbed La Trinitaria (The Trinity). Its original nine
members had organized themselves into cells of three; the cells
went on to recruit as separate organizations, maintaining strict
secrecy. At the same time, the name clearly evoked the Holy
Trinity. Its motto was "Dios, Patria, y Libertad" (God, Country,
and Liberty), and the movement's flag and shield had a cross
and an open Bible—all of which became national symbols.
Dominican nationality became defined in religious and Hispanic
terms, which permitted contrast to Haiti. As the country's
principal enemy was the anti-Catholic and non-Spanishspeaking
Haiti, and perhaps because the Catholic Church was
very weak in the country, Dominican liberals were largely prochurch,
in contrast to their counterparts in the rest of Central
and South America.
The catalyst that helped set off the Dominican struggle for
independence was the overthrow of Boyer in the Haitian Revolution
of 1843. Initially good relations between liberal Haitians
and liberal Dominicans in Dominican territory, however, soon
grew tense. General Charles Riviere-Herard successfully
cracked down on the Trinitarios, forcing Duarte to flee in
August 1843. However, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez, Duarte's
brother Vicente, and Ramon Mella helped to reestablish the
Trinitaria movement. They planned an independence effort
built around arms that a returning Duarte was to bring in late
December; however, Duarte failed in his efforts to gain the necessary
weapons and was forced to postpone his return home
because of a serious illness. Concurrently, other conspiracies
flourished, particularly one seeking to gain the support of
France. When Duarte had not returned by February 1844, the
rebels agreed to launch their uprising without him.
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