1874-February-01: Secretary of State Hamilton Fish signaled a definitive end to the Grant administration’s aggressive expansionist phase regarding the island.

1874-February-01: Secretary of State Hamilton Fish signaled a definitive end to the Grant administration’s aggressive expansionist phase regarding the island. In a letter to Minister Bassett, Fish stated that Haiti’s opposition to the cession of Dominican territory “no longer interested the United States.” This marked a significant retreat from the persistent efforts of previous years to annex the Dominican Republic or lease naval stations, reflecting a shift in American domestic priorities and a wearying of the diplomatic struggle against Haitian and European opposition.