Mr. Bassett to Mr. Fish
Sir: I have the honor to state that much anxiety has lately been felt by those who have an interest in the public tranquillity of Hayti, owing to a vote of non-confidence in President Saget’s ministry, which was passed by the chamber of communes in secret session as their first act after assembling, on the 20th of April, ultimo, and before the ministers had been afforded the customary opportunity to submit their annual reports.
All the ministers immediately resigned, except the minister of the interior, Mr. Larquet, who is a man of ability and energy of character, and who was understood to be the President’s chief adviser. The President, though at first disposed to stand by his ministers, finally yielded, and appointed a new ministry.
The new minister of foreign affairs at once declined, and Mr. Madion, a distinguished citizen, was placed in control of that bureau. But the chambers claimed that according to a decree of the constituent assembly of 1867 he was under accusation as a minister of President Geffrard. He was therefore suspended, and General Cauvin was charged ad interim with the portfolio of foreign affairs.
During these proceedings there was naturally great public anxiety felt, because this attempt of the chambers to share power with the executive has been the starting point of most of the successful revolutions in Hayti, and the present is said to be the first instance in the history of this country when the executive has, on a direct issue, yielded to the chambers. The crisis is scarcely yet passed; but everybody now seems to have confidence in the conciliatory disposition of the President.
Another remarkable event has been the trial before a jury instead of one before an ex parte or a military commission named by the President, as has ever been the case heretofore, of several conspirators, some of whom were apprehended with arms in their hands assaulting the arsenal of this city in February last. The trial excited much public interest and discussion. When of the twenty-four two were condemned to be shot, the President is said to have peremptorily refused to sigh their death-warrants, declaring that he had been forced to sign two such warrants in his life, and would never sign another.
The chambers seem disposed to push every point to the letter of the law, and the executive appears decided to yield to them. This is confessedly a new point of departure in Haytian administration.
[Page 568]The general impression seems now to be that the ministerial crisis will be safely passed, and that affairs will settle down into comparative quietude, if the chambers succeed in taking action to relieve the financial situation, and establish a respectable circulating medium in place of the wretched currency now in use.
I have, &c.,