Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1881
  4. Document 410

No. 406.
Mr. Langston to Mr. Blaine .

Legation of the United States,
Port-au-Prince, Hayti , June 18, 1881. (Received July 1.)
No. 389.]

Sir: Referring to dispatch No. 82, of the Department, diplomatic series, dated October 15, 1879, and particularly to inclosure 4 of that dispatch, Mr. Evarts’ communication to Mr. Preston of June 13, 1879, I have the honor to transmit herewith inclosed, with translation, a private note of the Hon. Charles Laforestrie, secretary of state of foreign relations of the Haytien Government, in which he advises me, in view of the importance which our government attaches to the subject, that his government has decided to present during the present session of the Corps Legislatif, such body having on the 14th instant effected an organization of both its branches, a law to abolish the charge of one per cent, for consular visas, as provided by the Haytien act of 1877.

This subject has been brought afresh to the attention of the Haytien Government by the representative of Her Britannic Majesty and myself upon our presenting conjointly to President Salomon and the honorable Secretary of State of Foreign Relations, in a conversation had with each, within a few days, the respective positions taken by our governments with regard thereto.

The result so far is indicated in the note of Mr. Laforestrie.

It is to be hoped that, within a very short time, it will be possible to report to the Department final and favorable action thereon by this government.

I am, &c.,

JOHN MERCER LANGSTON.
[Page 645]
[Inclosure in No. 389.—Translation.]

Mr. Laforestrie to Mr. Langston .

Port-au-Prince , June 15, 1881.
Private.]

My Dear Minister: Knowing the importance that your government attaches to the abrogation of the act of 1877, I do myself the pleasure to advise you that the government has decided to present, in the course of the present session, a law abolishing the charge of one per cent, for consular visa.

Accept, my dear minister the assurances of all my sentiments the most distinguished.

CH. LAFORESTRIE.