No. 349.
Mr. Langston to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Port-auPrince, March 12, 1883. (Received March 31.)
Sir: I have the honor to advise the Department that, by reason of certain reports which have prevailed in this Republic for the past month, affecting and influencing especially the action of the Government, there has existed, for the time indicated, a very unsettled and solicitous condition of the public mind lest a movement threatened by the Haytian exiles at Kingston, Jamaica, and other neighboring places, against this Government, should take place at an early day. It is reported and generally believed that such exiles are already largely gathered at Mathewtown, Inagua, and are in readiness for such movement; and it is also believed that it may very soon show itself and demonstrate its power in an attack upon some point in the northern part of the Republic, The Government is, accordingly, adjusting its troops, locating a large number in and about Cape Haytien, while it is making daily arrests, of persons in the country supposed to be in sympathy with such movement against the constituted authorities, giving, if not directly, indirectly, aid and comfort to such enemies. Of course, such threatened movements, the military proceedings of the Government taken to prevent, and, if need be, to overcome it, especially the numerous arrests that are being made, are affecting very considerably the otherwise apparently settled condition of the public mind. General business is also; in no small sense unduly disturbed. It is to be hoped, however, that: this condition of affairs will pass away very soon, and without a general disturbance of the peace of the country by such movement as seems to be anticipated.
I am, &c.,