No. 213.
Mr. Langston to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Port au Prince,
Hayti, Nov. 20, 1883.
(Received Dec. 13.)
No. 594.]
Sir: I have the honor to advise you that on the
13th instant the Hon. C. Fouchard, provisional secretary of state of foreign
relations of this Government, addressed me a dispatch, received on the 14th
instant, similar to that addressed to each member of the diplomatic and
consular corps of this capital, in which he announces the purpose of his
Government, according to the address of the President, a copy of which was
transmitted inclosed in his dispatch, to bombard respectively Jacmel on the
18th and Jérémie on the 21st instant, provided the rebels in such cities
have not sooner surrendered to the constitutional government.
In the name of humanity the honorable secretary asks any action that may be
deemed wise and necessary on behalf of innocent and neutral persons residing
in the cities named, and who might be exposed to the misfortunes of their
bombardment. I have the honor to transmit, as herewith inclosed, copies of
the dispatch and address mentioned, with translations of each, and also a
copy of the dispatch addressed by me to the honorable secretary on this
subject, in which I simply acknowledge the receipt of his dispatch, with its
inclosure, reserving any rights which may pertain in anywise to American
citizens being in the cities named at the time of their bombardment.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
594.—Translation.]
Mr. Fouchard to Mr.
Langston.
Department of State of Foreign Relations,
Port au Prince, November 13, 1883.
Mr. Minister: In the interest of humanity I
have the honor to transmit to you under this cover the address of this
day of his excellency the President of Hayti to the rebels of the cities
of Jacmel and of Jérémie. You will perhaps judge it necessary
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to do that which shall be in
your power to save the innocent and neutrals who are in Jérémie and
Jacmel exposed to the misfortunes which menace these cities, if, in the
delay fixed, they do not submit themselves to the constitutional
government.
Be pleased, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
594.—Translation.]
Republic of Hayti.
Liberty. Equality. Fraternity.
address.
Salomon, President of Hayti, to the
people and army:
Haytiens: When, after twenty years of exile, I
returned to the country, two parties existed, the national party, which
is the country of which I am the undoubted chief, and the party called
liberal, having at its head Buyer Bazelais. This last party, exclusively
aristocratic, has become a faction. This faction has ceased to exist.
Boyer Bazelais, wounded in the head on the 22d of September, poisoned
himself, and died at Miragoane the 27th of October last. To-day, thanks
to Divine Providence, my Government is armed with forces which enables
it to confound and annihilate the insurrection; it finds this force in
the love of its fellow-citizens, and in the confidence and sympathy of
which it is the object as well on the part of foreigners as the
representatives and agents of the foreign powers residing in Hayti.
The hour for the final struggle has come, but, anxious to spare the blood
of my fellow-citizens, I make here a supreme and final appeal to the
rebels of Jérémie and Jacmel.
Therefore, there is accorded to Jacmel to the 18th instant, and to
Jérémie to the 21st instant to lay down their arms and recognize the
authority of the constitutional government. These delays passed, these
two cities will be subdued by force.
They shall have no right to mercy, but shall be sought and prosecuted who
have assassinated Generals Joachim Vérequain, Aristide Désiré, &c.,
who form the revolutionary committee of Jacmel, namely, K. Hippolite,
Lefévre, T. Talmy, J. R. Barjon, Chicoye Jenne, J. C. Maximilien, L. T.
Lafontant, Labidon, Jasmin, D. Lauture, J. R. Mégie, D. Berroüet, Lep.
Lafontant, &c.
Fellow-citizens of Jacmel and Jérémie, to persist in resisting the
Government is to condemn you, Jérémie and Jacmel, to the inseparable
misfortunes of a city taken by assault.
Long live peace!
Long live the Haytien family!
Done at the National Palace of Port au Prince, the 13th of November,
1883, the eightieth year of the independence.
SALOMON.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 594.]
Mr. Langston to Mr.
Fouchard.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Hayti, November 16, 1883.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your dispatch of the 13th instant with its inclosure.
You will permit me, Mr. Minister, in acknowledging the receipt of such
dispatch, to state that the rights of any American citizens who may be
found in either Jacmel or Jérémie, when your Government shall attempt
the bombardment of such cities, according to the address of the
President transmitted, as inclosed in your dispatch, as well as
according to the terms of the dispatch itself, are distinctly and
specially reserved.
I am, &c.,
