Mr. Preston to Mr. Bayard.
Washington, February 15, 1889. (Received February 16.)
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of Hayti, has the honor to inform the honorable Secretary of State of the United States that an alliance was concluded a few weeks since between the Haytian rebels and the Government of the Dominican Republic, by a convention arranged between President Heureaux and General Hyppolite, the leader of the Haytian rebels, which alliance has been followed by acts of war on the part of the Dominican Government against the Government of the undersigned, in consequence of which orders have this day been issued to the Haytian forces to commence hostilities at once against the said Dominican Republic. These orders will be executed without delay.
In this grave situation the undersigned has the honor to request the United States Government to maintain a strict neutrality between the belligerents, viz, the Republic of Hayti and the Dominican Republic; and, consequently, especially to oppose the departure of the steamer Carondelet, with its cargo of arms for the Government of the Dominican Republic, and on board of which are: (1) the armament of the steamer Novelty, now known as the Mercedes (see the notes of the undersigned [Page 527] of the 25th ultimo and the 14th instant), and (2) the armament of the Madrid. The Carondelet is now at Newport News, in the State of Virginia.
The undersigned further requests the United States Government to issue the necessary order, without delay, for the detention of the steamer Madrid, mention of which was made in the note addressed yesterday by the undersigned to the honorable Secretary of State, and also in his telegrams of to-day which not being in cipher, could hardly reproduce the above statements or even allude thereto.
The undersigned will hasten to make known in detail to the honorable Secretary of State of the United States the grave events which have necessarily led to this decision on the part of the Haytian Government; and, remembering the exalted position occupied in this hemisphere by the United States Government, the undersigned intends to appeal to it as a mediator, that it may, as soon as it shall be possible to do so, put a stop to a deplorable struggle, for which the course pursued by the Dominican Government renders it alone responsible, inasmuch as it has been guilty of all the aggressions.
The undersigned has, etc.,