Mr. Blaine to Mr. Douglass.
Washington , July 2, 1890.
Sir: I have received your No. 77 of the 13th ultimo, in which you inclose a copy of a note from the Haitian minister of foreign affairs complaining of the presence of two American schooners at Grand-Gosier, a port of the Republic of Haiti not open to foreign commerce.
The general tenor of your reply, a copy of which you inclose, is approved.
If the presence of the vessels in question in a port notofen to trade was not due to stress of weather or some other of the exceptional circumstances provided for in the treaty of 1864 between the United States and Haiti, and was therefore not privileged, the enforcement of the revenue laws of the latter Government would seem to be incumbent upon its authorities.
The Government of the United States and its representatives in Haiti can have no responsibility for unlawful acts of American vessels committed beyond its jurisdiction and within that of another sovereign power; our only concern is to see that any proceedings against such offenders are conducted in accordance with law and conformably with such treaty stipulations as may be in force.
I am, etc.,