Mr. Durham to Mr.
Gresham.
Legation of
the United States,
Port an
Prince, April 8, 1893.
(Received April 15.)
No. 192.]
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your
telegram of the 5th instant, instructing me to urge the fulfillment of the
Mevs settlement, and to confirm my own of yesterday, asking whether I should
accept Haitian paper as offered by the Haitian minister for foreign
affairs.
I inclose copies of the correspondence exchanged this week. Inclosure No. 1
is my note to the acting minister stating that this legation considers the
matter as closed and asking when I might look forward to the carrying out of
the agreement.
On receiving this the acting minister called on me. He offered me $5,000,
gold. I replied that the arrangement had been made for $6,000, and that the
Government had accepted the arrangement. I told him that I would expose
myself to the Department’s displeasure should I accept any reduction. He
replied that he would not so expose me and that he would telegraph to the
President of Haiti for instructions.
Yesterday I received his note, which I inclose with translation, in which he
refers to the matter as closed at 6,000 gourdes, a reduction of 13 per cent,
yesterday, with exchange very uncertain. It seemed such small business that
I decided not to dicker with him. The written promise to pay was in our
possession, and I replied in a note, of which I inclose a copy, asking him
to permit me to receive your instructions before formally accepting the
modification which his Government had made.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 192]
Mr. Durham to Mr.
Marcelin.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Haiti, April
3, 1893.
Sir: I am instructed by my last advices from my
Government to urge upon your attention the case of Mr. Mevs, and to
press for a definite termination of the affair. This legation has for
some time past regarded the matter as closed in an amicable [Page 381] way, and the Government of the United
States has accepted the settlement. I beg you to give it your early
attention, and to advise me when I may look forward to a formal
termination.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
192—Translation.]
Mr. Marcelin to Mr.
Durham.
Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Port au Prince, April 7,
1893.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to receive the
dispatch which you addressed to me the 3d of this month to let me know
the latest instructions transmitted to you by your Government relative
to the question of Mr. Mevs.
You have had the goodness to let me know equally that your legation has
for some time regarded this affair as having been closed in an amicable
manner and that the Government of the United States had accepted the
settlement reached before the departure of the President of Haiti
between your legation and the department of foreign relations.
I shall be obliged to you, Mr. Minister, to be pleased to make known to
your Government our entire acquiescence in the proposition which you
have made to settle this affair through the amicable means of an
indemnity of 6,000 gourdes to the account of Mr. Mevs, which value the
department of foreign relations holds from now at the disposition of
your legation.
Permit me on this occasion to express to you in the name of my Government
the satisfaction which we experience to see terminate amicably the
definite settlement of this question, and I will appreciate your being
the interpreter to his excellency President Cleveland to renew to him
the sincere sentiments of esteem of friendship and of sympathy with
which we are animated toward the American nation.
Be good enough to witness to him how much value we attach to the
conservation of the good understanding which exists between the
Government of the United States of America and that of Haiti.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure No. 3 in No.
192.]
Mr. Durham to Mr.
Marcelin.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, April 7,
1893.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your
note No. 167 of to-day, in which you express the perfect accord of your
Government to a settlement of the Mevs case for 6,000 gourdes, and you
inform me that that sum is at the disposal of this legation for Mr.
Mevs’s account.
I note also with most cordial appreciation your expression of most
friendly sentiments toward the United States.
It will give me great pleasure to repeat your words to the Department at
Washington for transmission to the President of the United States.
I regret to say, however, that the previous arrangement for $6,000 having
been accepted by the Government of the United States, I do not feel that
I have any longer the discretionary power to accept such a material
modification as your department now makes in offering 6,000 gourdes. I
trust that you will quite understand that I simply do my duty in asking
you to permit me to ask for instructions on that point before accepting
your modification.
Accept, etc.,
