Mr. Powell to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Haiti
,
April
10, 1899
.
No. 547.]
Sir: I transmit under this cover copies of the
correspondence that has passed between the foreign office and the
legation concerning the complaint made by Dr. J. B. Terres of an attempt
to arrest one of his employees. This correspondence may be considered as
a continuance of dispatch No. 545, April 6.
The inclosed correspondence having been received since the above dispatch
was sent, this completes the history of the case, which has been settled
without any unpleasant feeling being left.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
Mr. Lafontant
to Mr. Powell.
Department of State for Foreign Relations,
Port au Prince
,
April 8, 1899
.
Mr. Minister: Confirming to you the
declarations that I have had the honor to make to you at our late
interview, I am pleased to give you the assurance that in ordering,
on the request of Mr. the chargé d’affaires of the Dominican
Republic, the arrestation to be expelled of a Dominican who is in
the service of Dr. Terres, vice-consul-general of the United States
of America, my colleague of the department of the interior had in no
wise the intention to violate the dwelling of an accredited agent of
the United States, nor to commit any infraction of the international
laws.
The order, moreover, not having any sequence, and the agent of the
authority having stopped in view of the protestation of Dr.
Terres.
You will kindly remember that in my dispatch of the 31st March, in
reply to the one in which you made known to me the incident of which
you thought to have a cause of complaint, I gave you the same
assurances.
I have not failed to remark to you how much it would have been
painful for the Government, that you could believe for a single
instant that a minister of the Republic could have given an order of
a nature to disturb the good relations that unite the two republics
and to which my Government attaches such price.
Please accept, etc.,
[Page 377]
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. Powell to
Mr. Lafontant.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Haiti
,
April 10,
1899
.
Sir: I have your favor dated April 8. I am
glad to know from you that it was not the intention of your
honorable colleague, the minister of state for the interior, Hon.
Tancrede Auguste, to violate any right of international courtesy
that pertains to foreign representatives accredited to your
Government, and that you have, on the part of your Government,
promptly disavowed any such intention.
I heartily agree with you on the very pleasant way this incident has
been closed, showing the strong and kindly feeling of your
Government for that of mine, which I trust will continue to grow
more binding as each advance in years.
I have the pleasure also to inform you in this dispatch that the two
Dominicans referred to are not and have never been in the employ of
our vice-consul-general, Dr. J. B. Terres.
Accept, etc.,
