Mr. Powell to Mr. Hay.
Port au Prince, July 7, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department of the course of events from the date of my last dispatch to the present time.
The elections have been going on for the past week in all parts of the Republic, in the villages and small cities lasting five days—that is, they have the privilege to finish it in one day or in five days—but if they do not conclude the same within that period an election occurring beyond this time is invalid. Here a longer period is given (nine days) on account of the larger population, and it being the capital its inhabitants are considered to have special privileges.
All over the Republic there have been more or less disturbances, the most serious being at the Cape, where Admiral Killick endeavored to give aid to the Hon. A. Firmin, in so doing disobeying the orders of the secretary of war and marine, Gen. Nord Alexis, who was also a candidate for the Presidency and therefore an opponent to Mr. Firmin. The Admiral, in order to protect Mr. Firmin, landed some of the troops and sailors from his vessel, also four of his guns. This action on his part was resisted by General Nord and brought on an engagement between his force and the troops of General Nord, resulting in Killick’s retreat to his vessel after the loss of two of his guns, and also being compelled to leave a portion of his troops behind, who were immediately disarmed by General Nord. This caused Mr. Firmin to seek shelter on board of the Haitian vessel under the escort of the foreign consuls. When I was informed by telegraph of the threatened move of the Admiral I doubted that he would take such an unwise step, and so informed Mr. Livingston, but from subsequent events I find I was mistaken. This action of the Admiral resulted in a few deaths and some wounded, the number of which has not been made known here. After this affair the Admiral secured some coal from a Norwegian vessel in port and sailed for Caracol, from there to Gonaives; the latter city I understand he has not as yet reached, being stranded for want of fuel at or near the Mole St. Nicholas. Since his departure from the Cape, word has reached here that quietness prevails in that section. The elections have occurred there, resulting in the defeat of the Firmin candidates for the House of Delegates. The full result of the elections in that section is as yet unknown.
At Gonaives one of the Firmin candidates withdrew and had Mr. Firmin named in his place, by which Mr. Firmin has been elected a member of the Chambers, to which place he aspired, as it gave to him considerable vantage ground in the Presidential contest. At this writing it is impossible to know which of the many candidates is ahead. In several places no elections have occurred owing to fights to secure control of the electoral board, which virtually controls the election of the candidates, as whoever secures the control of this machinery controls the subsequent election.
At the capital the elections which closed yesterday were fairly quiet; there has been some little shooting at night, making the timid and nervous rather unsettled. A few have been killed, more through accident than by design. The houses in the neighborhood where this promiscuous firing has occurred suffered the most. Some of these houses above the first floor are pretty well riddled, but this is one of the ways, [Page 610] I am informed, in these contests they let off their pent-up enthusiasm. Several of their shots have fallen in and near the legation, but we have become so accustomed to it we do not mind it. The only unpleasant thing, is that it keeps us in doors, especially in the evening. We do not dare to sit in our gallery (porch) for fear of some stray bullet. It is very unpleasant in a climate hot as this to be housed all the time. This state of things is apt to continue for the next six weeks before we can say that an established government will be formed. Up to this time, no foreigner has suffered either loss of life or property. Business is stagnant; there is absolutely nothing being done in the commercial line.
At this writing no one can tell which of the candidates has secured the largest number of the elected delegates who are to be members of the new Chambers, but from what information we have the contest seems to have narrowed to the Hon. A. Firmin and Mr. Senèque Pierre, who appear to have about equal strength; the first is from the north, the latter from the south. Mr. Fouchard, who has been much spoken of as the next President of this Republic in the papers in the States, seems to be out of the race, as but few of those elected are said to favor him as the next President. He has lost his candidates here and in nearly all of the larger cities. Another, Mr. Mènos, referred to in a previous dispatch as one of the candidates, is defeated. Another, the present minister of foreign relations, Mr. Jèrèmie, has declined to be a candidate. All the others are out of the race but the first two named. No one knows in whose favor the delegates here will be, but it is known that they will not favor Mr. Firmin, nor are they supposed of favor Mr. Fouchard.
There is another fact, which will have its play in the near future, to be taken under consideration in this connection. Mr. Fouchard is supposed to be one of the wealthiest men in the Republic. It has been his ambition for a number of years to secure the Presidency. He was a candidate at the time General Sam was elected, and it was for this ambition he was exiled. Since then he has spent large sums of money to keep his name before the people. He has had for a long time a number of correspondents who have used the columns of some of the leading papers in the States, such as the New York Herald, in his interest. He has had his photograph distributed broadcast among the people, and has spent (it is supposed) not far from $90,000 and is prepared to spend more when the occasion arrives, and that will be after the Chambers organize and proceed to the election of the President. * * * It was for this reason that Mr. Firmin, who is a poor man, desired to be a member of this body to prevent such a movement. For this reason it is not well to say that Mr. Fouchard is out of the race until after this President is elected, but I do not think he will go further than this. It will not be so with Mr. Firmin, who will not accept defeat without a struggle, and if defeated will no doubt plan later to set aside the new government almost at its inception. The only way to obviate this will be to accede to his demands, whatever they may be.
The electoral college is supposed to meet in about ten days to name candidates to be voted by the House of Delegates for the new Senate. Between now and then there will be but little trouble, but from that time up to the day when a selection for the Presidency is to be made we may look for trouble, especially on that particular day, which will be between the 1st and 5th of August. At that time there may be [Page 611] another “coup d’état.” It will all depend on the candidates themselves and if money is used in the favor of any particular candidate.
At the present time there is no need of a naval vessel here. A French vessel is expected within the next few days, and will possibly remain for ten days. As I have stated, there has been considerable shooting in the streets at night thus far, but few persons have been seriously injured.
I have endeavored to give to the Department an impartial view of the situation as it is presented to me; if affairs assume a dangerous phase, I shall avail myself of the cable to inform the Department. The members of the diplomatic corps are acting as a unit in all matters affecting foreign interests.
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I have, etc.,