Mr. Powell to Mr. Hay.

No. 1123.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose the correspondence that has passed between the Provisional Government and this legation concerning Mr. Killick, who is styled on the Haitian register as vice-admiral and in command of its naval vessels.

The Department will see from the inclosure that the Provisional Government has ordered the vice-admiral to bring the vessel he commands to Port au Prince. He refused to do so, having allied himself to the interests of Mr. Firmin, one of the candidates for the Presidency. Seeing that he will not report at Port au Prince, the Government has styled him “a pirate,” and has called upon the naval vessels of friendly nations to capture him, etc.

I do not think the diplomatic corps has the right to carry this request any further than to communicate the letter in question to their respective Governments. While it is true he has refused to obey the instructions of the present Government, this in no wise styled him a pirate. I do not see that we have a right to comply with the Government’s request until he commits some act on the high seas, such as making capture of vessels not Haitians and appropriating property thus captured to his personal use and benefit. The only thing that we should do is to prevent him from bombarding this and other seaboard cities, on account of their defenseless condition, with the simple purpose on our (diplomatic corps’) part to save life. Further than this I do not think we have a right to go, as our naval vessels are not sent here to enforce a police regulation of this Government or interfere in any manner in the present electoral struggle, except, as I have stated above, to save life.

The members of the diplomatic corps agree with me in this opinion. I would be glad to know if the Department approves of the position I have taken.

In my reply to the President I have simply acknowledged the receipt of his letter, and would call it to the attention of the diplomatic corps. I did not deem it necessary to state anything more.

I have, etc.,

W. F. Powell.
[Inclosure 1.—Translation.]

Mr. Canal to Mr. Powell.

Mr. Minister: Following the grave disorders that have taken place at Cape Haitian during the recent electoral campaign, and to which Mr. H. Killick, abusing his title of commandant in chief of the Haitian flotilla, has taken an active part, the presence of that general officer was demanded at Port au Prince for the purpose of furnishing the Provisional Government explanations of his attitude during those events; but having taken refuge at Gonaives, where the Gen. Jean Jumeau had the to-be-regretted weakness of receiving and protecting him, the ex vice-admiral, retrenching himself behind the most trifling pretexts, refused to comply with the orders of the superior authorities.

However, not desiring to longer allow the public security to be compromised, and anxious to safeguard the general interests of the country, the Provisional Government, [Page 615] as I have the honor to inform you, decided to dismiss Mr. Killick from his functions as commander in chief of the Haitian flotilla.

This decision had not, however, the virtue of bringing back to the path of duty a general officer who, moreover, did not cease to protest his submission to the established order of affairs, but was to him, on the contrary, an occasion to finally throw off the mask and enter into open rebellion against the constituted authority.

It has, in fact, come to our knowledge that the ex admiral, having fraudulently succeeded in procuring coal necessary for his vessel, which he continued to detain in contempt of the orders of the Provisional Government, has not hesitated to commit a new act of insubordination in making a debarkment of troops in the commune of L’Arcahaie, and making preparations to transport to other points on the southern coast of the Republic.

The Government is conscious, as the diplomatic corps can bear witness in case of need, of having gone to the extreme limits of all possible concessions, and of having done all to save the country from the sad consequences of a civil war, but in presence of the dangers to which the depredations of the ex admiral expose the foreign interest, and in view of safeguarding its responsibility, the Provisional Government thinks it to be its duty to denounce to the diplomatic corps the unqualified conduct of Mr. Killick, and declare to be a pirate the gunboat Crête-à-Pierrot, and in requesting the war vessels of friendly powers to run her down.

In begging your excellency to kindly, in his position of dean, make known this communication to the gentlemen, the members of the diplomatic corps, I seize this opportunity to renew, etc.

Boisrond Canal,
President of the Provisional Government.
[Inclosure 2.]

Mr. Powell to Mr. Canel.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor, bringing to my attention as the dean of the diplomatic corps certain matters that you desire to have communicated to them.

Accept, etc.

W. F. Powell.