Mr. Terres to Mr. Hay.
Port au Prince, November 21, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to report that there has been little or no change in the political situation here since my last; however, tranquillity still reigns.
The political refugees that were at the various consulates at Port [Page 676] au Paix and Gonaives were permitted to leave the country; at the latter place there were about 83, including Gen. Jean Jumeau, whose embarkment Gen. Alexis Nord had opposed.
Gen. Alexis Nord, with the main corps of his army, is still at Gonaives; he is expected to arrive here within the next ten days, and then we will have in this city about 15,000 troops. Should he not pose himself as a candidate for the Presidency, with a certainty of being elected, whichever one of the other two candidates that he may favor will surely be elected. It is to be hoped in any case that they will come to an understanding that will result in a peaceful choice of a President.
The Chamber has done nothing toward reorganizing and electing the remainder of the Senators. The deputies from the departments lately in rebellion, some of whom left Gonaives with Firmin for Inagua, arrived here some fifteen days ago. General Nord claims that their election should be annulled, as some of them had signed the protestation against the Provisional Government, and that others should be elected in their places. The president of the Chamber, a strong partisan of General Nord, refuses to recognize these deputies and validate their election; therefore they have not been able to get a working majority in the Chamber sufficient to continue with the election of the Senators so as to finally proceed to the election of a President for the Republic.
I am, etc.,