Minister Powell to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Port au
Prince, November 18,
1905.
No. 1872.]Sir: I have the honor to call Department’s
attention to inclosed letter from our consul at the Cape, Dr. L. W.
Livingston, in which he states that certain naturalized American
citizens (Syrian origin)
[Page 549]
who,
having conformed to the laws of the Republic, have not received their
licenses for the present year. Without such a license it is impossible
for them to secure their merchandise from the custom house. I have
called the attention of the minister of foreign affairs to this matter,
and have requested to be informed as to the intention of the government
in regard to granting licenses to them.
I have learned from sources not official that it is the intention of the
government not to grant licenses to anyone who is a foreigner, and of
Syrian origin. If such is the intention of the government, not to grant
these licenses, it has erred in receiving the amounts for such licenses
in money, giving them (Syrians) the right to suppose that they would
receive licenses in due time, and leading them to purchase large stocks
which they can not secure from the custom-house. Some of these goods are
liable to shrinkage, or spoil, subjecting these people as well as our
merchants in New York, to serious loss and for which this government
claims it is not responsible.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Consul Livingston to Minister Powell.
American Consular Service,
Cape Haitien, Haiti, November 15, 1905.
Sir: The following-named naturalized
American citizens, M. N. Ajamie, Antoine H. Ashkar, and John
Stambouly, complain that notwithstanding they have complied with all
the requirements of the law they have not yet received their
licenses for the present year, and that, as the collector of customs
here refuses to allow a verification of their merchandise without
the licenses they are subject to considerable annoyance and loss.
They therefore beg that you intercede for them with a view to
ascertaining the cause of the delay.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Minister Powell
to the Secretary of State for Foreign
Relations.
American Legation,
Port au
Prince, Haiti, November 17, 1905.
Sir: I have the honor to state to your
excellency that our consul at Cape Haitien has informed me that
certain naturalized American citizens have complained to him that
they have fully complied with all the requirements of the law and
that they have not received their licenses for the present year.
Without such licenses the customs authorities refuse to verify their
merchandise, which remains in the custom-house, and they are
therefore subject to a considerable loss as well as annoyance.
May I request your excellency to inform me as to the intention of
your government regarding licenses to naturalized American citizens
where they have conformed to all the laws of the Republic?
Accept, etc.,
