File No. 738.3915/55.
The Haitian Secretary for Foreign Relations to the American Minister.
Port au Prince, March 14, 1911.
Mr. Minister: Folowing my letter of the 11th of this month acknowledging receipt of that which you addressed to me February 1 past, in which you informed me “that the Dominican Government accepts the good offices of the Government of the United States” and that it would like to know “if Haiti is disposed to negotiate a convention for the arbitration of the frontier question,” I have the honor to inform you that the Haitien Government has always considered that arbitration was the most, efficacious and at the same time the most equitable means to regulate litigation arising between States and which can not be decided by diplomatic means.
In fact, it is in conformity with this thought, with a view to the regulation of the frontier question, that Haiti and Santo Domingo in 1895 concluded a convention of arbitration. But, the Dominican Government, having refused for some time to put this convention in execution, as a result has caused a dispute between the two States which the Haitien Government, always true to its principles in regard to arbitration, has constantly insisted that the Cabinet of Santo Domingo should refer to the tribunal of arbitration. The two high contracting parties, in fact, not being able to come to a further agreement relative to the question of the validity of the conventions made in good faith between them in 1895 and 1898, with the object of solving the frontier question, there was consequently remaining only one pacific means: to agree to arbitration.
Likewise, His Excellency, President A. Simon, as well as his Government, has been happy to learn that the Dominican Government has at last decided to have recourse to the arbitration proposed and that the negotiations for a convention to this effect will take place at Washington with the impartial and friendly assistance of the honorable Government of the United States.
It is with pleasure that the department of foreign relations will send to the representative of Haiti at Washington full powers with the necessary instructions to this end.
In the meanwhile, the Haitian Government takes note that the Dominican Government has suspended the work on the route undertaken in the southern region.
I take this occasion to inform your excellency that the Haitien troops which were on the frontier have been for a long time recalled—in fact, at the same time when the Dominican Government recalled its troops.
Please accept, etc.,