File No. 838.00/1287.
Admiral Caperton to the Secretary of the Navy.
To-morrow September 3, I will proclaim martial law at Port au Prince for the following reasons: 1st, on account of the increasing uneasiness; 2d, the propagation by the newspapers and public men of inflammatory propaganda against the Government and the American occupation; 3d, because present Government is confronted with conditions which it is apparently unable to control; 4th, because some of the government officials are disloyal to the present Government; 5th, in order to better support the present Government. The Chargé d’Affaires concurs with me in this action. I am forwarding the proclamation by radio.