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Black Republic of Letters

Note - Anténor Firmin

Anténor Firmin (1850-1911) was a Haitian anthropologist and civil servant. He famously wrote a rebuttal to the scientific racist treatise of Arthur de Gobineau entitled De l'égalité des races humaines in 1885. He was a cabinet member under several Haitian presidents in the 1880s and 1890s, and ran for president himself in 1902, but lost and subsequently went into exile in Saint-Thomas in the Danish West Indies. He is among the better known and influential Haitian intellectuals of the late nineteenth century. Learn more about Anténor Firmin.

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"Letter from Haiti (from our special correspondent)"
Port-au-Prince, 23 August 1890

My dear director,

As you have seen in the last newspapers sent from Haiti, the Ministry has been reconstituted. All the nominations are the same as I said previously.

The Dominican question continues to interest the Haitian press and public. The Government will undoubtedly be able to take all the measures required to safeguard our national honour. Someone here received information in a letter from New York that said that there is currently a delegation from the Dominican Republic in Washington charged with obtaining the support of the American government in helping force the Republic of Haiti accept the Dominican's pretensions. This fact, if it is confirmed, is destined to blow the current scrap up to vast proportions. There is an absurd rumour that the delegate of the Holy See in Haiti has been charged with a diplomatic mission. Everyone knows that the high dignitary of the Church had come here to confer on the subject of the nomination of the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and the Bishop of Cayes. It is worth noting that the Government, which, according to the terms of the concordat, has the right to designate a candidate, has never done so for any of these episcopal sees.

Another resignation to note: that of Mr. Deslandes who had been substitute Government commissioner. This week, this ex-functionary published, under the title of An Interview with M. D. Trouillot, a piece that amused the public greatly.

This week's newspapers are full of recriminations against the payment in American gold, by the Ministry of Finance, of the entire debt owed by the Salomon government. There is a question of whether Mr. Firmin was qualified to pay in hard cash what in reality, law in hand, should have been paid in paper money (amortization). In some foreign circles, many of our stock market dabblers, who, as everyone knows, are jaded on the people and the things of Haiti, have already started taking bets on the length of the reputation for incorruptibility that our Minister of Finance has so far had.

Interesting debates have also started regarding the budget presented to the Chambers for 90-91, which is evaluated thus:

General revenue	P. 7,029,029.60
from which should be deducted:
Value affected to the payment of the 1875 loan	P. 297,656.43
Interior debt amortization, Arrears debt, Withdrawal of banknotes	P. 615,537.20
Foreign indemnities (events of 22 and 23 September 1883). Sixth and final term	P. 128,829.89
Loan from the decree of 3 October 1889	P. 308,280.33
Bons Ch. d'Aubigny et Co	P. 57,186.25
A. Bobo	P. 57,692.28
Bons A. Rouzier	P. 10,000
Partial payments for the claims of Sylvie and Van-Bokkelen	P. 40,000
Loan of P. 60,000 (liquidation)	P. 378,235.43
Remaining balance in favour of the Bank	P. 25,250.00
	-----------------
	P. 1,918,667.81
	-----------------
Actual revenue	P. 5,110,361.79

Budget and Expenses
War and Navy	P. 1,228,679.08
Interior and general Police	P. 989,888.16
Public instruction	P. 902,107.50
Public works	P. 503,141.46
Finance and Trade	P. 644.642.76
Justice	P. 530,790 /
Agriculture	P. 280,422 /
Foreign Relations	P. 137.030 /
Religions	P. 77,718.50
	-----------------
	P. 5,094,419.46

The surplus on the revenues is thus of P. 15,942.33.

This budget is the first normal budget of the current Government. Some enlightened minds have pointed out that the gap between the revenues and expense (about 16,000 piastres) is insufficient, because the expenses are real and almost always surpassed, whereas the revenues are possible and decrease considerably—when they do not disappear altogether—with the merest political discord that arises. It is said that the large raises of expenditures in this budget, which are almost one million gourdes more than Salomon's last budget—which was already too high—necessitates explanations of the true motives, which the budget does not contain. It is said... but our time is growing short; we will report more in two weeks.

As I was finishing my letter, I received an issue of the République, an extra edition, and in which in the first column the following words are written in eye-catching characters:

"We have just been informed in a letter from Cap-Haïtien that the national printer in that town, the only that can print a large newspaper, has just received a formal order to stop working for the newspaper La Liberté.

"The paper is thus forced to suspend its publication."

I hope this is only a frightful joke.

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"Letter from Haiti (from our special correspondent)" Translate:Port-au-Prince, 11 August 1890

Dear Director,

If I can rely on your predictions, this letter will arrive around the time the La Fraternité appears. I would like to offer my most ardent wishes for the first Haitian newspaper in Paris; I applaud your honourable attempt, and I hope that, with God's help, we can make it work out. Whatever happens, the new generation will have thus proved that it not only has the idea of progress, but also the firm intention of achieving it.

The promotion of our friend Bowler continues to yield good results. The subscription lists are filling up with much gusto. I am thrilled by the success of your joint project. I'm convinced, indeed, that when the moment comes to let him into the secret, Bowler will be glad to unite his efforts to yours for the foundation of this paper that is lacking in Paris.

Still, I believe that our friend has made an unwise promise, if it is true that he has been hired, as Mr. Magny claimed in a letter to the director of the Liberté, "to send two young Haitians every two years to collaborate with him." Mr. Adhémar Auguste is right to have some reservations about this—even though, for that matter, we don't share his way of seeing the practical current utility of a Haitian newspaper in Paris.

The upkeep of Bowler's two young collaborators in Paris would cost money, a lot of money, especially if they take advantage of their time in the "City of Lights" to complete their studies in arts and sciences. Because I doubt they would go on this trip simply to collaborate on a newspaper. There is no shortage, in Paris, of compatriots who could provide Bowler with intelligent and serious information from Paris. In the absence of those who are returning home this year, do you not still have Jules Auguste, Leconte (who are already in the course of a career), Audain, Doret, Amédée Brun, and many others who would want nothing more than to appear in this sort of periodical jousting?

In short, I ardently hope that you combine your work with Bowler; but I encourage you both to found your work on a modest base; you will thus have a greater chance that it will last.

Now, a word on the situation in Haiti.
Commerce and Finances
The commercial season promises to be a good one. There have never been more imports than this year. And it is not done yet! New firms are being founded in Port-au-Prince. The old foxes of the trade have restrained their orders. — The course of change is varying weakly. Slight upward trend.

Trade with Europe: 10 ½ - 11 %
— — the United States: 9 - 10%
American gold: 9 - 10% (bank exchange rate)
Port-au-Prince coffee is given at 103/105
Cacao: 5 ¾ cent. per pound
Cotton: 9 ¾ — — —
Logwood: P. 6.5 the thousand
On 8 August P. 66,030 of paper money we pulled form circulation
Politics
Mr. C. Haentjens, Minister of Agriculture and Public Works, has submitted his resignation (1 August), following Mr. St-Martin Dupuy, Minister of the Interior, who has not yet been replaced. This resignation has been as commented on as the last one. The newspapers are saying that it was for the same reason, a dissent with Mr. Firmin, the Minister of Finance, the most important member of the cabinet.

The President of Haiti received a solemn audience with Mr. Flesch, the new French minister who presented his credentials. The reception was very cordial, they exchanged the usual compliments. Mr. Flesch gives the impression of a capable man and a likeable man. (I have attached copies of the two speeches they gave). The Government is clearly enchanted to see a renewal of the relations between France and Haiti. It is an excellent note for our good compatriot Mr. Box, who spared no expense to obtain the recognition of the order of things legally established in 1889.

With the gossip crazed nature of the people of Port-au-Prince, we're hearing many tales about the hostile attitude that the Dominican Republic is taking toward us. You will have guessed that it is a matter of the customs dispute to which the Exposé of the situation makes reference. For the time being, refute all rumours of war with the Dominican. We have no intention of attacking the Dominicans; and they would never be foolish enough to take the offensive.

People are still talking about the arbitration treaty that the United States submitted to the powers who participated in the Pan-American Congress.

The Haitian government's representative, Mr. Price, will have approved the project, awaiting ratification in the Chambers.

Of the twenty republics invited to the conference, nine have signed. Peru, Uruguay, Colombia, the Argentine Republic, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Mexico, Venezuela and Chile refused to engage. According to the newspaper La Voie, the Senate in Washington will have definitely buried the project.

Mgt. Milia, delegate of the Holy See, arrived on the 3rd of August. He was given a brilliant reception. He is, they say, charged with conferencing with the government on the subject of the nomination of the successor of Mgr Hillion, our incomparable late archbishop.

There has been much laughter over the L'aventure of the journalist who bears that name. After a fuming letter from Father Bauger, denying the presentation of his candidature to the archiepiscopal see by that parishioner without a mandate, does he not see that our Laventure is stuck upon his idea and persists in recommending the curate of Petit-Goâve to the attention of the Government! Father Bauger, if he was not a man of the cloth, would have been the man to whom to send witnesses.

A bientot.

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