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Black Republic of Letters

Note - Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was an American abolitionist, social reformer and civil servant. He served as U.S. ambassador to Haiti from 1889 to 1891. Learn more about Frederick Douglass.

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"Letter from Haiti (from our special correspondent)" Translation:Port-au-Prince, 15 August 1890

My dear Director,

The departure of the steamship Nacase has allowed me to send you my previous letter via New York. I will do likewise whenever I have particularly interesting things to tell you about.

We are experience, before autumn, a shower of... portfolios.

General Mompoint the younger, the Minister of War, has just resigned in turn, in order to take a well earned res after a campaign of eight months. The ministry has been reformed thus: Hugon Lechaud to Agriculture and Public Works; D. Trouillot to Justice and Religions; Béliard the younger to War and Navy; Nemours Jean-Pierre the elder to the Interior; Mr. Firmin has remained in Finance and Foreign Relations, and Mr. D. Rameau in Public Instruction.

Mr. D. Trouillot who, last year, was previously named Government auditor in cassation, is well known in Port-au-Prince. He also made many friends, when he was in Cap for many years, under Geffrard, as Government auditor.

Mr. Béliard, senator from the North, has occupied diverse functions at the Customs office in Cap, including serving as director; he was the delegate in command of the Cap arrondissement during the last insurrection.

Mr. Nemours Pierre-Louis the elder has been senator of the North-West for some ten years.

Of the three new members of the cabinet, Mr. Trouillot is the oldest, being over sixty; the other two are in their fifties.

The negotiations with the Dominican are progressing actively. In a few words, here is what is happening: President Domingue, to facilitate relations between the two Republics that share the island of Haiti, had, by treaty, recognizing the Government of Santo Domingo, adopted the application of the free trade of Haitian and Dominican products over the whole of the territory. Furthermore, since the Dominican were demanding a rectification of the border to their advantage, it was decided that all disputes on this subject would be prevented in the future by the payment of an indemnity of 150,000 piastres that the Haitian Government would carry out over eight years.

The treaty of 1874 was never really taken seriously in either country. The proof is that the Dominicans formally contravened it in their most recent Constitution; and they consented in 1882 to conclude another arrangement. However, the Haitian Governments tolerated Dominican products coming into the country duty free, without really concerning themselves with whether or not the same reciprocity was being observed by our neighbours.

Many foreign firms have thus started to bring European merchandise into the country through the Dominican, committing tax fraud.

Members of the Hyppolite Government, who by their anterior relations, found themselves better placed than anyone to recognize these practices, wanted to put an end to it. Inde irae. A Dominican commission arrived in Port-au-Prince to solve the matter. They are said to have demanded the remainder of the indemnity stipulated in 1875; they're asking for the most for the least! A special meeting behind closed doors is taking place. Public opinion is in favour of the maintenance of the Government's decision. We have no doubt that the disagreement will be settled peacefully.

I had forgot to mention the departure of Mr. Douglass, Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States, and of Mr. Bassett, secretary of the same Legation. Their voyage to New York, it is said, will relate to the question of arbitration, which has legitimately concerned the Haitian press. To give a sort of consecration to the Pan-American Congress, Mr. Blaine, had planned to ban Europe from political access, as well as economic access to the Americas. An Arbitration Tribunal would have dealt with all diplomatic difficulties between American States and other nations, whether or not they were a part of the Arbitration Alliance. Most of the countries represented at the Congress refused to thus give up their liberty. Chile made, against the project of arbitration, a resounding protestation.

Mr. Blaine is out of luck! The signatory powers were to ratify the treaty by May 1891. But it is doubtful that this project will live to this time.

It has been announced that the President of Haiti will go on a tour of the South toward the end of September. Clermont Jr., to prepare for this happy event, is getting ready to greet, in a speech "full of feeling" (which becomes the fistula of the doyen of the Haitian press) his illustrious consanguinocrate.

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