Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-10-16
IfAYTI.

HAYTI.
E.cfracf Of Letter from On .<me,fccn
Gentleman at Porf-ou- Prince 10 his
friend IN Norfolk. dated
"AuGUsr 21st, 1916
:" In a former communication ventured to intro
tuce to your nctce his Maiasty Henry I, (com-
monIy called Chris,ophe,) King of Hsyti, and A.
exandeI' Potion, Esq. President of the Republic of
Hayti--fhat introduction was general. Il may nov,
perhaps. afford you sorae interest 10 become more
partieulsrly acquainted with some Of the crcnin-
Stances which distinguish the private and political
characters ot these two individuals who controu
the destinies and fortunes OF the people of that
Islsrd
"Christophe has heard from some Of bis hatter-
ers, that one Of the Cardinal Maxms of the British
Constitution is, that &" The King car do no wrong"
Eit'er through ignorance policy, he adopts the
maxim, not in IFS modified ard restricted const. uc-
ton but III its original and literary accenta,ion
and seeing no reason why the attribute OF infalli-
b'i'ty shouidn not belong as well To King of Hay
II as to Hing O. England. he has engraitsd il ON
the Constitution Of lis King 'om, aud under its
saneuon, gives full exercise To the vices OF his cha
racter
he tiinid circui Dection of tyranny pervades
his whole administration, aud is no where more
strongly evinced thsn in the extreme risor of his
police. NJ pretext whatever can prncarc to the
starger permission to visit the interior and 10 oh
t'IH VI even Of the environs of the Capitol
tCape franeo's) 10 attended with much trouble
ana eNpsace, that 4 W ierSons W ling to en-
counter them His Majesty. not choosing to con-
hde his august person to the a! ans a.fe ctou ofhs
faithful Subjects, has withdrawn himself To Sans
'So~ci, fortified place IS miles in the intelior--ro
ms place messenger must be dispatched for a
passport nnder the Gign manual Of the Kiag him
sen .nn even after you have obtained this YOU cam
not Sur loot an your promenade, without 2 sable
Sons Ut Mars, az your elbows.
AT tort-au fri-ce, the metropolis uf the Repub-
nc, these scFupulous restraints are unknown. On
tie contrary, Petioa has made it his policy TO en-
eou age foreigners in t!r visits tn the plantations
Their reports, on retnrnng from those visits are IL
n"orniy ts'orabio. The inhabitants are so kind
and hosP,,able, that inducements are Frequent
~ found 70 remain with them 10 or 70 DAYS They
s'e gradually advancing in agricultural improve
nients, arr steady and industrious in their pursuits
md cheerful ard contsnttl with their conditinns
these circumstances afford teo strong an evidence
oi me mild and just administrator of Potion, not to
render Tim socitous to exhibit ihem to foreign Oh.
servation.
All intercourse between this place and the
Cape by land is prohibited By Christophe upon
pain 81 death, and 10 :ttenpt To clear out vessel
from Cape Francois for Port Prince. wonId ex
pose vessel and csrgS to coafscaton, and master
and crew to imprisonment. Hut here M inquiry is
made asto the route by which the stranger arrives
and whether his journey has been BY land or wst,r
ne is aiISe cor1isr received and hospitality enter
tained Foreign vessels are cleared for tho Cane
with as little difficulty as for any other port.
vessel arriving at the Cape, whether in dis
tress, IN search ola market, with any other OBJ
Jec must proceed to again in 81 hours after her
arrival, or be entered andunloaded, whatever may
be me state ofthe market. In the ports Of the Re
pubic, no specified time is required for entering
and vessels have frequently remained here several
Gays, an not finding purchasers, have gone else
where 10 pursuit OF better markets.
Aliletters to Or from Caps Francois must be
opened and examined in the presence Of Chrstophe,
ne!orett are delivered to the persons to whom
they are directed ; narrow, Suspicious inoui,i(o-
rial measure totally unknown in this part of Hsy-
u.
Christophe is Merchant rs well as King. g. is
as sordd and avaricious in the character as he
Is arrogant and arbitrary in the other. His offers,
although always much below the ordinary market
price, must be accepted because whenever he bids
no one is found hazardous enough to become his
competitor 1t is not so with Potion, who, al
tnoueh ne is planter, and sells the produce of his
Plantation, yet does SO at fair p ice to the mer-
chants re4dent here, and receives from them the
supplies necessary for his government, on which
they very frequently obtain an exorbitant pro-
he ports Of the Republic have been thrown
open to all nations, and the effect OF tis liberal
AMI enlarged measure, has been TO introduce in
pro'usion The produce and manufactures Of Europe
q, -" ~" SUI n inc same time to procure for
the productions OF the s!aoj, prices heretofore un-
precedented.
=" In toe various departments of government, Pc
ton IS ably supported by ncu OF worth, talents.
zeal and activity fer the selection Of whom, he
IS indebted not more to good fortune, than to
the force and accuracy OF his own discernment.
=" he municipal police Of Port-au- Prince re-
qures mprOyement--rurnerl irnpositicns
are praetced upon Foreigners by tqat class Of per
Sons, who are necessary torsi, not very respec-
table apPendsge 20 commeree. The day -iabourers
oi'en demand payment Tor work never done. arc,
threaten youin case OF refusal. with arrest and
prosecution It JOu have Grmness enoug, 10 resist
their fnenaees, they attack YOU with the folest and
most abusive epithets. The Pilots too are much
complained Of for ther exactions ard imDer;;-
hence; but as they have you most completely in
their power, these complaints are rarely brought
before the authorities competent to redress theu
Proper e igence and attention IN the police fire,
nghtvery easily suppress these nconvenituoes but
while they continue as remiss as tiev now are
strangers must pocket the offence aud submit 10 the
trouble rs well as they can.
No alteration has yet been made On The Tariff
fixing the duties or inercsn pro,luchnFs l am
Al loss to understand the prnpety OF the original
distinction between TIE duties inpoctsfions ;roE
America aa4 from England aud srn still! more
surprised at IFS cont nuaee in Contradiction to the
promise made to our merchants and agents here.
hope, however, TO have it my power 10 my next to
INFORM you that tbs cause Of complaint on our part
no longer exists"
KINGSTON; { CaHGd1, SEPT II.