Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-11-09
Sf(tstelIanp.
Solouque and his Enormous Wealth.

Solouque and his Enormous Wealth.
When Solouque was chosen Emperor he was
not worth a sous. Even the uniform upon
his back may be presumed to have belonged
to the Government. He is now worth over
two millions Of dollars. He owns six large
dlstilleries, with sugar plantations attached
for the manufacture of Tafia and rum-from
fifty to seventy stores and houses, mostly in
Port-au-Prnce, and is buying and building all
the time. He bought new plantation quite
recently. for which he paid $50 900, with the
intention, it is said, of attempting the manu-
facture of sugar, which used to be one of the
principal exports Of Hayti, but is SO no longer.
The Elnperor's tenements are always occu-
pied, and always bring comparatively high
rents. One reason is, that they are generally
better built than other edifces of the same
class; another is, probably, that the Emperor
has great many indirect ways of rewarding
his tenants who do not object to his terms.
One of the largest stores in Port-au-Prince be-
longs to him, and is occupied by commission
merchant, who is favored with the privilege
of shipping and selling portion of the coffee
hfths. This come bOuche comes ostensIby
from the government agent, but it may be rea-
sonably doubted whether the merchant would
be as lucky if he had different landlord
While the Emperor usually asks higher rents
for his buildings than other landlords, they
cost him less than they would cost any one
else, because he gets laborers for little or
nothing. Operatives will work for him at any
price, when they will work for others at no
price. What inducements he brings to bear,
besides fear, | am unable to say, but despot
has thousand ways of protecting himself
from refusal of almost any request he may
make of his subjects, without appearing TO in
terfere with their freedom of action
| understand the Emperor has large
amount of stock quartered about the country,
and fattened by the people at no expense what
ever to him. frequently met in the market
of Port-au-Prince prodigious hog, that was
known and designated by every one as : the
Emperor's hog 1t was to be seen in the
market every morning picking up the garbage
which it found there, and Of which it enioyed
the monopoly, no other hog being admitted by
the police or the market people to share that
privilege. No one dared annoy him, while
many, anxious to have friend at court. even
if it were only hog, would throw him some
thing now and then, from which, with the
garbage which naturally accumuates in the
markets, he contrived to keep in admirable
condition. He was about the most popular
and inofensive court favorite | ever saw.
Besides his real estate the Emperor derives
large private income by indirect processes
which are not so easily reconciled with sound
notions of political economy will mention
two or three Of them. The principal export
Of Hayti, as my readers are doubtless already
aware, is coffee, of which upward of 19,0OO,-
600 pounds are exported to the United States
annually. The Government exacts the privi-
lege of appropriating one-ffth OF all the coffee
delivered for expectation, on the payment of
merely nominal price, about IL cents
pound. This fifth is weighed out at the Gov
ernment warehouses, and shipped on Govern
ment account to some foreign market for sale.
Most Of it comes to the United States. It
Yields from 5000 900 to $500, 900 annually, Of
which, however, no account is rendered to the
public. 1t is generally understood that what
Il r 4
agent goes to the Emperor and his dependents.
1t is supposed that the Emperor receives from
this source something over 100000 year,
There is yet another way in which this
thrifty ruler swells his income without re-
storing to the odious system Of legalized taxa
tion. When he wishes to reward friend,
political or personal, and sometimes when he
has occasion merely to pay personal debt,