The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-23

The Emperor Seulouq>c Kicked Out by |
the Blacks.
The rumor of the defeat Of tie Haytiens by |
the Dominicans which reached Qs by way of |
Boston, last week, has been confirmed by te- |
legraphic despatch from Philadelphia Ad-
vices from Port au Prince to January l, which
have been receivedin the latter city, state that
the Emperor Faustin had taken ingloriously to
his heels, in the first brush, and that reward
of ten thousand doubloons had been offered for
his head. The excitement that prevailed
against him amongst his own troops was 80
great that it was expected he would be
shot if he fell into their hands. What CO.
tastrophe for that grand fabric of Ethiopian
empire, which it was prophesed would extend
its sway over the whole of the Antilles!
Faustin the First is no ordinary man--judged
from an chronological point of view. AS
niger he has displayed an uncommon degree
of intelligence; and as an emperor, he has ex-
hibited the average amount of capacity re-
ton is the wisdom that he has shown in making
himself scarce when his presence had become
critical In this, as in most other things, he
has initiated faithfully royal precedents--
Charles X, Louis Philippe, and last, but not
least Santa Anna, having set him that praise
worthy example. Whatever may be thought
of this last episode Of his career, Faustin is a
man destitute neither Of personal bravery nor
of political talent. Although born slave on
one of the coffee plantations of the island, he
won his way to distinction as much by his in
telligence and tact as by his courage. He
early enlisted as soldier under Dessa-
lines; was one of those who, under Potion, de-
feated Christophe, and grade by grade fought
his way to the rank of colonel just as Boyer
fell from power. The great command which
he possessed over his temper, and reserve of
character rare amongst persons of his color,
obtained for him general respect and conf
dence, and contributed more than anything
else to his rapid elevation. In all the
political conspiracies which were set on
foot from 1S43 to 1S47 he played a
stealthy but active part, compromising
himself however, with no party TO an ire
trievable point. 1t was to this caution and
eagacity that he owed his election as President
After he had attained the rank of general, the
Senate, unable to decide between the candi-
dates then before them, made choice OF Faus-
tin--the blacks voting for him OH account of
his color, and the mulattoes supporting him
because they believed him to be free from the
vice Of ambition. The sanguinary occurrences
of April, 1913, showed that instead Of a plant
instrument, as the latter had calculated upon
finding him, they had delivered themselves up
to a cruel and relentless despot. There is n
doubt that he would have carried out his pro-
ject of exterminating the mulattoes, who CON-
pose fifteenth part of the whole population,
had it not been for the energetic circumstances
Of the French Consul, who convinced him that
such step would have brought upon him the
vengeance of the European governments
While he was engaged in hostilities against
the Spanish portion of the Island, which
had been erected into an Independent State
under the title Of the Republic Of
ST. Domingo, and the conquest of which has
been always favorite object with him, he was
in August, 1s49, elected Emperor by unani-
nous and almost spontaneous vote of the Sc
nate and House of Representatives. Although
an impr ession prevails that Faustin did not in
any way seek this honor, there is no doubt
that he had been as usual silently intriguing
for it. The petition on which the vote was
founded. came from the army, and fear rather
than conviction or affection, in all probability
dictated it.
The manner in which the new Emperor pa
rodied the heraldic distinctions and titles of
trio cr,hi tn
deal of ridicule. When, however, he was
told that the French laughed at his Dukes Of
Marnalade and Lemonade, he very sensibly
replied that he had only refined upon the ex-
amples they had set him. seeing that they had
their Prince of Peas prince de Pois,) and q
Duke of Broth DUO de Bcuillon.) His first
decree created no less than four princes
and ffty-seven dukes-more, we believe,
than Great Britain and France COM
bined can boast Of The whole extent
Of the empire which furnished all these digni-
taries with principalities and dukedoms, is only
10000 square miles-a little more than one
half the size of the State of New York. Fans
tins own revenues amounted only to about
S1,OO0,OOO, of which the Emperor received
personally 2lo,-oV per 1uHuul, VIC LHprtsS
5000, and each Of his ministers $500.
It is not surprising that to a potentate of
such large ambition and such small means as
Faustin, it should always have been an object
Of paramount Importance to bring the whole
of the island under his sway. Hence his fire.
quent attempts against the independence OF
the Dominican republic, and his perseverance
in that design, notwithstanding the efforts
mede by the mediating Powers to dissuade
him from it. His ostcnsible justification for
making war upon the Dominicans was, that
unless he could re-establish Haytien authority
in their territory he could not, without the
revenue which would then be collected in
their ports, resume the payment of the Hay
ten debt to Trance There is no doubt that