The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-16


CoURT CHRONICLES or HAYTI-His Imperial
Majesty Faustin SolouQue the First, by the
grace of God Emperor of Hayti, has certainly,
for one of his color, a most laudable and judi
cious estimate of the high station which he fills
among the sovereigns of the earth. The members
of tho imperial family, the high functionsries
Of the empire, the titled magnates, and, In fact,
all connected with the Court, bear themselves
also most proudly and with becoming state, as
if resolved that the positions which they occupy
and the titles which they bear shall not be
lowered or sullied in their persons therefore
1t is that the doings Of the Emperor and Of his
brilliant Court deserve to be noted from time to
time--more particularly as they are chronicled
In due form by the Court journalist, and pub
lished in the Moni,eur Haitien, for the informa-
ton and qualification of the loyal subjects of the
empire 1t is from that authentic source that
we derive the glowing account of recent royal
merrymaking which we have translated, and
which We to-day present to our readers.
The chief butler of his Imperial Ma
jesty is Duke. His title is we'll chosen
and appropriate, and the selection of it
shows that the Emperor is something of wit.
He rejoices in the style, title and dignity of the
Duke ofLemonade. The idea Is carried out in
the titles of the junior members of the noble
house, for we find among his sons or sons-in-law
one having the dignity of the Marquis of Alert,
which is only u synonyme for the expression
"look sharp His Grace, Monseigneur lie Due
de Limonade-as the Court chronicler desig-
mates him-has magnificent villa in the suburbs
of Port-au-Prince, and it was the house warm
ing, or baptism, as ii is termed of this pleasure
house that was the occasion of the splendid
fete which we to-day immortalize.
The description of the villa and pleasure
grounds is in imitation of the style of the French
novelists, and does credit to the genius of the
Court journalist. Their Majestes the Emperor
and Empress not only honored the festivities
with their presence, but actually stood sponsors
for the house when it was baptized and blessed
by the good Able Subrine. Their Majesties
were attended by the imperial princesses pair
of marchionesses, the Ministers, the Grand
Chancellor of the Empire, the Grand
Master of Ceremonies, the Governor of
the capital, generals and aides innumerable,
a squadron of the Imperial Guard and detach-
mcnt Of the Foot Guard. The famous junket-
ings Of good Queen Bess at Kenilworth Castle
were hardly more right royal than those Of
Faustin Solouque, at the villa de Marquissant.
The Due de Limonade appears to have acted the
part of host magnifcently, assisted as he was by
his cons, the Barons of Ulysses and Excellent,
and the members Of the Alert family.
After the banquet, which was al yfresco, their
Majesties repaired, as we are told, to the saloon,
where a large company was assembled, and
where they spent the morning in agreeable pas
times 1t is o great pity that the chronicler
was not more explicit a. to the amusemcnts
with which the time was beguiled for the sports
Of royalty arc always of interest.
We think that this description of q royal
merrymaking in Hayti ought to go very far
towards establishing the claim Of Solouque to
be regarded as the peer and co-equal of bis
royal brothers Of the European continent The
whole thing was capital imitation, not to say
burlesque. of the regal pomps and pageantries
of the Old World, and shows Solouque to be
what our friends in the South would call him,
"a right smart niger"