Daily national Democrat., 1859-03-24
The ex-Emperor SouIonue.


The Jamaica Standard gives the following
account of the abduction of Soulouue. O3
the 10th of January, he entered Port. .au.
Prince having had several partial engage.
ments with the forces under G. neral G Geffrard
in all Of which he had been worsted, in con.
sequence of the desertion of his troops To the
side of the insurgents. lie Immediately com.
menced barricading the city, and throwing
up earth.works on commanding points. Up.
on the following day, when the alarm guns
announced the approach of the insurgents.
the city was thrown into great confusion and
excitement, principally by the prevalence OF
a report that the Emperor, to save himself
meant to make the struggle an affair of caste
to destroy the whole mulatto population OF
the city, which is consderable-the mulatto:
in Hayti being found almost excessively in the
cities-and, to aid him in that operation, tc
call in the negro peasantry of the adjoining
mountains
General Geffrard instead of attacking the
city at once, lay outside for four four DAYS.
his force constantly increasing by dcsertions
from the Emperor. All things being at length
ready, and probably arrangements made with
those inside, early on the morning of the
18th he burst into the city, gained possession
OF the forts, and. apparently without the
least resistance, surrounded the Emperor's
house The Emperor Immediately sent to ask
the protection of General Gellrard to enable
him to take shelter at the French Consulate.
which was granted, the Emperor, with his
family, being escorted thither by three hun
dred of his guard, who still remained faithful
but who, after rendering him this lust ser.
vice Immediately disbanded His principal
ministers also succeeded in reaching the same
shelter, after which the Emperor's act of ab.
dication was Immediately drawn up, signed,
and proclaimed throughout the city by sound
OF trumpet. The Consulate was soon sur
rounded by the infuriated mob, when Gen
eral Geffrard, being appealed to by the Con
sui, issued an order for Soulouques immedi
ate departure, promising him also an escort
to the wharf
About the time of Soulouques retreat to
Port au Prince, the Foreign Consuls had sent
out vessel to hunt up ship of war for the
protection of the European Interests in this
city. This vessel Glanced to fall in with the
transport Melbourne, bound from Jamaica to
England, with some 400 or 500 soldiers on
board. The Captain, hearing what was 90.
ing on, changed his course, put into Port au
Prince, and was lying there at the time of
Soulouques abdication. lie agreed to receive
the deposed Emperor on board, and that same
afternoon Soulouque left the French Consu.
late, supported on one side by the French
Charge, on the other by the Captain of the
Melbourne, and closely followed by his family
surrounded by the European Consuls and the
officers of the English vessel After passing
through dense and mcnacing crowd. he
succeeded in getting on board the Melbourne
but it was five days before his ministers were
able TO effect their escape and then only in
disguise; the French Consulate, in which
they remained, being all the time surrounded
by a threatening crowd The Melbourne
then sailed for Kingston, where the exiles
were landed. The personal appearance of
Soulouque seems to have produced favorable
impression not merely OH the negro popula.
tion of Kingston, but on the whites also.
The Standard describes him "as a very fine
looking sable gentleman" rather corpulcnt,
handsomely dressed, apparently in GOOD
health, and resembling in figure and carriage
a late Governor of Jamaica. Among his
suit was Potion, gran lson of that Potion who
acted in former times Il distinguished part in
the country, having been Boyer's predecessor
in the Presidency.
Soulouque is reported 70 have provided
against a rainy day by investing largely in
the English funds. Probably his wealth is Il
good deal exaggerated, but the reputation of
II /: for some purposes as good as the reality
Whatever may have been the faults of Soul
ouque's Adm nistration, it is undeuiable that
he left llayti in a much more prosperoua con
ditlon than he found it, thungh this, doubt
less was principally owing to the increased
prices of the coffee and tobacco which form
the principal staple of the i>nud