Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-08-26
HAYTI RE-vIsITED.-No. Q.
dence of the worcester Spy.

Old town, not growing, indeed, or opulent, Dut
rather prosperous than otherwise in its sta
tionary condition. There are no solid looking
buildings in it, and there are few other evil
dences of great wealth but there is a general
appearance of business activity not very usual
in tropical countries where Almighty Dollar
is not the recognized Deity. Don't imagine,
though, that the people have got legs that EN-
ulate locomotives for nothing runs in Hayti
but the streams in the rainy season, and moth
ing goes fast but the travellers money.
People take things leisurely they've all eter
nifty to work in, and are not niggardly with
poor time.
ABOUT DRESSES.
The poorer class dress plainly rather SLOW
emily, perhaps,-but are clearly in their habits
both kinds of habits-while the wealthiest
portion of the people are attired with great
taste and it'll most scrupulous regard to tidi-
ness in appearance, and the virtue which is
next to goodness. The ladies have no bon.
nets, but wear, instead, the chaste and beauti-
full turban-the most charming head dress that
woman ever wore. A colored handkerchief is
not particularly handsome when bound round
the head, and this is the covering of the
poorer class-but it is prettier than any of the
tiirty French bonnets, while the snow-white
turbans of the Weather class, trimmed with
white Grape and coquettishly arranged, are be-
You'd comparison more comely than the fop-
peries of Paris, which our ladies delight to-
catch colds i'll.
Their poorer class are negligent in their
dresses. They are often baretooted or stock
ingless; or, ii they wear slippers, they are
down at the heels. AS for having all the neck
as low as the bosom uncovered, or making
manifest to the eye of the passer-by that they
don't wear Palmers patent-that of course is
thought nothing of. What in Worcester would
be called indecent exposure of the person is
seen everywhere here Ideas and climate
have a good deal to do with the modesty of APP
parel. The New England farmer who does
not blush to be seen by ladies with his sleeves
rolled up, the New England housekeeper who
is not ashamed to have her arms uncovered
are no more open to the charge of lndecency
than the Haytien who wears the usual low
necked dresses, and walks over the muddy
roads with her knees barely visible. They
have no immodest ideas connected with the
habit AT the streams in the country places,
on washing days, it does seem to be carrying
the lownecked fashion as far as will go, when
one sees their solitary garment begin at the
waist; and equally, admit, did it appear to be
going to extremes, when two yards of cotton
print, wrapped around the loins, was the
unique and inexpensive covering for the body
But this is seen only in the interior, and then
only on washing days AT all other times and
places they are modestly clad.
HAYTIAN REVENUES AND FINANCES.
The great article of export is coffee and on
it the government of Soulouque imposed a Gin
quiene duty of one-fifth That is to say to
compelled to "bbFEffd L pounds, the merchant was
one hundred and twenty-five, and 70 gi neo fhe
extra twenty-five pounds to the government.
The present government has abolished the
practice of pay ment but not the duty which
is now paid either in drafts on France or
specie-with the option of paying one-fourth
of the amount in the deprecated currency of
the country, which is being destroyed This
duty alone gives an annual revenue of $780,
600, while the import duties amount to at least
| $1,250000.
What we call municipal institutions do not
exist i'll Hayh The government in Port-au-
Prince, directly or by agents, taxes, and gov
erns everything. Every trade, profession,
store, and all real estate, also, believe is tax.
ed What the revenue is from these sources
do not know and can't find out Statistics
are unknown here 1t would take two or three
years of constant labor and liberal expendi-
ture Of money to gather statistics of the repub-
lie and its resources.
The national debt is nearly $40, OO0, OOO
which is chiefly due to the government of
France as an indemnity for its losses of her
colonists during the wars of the Revolution
1t was contracted by a red-tape statesman,
much admired by mulatoes Of this island-the
President Boyer, who yielded to the demands
which the Black King Christophe, with de-
6ance and contempt, and insulting words re-
jected. The Haytens have always paid every
instalment promptly--as, also, the interest of
loan advanced by the celebrated French
capitalist, Lafitte. The annual instalment
and the interest on the indemnity and loan.
amount to 100000 francs,-about 100000.
1t will be paid off ere long, unless the Presi-
dent has a spirit to refuse to recognize it,
Never in all history, was there so clear, SO
just, so honorable case for reputation as in
this affair of the indemnity. 1t was wrested
from an imbecile, with ships of war in the
harbor, and under threats of bombardment
and is utterly unjust and at variance with the
laws of nations. just imagine the United
States paying an indemnity to the British to-
ries for their losses in the war of the Reyolu-
ton The case was worse in this affair for,
both as unpaid slaves and as successful war.
riors, the blacks had won the country by
double title
The amount of paper money in circulation
is unknown. Soulouque and his ministers
made secret issues. Before Soulououe ascend.
ed the throne, the paper money was worth
five IN ona Ave Uovt;an doIlors |or ono e.,
ish piastre When he left il was. MS now
at from fifteen to eighteen to one. The nres'
ent Minister of Finance confesses that he il
ignorant of the amount in Circulation, II is
probable that. in order to ascertain the domes.
tic debt of the Republic. the present issue viii
be recalled and new one substituted The
nrasont M;n;s,ou =; Ill o.. H. ;s "e