Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-02-04
HAYT1 AND ITS DEposED EMPEROR.

ness, Faustin Soulouque, the black Republican
Emperor of Hayti, who for the past seven
years has held imperial sway over what was
the Haytien Republic, has been compelled
to abdicate, and that he is probably, ere this,
on his way to some foreign cline, there to seek
the safety and repose which the civil dissen-
sions in the land of lis birth forbid him longer.
to enjoy
Soulouque, who is of pure African descent,
is at the present time about sixty years of
age. He was born slave upon the Island,
on the property of Mr.. Wallet, who gave him
his liberty, and, at the period of the evacuation
of the Island by the French, he entered the
army under General Dessalines. From step to
step, he rapidly rose to the rank of Colonel,
and he held that rank in the army at the fall
of President Boyer. From his remarkable
taciturnity-a quality which, among whites, as
well as blacks, is considered a certain indca-
ton of superior wisdom and dscretion-he was
admitted into all the secrets of the various po-
htical conspiracies which followed each other
in such rapid succession, from 1843 to 1847.
Having during this time, been elevated to the
rank of General under Kicker, he owed his
election as Emperor solely to his possession of
that remarkable faculty of preserving an
owl-like gravity, and keeping his tongue, upon
all occasions, resolutely shut up, and guarded
between his double rows of purest ivory-a
physical characteristic which he possessed in
common with the most of his countrymen.
AT the very moment that there was division
in the Senate, between the friends of two rival
candidates, neither of whom seemed likely to
obtain majority, Soulouque's name was acct
dentally mentioned in connection with the of
flee, as the compromise candidate, and he was
forthwith elected by the votes of both parties.
The blacks voted for him on account of the
intensely ebony hue of his skin and the mu-
lattoes, because they thought they had no rea-
son to fear the ambition of one who had, till
then, been unknown and whose opinions upon
any subject no man understood. But the lat.
ter were not long in discovering that So
louque, if he was not a great talker, was new
ertheless a very deep thinker, and that he had
will of his own, which could not be easily
turned aside from any object which he chose
to pursue. Hence, eventuated the san
culinary events of April, 1848. Soulouque tri-
umphed, in consequence of the display of that
terrible energy Of character, which seems even
not yet to have deserted him, if we may credit
the statement, brought to this country by re-
cent arrivals, that he threatened to shoot the
prrtner of his bosom, for barely suggesting to
him the propriety of his abdication. Perfdi-
GUS councillors drove him into course Of ven
geance, having for its object the total extermi-
nation of the whole colored race, embracing
one-ffth of the population of the whole island,
and the most sanguinary deeds were commit
ted under his direction Solouque was, after
this outbreak, principally occupied in recon
quering the Dominican Republic, when he was
proclaimed Emperor in April. 1852.
The constitution was Immediately put into
harmony with the new order of things. Such
as it is, at present, it guarantees the essential
rights of the citizens, and leaves, in appear
ance, little latitude for arbitrary proceedings;
but, in reality, it is based upon the code civil
of France, and Faustin l. has exercised as DIES.
potic rule over his subjects as Napoleon the
little.
The ordinary revenues of the Government
are rising million of dollars, and salaries are
paid accordingly. The Emperor has been al
lowed the annual stipend of fifteen thousand
dollars from the public treasury, and the EN-
press has had an annual allowance of about five
thousand more for her private purse. The
three Ministers of State have been paid six hun
dred dollars year, and the soldiers ofthe army,
which has consisted of an effective force of 40
900 men, have been paid only sixty cents per
month. All religions have been tolerated but
SO little attention has been paid to religious
matters, that not above fifty clergymen of all
denominations could be enumerated at one
time since Solouque has held the reins of gov
eminent.
Like all men of the African race, the EN-
peror's initiative faculties are largely develop
ed, and the etiquette of his palace seems to
have been copied entirely from French models.
Louis XIV, in the midst of the splendors of
his court, did not imagine as many honorary
changes as this black Emperor, who was born
a slave, and spent a good portion of his
life in that servile condition. Among his
household there have figured grand almoner,
grand master of the pantry, grand marshal
of the palace, quartermaster, gentlemen of
honor, governors of the royal palaces and cas-
ties, pages, masters of ceremonies, Librarians,
heralds-at-arms, ct cetera.
The sable Empress, Adelina, has also had
her royal retinue which is composed of grand
almoner, two ladies of honor, two tire-women,
fifty-six ladies of the palace, twenty-five ladies'
of the chapel (all duchesses countesses, bar
onesses, ladies of knights, or marchionesses) /,
chamberlains, grooms, &c. The Imperial
Princess, Madame Olivia, possesses also an
equally brilliant household, the expenses of all
which have come from the dear people, whom
Faustin has ruled with an iron rod, perhaps
quite long enough.
And now all these things are to be changed.
A civil revolution shifts the scenes and the
royal family, nobility, and gentry, must, by
the capricious turn of sportive Fortune
wheel, descend to the level of ordinary NOR
tails. The mass Of mankind will agree that il
is proper that they should, and little commits.
GRAFTON or pity will be excited for their fate,
while, upon the ruins of the Empire, under
the guidance of all the lights which this age
OF intelligence can furnish, better govern.
ment will be established, which shall more tru.
ly recognize the democratic principles of a true
republic, than any which have preceded II
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