New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-03-16
tspeeia, Correspondence o. the Grescenel
LETTER FR0aE AfASTINIQUE
y s9-84g s------s7
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.
af.er,MIouE. January so, 1865.

M4RTIN1cuE January 80, 1865.
4 The newspapers of the United States not appear,
ling to be wen informed concerning the recent feVo
lution ii Cane Haytien 4 wish, as an independent
4 ana impsrtial man to lay before you the facts in
4 regard to the same
MI president. GefHrard, during the first year of
bis administration, strictly adhered to the Const
i t1tion If the Republic. Two years afterwards,
4 tls greed Of gain and tyranny influenced him so
uch DIS to create the several revolutions that have
distracted our unfortunate Countrywide revolution
/ of /. Gonaiyes, = g Les Cayes,n tthe principal
leader in which was Capt, Lonquefosse, " Port au
Prince and e Jeremie.
The principal towns of the Republic of Hayti
have revolted for what Because Of the extrava.
gance and waste Of President Geffrard, who has
spent large sums Of public money in buying the
members Of the Chambers to become his tools and
carry out his ambitious desires. These are the
true wrongs Of the Republic and those which in
fuenced the late revolution at Cape Hayden.
{ The day must come when President Gefrard will
have to render account for his acts, and demon
sfrate whether he takes this republic to be merely
an appendage to his family, or commercial house
of which he is the supreme partner. The reyolu-
ton at the Cape has been very popular here, all
biCs SICK
ton Of Geftrard II 90. The revolutonists wanted
L The abolition Of the military system.
2. That astrict account should be rendered to
the people Of the use Of the public funds-as to
whether expended for their benefit Of his own. 4
President Geffrard has always avoided this deli
cate point, and appropriated our funds to his i'm
mediate family and adherents.
s. That the Chambers should make publicly
known the quantity of paper money in circulation,
and Of which the people are entirely ignorant.
4 Geffrard, as / before stated, commenced well,
hut he did not so continue. He withdrew Sou
louque's paper money from circulation, but he has
never thought fit to let the public know the guam
ty he has issued in It's place although there still
exists at Port au Prince a public treasury and
court of accounts. VI s mi y
n The reYolutionists charge Gerhard with thus
having imperled both public and private credit.
Considering that the duties on exports and imports
are fifty per cent, and that he has, in addition,
vast sums Of paper money manufactured in Biz
mingham, England, the question is, what becomes
Of it The answer is plain. 1t is wasted and frit-
tered away among the crowd Of parasites de-
nominated admirals, generals, senator's, etc.
Compared to Gefrard's Seulouques was a good
administration. Notwithstanding that the revenue
of the island during his seven years adminstra-
ton. has amounted to 500 900 900 francs, we look
in vain for any ameHoraton Of the condition Of the
people. it were not for this gross extravaganza
France could have been paid her debt in two
years instead Of which the government has ceded
to her the line Of coasting commerce that ought to
have been retained for the benefit of the republic
These and many other abuses Of power have all
tended to produce tile successive revolutions
So barefaeed is this traffic in paper money that
assignats costing only % francs in Europe are
put in circulation here at 500 francs. 1t is es-
tinated that enough nominal money is here to
buy one.fifth of the world, and that such state
offnancal affairs cannot be otherwise than fatal to
Haytie.
The republic is 50 poor as to be unable to main
tain street in passable condition in its capital
nor q hospital, nor public edi6ce. nor fountain
capable Of resisting the numerous fires that SO
frequently create 50 much public misery. The
only and single good thing in the capital is the
public lamps Still money is appropriated, but
goes direct into the pockets of the officials.
The press here is either intimidated or bribed, |
Ind does not give fair statement of the condition
If things and therefore, address you in defense
i the people,
The South of Africa.