Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-07

grandchildren, we're by decree perpet-
ually banished from Hayti; as were
also his principal ministers. Others OF
his supporters had ten years Of exile
served out to them. Gen. Salnave was then
chosen President for term Of four years
Fand n new Constitution was adopted,
which resembles in many respects our
own national charter. In parts il is de-
cidedly at variance with the doctrine Of
universal suffrage, and OF free speech,
which the freedmen Of the South and
their Radical friends insist upon as the
inalienable rights Of human beipgs-that
is Of black human beings; the Southern
whites being entitled TO those rights only
on certain conditions. For example, un.
der the Hayti Constitution, only those
male citizens can vote who are landed
proprietors, or have been engaged in the
cultivation Of farm for not less than five
years, or exercise n profession, or ars in
The public service, or follow some indus
trial pursuit This is not universal suf-
frage, but genuine improvement on il
and the Haytiens so far exhibited good
sense. Another clause ofthe Constitution
prohibits the assembling Of people in
public places without leave from the
police authorities. This smacks Of des.
potism, and is a confession that the Hay
items distrusted their power to govern
themselves. Their premonitions we're
correct After few months of nisrule
Salnave made himself as generally hated
as either Soulouque or Jeffrard had been.
Toward the close Of 1867 revolution
broke out, which has lasted with varying
fortune up to the present time, when it
appears 10 be on the eve of triumph, If
that can be called triumph which con-
sists in deposing one tyrant In order to
put another in his place, who in turn will
soon be dragged down and killed or
kicked out Of the country.
We wish to judge Hayti justly. II is
not because she is cursed with civil war
that we pronounce the black republic a
failure, and disgrace to civilization.
We have had our own civil war, lasting
longer than that of Hayti, and marked
by many occurrences which both sides
would be glad to have blotted from his
tory. But still it was a war, prosecuted |
in the main, according to the usages of |
civilized nations, and considering the |
vast number of troops engaged, and the |
extent of territory traversed, was as free |
from horrible excesses as any other war |
of the same magnitude on record. The /
Haytien conflict is no war, such as white
men wage with each other. tits only muir
der and pillsge on large scale. Salnave
is said to have given his soldiers permits
sion to kill and rob at pleasure. The
...o.>, sc tbo annos,f,ou do tho ooua
thing, with or without orders. Prisoners
in civil life are shot without trial. Wo-
men are violated, houses are burned,
. provisions are wantonly destroyed by
the infuriated soldiery. Salnave and
the rebel leaders alike live upon the
country. Merchants who are not de-
spoiled of their goods, under pretense
that they are enemies, are just as truly
wropged by being obliged to accept
worthless Government shinplasters or re-
ceipts. Salnave keeps two printing
presses at work, turning out money
for him at the rate of 100000
day, and when he condescends
to pay at all, puts off his victims with
such trash as that. We do not hear
whether Generalissmo John Lynch, the
head man on the other side, keeps his
printing presses too, or despising all
fiimsy pretenses Of payment, takes what
ever he can clutch. General Lynch, by
the way, is very strong in his protesta-
lions against selling Hayden territory to
the United States. So is one General
Hector, his trusted Lieutenant. A telling
point which they make in proclamations
against Salnave is that he wants to
sell slice of Hsyti to this Govern
ment, and pocket the purchase
money. tits q little curious that at this
particular time, when all the American
slaves are freed and clothed with suffrage,
the negroes of Hayti should be bitterly
hostile to becoming annexed to the Q nited
States, or parting with an inch of their
land to us. Is this an evidence Of the
distrust or want of fellow feeling which
exists between negroes Of different re-
gions, a of the disgust which the Hay
items feel after their wretched experience,
for anything bearing the name Of re-
public.
Every government, big or little, has its
The black Government of
Hayti seems to answer the end of its ex-
sence by warning this republic of the
Danger of extending the privilege of the
ballot to great masses Of the blacks
without reference to any preliminary
qualifications whatever. = Charleston
Courier.