Litchfield enquirer., 1879-07-31
The Conard Claim.

The Conard claim, allowed by Congress just before it's adjournment is an interesting story.
 In. Hayt in 1868, after the instruction which resulted in the fall of Salnave had be- gun, he started system of persecution and terrorism against his political enemies in and near Port au Prince. Confscations of proper ty, arbitrary assets, and murders under the guise of military executions, drove crowds of the suspected to the refuge offered by the United States Consulate in that city, then oc- cupied by Consul Henry Conard. Here, for period of four months, an average of twenty five of these refugees were daily lodged, fed and protected by Consul Conard and his wife, the lady who presented the above mentioned claim. It was frightful task The suffer- ing, alarm, destitution and sickness of these poor wretches made the Care of them matter of harrassing anxiety as well as of heavy ex- pense. His furniture was defaced and ruined to the amount of some two thousand dollars Mrs. Conrad's health was seriously impaired, and the expense of maintenance and medical attendance cost the consul very heavily in money. t..s.#
 Consul Conard has since died, leaving his wid- ow, Mrs. Adela Conard, in destitute circum- stances and it was for her relief that Congress was petitioned, and the sum of $7,OOO finally appropriated.
 A question of public policy of considerable importance was involved in this claim. After MT. Holllster, then Minister at Hayti, found that refugees were flocking in inconvenient numbers to the consular house for protection and relief, he wrote on the Sth of May, 1868, to MT. Wm. H. Seward, then Secretary of State. to know whether it was his duty to re- ceive and maintain them He thought the practice of flying to foreign consuls for protec- ton did more mischief than it did good, offer | ing premium for factious disturbances and a bid for sedition. MT. Seward replied in let. ter from which we make the following ex- | tracts:
 | You request an instruction on the sub feet of 1 the continuance of the exercise of the right of asylum by the legation. The question is at- | tended with much embarrassment. The right of foreign legation to afford an asylum to l political refugees is not recognized by the law of nations as applicable to civilized or consti- tutionally organized states. It is 8 practice, however, which is from the necessity of the case, exercised to a greater or less extent by every civilized state in regard to barbarous or l semi barbarous countries. .s.. l =. < l Thus we are prepared to accept the opinion you have deliberately expressed, that it is no longer expedient to practice the right of asy- lum in the Haytien Republic. Nevertheless 1 we should not be willing to relinqtlish the right abruptly, and in the midst of the anarchy which seems to be now prevailing in Hayti, in the absence of matured convictions on your | part.
 About the last of June, Minister Hollister succeeded in obtaining permission from Sal nave for the safe departure of the women and children who had been crowdlng into the Con. sulate, and for sending the men he thought culpable, by merchant ship, to New York. At that time, says Mir. Hollister, "We had about one hundred and fifty persons in the house, who fed at our table, and slept not on. ly in the rooms, halls, galleries, and kitchen, but in the back yard" In reply to his letter announcing the arrangement to the Depart ment at Washington, Mir. Seward replies:
 see no reason to censure or disapproye of your proceedings mentioned, by which you obtained relief from the excessive incumbrance of refugees. The proceeding is in harmony with the instructions you have received from this department and with the settled policy of the United States The practice of openine asylum in consular offices to political refugees 1 is exceptional. It is adopted only in inter course with states imperfectly constituted and established, and it rests for it's vindication not upon principles of international law. bui only upon laudable sentiments of humanity. Relief having been afforded these refugees