Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-26
DENIORALIZED HAYTI.
Land of CannibAlism and BaFbarous
N0OdOo Morship.
New YORK. letter to Cincinaati Enquirer.

V0OdOo Worship.
Neg York Letter to Cincinnati Enquirer.
met Sir Spenser St. John recently at
the Brunswick. He has been the repre-
sentative of the British government in
Mexico. and was Her Msiesty's Minister
to Hayl for twelve years. He is typi-
cal Englishman, dignifed, courtly aud in
possession OF such sublime self-respect
that he feels Inclined to lift his hat when
ever he hears his own name mentioned.
Sir Spenser st. John is an authority on the
history of Hayti, and can give a vast deal
OF fresh and lively Information about the
Black Republic. BE says that the blacks
still eat human flesh at times, and that
they continue to make human sacrifices.
The Haytians deny these deplOrable facts
and are sensible OF the stigma cast upon
the country by the practice OF such dis
gushing crimes. Sir Spenser St. John has
evidence of the practice of cannibalism in
Hayti from the records of the courts and
from the lips Of credible witnesses. In 1879
a female midwife near POrt-auPrince ate
a female baby, and a short time age eight
people were fined for disinterring and
devOuring corpses. About the same time
a cash Of meat marked pork was sold to
foreign ship. In it were found fingers,
tinger-nails and human flesh.
the Haytians are hopeless people, and
the best educated among them are dis
posed to despair of their cOuntry's future
when they see the wreck that follows
each war of barbArlsm. The people seem
to have little or no moral nature. The
native merchant is absolutely devoid of
financial honor, and my informant de-
! clared that it was sheer recklessness on
the part OF insurance companies TO take
| nj In han dor a. r.Alx
gamy is generelly and openly practsed,
and on Fridays one is sure to see black
men mounted on mules going down to
| market, followed by great numbers of
wives bearing burdens.
During Sir Sponsors long residence in
Hayti he saw but one handsome negress.
And he observed that ore Of the negroes
curious traits is a shy dislike OF the mou-
| key. The Haytian dislikes the monkey
because he fancles that the whites think
there is no great difference between a
hOmely negro and handsome gorilla.
The lower classes in Hayti are lewd.
Confluence Is not deemed a virtue; the
stories OF intrigues are related by mothers
| in the presence of young daughters, and
all the crude details are laid before
the children. No effort is made to keep
the girls chaste. i asked the cause Of this
| incontinence.
/ the warm blood of the negroes" said my
informant, "but to their want Of amuse-
ment aud occupation"
''Does VoodoOism prevail in Hayti
now ~ was asked.
Eyes, and few living out of the Re-
public know the extent TO which il is car
ried on. The natives strive to conceal it.
It is low and revolving worship. The
Great Spirits supposed to be manifest in
non-venomous serpent. The serpent is
kept by the priest, and human and other
sacrifices are made to it. The religion
! has had and still has a most wonderful
grasp on the people. IL was imported
| from Africa. The Emperor SOuloque was
a firm believer in ii and caused child to
| be sacrificed to insure his success in bat
| tie. The human sacrifices are made al
| their periodical feasts, which are wild and
| lOathsome revels. The people drink at
such times white rum mixed with blood
and are wrought up to an intense degree
of excitement and then are ordered to
give themselves over TO excuses. knew
OF a man who sacrificed his own niece ami
ate soup made from her head and bones,
which were boiled with vans. The whole
company partoOk OF the horrid broth. The
next night they tried to sacrifice anOth
| child, but were prevented and eight Of the
worshippers of VoOdOo | saw tried and
shot for the crime"
Sir Spenser st. John is of the opinion
that Hayti is an excellent field for mis-
sionary work. The condition of things
there is about as bad as it can be. The
! fact that the true state of affairs is not
widely known is owing, nv informant
says, to the practice of the government
employing professional writers TO spread
rOse-colored accounts of civilization and
progress In Hayti.