The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-04-13
IlAITI.
A Turbulent ISLAND WHERE
ANARCHY REIGNS SUPREME.
The Contest Between Lecitfme and
HiDpolyte for the Presidency of
the Black Ecpublic-TheH Hay
tien Republic Episode

Santo Domingo is one of the flares
anG most fruitful islands of the ocean
Its soil is rich aud lis climate lovely
Coffee, bananas, oranges and many othel
fruits grow easily there, and the island
has several fine harbors.
But the western end of the island
which comprises the Haytian Republic,
is cursed by almost perpetual anarchy.
produced by revolutions. The Republic.
indeed, is only a nominal one. The
President, for the time being, is really a
dictator, and the presidential Office has
long been almost constantly disputed by
ambitious rivals, ready to attain their
end, if need be, by civil war.
One of these frequent revolutions
broke out several months ago, and has
barely closed at the present time. Gen.
eral Solomon has held the presidency
the term of which is seven years-since
1879. He was reelected in 1886. But
three ambitious men wished to become
President, and for this object did not
hesitate to stir Up Instruction.
President Solomon was deposed by
revolutionary committee, and was
forced to fly for his life He sought
shelter on a British vessel, went to
Paris and soon after died there.
Hayti was now in confusion, governed
by e revolutionary committee, which
appointed q provisional executive body
composed of seven men. Among these
were Generals Iegitime, Thelemaque
and Hippolyte, all of whom aimed at
the presidency. After a struggle,
Thelemaque was declared to have re-
ceiyed the electoral vote, and installed
himself as President in Port Prince,
the capital.
His rival, Legitime, did not submit,
however, but bombarded Thelemaoue's
house, and killed him and many of his
guard. Legitime then assumed the
presidency, which he has held by force
ever since, and has recently declared |
himself unanimously" elected by the
electoral college.
But Legitime's claim is holly disputed,
especially by the supporters of Hippo
lyte, the third aspirant, who are mo
in the northern part of the island. The
civil war seems, for time at least, to
have ended in the establishment of
Legitime's power, but it may break out
again at any moment
Meanwhile public attentionin the nited
States has been especially directed to the
Haytian disturbances by the seizure of
an American steamer, the Haytien Re-
public, at the port of St. Marc, two or
three months ago. The vessel was
charged with having run the blockade;
she was seized. taken to Port. au- Prince,
and condemned as a prize of war
The steamship had, in fact, taken on
board at one of the ports Hayti, body
Of men who carried arms, and had landed
the men at another port whittier they I
went TO engage in the instruction. This .
ict raised a question of international
law. For, on the one hand the Captain
'f the Haytien Republic asserted that he
did not know that his passengers were,
'r intended to be, insurgents; and on the
'ther hand there was no real blockade of
ny Haytian port. In international law j
paper" biockades-that is, blockades !"
which are only declared, and not en-
orced, are not recognized. (
The United States Government pro- !
eeded to take action in the matter. A
quadron of three American war-vessels, +
he Richmond, Yantic and Galena was :
espatched to ITayti. That this naval !,
orce was sufficient is apparent from the n
let that the Haytian navy consists only "
gun vessel of nine hundred tons, q U
e'sel OF eight hundred horse power, a y
'rvette, and two small sloops. -
Inc seized steamer was promptly de-
'ered up to the American men of war,
their arrival, by the Haytian authori-
Is; for they had no means to resist our
avail demonstration.
1t is probable that, had any large Eu, aaf
'pean power occupied the same posi- Gu
On toward Hayti that this country does,
me excuse would he made for extend DR.,
ga 'protectorate" over the Republic, ~
IN a view to its permanent possession; m
10 1t may be, even now, that we shall sol sol
ar OF an attempt on the part of France .ns