The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-10
N INTERVIEW WITH LEGITlME
A Description of the Haytian Prasi-
u dent's Personal Appearance.

MI co1Iovving is an extract from a letter
--,.;t+on at Port au Prince to the New York
c,n Before his inauguration as president
=, Dec Is, Legitime, who then merely
aa,5ad himself TIE Chief Of Executive
power. - was very careful not TO oHena the
1o"iLilities of the Haytians by occupying
,,stional palace He lived instead i'll
t tLlo orivate villa in Port au Prince. Since
10 10 !nanguration Legitime, his wife and his
cbildren have all moved into the palace,
sA +be Tegitime now holds his court.
~ nalace is brick and wooden
t,IiIding. erected by Solomon. 1t is great
sonsre affair, with projecting corners and
oqiaIes with a variety of kinds Of roof and
551r',,itirude of all sorts of porches d
o.orondgs 1t stands in the middle OF a
ho.ntifuI garden Of tropical plants and
go and flowers, which covers many acres,
nd is surrounded by high iron fence or
GO ton of a wall The main entrance to
+ba nalace is on the western side. AT the
re+e of the court yard the san reporter
srosented himself at 9:30 o'clock yesterday
1norning. A score of soldiers at the guard
hnmse inside the gate looked lazily at the re-
norter but offered no opposition to his pas
ssaga though if the reporter had been q
TIevtian and unrecogniZed he would have
hoe, halted with a bayonet at his breast.
I,eritine keeps body guard Of 700 picked
toIdiers around him constantly, and
;s in fear of assassination sli tho while. At
the main door Of the palace there was
snother guard Of soldiers and several
Generals The reporter passed in upon
vide porticO, the projecting roof OF which
was supported by big wooden pillars The
srsce here formed sort of outer ante
room in which were gathered, besides
soldiers and generals, forty or fifty persons,
who wanted TO $50 the President on all sorts
of business-prieSts, lawyers, editors,
women who sought to make intsrcession for
their imprisoned husbands or fathers,
politicians who had important information
AVID eager to discuss state subjects and who
had big rolls of manuscripts sticking out of
thei7. breast pockets The verenda opened
bv q vide door into hall. The hall was
filled with wooden staging, and on boards
rlnniDg from one high staging to another
men we're engaged in paPering the walls of
the room.
The reporter gave his card to 8. general,
who handed it to another general, who dis
aDpeared and soon afterward returned,
asking the reporter to follow. He led the
way 10 a little nigh-wailed room fitted with
one or two antique French writing desks of
q very ministerial aspect. Here the re-
porter was introduced to q grave, stately
eentleman ia black, who bowed hsughtilv
I'd went up stairs with the reportar's card
to President Lagii me. Pretty soon an
other mau came down sta rs. He wore
black pantaloons and n wide jacket with
lagge epaulets. The Sun man followed
him up q winding oaken staircase past
two sentries with half-eocked rifles,
into the antechamber of President Legi-
times private Office The antechamber is a
room about 20 feet long by about 10 wide
It is uncarpetod. of course. The walls are
adorned with old French paper. Around
the sides of the room are chairs and sofas
In gilt aud red plush, and at one end Of the
room IS g fine plate-glass mirror. Down
the center of the room are two marble
topped tables on polished mahogany sup
ports. Around the room were seated aboat
thirty generals in full uniform They were
talking with each other eXcltedly in whis-
pers. Occasionally the man with the black
pantaloons and white jacket would
tiptoe into the Presidents Office
and return, reckoning inside one
Of the generals Suddenly there
was Gathering on the stairs and big Hav-
tian rushed into the ante-cnamber. He was
dressed in heavy gray cloth, but he wore
spurs and a military hat. His pantaloons
were spattered with mud, aud in one hand
he had big blue envelope. A cavalry
sabre hung at his side. He was evidently a
courier from some point with dispatches.
He went into the presidents office, but in a
few minutes reappeared and clattered down
stairs again. Soon afterward President
Legitime came out of his Office. He adj
v&nced to meet the reporter, shook hands
with him very cordially, and asked him to
sit down in ono of the gilt and red plush
chairs by one of the handicapped tables.
The president of Hayti is as black as the
ace of spades. He is a tall, finely-formed
man, about As years old. His face Is COW
cred with heavy black beard and mus
tache. His manners are those of refined
and courteous gentleman. He was not
dressed in military uniform at the inter
view, but wore u very loose and ill-flting
suit OF black broadcloth. His whole bear
lns WIS easy and distinguished. He began
the conversation himself.
J am happy to meet a representative Of
New YORK JOURNAL" he eaid. Il have
nevsr been in the United States, but know
OF us wealth and power AID its great ex-
tent tf territory, its marvellous resources,
and o. the Intelligence and grand and free
Institutions OF its people. am glad to see
you because Of the opportunity it gives me
TO directly express to the commercial inter
ests of the United States what know to be
the truth, and that they will find great profit
u dealing with Hayti. They will find great
profit and, though our affairs are a little bit
usCu he'd at present, there never has been a
ume When foreign commercial interests did
not lind security. Hayti is the finest island
most productive. IL is my hope to bring
peace TO this country, to develop its re-
sources, so long unused and shamefully
neglected; to extend our trade with foreign
nations, to bette" our finances, to make
hayu prosperous and happy. l believe
WI, can be done. Ii is only with the hope
Vi DOING this that l consented to take the
presidency, an office for which in itself
nave no amblti MS, and which brings with
cares and trials and dangers. | am aware
OF al That which Hayti has to contend with.
out am firmly of the opinion that there is
great future possible fer her. and part of
'nl IL, at least is my aim to realize"
ne president spoke with great solemnity
no1 10 say pathos, and that he meant every
"ord ne SAID no III n can doubt After a
pause he continued:
n. me north opposes me for two reasons
d rLst' they claim that have not been duly
siecteo and, second, they say that | assas-
oanAtea Zen. Thelemaque and that they
nuSt nave revenge. AS to their claim l
ean safely say that have a majority of all
.ne uelegates to the constituent assembly in
,y laVor. The votes Of the north were
w oFi own out because the north was in a state
ieFoiutlon. But even if these had not
Doeh thrown out would have still had tue
tborIIy. The charge that tho delegates to
Nc constituent assembly, who were on the
ueh Republic when the ship was seized,
80 ofloed or were forced to come on
an ana make quorum Of the constitu-
r. assembly Is untrue. They came on
tso OF their own free will Now, as to
tae. second claim, that l assassinated Thele-