The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-08-08
MOSES OF HIS RACE
FRED DOUGLASS HOME ON a
SHORT VACATION.

"a American's 0plnien q Hlppeayts-An
Amiable Nut Not Weak lsulse-The CHI
mate Of Aayti Very Tropical and Condu-
Give to I~ndolencs.
The New York Sss~'s Warrington spe-
cial says Frederick Douglas, United States
minister TO Hayti, 10 homo or . stxty days
vacation. In an interview Mr.. Douglass
said:
II may still look strong. but time 10 tell
ing on me; and the ten months in Haytt
has made my step less firm. I enjoyed
another birthday while away, being now
past 70, aud whom I eco again the beauties
of Warrington and taste the joys Of my
" homo I wonder why in my closing
years I should be robbed Of all these bless
ings. But Po1t-au-P Prince is beautiful
city, too, and I can hardly imagine the pos
sibilities Of that land under the hands OF
thrifty Americans. The climate 10 tropical,
and all tropical fruits abound in profusion
almost without the effort OF man. These
conditions invite to leisure, even to indo-
lence. and possibly d own people could
may almost say the people find their wants
supplied on every bush and merely pick
what they need for . living. The chief
product fs coffee. aud the government ex-
pense of 81, 100 900 annually is more than
supplied by an export duty on this luxury.
Mahogany and logwood are also exten-
sively exported, and q country cannot be
deemed q lazy one that carries on such
commerce in proportion to population"
What Of the statements that Hayti
thought the United States should have
sent q white man to represent us there?"
Such statements were published In the
press Of the United States, but were with.
out the slightest foundation. The popula-
ton OF that country is composed Of black
and colored people who are proud to see
one of their number honored with any
public trust. Ny stay there has been ex.
tremely pleasant so far as my relation with
that government is concerned. Il would
be more pleasant for me there IL I we're
familiar with French, which il the official
language Of the country. Unhappily for
us Americana. We are too we'll satisfied
with our English to learn any other Lam
guage. and through such neglect our COM.
merce to the south 10 no doubt affected.
Most OF the leading citizens Of Hayti can
speak two or three languages, French be.
ing universal, and Spanish, German and
English quite common, though the latter
is little used at present. thought 1t was
never too late to learn, but I found I could
forget as much French in the afternoon as
I could learn in the morning"
What 10 the condition Of the present
government and the probable future Of the
country Mr.. Donolaas2n
when Legitime was driven out of the
country by the revolution a year ago, Hyp-
polite, the opposing military leader, was
chosen president in q constitutional way,
and has since preserved peace and main
tanned q strong hold on the people, giving
evidence Of the permanency OF his govern
ment. He is an amiabie man, but by no
means q weak one. As to the future of
the country, I will say in a word that, tax
ing everything into consideration, I have
come to the Hibernian conclusion that
Hayti's future is before her. There is in
Hayti a love OF change and q vacillation of
policy that seems hard to remove, but it is
q great deal for apeople to rise, as they
have done, from the most abjsct slavery by
a revolution that was condemned as cruel
and brutal by all Christian countries, and
the Haytisns held in adherence for their
achievement Of liberty. Thoughthe slave-
holding nations. including our own
America, refused for many years to recog.
nize the new government, 1t was main.
tanned by the SELF. emancipated slaves of a
tame and tropical climate. For eighty.
seven years their government has endured,
and that feet alone is some assurance for
the future. One president was continued
in power for twenty. five years, and several
have held the chair for eight years. They
have q constitution in many ways
similar to our own, q house
and senate, and a judiciary. The
people are generally mixed with
French, where not pure blacks, and have
many characteristics of thought and &C.
ton. They have progressed as rapidly as
any people Of similar antecedents would
have done, and 1 have great hopes for their
future. I visited the country twenty years
ago, and, on my return there ten months
ago, saw Q marked improvement. The
schools are better and more generally at
tended, and the people are better and
moro modestly clothed. True, one may
still see naked children on the streets, but
this il the exception and BY no means the
rule. Ihsve seen hundreds Of neatly attired
and we'll behaved children on their way to
and from school. The schools are mostly
taught by Catholic priests, the Catholic
religion being recognized by the state.
Hsyti, however, enjoys freedom Of wor.
ship, and in Port-au-P Prince there are sew
eral Episcopal and Methodist churches.