Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-14

i MISS blaine. WnOm ne Overwhelmed Win
courtesies and attentions; that at this time Mr..
Preston telegraphed and wrote to Gen.
Legitime the tidings Of what he regarded as
brilliant triumph for his cause; that Mr.. Preston
obtained from Mr.. Blaine the accrediting of an
official representative OF the United states gov
| eminent to that of Gen. Legitime that this
minister was to be Mr.. Douglass, who was to
depart without delay for Port-au-PrInce with
the mission of recognizing Gen. Legitime
and of endeavoring to make Gen. HIPPO
lite listen to reason; anu that, hnaily,
all these fine projects collapsed like a
house OF cards in consequence OF
| the unexpected victories OF Hyppollte troops
over those of LegitIme, so that when Mr.. Doug
lass arrived at Port-au-Prince he was surprised
to find Gen. Hyppolise to whom he was to
administer remonstrance, installed in the
national executive palace, while Gen. Legltime,
| to whom he had been accredited, had taken
his departure for the friendly shores OF France,
so hpspitable to Haytis political refugees.
''Such was the manner of the introduction OF
the Mole Saint Nicolas affair into Mr.. Blaine's
Americo-HGytian policy and such the manner
! in which the government a. Washington came
to assure the triumph of Hyppolite over Le-
gitime.'
The pamphlet refers to Mr.. Blaine's course
after Hyppolite's triumph put it into his power
| to carry out his promises. if he had ever made
any. ''Are We to believe the writer says,
that shrewd a statesman as MIR. Blaine
would have neglected such On occasion for the
realization of q project 80 long cherished II he
had been in possession of any pretext whatever
that might have authorized him to claim the
Mole Saint-Nicolss?'
THE CLYDE CONCESSIONS.
Then the question of the concessions to the
firm of Clyde Co. Of New York, in relation to
a weekly line Of steamers between Hayti and
New York, came up. The Clyde house had rem
dered valuable services to the Hyppolite party
and nothing which they might ask was likely
be refuSed
1t was settled that they should have a monop-
oily and a subsidy. subsequently it was learned
that the Clyde house had entered into relations
with the State Department at Washington and
the Haytians received q new scheme of conces-
sion, which included coaling station
at the Mole Saint-Nicolas and the
cessiOn of the bay of the Mole Saint
Nicolas on a ninety-nine-year lease, under
the express condition that no war vessel except
American ships should be permitted to enter
there. The writer suggests that MIR. Blaine had
evidently hoped that The might be able to re-
commence in the Antilles the tortuous policy he
had pursued in 1881 apropos of certain affair in
Peruvian guano during the short period of his
death OF President Garfield" unfortunately
for MIR. Blaine" says the writer, 1T was readiy
surmised in the counsels OF President Hyppolte
that if Messrs. Clyde 4 Co. had all at once
awakened to the picturesque and above all
to the strategic, value of the Mole
Saint-Nicolas, this sudden appreciation was I'M
doubtedly due to suggestions emanating from
the State Department., which must have offered
to take the mole and bay as sublessees
Naturally, this new scheme of concession
failed to receive the legislative sanction,
and MIR. Blaine, who had perhaps hoped to
spirit away the cessiOn of the mole in the same
manner that he had juggled with Peruvian
guano, had his trouble for his pains and his
outlay Of vsriegated maritime policy"
DIRECT DEMAND.
Mr.. Blaine, it is asserted, dissimulated his
chagrjn over the outcome Of the Clyde affair
and determined to make an official demand for
the Mole Ssint-Nicolas for the purpose of es-
tablishing there coaling station, which. the
writer asserts. substantially the establish
ment of a protectOrate over Hayti.
1T was i'll the course of the syear 1890 that
the Hon. Mr.. Douglass, United States minister
to Hayti, asked on the part Of his government
for the Mole Saint Nicolas, for the pur-
pose OF installing 'coaling station there.
succession of terviews folio we'd and the State
Department at Washington, growing impatient
at seeing that nothing definite came of them.
decided to send Admiral Gherardi, commander
Of the West Indian squadron, TO take part in
the negotiations relative to the cession OF the
mole"
The communication made to the Haytian
minister of foreign affairs by Admiral Gherardi,
it is asserted, was demand for the session OF
the mole and promise Of protectorate.
Reference is made to the condition imposed
on the part Of the United States that the Hay
tian Sovernment shall not lease any harbor or
other portion of its territory. nor otherwise
dispose of it nor grant any special privilege or
right of use to any other power, state or gov
eminent.
The Haytian foreign minister in his reply
said:
The acceptance Of your demand with such
clause would be in the eyes of the government
of iiayti an outrage to the national sovereignty
of the republic and a fragrant violation Of
the first article OF our constitution; for, IN re-
nouncinS the right to dispose OF its territory, it
would be tacitly consenting to its alienation.
The government finds itself bound by our in
ternal public law, which it cannot violate with
out rendering null and void all agreements
made under such conditions"
Further lie says:
The arrival i'll this port of two American
squadrons. comprising the most formidable
war vessels of the United States navy, has ere
ated most unfortunate impression throughout
the entire country, which is alarmed and
agitated thereat. Supposing even that the
national constitution offered no obstacle to the
compliance with the demand presented by
your excelencies in the name of the President
Of the United States. the Haytian gov
eminent could scarcely. under the present
circumstances. enter into negotiations FOR the
leasing of the Mole Saint Nicolas without ap-
pearing to yield to foreign pressure, and 80
compromising. ipso facto, our existence us an
iuutptIueIt ptOpic.
And he concludes with an earnest appeal to
the justice and the good sense of the United
States: Profoundly corfding in your fair
and your sentiment of equity, l
venture to hope that your excellencies will
fully comprehend that the refusal to grant
the United States the lease of the Mole Saint
Nicolas is not on the part of the Haytian gov
ernment an act of defiance or of ill-will. 1t
is in consequence of double prohibition
before which must bend even our active sym-
patty with and our sincere attachment to the
most glorious. the most generous republic Of
the new world, and perhaps OF the entire mod
ern world-'
ITO this explanation, so loyal, so firm SO
worthy to command the respect of any inn
partial witness to the situation, the plenipo-
tentaries respond with almost "a menace:
I'VE regret that the government OF Hayti finds
itself under the necessity of refusing the
friendly request Of the President; the more So
as we have reason to fear that this refusal NAV
not be received by the government Of the
United States as testiiying to the amicable
sentiments which should exist between the two
republics and govern their relations
MINISTER DOUGLASS
In discussing Haytis relations with other
powers the writer observes:
"Let it be said at once that since the death of
its first minister to Hayti the American gov
ernuert had never found an agent worthy 70