The record-union., 1891-10-14
WHY WE FAILED.


Frederick Douglass, who was recently
United States Minister to Hayti, has been
made the object of much bitter assault
upon the supposition that he was charge
able with our failure to obtain naval
station at ''The Mole" Hayti Mr..
Douglass has so smarted under these as
saults that he has felt impelled to enter
formal denial and explanation.
This he has done in the North Ameri-
can ReOietO in two papers. He denies
emphatically that he was ever instructed
to negotiate for the station, or that he
ever intruded in the matter. a naval
officer was commissioned specially for
the negotiations, and according to Mr..
Douglass treated the United States Minis
ter cavalierly when he arrived upon the
ground.
However, by request, he accompanied
the Commissioners when the matter was
laid before the Haytian Secretary. Mr..
Douglass says he remained silent, except
to correct the Secretary in remark that
| reflected upon the motive of the United
States. The naval official did not object
to the Minister'S explanation, and it was
not of a character to interrupt the nego-
tiations.
Mr.. Douglass certainly clears himself
of the lmputations cast upon him. Evi-
IDENTIFY he was grieved that the matter
was not committed to him, and that a
commissioner was sent out 20 whom he
was compelled to play second part.
But he denies with emphasis that he
showed any feeling about it while in
Hayti. or that his color was any objection
in the eyes of the Haytian Government
to his appearing i'll the negotiations.
| In his second paper he gives what was
| evidently the true reason for the failure
This has been brusquely put by the
President of Hayti since. Hei reported
| to have said that the real reason for our
failure was not the character of the re-
quest, the manner of its presentation, the
personality of our Minister or the lack of
diplomatic skill on the part of our COM
missioners, but simply that Hayti was
| indisposed to make any grant to for
eign power of a foothold upon her soil of
any character.
Mr.. Douglass is his second paper upon
the subject thus refers to this indisposi-
| ton:
No one cause fully explains our failure to
get naval station at the Mole. One funda-
| mental element in our n0n-succesS was found,
not in any aversion TO tie United States or in
any indifference on my part, as has been often
| charged, but in the Government of Hay ii
! itself. With every disposition 10 oblige us it
! had not the courage to defy The well-known,
deeply-rooted ana easily excite prejudiees
| and traditions of the Haytian people. Nothing
| is more repugnant to the thoughts and feel
! ings of the masses of that country than the
alienation of n single TCod of their territory to
/ a foreign power. This sentiment originated,
very naturally. in the circumstances in which
| Hayti began her national existence. The
whole Christian world was at that time against
| her. The Caribbean Sea was studded with
| communities hostile to her. They We're slave
| holding. She, by her bravery and her blood
! was Tree. Her existence was, therefore, a
menace TO them. and theirs was a menace to
! her. France, England, spain, Portugal and
! Holland, as well as the United States, were
] welded TO the slave system which Hayti
| had, by arms, thrown of, and hence
she was regarded as an outcasu and was out
! lawed by the Christian world. Though time
/ and events have gone far to change this rela-
] tion of hers to the outside world, the senti-
ment that originated in the beginning of her
| existence continues, on both sides, until this
! day. 1t was this that stood like
a wall OF granite AGAINST our sue
! cess. Other causes coop erated, bat this
was the principal cause. OF course our
! peculiar and intense prejudice against the
| to other nations. in this respect, is eft n
/ dwelt upon in Hayti to our disadvantage. In
| no part Of Europe will Haytian be insulted
/ because of his color, and Haytans well know
| that this is not the case in the United States.