Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-07-10
virginia Democrat on the Negro.

A Virginia Democrat on the Negro.
Few men can talk more entertain
ingly than Gen. Henry NJ. Smythe, of
Virginia, who serves this country as
minister resident and Consul General
at Port-au-P Prince, Haiti. At the Metro
politan last evening Gen. Smythe, who
is here on his annual leave of absence,
told n Post reporter many things of in.
terest touching the people of that insu-
lar republic.
I'm the first place." said he, 81 do
not think that many citizens of the
United States understand that Haiti is
a most delightful part of the globe.
The climate is temperate and life is en-
joyable there the year round because
there are no extremes of heat and cold.
Port'au-Prince is a fine city of go, 900
people, and | venture to say that in
the intelligence, wealth, and refine
ment of its population it will compare
favorably with any place of its size in
this country. All the better class send
their children to Paris to be educated,
and every summer there is the same
fitting to Europe that we note in the
United States among the rich. | am a
Southern Bourbon, and yet when
got to Haiti | speedily lost sight of the
color line and accepted the hospitali.
ties of the prosperous and cultured
colored people of the town without any
social qualms. To a New York re.
porter who tackled me ON this subject
| remarked hat as the Haitiens had
not Disseminated against me on &C
count Of my color | could not discrimi.
nate against them.
THE truth is that the blacks down
there are like a different race from
what is the prevailing type here. Few
of them have gizzard feet, thick lips
or fiat noses, and many have faces of
the truest Grecian cast. Among the
Creoles l have seen many young girls
as beautiful as a dream. The color
line is not drawn in Haiti, and a man
stands absolutely on his merits, whether
he is black, brown, or blonde.
President Hyppolite pronounced
Hippoleet) is one of the most dignifed,
courtly and sagacious men that ever
governed a country. He is a man of
fine appearance, dark skinned, and
speaks the purest Partisan French. His
hold on the people is absolute, FOR his
goodness of character is universally
recognized. He gets q salary of $50.
600 a year and lives in magnificent
style in a palace nearly the equal of
the White House, which is usually
guarded by 5000 soldiers. By the way,
the army of Haiti compares well with
ours, there being of soldiers and sailors
a combined force of 80, 1000 men. There
isn't the slightest dread of revolution.
and | think that the Haitians have
successfully solved the problem of
self government. The people of Haiti
are the most honorable and exact in
regard to the payment of debts of any
l ever knew. There is no such thing
there as failure to meet financial obli-
cations. Not long ago the government
wanted a loan of $500, 900, and in the
shortest period SO, 1000, 900 had been sub.
scribed.
II found on first going there that
there was a good deal of prejudice
against our people. All that has dis
appeared, and the citizens of this gov
ernment are now prime favorites,
which is a good thing, since the trade
of Haiti is worth cultivating. Their
trade with us has increased 30 per cent
in the last two years, and in 1884 they
imported nearly 1900, 900 of goods
from this country. The abolition of
the discriminating duty of four cents
a pound on Haitian coffee, imposed
under the Harrison regime, was of
mutual benefit, as a result we have
now secured almost a monopoly of
Haiti 5 coffee trade. Washington Post.