No. 634.
Mr. Thompson to Mr. Bayard.
Port au Prince Hayti, June 11, 1888.
Sir: I received a note from the honorable C. Fouehard, secretary of the treasury of the Haytien Government, on Sunday, the 2d instant, re questing an interview with me. We met the same day and remained together several hours. He assured me at first that all was perfectly quiet politically, but later on, to accomplish his desire, had to show by his conversation that his ideas “in toto” regarding political quietude were greatly at variance, for he acknowledged the anxiety he felt, and believing something would happen, begged me to promise to give him refuge should he be pushed too hard.
Not feeling able to give a promise of such a kind in advance of a case that could be considered only on its merits, and at the time, I simply reiterated to him his previous words that all was quiet and over, and while being sympathetic with him remained absolutely non-committal.
This would not be of such importance if I had not been informed a few days later by the French minister that he had been visited by the honorable Brutus St. Victor, and on a similar mission. This seemed to be evidence that even those who should be the most intimate with the actual Government had forebodings for the near future.
The general of the place has informed me, but with the request that I guard the secret, that the order had been given to arrest Senator Legitime or bombard his house in case of resistance on the 24th ultimo at midday, and had it not been for the diplomatic body such order would have been carried out, and then he with his soldiers would probably have been forced to attack the general of the arrondissement and his forces, tor, as nearly all here, he was in sympathy with Legitime.
This information will, I presume, show you that for some days the situation was exceedingly critical.
I have, etc.,