Minister Furniss to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Port au
Prince, February 16,
1906.
No. 11.]Sir: I beg leave to inclose herewith a note
under the date of February 13, 1906, from Secretary Ferere, wherein I am
informed that in view of the action of Mr. Theodore Behrmann, our
vice-consul at Cape Haitien, the Haitian Government has decided to
withdraw his exequatur.
There is also inclosed my reply wherein I inform Secretary Ferere that in
view of the friendly relations existing between our Governments, I would
have preferred to have had him call to the attention of this legation
the discourtesy of Mr. Behrmann before such summary action was
taken.
I have to advise the department that in view of the fact that the
exequatur of Mr. Behrmann has been withdrawn, I have instructed Consul
Livingston, at Cape Haitien, to nominate another vice-consul, make a
thorough investigation of the charges against Mr. Behrmann, and report
the result thereof to this legation.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
The Secretary of Foreign
Relations to Minister Furniss.
Department of Foreign Relations,
Port au Prince, February 13, 1906.
Mr. Minister: This department has just been
informed of a measure which the chief of state finds himself under
the necessity of taking relative to Mr. Theodore Behrmann,
vice-consul of the United States of America at Cape Haitien, and
desirous of maintaining the relations which this department so
happily entertains with the American legation in this city, I hasten
to make known the same to your excellency.
Mr. Theodore Behrmann, notwithstanding the warnings which authority
has had to address to him on account of his attitude, has not ceased
to pursue toward the Government of the Republic a manner of doing
positively annoying to its internal peace.
In fact, sheltering himself with his privileges as a foreign
resident, Mr. Behrmann has made himself the most active agent of the
enemies of the Government. He in no wise hesitates to serve as the
intermediary between the exiles and those who work in their favor;
he distributes their letters, forwards to them money and exerts
himself to make partisans for them.
Under these conditions it is evident that far from working to
strengthen the bonds of friendship existing between the American
Government and the Government of Gen. Nord Alexis, Mr. Theodore
Behrmann does nothing more than destroy the good name of the
American agents in Haiti. It is now necessary to put an end to the
regrettable actions of Mr. Behrmann. For this reason the Government
is forced to withdraw from Mr. Behrmann the exequatur which
[Page 873]
was delivered for the
purpose of exercising his functions of vice-consul of the United
States of America at Cape Haitien.
I hope that your excellency, who is not ignorant of the care we take
to keep up the good relations that exist between Haiti and the
Federal Republic, will only see in this measure the wise necessity
under which the Haitian Government finds itself to maintain in its
territory that order which is indispensable for every nation to
establish; that peace beneath which only it is possible to work for
its development and prosperity.
It is therefore, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Minister Furniss to the Secretary of
Foreign Relations.
American Legation,
Port an
Prince, February 16,
1906.
Sir: I am in receipt of your note of the
13th instant wherein I am informed that in view of the actions of
Mr. Theodore Behrmann, American vice-consul at Cape Haitien, that
this exequatur has been withdrawn by your Government.
It is not only the desire but order of my Government that its
representatives shall abstain from participating in any manner in
the political affairs of the countries to which accredited, and any
infraction would not be countenanced.
I very much regret that Mr. Behrmann, while an official of my
Government, has committed an offense thought to be so serious to the
peace and welfare of your Government that it became necessary to
peremptorily withdraw his exequatur.
In view of the cordial relations which exist between our Governments,
I would have preferred your Government to have informed this
legation when its attention was first called to the discourtesy of
Mr. Behrmann, that action might have been taken by this
legation.
I take, etc.,
