FOREIGN RELATIONS.


                               No. 362.

                       Mr. ]assett to 31r. Fish.
                               [Extract.]
 No. 247. JLEGATION OF TiE UNITED STATES,
               Port au Prince, September 15, 1873. (Received Oct. 8.)
   SIR: In my number 237, of the 11th ultimo, I had the honor to indi-
 cate the impression that the supposed intrigues and known proceedings
 of the partisans of a prominent candidate for the .presidency, which were
 believed to have impeded, retarded, and rendered extremely difficult
 the opening of the fourteenth legislature of Hayti, would hardly cease
 on account of the defeat that was given to those partisans by the mere
 organization of the Corps Legislatif in extra session on the 30th of July.
 It would seem now as if that impression had been well taken; for the
 party alluded to appear, up to this date, to have in no way abandoned
 their aspirations, relaxed their activity, or forgotten their shrewdness.
 At all events, the fourteenth legislature, which was opened with so
 much pomp and parade on the 30th of July last, was abruptly brought
 to a close by a proclamation from President Saget on the 30th instant.
   It is quite extensively believed here that this almost daring step on
 the part of the executive is attributable in some degree to the incessant
 plottings and intrigues of the partisans of General Domingue. The
 very means which the leaders of the Corps Legislatif employed to force
 from the cabinet the minister of war and the minister of justice, who
 are understood to be avowed and active adherents of that aspirant for
 the presidency, became, in the hands of his crafty followers, the weapons
 by which they have once more gained a victory over that body.
 In my No. 240 reference is made to the vote of non-confidence taken
 by the National Assembly (the two houses of the Corps Legislatif in joint
 session) against the two ministers just named, and to the opinion that
 that vote under the existing circumstances was indiscreet and inconsid-
 erate. Many believe that the vote itoelf was encouraged, if not brought
 about, by the wiles of the Dominguists.-- Be that as it may, the two
 ministers who were the object of the vote did not retire, as it was inti-
 mated in my No. 240 that they would not, and the President showed no
 disposition to yield to the vote by making a change in his cabinet, as
 he had done on other occasions.
 When, therefore, on the 12th instant, the minister of the interior and
 foreign affairs and the minister of finance appeared before the Corps
 L gislatif with the'budgets of their own and their two colleagues' depart-
 ments, the Chamber of Deputiesreftised at first to accept the latter two.
 But the minister of interior said that he was instructed by the ex-
 ecutive to hand over to the legislature the four budgets, and that he
 could not, therefore, remit any unless he 'remitted all of them. The
chamber thereupon decided to receive all four budgets for the moment,
and to return the two objectionable ones with a message to the executive.
  This was done on the same day, the message being very respectful in
tone and to the effect that, as the Chamber of Deputies had no right to
revise or repeal a vote of the National Assembly, it could not receive any
communication signed by the two ministers against whom the vote of
non-confidence had been taken by the National Assembly. Late in the
afternoon of the following day, the 13th instant, the executive caused
to be published, with considerable pomp and parade in the streets of
the capital, a proclamation which practically dissolved the Chamber of


5-88