In July 1879 a disturbance took place in the House of Representatives, and it was adjourned amidst much tumult. Boyer-Bazelais and his party retired to his house and took up arms, they said, to defend themselves. Their opponents attacked them, and a desperate fight ensued. Fire was put to the adjoining houses, and amidst this fierce conflict our acting Consul-General Byron and the French Chancellor Hullinot intervened, and at the greatest personal risk rescued the ladies from the burning houses and took them to a place of safety. A sauve qui peut soon followed, and Boyer-Bazelais’ party was dispersed with heavy loss, two of his brothers being killed in the fight.
The insane ambition of what was called the Liberal party thus ruined the most honest Government that Hayti had seen since the days of Boyer. These disorders in the capital were followed by others in the provinces; and Boisrond-Canal, disgusted with the treatment he had received from those who should have supported him, resigned, and left the country with his chief Ministers, July 17, 1879. Great sympathy was shown him by the people, who cheered him as he left the wharf. As usual, he was embarked by a foreign officer, Commander Allington of H.M.S. “Boxer.” What would these exiled Presidents do without the foreign element?
Boisrond-Canal, though not a brilliant ruler, was thoroughly honest, and if he had been supported instead of being opposed by the Liberal party, his four years’ Presidency would have been a happy one. His coloured opponents used to call him a putate or sweet potato—in fact, a King Log. They soon had a chance of comparing his Government with that of a King Stork.
Boyer-Bazelais’ party now thought that they would have all their own way, but they soon found that the country would have none of them. The blacks were again in the ascendant, and after some feeble attempts at revolution, the Liberal chiefs had to take the path of exile, and be thankful that it was no worse.
The mob of Port-au-Prince, wearied by the long debates, forced the Assembly to close its discussions, and General Salomon was elected President of Hayti, October 23, 1879, and in December of the same year a twelfth constitution was promulgated, by which the chief of the state was chosen for seven years.
Illegal military executions, murder, and pillage, encouraged by the authorities, have been the principal episodes of the history of the last four years.
CHAPTER IV.
THE POPULATION OF HAYTI.
The amount of the population in Hayti is not accurately known, as no census has been taken since the country became independent. At the close of the last century the population was found to consist of—
| Whites | 46,000 |
| Freed men, black and coloured | 56,666 |
| Slaves of both colours | 509,642 |
| ——— | |
| 602,308 |