Articles 189 to 205 refer to miscellaneous subjects. The national colours are blue and red, placed horizontally. The white was long ago banished from the flag. The arms of the republic are the palm-tree surmounted by the cap of liberty and adorned by a trophy of arms, with the motto, “L’union fait la force.”
Article 192. “No Haytian or foreigner can claim damages for losses incurred during civil troubles.” A most ridiculous article, to which no foreign Government would pay the slightest attention.
Article 194. The national fêtes are those of the independence of Hayti and its heroes, the great hero being Dessalines, who decreed the massacre of every defenceless man, woman, or child of white French parentage to be found in the republic, and who was perhaps, without exception, one of the vilest of men. January 1st is given up to his memory, and the Haytians glory in his bloodthirsty deeds. The second national fête is to agriculture—May 1st, which is one of the most ludicrous imaginable in its surroundings. A few cultivators are collected with bunches of bananas and other products, and prizes are distributed by the President, surrounded by hundreds of sneering officers. Even they can but smile at the absurdity called “encouragement to agriculture.”
Article 197. No state of siege can be declared except during times of civil trouble, and then the decree must be signed by the President and all the Secretaries of State.
Article 200. The constitution cannot be suspended, in whole or in part, on any excuse whatever. It can, however, be revised under certain conditions.
Article 204. This is a very remarkable article. It suspends those articles for a year which proclaim the immovability of the judges, in order that the President may raise the magistracy to the height of its mission.
Although this constitution appears very elaborate and proclaims great principles, it leaves all details to be settled by special laws, which are seldom passed, and never acted on unless it may suit the pleasure of the chief of the State.
With the habits of the country, the framers of this constitution must have known that, in making the President of Hayti swear to observe it, they were forcing him to commit perjury by anticipation. The President swore to it, but has not kept it, and probably never intended to keep it. Article 24, which abolishes the punishment of death in political cases, has been completely set aside, and dozens of coloured men of mark have been sentenced to death and shot.
As the Russian Government is said to be a despotism tempered by assassination, so the Haytian Government may be called a despotism tempered by revolution and exile, and occasionally by death.
Their first ruler, Dessalines, was shot. Christophe committed suicide to escape a worse fate. Pétion died President after twelve years of power. Boyer was exiled after a Presidency that lasted for twenty-five years. Hérard-Rivière was proclaimed President on December 30, 1843, amid much enthusiasm, but on May 7, 1844, following he was deposed amid greater enthusiasm, and exiled, and General Guerrier was named President. Within less than a year he died, April 15, 1845, and General Pierrot was elected by the Council of State, March 1, 1846. The troops at St. Marc proclaimed Riché President, and Pierrot abdicated. On the 27th February following (1847) Riché died, and on the 2d March Soulouque was elected President. He soon tired of this form of government, and proclaimed himself Emperor in August 1849, and held that position till January 1859, when he was upset by General Geffrard and exiled.