HAITI, Diplomatic Relations of the Uni ted States with. Haiti, founded by ex-slaves who revolted against their masters and confis cated their property, began its nationality as an international outcast and was long regarded with disfavor by the great powers which had neighboring territory. Against its early strug gle for independence from French control, the American government recognized the French arritis of 1802-06 prohibiting trade with His paniola ports occupied by the blacks, and in 1806 and 1807 assisted in enforcing them by acts of Congress forbidding intercourse with every part of the island not in actual possession of the French government. Although it was prac tically independent by 1804, it was not recog nized by France until 1838. Although for its continued independence the American Monroe Doctrine is largely responsible, the American government, influenced by slavery interests, hesitated in 1825-26 to participate in the Pan ama Congress because Haiti was invited, and withheld formal recognition of the Haitian government until 1862.
Twice before 1860 the American govern ment found it necessary to resort to informal diplomatic relations, In 1832 the Jackson ad ministration sought through a naval officer to procure the abolition of Haitian discriminating duties which operated against American com merce. In 1851, acting on invitation of the Dominican Republic for joint mediation of the United States, France and Great Britain to se cure peace with Haiti, the Fillmore administra tion sent a special agent to co-operate with the representatives of France and Great Britain in a remonstrance against Haiti with a view to possible joint intervention to cause the Haitian government to stop the war and recognize the independence of the Dominican American diplomatic relations, after recog, nition of Haiti in 1862, as indicated by the pub lished correspondence, largely consisted in the consideration of insurrections (local and gen eral) and changes of government, unjust treatment of foreigners, arrests and imprison ments of American citizens, the right of asylum for fugitives or refugees, blockade of ports, martial law, political and financial conditions resulting from anarchy and Haitian interfer ence in Dominican affairs. During the Amer
ican Civil War, Secretary Seward succeeded in leasing the harbor of Mole Saint Nicholas from Haiti as a naval station. In 1865. when the government of Haiti requested the British government to concur in guaranteeing the neu trality of the peninsula of Samana, Seward in formed the British Minister that the United States by long-settled policy was disinclined to political alliances with foreign states in re. gard to subjects outside the range of necessary and immediate domestic legislation, and must refrain from making such a guarantee while disclaiming all purpose or desire to disturb the peace and security of Haiti.
Early in 1870, the American government learning that the President of Haiti during pending American negotiations with the Do minican government had aided General Cabral in a revolution against the Dominican govern ment, notified the Haitian government that any military movement against the Dominican Re public would be considered as an hostile act against the United States. It sent Adihiral Poor via Port au Prince to use force to ;pre-• vent interference. Late in the same year on complaint of the Dominican government that the Haitian government was furnishing war materials to Dominican insurgents, the Ameri can government again warned the Haitian gov ernment. In 1877 it instructed the American Minister to Haiti to urge that the Haitian legis lature should not repudiate the contracts or en gagements of the preceding legislature.
In 1844, by protocol the Pelletier claims case which arose in 1861 wart submitted to an arbitrator. An award made in 1885 against Haiti was rejected by the American govern« ment on the ground that it was unjust.