[17] Military trials have always been a disgrace to Hayti. Even under their model President Boyer (1827) they were as bad as they were under the Emperor Soulouque or the present President Salomon. Mackenzie, in his notes on Hayti, states that no defence was allowed, as that would have been waste of time. Four officers were tried and condemned to death: their arms were tied, and they were led by a police officer to the place of execution. They showed great intrepidity, though the soldiers fired a hundred shots before they killed them. President Geffrard had certainly more respect for the forms of law. [18] Mackenzie tells a story of a town-adjutant calling on him in gorgeous uniform; he next met him cooking the dinner of his host. [19] Recueil de Proverbes Creoles. Port-au-Prince, 1877. [20] Vol. ii. p. 24:--“Les légionnaires au nombre de 800 environ furent enveloppés de toutes parts; ils se trouvaient sans nul espoir; assurés de leur mort, mais résolus de se bien défendre, ils se retranchaient sous la mitraille la plus meurtrière, les uns derrière des arbres renversés, d’autres derrière d’énormes? pierres; percés de coups de baïonettes, criblés de balles, ils combattaient toujours avec une intrépidité sans égale: plusieurs ayant le bras coupé se défendaient avec celui qui leur restait; ceux qui par la perte de leur sang ne pouvaient plus se tenir debout se trouvaient sur leurs génoux, combattaient encore avec fureur, se faisaient un rempart des corps expirés de ceux qui étaient tombés,” &c., &c. [21] There is a line wanting in this stanza, which the authoress herself has not been able to remember. [22] I would refer to Major Stuart’s excellent Report for 1877 for details on these subjects. I have myself partly founded my observations on this Report. Transcriber’s Note In this file, text in _italics_ is indicated by underscores. Text in SMALL CAPITALS has been made uppercase. The following changes were made to the text as printed: vi “climate; the Senate the House” changed to “climate; the Senate, the House”. ix “goodwill of the masses” changed to “good-will of the masses”. xv “THE ARMY AND POLICE” changed to “ARMY AND POLICE”. 3 “the Artibonite, Arcahaie, Port Margot” changed to “the Artibonite, Arcahaye, Port Margot”. 17 “hand-to-mouth system” changed to “hand-to-mouth system.” 20 “and yellow-fever too often” changed to “and yellow fever too often”. 21 “as yellow-fever appeared” changed to “as yellow fever appeared”. 22 “Yellow-fever rarely appears” changed to “Yellow fever rarely appears”. 48 “Biasson then ordered all his white prisoners” changed to “Biassou then ordered all his white prisoners”. 77 “effort to restrain is authority” changed to “effort to restrain his authority”. 112 “Nissage-Saget took up arms” changed to “Nissage Saget took up arms”. 125 “Bosroind-Canal, though not a brilliant ruler” changed to “Boisrond-Canal, though not a brilliant ruler”. 143 “coromacaque” changed to “cocomacaque”.