1817-January-01: Following the War of 1812 and the division of Haiti into two rival regimes, the United States dispatched Septimus Tyler as an executive agen…

1817-January-01: Following the War of 1812 and the division of Haiti into two rival regimes, the United States dispatched Septimus Tyler as an executive agent to the northern kingdom ruled by Henry Christophe. Tyler’s mission was to seek indemnities for American vessels and property seized by Haitian authorities during the preceding years of civil strife. However, King Henry Christophe refused to receive Tyler because his credentials were not addressed to him as a sovereign monarch. The King insisted that any diplomatic communication must recognize his royal title and the independence of his state. This rebuff demonstrated the continued stalemate where the U.S. sought commercial justice without granting the formal recognition the Haitian leaders demanded.