1826-March-01: The appointment of Charles MacKenzie as British consul general to Haiti signaled a more aggressive British attempt to stabilize the island’s a…

1826-March-01: The appointment of Charles MacKenzie as British consul general to Haiti signaled a more aggressive British attempt to stabilize the island’s affairs and secure commercial advantages. The United States, still refusing to send its own diplomatic representatives, increasingly looked to Great Britain to defend American interests on the island. This reliance was illustrated when the U.S. government called upon London to reprimand MacKenzie for an alleged infringement on American rights. The British government eventually disapproved of MacKenzie’s conduct, assuring the U.S. that it had no disposition to countenance the infringement of American rights by its officials.