1896-03-24: (Hyppolite Dies in Office, Succeeded by Tirésias Simon Sam, the Pattern of Presidential Death or Overthrow Continuing Unbroken Since Independence…

1896-03-24: (Hyppolite Dies in Office, Succeeded by Tirésias Simon Sam, the Pattern of Presidential Death or Overthrow Continuing Unbroken Since Independence): On March 24, 1896, Florvil Hyppolite died suddenly in office. He was succeeded by Tirésias Simon Sam, continuing a presidential succession that had not once, in ninety-two years of independence, been achieved through a peaceful, constitutional transfer of power between political rivals. Sam’s presidency lasted until 1902, when he resigned days before his term expired, handing power to a provisional government rather than facing an election. The pattern was by now so deeply entrenched that it had acquired the force of constitutional custom: presidents served until they died, fled, or were overthrown. No one expected anything different. No one planned for anything different. The Republic had produced forty-five constitutions and not one functioning democratic tradition.