1915, August 9–11: (The United States Prefers Dartiguenave: Washington’s Telegram, the Comité’s Last Card, and the Gospel of the Occupation at the Théâtre Pa…

1915, August 9–11: (The United States Prefers Dartiguenave: Washington’s Telegram, the Comité’s Last Card, and the Gospel of the Occupation at the Théâtre Parisiana): Washington next day made its desires clear to Caperton: ALLOW ELECTION OF PRESIDENT TO TAKE PLACE WHENEVER HAITIANS WISH — THE UNITED STATES PREFERS ELECTION OF DARTIGUENAVE. Josephus Daniels later wrote a friend that this was equivalent to America making Dartiguenave president, that the telegram by the Navy Department was sent at the suggestion of the State Department, which chiefly decided the policy. But the Comité had one last card: all day on the 10th, city dwellers and disarmed Cacos thronged the streets shouting “Down with the deputies! Vive Bobo!” and next morning Port-au-Prince awoke plastered with a decree by the committee dissolving the National Assembly, proclaiming the Comité a provisional government with power to rewrite the constitution, and ordering the doors of the Chamber sealed. When Beach read the proclamation he reacted swiftly — summoning Dr. Bobo and all members of the Comité to the legation, he dissolved them on the spot, and U.S. Marines ripped down the decree and shooed the committee’s people away. Now came the turn of the Assembly. To the Théâtre Parisiana — behind whose charming gingerbread front Port-au-Prince had its nearest equivalent to the Folies-Bergère — came the National Assembly, invited by Captain Beach and Beale Davis for what Beach later called an informal meeting. For an informal affair attendance was perfect: all 39 senators and 102 deputies were present. Beach mounted the stage and announced the Comité’s demise — no cancan could have excited wilder applause. Then Beale Davis took the center, State Department telegram in hand, and delivered what was virtually the gospel of the occupation: Congress should understand that the United States intended to uphold it but could not recognize action which did not establish in charge of Haitian affairs those whose abilities and dispositions gave assurance of putting an end to factional disorders — and in order that no misunderstanding could possibly occur after election, it should be made perfectly clear to candidates in advance that the United States expected to be entrusted with the practical control of the customs and such financial control over the affairs of Haiti as the United States might deem necessary for an efficient administration. Beach closed the session: this was the most important message Haiti had received, and the Admiral refused to permit the election unless they agreed.