Port-au-Prince. The Constituent Assembly meets and is installed.

Meanwhile the members of the Constituent Assembly named by the nation had gathered in the Capital; they represented the Departments of the South, the West, the Artibonite, the North, the North-East or Cibao and the South-East or Ozama: the whole Island, in a word, from Cape Engaño to Tiburon. They numbered one hundred and six: Adelson Douyon, Alcius Ponthieux, Franklin, Bazin, A. Larochel, A. Martin, Davezac, A. Clément, Bedainque, B. Jn.-Simon, Valdès, B. Alexandrey, Ls Jh Baille, Charles Picart, C. M. Westen, Corvoisier, Barjon the son, David St-Preux, Ax. Jte Chanlatte, Mouras the son, David Troy, D. Benoit, P. Panayoti, Dumay Lespinasse, Dst. Ville Dautant, P. André, P. Beaufossé, D. Thézard, Chs Dévimeux, Fs Dorville, Fx. Poisson, F. Donat, Nelcourt, F. Péralta, Prophète, G. Hippolyte, Fabre Geffrard, Salès, J. S. Hippolite, Baugé, Auguste Elie, Julin Latortue, Joseph Courtois, Mullery, B. A. Laborde, J. Paul, Jh Magny, François Agloque, Jh François, Jn Ch Junca, J. L. Santel, J. St Amand, Dupérier, Jh Oscar Laporte, Fontil Tesson, Modé the son, Pilorge, Dr. Jn H. Fresnel, Lubérisse Barthélemy, Laudun, Lapice, Ls Normil Dubois, Joseph Alexandre Duduy, Joseph Borelly, Mt My. Benjamin, Muzaine, M. Ambroise, M. Volel, M. B. Castellano, Miguel Antonio Rojas, François Romain Lhérisson, Maximilien Zamor, P. Bergès, Népomucène Tejera, Pre Ls Osias, Tabuteau, B. A. Dupuy, P. Michel, Pre Ain Sthélé, Remugio del Castillo, C. A. Blanchet, V. Plésance, S. Simonise, S Paret, St-Aude the son, Toribio Lopez Villanueva, Thomas Presse, C. Heurtelou, Villefranche, G. Manigat, M. Marsse, M. J. Charlot, F. Roche, Chs. Alerte, Cauvin the elder, N. Félix, E. Nau, Hérard Dumesle, Ls B. Eusèbe, Damier, Grandchamp the son, Vrigneaux and J. A. Gardère.

David St-Preux had been named to the Constituent Assembly by a commune other than that of Aquin. The people of that place had been called ingrates on this account; they justified themselves by having the following note inserted in the newspapers:

“We have said why we do not wish to be governed by military men. Here, in a few words, is why we did not send David St-Preux to the Constituent Assembly. This citizen was formerly the constant voice of popular opinion; we heard him curse the corrupting system of the ex-President, rise with force against the expenses occasioned by the upkeep of a more than useless army, and vow an active hatred to epaulettes, which he regarded as destructive of liberty. We said: this man is worthy to be our representative. Today he disregards the will of the masses; he is deaf to the cries of the press; the system he cursed, he loves; he needlessly swells the roll of the monster general staff; he adores the military dignities which he believes alone capable of saving the Republic. We say: this man is not worthy to represent us in the Constituent Assembly. What could be more rational? Is it we who are the ingrates?”

At Port-au-Prince, the principal members of the Revolution that had overthrown President Boyer met and acknowledged that the Assembly was sovereign in all that pertained to the framing of the Constitution, but that it held only a right of control over the Provisional Government for the whole course of the administration, together with the right to require every measure that the public interest might suggest to it. This opinion rested on articles 4 and 29 of the decree of 4 April, which provided that the Government should employ all public moneys according to the needs of the service, and dispose of the armed force in case of necessity, until the installation of the Constituent Assembly; and that immediately afterward it should render to the Assembly an account of all its operations. On the other hand, article 34 of the same decree simply established that the object of the Constituent Assembly was to draft a new Constitution on the bases of the manifesto of Praslin.

The Assembly met at last on 18 September under the presidency of deputy Picard. The committees charged with the task presented their reports on the verification of credentials. All were validated.