Government Palace (Port-au-Prince). The dispatch from Saint-Marc is read there and Riché is proclaimed President.

General Jacques Louis, inspector of reviews, who at Saint-Marc had been among the most ardent in bringing about Pierrot’s deposition, had gone before it. Riché, after giving audience to the deputation, invited all the civil and military authorities and the population to gather at the National Palace to take cognizance of the packet that had been addressed to him from Saint-Marc.

At ten o’clock precisely the National Palace was crowded. Among those present one noticed the generals of division Lazarre, chief of the department of the West, A. Souffrant, commandant of the arrondissement of Port-au-Prince, Mérane the younger, commanding the mounted guards of the government, S. Thélémaque, general of division and inspector of produce; Ls Dufrène, inspector general of artillery, Chs Alerte, commandant of the place of Port-au-Prince, A. Lunley, general of artillery, Ls Michel, general of brigade, commandant of the commune of L’Arcahaie; A. Rémy, commanding the gendarmerie; Vicsama, deputy to the department; Cupidon, aide-de-camp to the President of Haiti and inspector of reviews; Jn Chrysostome Imbert, general of division; general Dupuy; the artillery colonel Fils-Aimé; and a crowd of citizens of every rank, among others citizens Céligny Ardouin, Larochel and Dumai Lespinasse.(e)

General Riché had this numerous assembly shown into the great hall of the Palace, and told it that he was going to open before it a packet addressed to the President of Haiti Riché. The assembly consented, and the following dispatch was read:

The officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the 3rd regiment of artillery, of the 7th and 8th regiments, of the gendarmerie, of the 20th regiment, the cavalry and the inhabitants of Saint-Marc, together with the superior authorities, to the President of the Republic of Haiti Riché, at Port-au-Prince.(f)

President,

“The people of the Artibonite, weary of lawless despotism and of an absurd government, have at last shaken off the yoke and raised the all-powerful standard. Accordingly we desire that the whole Republic join with us in raising you up and naming you, as in fact we do name you, President of the Republic of Haiti, to put an end to all the abuses that have reigned among us until this day.