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ized on the part of my Government to give you in writing as regards the word "étrangers" being intended only to apply to British subjects will be ample to prevent any doubtful reading of the text of the treaty as was signed by me and Monsieur Férère on the 6th April last.

I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you, Monsieur le Secrétaire d'Etat, the assurances of my highest consideration.

A. G. VANSITTART.

Certificate of exchange of ratifications.

The undersigned having met together for the purpose of exchanging the ratifications of the "Convention in order to regulate the question of the nationality of British subjects and Haitian citizens in the territories of either country, respectively," between His Excellency the President of the Republic of Haiti and His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, signed at Port au Prince on the 6th day of April, 1906; and the respective ratifications of the said convention having been carefully compared, and found to be exactly conformable to each other, the said exchange took place this day in the usual form.

In witness whereof they have signed the present certificate and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.

Done at Port au Prince, the 16th day of October, 1906.

H. PAULEUS SANNON.
ARTHUR GEORGE VANSITTART.

LICENSES TO AMERICAN CITIZENS OF SYRIAN ORIGIN IN HAITI. (Continuation of correspondence in Foreign Relations 1905, p. 545 et seq.)

No. 2.]

Minister Furniss to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Port au Prince, January 6, 1906. SIR: I am in receipt of dispatch No. 3, of December 1, 1905, in which the department makes certain suggestions relative to the license fee of American merchants of Syrian origin established in Haiti.

In reply I beg leave to state that in view of the fact that I have been assured that all Syrians of British naturalization have been granted licenses, I have deemed it proper to take the matter up with the Haitian Government relative to the licensing of our citizens and hope for a favorable settlement of the same.

No. 8.]

I have, etc.,

H. W. FURNISS.

The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Furniss.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 17, 1906.

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 2, of the 6th instant, stating that having learned that licenses had been issued to

• Printed in Foreign Relations, 1905, p. 550.

59605-FR 1906-57

British subjects of Syrian origin, you have taken up the question of obtaining an equal privilege for American citizens of the same. origin.

Your action is approved.

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SIR: I have to advise you that agreeable to my dispatch No. 2, of January 6, 1906, I have with success taken up with the Haitian Government the cases of those Americans of Syrian origin who had not been granted licenses to do business in Haiti for the year 1906.

I inclose herewith my dispatch under date of January 8, 1906, to Honorable Férère and his reply to the same, under date of the 13th of the same month.

After waiting until January 26 without receiving further reply, I went to see Secretary Férère, called his attention to the delay, and requested that inasmuch as the matter was entirely in the hands of the President that he arrange for me an audience with the President. I was more or less informed by the secretary that such a course would be useless, as the fact that the parties had failed to receive their licenses, which would have been delivered in November had they been granted, showed that action had been adverse, and that it would not be possible to ascertain the reason for the refusal. I told him that though, as he said, both the laws and the customs of Haiti might grant to the President the right to refuse license without giving reason, yet I felt sure that the President would realize that courtesy to a friendly nation necessitated that just reasons for refusal be furnished. Minister Férère appointed the 24th at 10 a. m. for the hour of audience with the President.

Arriving at the palace on the 24th, I was met by Secretary Férère, and the President soon joined us. I discussed the matter with him, stated my contention that some good reason should be given for refusal of licenses to Americans of Syrian origin, in view of the fact that not only all the British Syrians had been granted licenses, but many who were still of Syrian nationality, and finally was informed by him that in view of the circumstances licenses would be issued to John Stambouly at Cape Haitien, E. Lahame Frères and Faris Antonn, of Port au Prince.

The President also finally stated that licenses had not been granted to M. Ajamie and A. Ashcar at Cape Haitien, and Abdo Assali at Aux Cayes, because he had been informed that they had been naturalized subsequent to the Haitian law of August 13, 1903, prohibiting the further entrance of Syrians, but promised that if I could show that they had been naturalized prior to that date, thus proving that they were not attempting to evade the said law, he would grant them licenses.

In the case of Michel Kouri he refused license on the ground of his complication in a counterfeiting case," mention of which has been made in Mr. Powell's dispatches Nos. 1719 and 1723, of April 9, 1905, and which will be treated of in a subsequent dispatch as soon as evidence in course of preparation can be procured.

Under date of January 25, 1905, I again addressed Secretary Férère, copy inclosed, reminding him of the President's promise, clearing up the contention in so far as Abdo Assali, of Aux Cayes, and M. Ajamie, of Cape Haitien, were concerned, and asking that in view of the evidence submitted that their licenses be granted.

I received under date of January 30, 1906, reply, copy inclosed, from Secretary Férère, informing me that he was in accord with me and would communicate the facts to the proper authorities that the licenses might be issued, and promising like treatment to the remaining ones as soon as the desired information is furnished.

I have, etc.,

H. W. FURNISS.

[Inclosure 1.]

Minister Furniss to the Secretary of Foreign Relations.

AMERICAN LEGATION,

Port au Prince, January 8, 1906.

SIB: I am informed by American Consul Livingston at Cape Haitien that on October 2, 1905, M. N. Ajamie and Antoine M. Ashcar, and on October 6, 1905, John Stambouly, all American citizens and doing business at that place, deposited in the branch National Bank of Haiti on the dates named the fee required by the Haitian laws and sent the certificate of deposit, together with their applications for licenses, to your colleague, the honorable secretary of finance and commerce.

I am also informed that Mr. Aldo Assali, of Aux Cayes, complied with the Haitian law and sent his certificate of deposit, together with application, on October 3, 1905; that E. Lahame Frères, of Port au Prince, complied with the requirements on October 17, 1905, and Faris Antonn complied with the requirements on the 9th of October, 1905.

In view of the fact that Honorable Jerome, His Britannic Majesty's representative at this capital, has informed me that your Government has issued licenses to all British subjects of Syrian origin doing business in this country, I am loath to believe that any discrimination is intended toward American citizens, but rather that there has been some delay in the office of issue of licenses. I would therefore thank you to call the cases to the attention of your colleague, the honorable secretary of finance and commerce, and impress upon him the inconvenience as well as the financial loss occasioned these Americans by their not having their licenses in hand. A favorable action, at his earliest convenience, would be much appreciated by this legation.

In reference to Mr. Assali, of Aux Cayes, I have been shown a telegram wherein the inspector of customs at Aux Cayes refused on December 23, 1905, to allow him to withdraw certain goods consigned to him because of his not having his license for this year, and thereby causing him both inconvenience and loss. I have to request that pending the issuing of the proper license to Mr. Assali that the inspector at Aux Cayes be instructed to release the said goods. H. W. FURNISS.

I take, etc.,

a See p. 871.

[Inclosure 2.]

Minister Furniss to the Secretary of Foreign Relations.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Port au Prince, January 12, 1906.

SIR: In my dispatch No. 3, dated January 8, 1906, I failed to mention the name of Mr. Michel Kouri among those of American citizens desirous of procuring licenses.

I would thank you to call the attention of the honorable secretary of finance to Mr. Kouri's case.

Please accept, etc.,

[Inclosure 3.-Translation.]

H. W. FURNISS.

The Secretary of Foreign Relations to Minister Furniss.

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS,
Port au Prince, January 13, 1906.

MR. MINISTER: I have had the honor of receiving your dispatch No. 3 of the 8th of this month.

Its contents have been the object of my very serious attention, and I have not failed to make a communication thereof to my Government.

While waiting to advise you as to what will be the decision relative to Mr. Abdo Assali, I am now able to inform you relative to the Americans of Syrian origin who complain that, notwithstanding they have requested them, they have failed until now to receive their licenses.

Your excellency, I think, is not unaware that not only our laws but our customs do not make it an obligation for the chief of state to grant licenses to all those who make application without examining the requests and the persons. They may be granted or refused as he may see fit, and without being forced to explain the motive for his decision.

Thus there may have been licenses delivered to two English, of Syrian origin, without creating the obligation to do as much for all solicitors. The more so as Americans of Syrian origin have been likewise benefited at the hands of His Excellency the President of the Republic to such an extent that Dominicans, also of Syrian origin, have thought themselves justified to request like favor, and complain of their having been refused.

Your Excellency may therefore be set at ease as to the intention of the Haitian Government toward the generality of American citizens residing in Haiti.

If licenses should not be granted to Messrs. N. Ajamie, Antoine H. Ashear, John Stambouly, Abdo Assali, E. Lahame Brothers, and Faris Antonn it will not be because of their American nationality, but certainly for other motives, i. e. their own individuality, the same as any other foreigner, English, French, German, Dominican, etc.

Believing that these explanations will suffice to enlighten your excellency on the question,

I take, etc.,

[Inclosure 4.]

M. FÉRÈRE.

Minister Furniss to the Secretary of Foreign Relations.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Port au Prince, January 25, 1906.

SIR: Referring to my interview yesterday with His Excellency President Nord Alexis, at which you were present, you will recollect that his excellency informed me relative to the American citizens refused licenses because of Syrian origin that if it could be proven that they were naturalized Americans prior to the Haitian law of August 13, 1903, that license would be granted.

I have, therefore, to inform you that I have the naturalization papers of Abdo Assali, American merchant doing business at Aux Cayes, and that these papers show that he was granted full citizenship on August 6, 1903, at St. Paul,

Minn., by the circuit court of the United States of America, district of Minnesota, third division.

The American laws make it necessary that aliens to be admitted to citizenship of the United States shall declare on oath, before a circuit or district court of the United States, or a district or supreme court of the Territories, or a court of record of any of the States having common-law jurisdiction and a seal and clerk, two years, at least, prior to his admission, that it is bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States." Therefore, Mr. Assali must have declared his intention to become an American citizen at least two years prior to the granting of his full papers on August 6, 1903. From the facts stated it is evident that naturalization could not have been with intent to evade the Haitian law above referred to, and I have therefore to request that you communicate these facts to His Excellency the President, that the license may be issued.

Pass

Relative to Mr. Ajamie, of Cape Haitien, I have to inform you that I have ascertained from the records of this office that he is the holder of American passport No. 60197, issued on July 1, 1902, by the State Department. ports are only issued to fully recognized American citizens, as supported by proofs. Mr. Ajamie's naturalization must have taken place at least more than a year prior to the enactment of the law of 1903, and I have to request that his license be issued on this evidence.

I would thank you to advise me the date on which these licenses above referred to are issued.

Relative to the other Americans who were granted or refused licenses, I have to inform you that I have written each one of them for their naturalization papers and as soon as they are in hand I shall be pleased to supply you with full information.

I take, etc.,

[Inclosure 5.-Translation.]

H. W. FURNISS.

The Secretary of Foreign Relations to Minister Furniss.

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS,
Port au Prince, January 30, 1906.

MR. MINISTER: You have taken occasion by your dispatch of January 25 to remind me of the result of the interview which you had in my presence with His Excellency the President of the Republic, and in the course of which it was decided, in so far as regards the American citizens to whom licenses had been refused because of their Syrian origin, that if it could be proven that their naturalization was prior to the law of August 13, 1903, the license would be granted them. And after having the kindness to set forth the laws of your country, in conformity with which Messrs. Abdo Assali and Ajamie have acquired American nationality, you express the desire to have delivered to them, by the chief of state, the license necessary to permit them to carry

on commerce.

In acknowledging the receipt of the communication, with which I am entirely in accord with your legation, I have the honor to inform you that I will hasten to transmit to the department of finances the necessary information with a view of granting your request.

As to your other fellow-citizens, as soon as you shall have furnished me their names and the information concerning them, I will not fail to examine, without delay, their status and to comply with your request as near as possible. I take, etc.,

M. FÉRÈRE.

TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF FRENCH-HAITIAN COMMERCIAL

No. 33.]

TREATY.

Minister Furniss to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Port au Prince, March 10, 1906. SIR: I have to report that I to-day ascertained from the French chargé d'affaires that he had come to an agreement with the Haitian Government, whereby the French-Haitian treaty, which had been

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