Page:Haiti- Her History and Her Detractors.djvu/217

 when he heard that the people whose rights he had disregarded, had, so to speak, dismissed him. He did not try to resist their will, but he went to Arcahaie, from whence he sailed for Jamaica on the 2d of June, 1844.

General Guerrier, who, on the 3d of May, 1844, became President of Haiti, was already 87 years old. After taking the oath of office on the 9th he devoted his efforts to the restoring of peace in the Southern province. As a veteran of the war for independence his deficiency in knowledge was counterbalanced by his great love for his country. He showed great moderation in exercising the dictatorship which circumstances had conferred upon him. At a word from him the peasants of the Southern Department laid down their arms. After restoring peace the government of President Guerrier undertook the problem of diffusing public instruction; a "Lycée" was created at Cap-Haitien and one at Cayes. A Council of State took the place of the House of Representatives and of the Senate.

President Guerrier, owing to his very advanced age, was unable to stand the fatigue of his high office; he died at Saint-Marc on the 15th of April, 1845.

The next day the Council of State elected General Pierrot President of the Republic. The new Chief of the Executive Power was not much younger than his predecessor, being 84 years old. His most pressing duty was to check the incursions of the Dominicans, who were harassing the Haitian troops along the borders. There they had elected General Santana President, and seized every opportunity to attack and annoy our soldiers. Their crafts also were making depredations on our coasts.

President Pierrot decided to open a campaign against the Dominicans, whom he considered merely as insurgents. The Haitians, however, not being anxious to engage upon war with their neighbors, were unwilling to support the President's views. Furthermore, he had displeased the army by conferring military rank