Ebenezer D Bassett to L. Etheart, August 18, 1876

Sir: A dispatch addressed to me on the 4th of April last by the then secretary of state, Mr. Excellent, gave me formal notice of the intention of the government of Hayti to terminate the treaty concluded between the United States and Hayti on the 3d of November, 1864, according to the terms of the 42d article thereof. “Upon the overthrow of the Domingue administration and the establishment of the provisional government, I brought the dispatch to the attention of your immediate predecessor, Mr. H. Price, who wrote me a note dated June 10, 1876, in which the idea is conveyed to me that the provisional government was not in favor of the proposed termination of the treaty.

These two communications, which I have already forwarded to my government, seem to leave the matter in an unsettled condition. I would therefore thank you, Mr. Minister, if you will have the goodness, now that a definite government is fully established, to convey to me authentic intelligence of the positive disposition of your government relative to the subject.

I avail myself of this occasion to salute you, Mr. Minister, with my most distinguished consideration.