Doc. No. 36.
26
Statement. B A L T I M O R E , March
5, 1826.
Messrs. Robert Gilmor & Sons, and my late house, sent to St. D o m i n go, in the year 1804, a valuable cargo consigned to Captain William B a r t lett, who sold the same to Monsieur Dejoye, and Colonels Bouregard and Bourdett, and received in payment their joint note for $22,664, and t h e remainder in cash. Captain Bartlett left said note in the hands of D u n can Mcintosh, of A u x Cayes, for collection, who failed soon after he r e ceived it, which, with drunkenness and fear of the parties, disqualified him from taking care of our interest. T h e paper herewith enclosed will explain the present situation of the claim, and show that the Govern ment of Hayti have taken our property to pay D . Mcintosh's debt, long after we had taken the agency out of his hands. I employed Mr. A r m strong, our consul at Port-au-Prince, to look after this claim, who in formed me that it never would be recovered without the interference of o u r Government. T h i s information induced me to state the case to Mr. M o n roe, who assured me that I should have the support of our Government ; but my absence in E u r o p e , and other causes not now necessary to be e x plained, have occasioned a great delay. I directed Mr. Greer, who made the enclosed affidavit, to call on the Secretary of State for the promised letter, and to make the necessary explanations. H e informed me that Mr. Adams was perfectly satisfied with his explanation and the paperslaid before him, and promised to send me a letter, which he forgot. T h e papers relating to this affair were left in the hands of Mr. Richard Forrest, who was present when the President promised to give me the support of the G o v e r n m e n t ; and I am under the impression that he informed me, b e fore I embarked for E u r o p e , that Mr. Adams doubted the propriety of corresponding with the President of Hayti. I presume our Government can now have no objection to correspond with that of Hayti, and you will see by a letter herewith enclosed from W m . D . Robinson, that M r . Adams did write to President Boyer in 1821. ROBERT OLIVER. To
C.
HUGHES.
Papers herewith enclosed: T w o letters from W m . D. Robinson; co py of a letter from Wm. Gibson of Aux C a y e s ; George G r e e r ' s affidavit; copy of a letter from Mr. Armstrong, our Consul at Port-au-Prince ; a statement of the case.
Statement of facts deposed to by the undersigned, touching the claim of Messrs. Robert & John Oliver, of Baltimore, against General Boure gard, and Colonels Bourdett and Dejoye, of Aux Cayes, island of St. Do mingo, for balance of brig Delaware's cargo, sold to them in the year eighteen hundred and four, and for which they were jointly and seve rally bound by their respective signatures to pay. T h e origin of the deponent's agency in that transaction will be found in the following copy of a letter dated— B A L T I M O R E , May
23,
1818.
S I R : W e have authorized the bearer, Mr. Greer, to call on you for