Lysius Salomon, President of Haiti, passed away 138 years ago

Minister under Soulouque

In 1848, Salomon became Secretary of State for Finance under Faustin Soulouque. He reorganized the administration, particularly the postal service, and brought Haiti into the Universal Postal Union. When Soulouque made himself emperor under the name of Faustin, Salomon remained by his side and in 1851 took over the empire's ministry of finance. The fall of the emperor on January 15, 1859 removed him from power. A decree by President Fabre Geffrard subsequently banished him for life along with his wife, Thulcide Nicolas. He then lived in exile in Saint Thomas, in the Virgin Islands, where his wife died, and wrote his memoirs there.

Power and the Salomonian era

Called back to the capital on October 3, 1879 and put in charge of finance, he acceded to the presidency on the following October 26. He surrounded himself with a government of 28 loyalists, reduced the number of senators, and placed an ally at the head of the Senate. His term saw the opening of discussions with the Kingdom of Hawaii and the construction of the country's first opera houses. In May 1883, he proposed Tortue Island to the Americans in exchange for military protection, an offer that was rejected. Highly popular, he nevertheless governed in an authoritarian manner.

The fall and exile

In 1887, he harshly repressed revolts and had himself proclaimed president for life, which the senators refused. His troops surrendered in Pétion-Ville and he was overthrown in August 1888. He passed through Cuba before reaching France, where he settled in Paris. He was buried in the Passy cemetery. From his second marriage, concluded in Kingston with Florentine Félicité Potiez, a daughter was born, later known as a writer under the name of Ida Faubert.