1st Senate of Haiti explained

The 1st Senate of Haiti was organized from the Constituent Assembly which drafted the 1806 Constitution. After the elected president and previous Provisional Chief Executive of Haiti Henri Christophe took up arms against the Senate, the Senate retaliated by stripping power from Christophe and electing Alexandre Pétion as president of Haiti in early 1807.

The 24-member Senate was the first legislative body in post-revolutionary Haiti, and was designed by Pétion to be a powerful body. The members were nominated by Pétion from regions of the country for affirmation by the members, with a third each being selected for nine, six and three-year terms. The Senate was suspended until 1811 due to the power struggle which split Haiti between Pétion and Christophe. Those senators who remained in office representing western and southern Haiti voted to re-elect Pétion to the presidency on March 9, 1811 and again in 1815. However, Pétion tired of the Senate, and successfully pushed for a significant revision to the 1806 Constitution in 1816, including authorizing him to serve as president for life, as well as the transformation of the unicameral Senate to the first bicameral Parliament.[1] [2]

Members

Name District Date elected/appointed Term endedTerm Notes
Alexandre PétionPort-au-Prince 28 December 180628 December 18159 years;elected by the Senate as President of Haiti 9 March 1807
Charles LysPort-au-Prince 28 December 180628 December 18159 years
Etienne Elie GérinAnse-à-Veau28 December 180628 December 18159 years
Ignace FresnelPort-au-Prince28 December 180628 December 18159 yearsre-elected on 22 February 1827
Gabriel David-TroyPort-au-Prince28 December 180628 December 18159 years
Lamothe AigronCap-Haïtien28 December 180628 December 18159 years
César ThélémaqueCap-Haïtien 28 December 1806 28 December 18126 yearselected senate president on 31 December 1806
Jean-Louis BarlatierMirebalais28 December 180628 December 18126 years
Jn-Louis Despas MédinaCayes28 December 180628 December 18126 years
Magloire AmbroiseJacmel28 December 180628 December 18126 years
Pierre Timothé, (Aubert)Port-de-Paix28 December 180628 December 18126 yearstook the oath of office, but later joined the rebels. Replaced separately by Jean-Auguste Voltaire on March 4, 1807.
Bruno Blanchet jeunePort-au-Prince28 December 180628 December 18126 years
Louis Auguste DaumecPort-au-Prince 28 December 180628 December 18093 yearsdid not accept re-appointment in 1815, re-elected 3 February 1825
Théodat TrichetCayes28 December 180628 December 18093 years
Charles DaguilhCayes28 December 180628 December 18093 years
Félix FerrierCap-Haïtien28 December 180628 December 18093 years
Guy Joseph BonnetPort-au-Prince28 December 180628 December 18093 years
Jean-Louis Guillaume ManigatFort-Dauphin28 December 180628 December 18093 years
Jean SimonSaint-Marc28 December 180628 December 18093 years
YayouPort-au-Prince28 December 180628 December 18093 years
Pélage VareinGonaïves March 4, 1807
Jean-Louis LarosePort-au-PrinceMarch 4, 1807re-elected 28 February 1817
Philippe Bourjolly-ModéJacmelMarch 4, 1807
Louis LerouxPort-au-PrinceMarch 30, 1807
Jean-Auguste VoltaireCayesMarch 4, 1807
Joseph NeptunePort-au-PrinceMarch 30, 1807
André Auguste Borno LamarrePort-au-Prince21 March 1808
Jean-Baptiste DelaunayMiragoâne4 May 1808
Casimir Célestin PanayotyPort-au-Prince5 December 1815
Jean-Baptiste BayardJacmel5 December 1815
Antoine GédéonPort-au-Prince5 December 1815
Etienne Célestin ObasPort-au-Prince5 December 1815
Jean Augustin HoguPort-au-Prince5 December 1815
Hilaire MartinJacmel5 December 1815
Paul Romain?28 December 18069 yearsnever took office, joined Christophe's rebellion.
Toussaint-Brave?28 December 18069 yearsnever took office, joined Christophe's rebellion.
Étienne Magny?28 December 18066 yearsnever took office, joined Christophe's rebellion.
Charéron?28 December 18066 yearsnever took office, joined Christophe's rebellion.
Montbrun?March 4, 1807appointed by Pétion, but turned down the appointment. Replaced by Leroux
Jean-Pierre Boyer5 December 1815did not accept appointment in 1815
Frédéric5 December 1815did not accept appointment in 1815
J.-F. Lespinasse5 December 1815did not accept appointment in 1815

Presidents

NameTook officeLeft officeParty
César Télémaque[3] 31 December 1806February 1807
Jean-Louis BarlatierMarch 1807April 1807
Louis-Auguste DaumecApril 1807May 1807
Théodat TrichetJune 18071807
Guy Joseph Bonnet18084 March 1808
Gabriel David Troy4 March 1808April 1808
Jean-Louis LaroseMay 1808June 1808
Pierre Charles LysJuly 1808August 1808
Philippe Bourjolly-ModéSeptember 180818 November 1808
Louis-Auguste Daumec18 November 1808?
Jean-Louis Larose?April 1811
Louis LerouxMay 18111811
Jean-Auguste Voltaire18121812
Jean-Louis Larose1812?
Pierre Charles Lys18131813
Jean-Auguste Voltaire1813?
Jean-Louis Larose18141814
Louis Leroux1814July 1814
Jean-Louis LaroseAugust 18141814
Jean-Auguste Voltaire1814December 1814
Jean-Louis LaroseDecember 18141815
Pierre Charles Lys18151815
Joseph Neptune1815January 1816
Casimir Célestin PanayotyJanuary 18161816
Jean-Baptiste Bayard1816?

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Haiti:The Post-Revolutionary Period:1804-1820 . faculty.webster.edu.
  2. Web site: Gazette Officielle de l’état d’Hayti – La Gazette Royale .
  3. Web site: 1837-12-14 . L'Union. Recueil commercial et littéraire . 2024-08-19 . Gallica . EN.

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