SALNAVE, Sylvain (sal-nahv), president of Hayti, born in Cape Haytien in 1832; died in Port au Prince, 15 January, 1870. He enlisted in 1850, and was captain of cavalry when Geffrard overthrew Soulouque in Januar);, 1859, being rewarded for his aid with the rank of major. In 1861 he was bitter in his denunciation of Geffrard for what he called the latter's subserviency in the matter of the occupation of the Dominican territory by Spain, and Geffrard, whose popularity began to decline, was powerless to punish Salnave. The latter promoted and encouraged frequent insurrections on the borders, and in 1864 he abetted an insurrection in the northern part of Hayti, but the movement was put down with the aid of the Spanish. In July, 1866, he led a new rising at Gonaives, and, although he was again defeated, the revolt continued to increase, and, aided by a pronunciamento in his favor at Port au Prince, 22 February, 1867, he entered the capital on 13 March. A triumvirate was now appointed, composed of Nissage-Saget, Chevalier, and Salnave, and the last was elected president on 14 June. His first act was to promulgate the new constitution that had been voted by the senate, but his despotic rule soon occasioned sullen discontent. In 1869 a general insurrection, headed by Nis-sage-Saget and Domingue, began in the counties of the north and the south. Salnave collected his forces and fought desperately, even after his chief general, Chevalier, had gone over to the enemy, intrenching himself in Port au Prince, where he was soon besieged by the rebel army under General Brice. The defence was obstinate, and Salnave refused to surrender even after his fleet had been captured, Port au Prince had been bombarded, and the grand palace had been completely destroyed by an explosion. At the instance of the British consul he endeavored on 19 December to escape to Dominican territory, but was captured by General Cabral on 10 January, 1870, and by him surrendered to Nissage-Saget, who had assumed command at Port au Prince. On his arriwd in the capital, Salnave was tried and sentenced to death by a court-martial on charges of bloodshed and treason, and was immediately executed on the steps of the ruined palace.