The National Register.
London, England, 1820-12-10 00:00:00

96


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REF'O(.I7/ON I.‘ Sr. DuM/A.GO,
'Extract of a letter dated Cape Ilenry, Oct. 13
Since my last, of the ;27th of September. a revo-
lution has taken place here. It was 14med two
months ago by seven oldie chiefs, but so secret was
it kept, that I do not believe a single person knew
of it until it broke out, which was on the night of
the 6th iu t. On that evening they assembled all
the troops in the town, and marched them out to
Haut du Cap, distabt from this about five miles, to
fight fin. their !iberty ; they having been, since the
reign of the King, in a state to which no slavery
could be conyared. Immediately on the King's
hearing it, which was by an express, he sent twin
Sans Souci (where he lay very sick), to give certain
orders to the Governor, which express was sent back
to acquaint the King that they no longer acknow-
ledged him as their ruler. Ile sent for his favourite
chief, st ith orders to collect all the force possible,
and to march against the rebels; and, on their am-
val here, to murder every mulatto and white,
without exception; but, previous to their leaving
Sans Souci, he ordered them into his presence. and
flattered them very much, gave them four dollars
each, and promised them, if they succeeded in their
expedition, that they might pillage the Cape, and
that their situatioas should be made as comfortable
as they could wish. In the mean time the Inde-
pendents, preparing themselves for action, and; well
knowing their cause was good, flattered themselves
that their fellow countrymen never would fight
against them, being equally interested in regaining
their liberty, having suffered alike under the yoke
of that tyrant, whose equal is atrocity never was
known, and who thought no more of murdering
people in cool blood than he did of eating his break-
fast. On the arrival of the King's troops at Haut
du Cap, on the Bth, where the Independent army
were stationed, several skirmishes took place ; but
the Independents, not wishing that any blood should
be spilled, hoisted the white flag; and, immediately
the King's troops saw that, they laid down their
arms and came over. Their chief (Duke Fort
Royal), seeing the troops abandon him, fled, but has
since been taken prisoner. The King, finding the
troops under the command of the Duke Fort Royal,
which consisted of all the force he had at Sans
Souci excepting his body guard, had gone over to
the Independents, and seeing there was no chance of
escaping, as it would have taken considerable time
to have collected another force, shot himself through
the heart at about 11 o'clock at night. Thus ended
the life of a man whose bloody deeds never were
surpassed by any tyrant that ever existed. Since
his death the diflerent armies have joined the cause
without firing a shot. The troops stationed on the
frontiers (St. Mark's) have of late been much dis-
affected on account of his degrading a colonel, and
punishing him very severely, who was much liked
by the soldiers; also on account of the shameful way
in which they were treated, having nothing to live
upon but cassada and water, and the utmost pay-
ment they received was one escalin per week. The
chiefs of the Independents are now waiting for Gen.
Romaine's (Duke Limbe) arrival from St. Mark's,
who, I believe, is to take the command, being the
eldest General; but what kind of government they
mean to have I am at a loss to say—l suppose a
republican ; for, at the commencement of this revo-
lution, the general cry was, that they would have
no more Princes, Dukes, Counts, Barons, &c. I
will say that i never knew or heard of a revolution
so well managed: there have not been more than
five persons killed, one or two were from accident.
I think this change in the country will much im-
prove the trade. When the soldiers pillaged the
palace at Sans Souci they found 240,000 dollars, or
thereabouts, a good prize. It will carry off a large
quantity of manufactured goods, as they were accus-
tomed before to walk about nearly naked. They
promise in their proclamations to encourage the
trade as much as possible, and I am persuaded in the
course of a little time that the trade to this place
will improve very much . the demand for manufac-
tured gourds and American produce is sure to be five
or six times as much again, as the soldiers will be
regularly paid. The next cefiee crop will be consi-
derably more, as every person will be allowed to
work on the different plantations. So far has this
affair been conducted with sk.ch firmness and tran-
quillity, that it Las excited the admiration of every
stranger. I consider there is no further danger, and
every thing is very tranquil. Nut one drop of blood
has been shed in this revolution, from either private
or public revenge; and it would really appear that
they had but one enemy, and he was so great an one
to their happinesa, that his destruction has swept
away all animosity "

His Catholic Majesty's ship Ceres, frem Ilavan-
nah, had arrived at Cartitagcna with flour. Three
Guineainen had arrives at 6t. Jag° de Cuba from
Africa. The Gem Arisaiencli Indepeialent priva-
teer had been taken passe inn of b; a Frt:n‘ii brig
of war, and ct::!e.-t:d to: Naiti.itt;•it...