Star.
London, England, 1808-01-05 00:00:00

111.7104 V AND CHRIROPHE.

An Account of the Origin of the present Disputes between Pr-
TION and Cnatcroemr, from a Gentleman who has resided
a long time under the Guvernmems of Toussaisi-r and Das-
SALINES.

In the month of July, 1f406, Christophe, Petion,
Magny, JoYon, and Guire, formed a determination to
dethrone Dessalines. Those Generals commanded
the northern, middle, western, and southern depart-
ments. The plan originated with Christophe, and
was 1)y him communicated to several of the other Ge-
nerals, all of whom agreed the island could 'only be
saved and rendered respectable by a dethronement of
I)essalines, and the elevation of Christophe,- under a
correct and an enlightened administration. Suffice it
to say, their plan was successful, so far as the death of
Dessalines. I)eputies were then chosen from the dif-
ferent arrondissements to meet at Port-au-Prince to
form a Constitution, and appoint their first President.
i'hey regularly met—a. Constitution was drafted and
adopted, and Christophe unanimously elected Presi-
dent for fotir years (Petion, nor any other General
suffering their names to appear as -Candi4ites). Un,
der the Constitution a Senate was chosen, and Port,
au-Prince declared the seat of the Haytian Republic.
Every thing went on well—the new government was
punctual in their engagements, and confidence was
generally established.
This state of things continued for twO.Months, un-
til the administrator of Port-au-Prince, a- man of
colour, talents, and most consummate intrigue and villainy,
Oge by name, and brother to the age who suffered
.at Fort. Dauphin; and was the first promoter of the
revolution in St. Domingo, finding he could no longer
carry on the system of peculation and villainy that he.'
did under the reign of Dessalines, decamped from,'
Port-au-Prince, and went to Christophe at Cape,)titn-
cois, where he so artfally managed, thatlie made
Christophe believe that Petion was at the head of
plot, the object of which was to assassinate hiin
(Christophe), and to get himself declared Presidentl
and the only possible method to detest. the plot was
to assemble all his force, and march • rapidly and se..
cretly against Port-au-Prince, to destroy the Senate,'
and assassinate d'etion. Oge being a man of colour,
and pretending to be shooked at the atrocity. of the
plan, induted Christophe to undertake. the expedition,
,tio sudden and secret was Chrlitophe'a . attack, that*
Petion, nor the inhabininis of Port-au-Prince, suspef7,
ted nothing of his march till he had encamped on the
.plains Of trul-de-Sac, a distance of six leagues Mini,
Port-au-Prince. On the arrival of the news of Chris"
tophc's advance, with about I I,ooa men, the genertile,
was beat, and all the force then in Port-au-Prince im-
mediately marched out,' '2700 strong, with 'Petion at
their head, to ascertain the reason orChristophe's ad-
vance. The troops met about three leagues from.
.Port-au-Prince, when Christophe's advanced guard
was ordered by Petion in person to halt. General
Marshal Baisse, who commanded Christophe's ad-
vanced guard, replied, that his orders were to march.
to Port-au-Prince, and he should not stop short of it.
Petion then gave orders to form, and a warm engage-
ment commenced, in which Baisse was defeated and
compelled to retire. In the morning the whole of
Christophe's army had come up, and Petion thought
it prudent to retire within the city, and defended him-
self for fur days; till reinforcements arrived from
Leogane, Grand Gonaives, and Jacqmel. He then
gave Christophe battle, and defeated him in the most
complete manner. Petion was in the hottest of the
battle for four days, while Christophe sat perched on
the top of a sugar mill, and viewed the fight through
a long spy-glass. The troops pursued Christophe, who
must have fallen a sacrifice, had he not left the main
road, and crossed the mountains, back of L'Arcahaye.
• During the first day's action, when retina's troops
amounted. only to TI), the officers of •Chrictnphe
pointed out Petion to their men, as their • greed mark,
he having a long yellow-feather-in his hat, one of Pe-
tion's Aids-de-camp, Captain Cotillay, a man of co-
lour, .rode.ap to Petion, and informed kiln of- his dad-
ger, and solicited a change of-hats; Petion refusedit•
and the -Aid-de-camp rode oft A detachment of ea-
abOut half an hour afterwards, was ordered :tn.
cut Petioh off, and would have succeeded, had it not
been for Captain Cotillay, who, perceiving the danger
of his General, rode Up to him,' and seized his feather,
put it in his own hat, and took an opposite direction,
accompanied .by three other Aids-de-camp. The
party of cavalry, presuming it was Petion endeavour-
ing to make his escape, pursued Cotillay, who, when
within twenty yards, wheeled his horse,, and received
at least twenty pistol balls.' ' He fell, Not his objeit 1
was gained—the preservation of his Chief.
This anecdote I pledge myself to fully establiih—
it proves the attachinera Petiun's officers have for him.
The whole southern.department marched for-Port-au-
Prince when they heard of Christophe's attack. After
Christophe's defeat, the Senate of the Republic assem-
bled; and declared Christophe an outlaw, and pro-
ceeded to the appointment cif a new President. 'Out
of '25 votes, Petion -had '2l, and was duly declared
: President. Since which, Christophe has made seve-
ral ' attempts to march against Port-au-l' it ce, but
could never keep the troops together sufficiently long..
• In July, Petion sent General Leeilar, with 1100 men;
who landed at Port-de-Paix ;--and Lout the number
of cultivators that have joined him, chri*tophe. cannot
route him. . . . .
. _ •
The Pain! frail) Nei 'Vodka the 24th of Oet4eft

=latta t Christopbe, av4th. hit whole force, had
lettinst Port-de-Pais. Petion will defeat him
abd- &leery. him, by carryins on the war within
`Mate territory. Christophe, it is well known, cannot
'read or write—Lhe'has ; stamp with ithich he puts
name to dispatches and decrees. The pleasure. with
which he executed Dessalines' orders for assassii
can only be equalled by Petion's horror at them,
firmness in opposing them. In June, 1806, Dessalines
ordered Christophe to assemble all the whites in
department, and to dispose of them (meaning assa.si-
nation.) A similar order was sent AO the middle -
southern departments—the latter under Petion's
mand. Christophe's soul would not
_permit his being
present at the bayonetting them, but he gave the ,-
ders to his Commandant ; and how he executed it,
leave to Christophe's agent, lately arrived, to ansiver.
Let him say, whether the houses of the unfortunate
whites were not knocked at after midnight, and
trance demanded, as by a friend : on the doors being
opened, a party NC-as ready with lopes, and slip.
nooses, to throw over their necks; and, in that situaticn
were dragged into the streets and killed. Such, I aver,'
was the fact ; and let Christophe, or his pensioned
agents, dare to contradict the statement, and I
establish it by affidavits beyond the power of question..
After such atrocious conduct, let us hear no mor
of Christophe's htimanity, politeness, and talents.
Let me now state Petioles conduct, wfien recei,
ing a similar order : he assembled all the Whites
Port-au-Prince, and marched them .to the vac:
barrackV and Made his Adjutant-General Papallye,
personally responsible fur their lives and safety. He
supplied them from-his private purse for• six dars,'
Dessalines arrived from Campellarchand • and on
learning that they (the Whites) had not been dispo-
sed of; he sent for Petion, and demanded the reason
of his orders not being executed ? Petion, with
true firmness which constitutes the soldier and gentle,.
man, replied—,, Emperor, I am a soldier ; command
me to march against the enemies of our island,
may death and infamy be my portion if I reAre ;.
but I cannot assassinate. The whites, you forrnerl,
thought proper to protect, are peaceable and valuabl
citizens, and have counselled .no act to justify L.
death." The Emperor frowned, but did not think
prudent to hazard too much by arresting Petion.
(the Emperor) proceeded to the southward, on
second tour, when it was expected he would wreak
his vengeance on the whites. Before, however.
reached Port an Prince, he was shot. The wl
(and among them is the wife of Cotillay, who so
hly fell in the preservation of his Chief) are now lit
at Port au Prince, under the protection of Peticn.
The Senate of Post-au-Prince is composed of
whose talents, attainments, and patriotism, wouk.
honour to any country. The Secretary of State,
Bruno Blanchett. Esq. may justly be ranked among
the artist cultivated and best educated men of the
With such men, with •Petion at their head, and
army .who doat on their Chief, let us hear no more
Christophe, but calmly remain quiet for a few mont
and then we shall know whether virtue and intelligence
are to overcome vice and atrocity.