The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-08-18

fTbCS, ire ldtSQ 10 tiidt loWiIs diiu SHLSTSu tuS
harbour on the i5th. The Britiih agent had
the following day an interview with the g6ver;i-
or-geus;al, when numerous objections were
made by him TO the treaty, and amendments
and additions were fuegefted, to which i, was
impolIible to accede, 70 very extravagant were
his demands. Deiialiues wiihed TO ftipulate for
univerial commerce, and for freedom of navga-
tion round the iiland to any ditance from the
COAT his vefies might proceed. He aiio infiit-
ed on being fupp,ied BY us with arms, ammu-
milton, and what was mott extraordinary, with
negroes. From terms fo executive theie, no
hopes could be entertained of any thing like a
Satisfactory ifiue to the negotiation, and during
Eve days more, while the Britiih agent and his
colleagues remained at ort-au-Prince, only a.
mother interview took place. Deilalines feized
the opportunity of manipulating number of
old grievances, complained ofb Touiiant, and
tending to thew his doubts of our incerity. He
laid valt ftrefs on the confidence repofed in him
by the people of Hayti, and of the dignity and
Independence of his government, which obliged
him TO reject the terms we propoied. and TO
which he could not think of acceding, tiuce the
iiland was open to the commerce of the whole
world, France excepted. To plopoition that
he fhould put us in poiieliion of the poR of the
Mole during the war only, he aniwcred, that it
was altogether impofIible, and that he had gil
ven orders to detroy all the Notifications on the
land iide of the town, which had been carried
into effect at Port-au-Prince, and was to be done
through the whole of ST, Domingo. Our agent
returned to KingGon with the propofals of Def
falineS III writing, after L folemn proiRie that
an anfwer fhould be fent from governor Nugent,
at Jamaica, with all pollible' difpatch.
This promife was punctually executed, for
the Britith agent did not remain quite week
at KingRoD, when he embarked in the fame fri
gate for st. Domingo, with governor Nugent's
mtiniafuna. With the exception of fone tri-
fling notifications, it differed little from our
hrf propoias. The governor thought it, how
ever, expedient TO fend prefents to Deiialines
and his principal officers, to the value of feveral
hundred pounds, chiefly competed of hats, gold
lace, epaulets and iabres. On the 10th of Fe-
bruary our agents were landed at Jeremie, but
as DeiaIiues was then at Aux-Cayes, no inter-
view took place until his arrival, which was the
o5th. Initead Of relaxing in the demands he
had before made, he renewed all his objections,
and even inGRed, as preliminary, that we
ihoud furnifh BIN with one million pounds of
powder, equal to five hundred tons, with fifty
thoufand muikets ana ammunition; fifty thou
fsnd fibTcS for infantry, five thoufand for csval-
ry, and fifty barrels of flints. So extraordinary
propofal was a convincing proof that he had
no intention of treating with us bur it was con-
fdered the wiieit cour1e to allure Delalines that
his demand ihould be laid before the governor
of jamaica. The agents returned to Kingfon,
and we underttand that in confequence of 60
vernon Nugent's dispatches, all IDEA of treaty
with the republic ofHayti is entirely reiinquiiil-
ed.
It is added to this account, that the great
rnafs of his officers andarmy are equally peril
dious and brutal and it is confidently main
tanned by thofe beit acquainted with his charac-
ter, that treaty made with him, any of them,
can be kept facred. Such meaiure would in
evitaby expofe the lives and properties of our
merchants to the caprice ofthofe ferocious BAN
ditti, who, IT left to themfelves, mutt tll prey
TO each other. They have now an army of
nearly 10000 men on foot, without any mate
rial reiources for its fupport. The troops are
T,i1r3biy clothed, receive no pay, and would
be ihorty without the means of exiftence, as Gull
tivation is neglected throughout the ifland, were
veto declare the ports in a fate of blockade.
The actual ration allowed to each black folder,
coniiits of a herring, and half a pound of bad
bread. The whole population of St. DoHin-
go is not now 100000 fouls, and of that num-
Der not more than $4,000 are effective males.
This population, dminilhng as it is, would de-
create IT'LL more rapidly, were they deprived of
all external fuccor. With people 70 diipro-
portloned to the Handing army, it may be ea6ly
conceived to what miferable fituation the plan
tationS are reduced. The few which are fill
worked are cultivated BY women, children and
old men and all the fugar-works and diftille-
ries, except in a few nftances, have been totally
deftroyed. A quantity of taffia, fufficient for
the confumption of the military only, is not
made in the whole Aand, and not a Jingle pound
of fugar is 70 be obtained. 1t would feem from
the fentiments exprefed by Delalines during
his conferences with our agents, that he intends
to make coffee and cotton the chief commodi-
ties of the illand.
As the blacks ::.a,..;lTa,!yy look TO another at
2.seinpt on the part of France TO recover the il
land, their preient fyfem is to Cieftroy all the
fortihcations round the towns unlefs they pro-
tect the entrance of the harbors. Dedalines
does not affect any mifery with refpect to the
plan Corporations he has determined to purfue,
ihould the French eject landing. Perfons of
every defcription are, immediately upon the APP
proach off the enemy, to retire with all their pro-
psryt TO the itrong holds and faftnefes in the
interior, having pfeyiou0y burnt the towns. It
Is highly probable that f.rious divifons Will
fhortiy arife between The northern and fouthern
chiefs, as the latter, who are notify people of
color, and fewer i'll number, begin to entertain
approximations for their lafety.
We learn with pleafure that no fears can arifs
with reipect to any danger 20 our poGcfions in
the WeR Indies ihould the new government Of
st. Domingo prove hotile to u.s. The blacks
are deltitute ofvefes capable either of annoy
ing our trade, Or Of transporting troops, and we
decidedly quefion the policy of any CONNER
ciai treaty with them, which would not only ex-
pole the lives and property of our merchants