Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-05-16

| they would now lull the DliloWS Iney nave
raised, and enjoy their ill-gotten power IN
peace and security. But let them beware
! That public voice which they have SO
! long governed and abused, will one day be
/ heard in thunder, and rouse them from
their slumbers. They may then exclalm,
Z Shake not thy cory locks at me- 1t IS
easy to take life, but who can restore its 1t
is easy to excite the public passions, but
who can controul or sllay them
| (Wash. Fed. J
Captain Hodge, arrived at Newbury-
port from Cape Francois, states thata week
before he sailed from the Cape, distur-
bance happened between Christophe, and
the captain Of an English frigate. The
! lieutenant Of the frigate, with several
of her men, attempted one night, to take
off number Of the French inhabitants.
The blacks were alarmed, assembled
| in great numbers, and, with Chrlstophe
at their head, took from the lieutenant
his side arms. The next morning they
were sent along side, but the captain ofthe
frlgate refused to see them, and would nel"
Their suffer the boat to be along side the fri
gate nor to go ashore. A flag Of truce was
/ then sent ashore demanding satisfaction;
! in the mean time the frigate got springs on
her cables, and warped up abreast the city,
with signals of hostility flying, and in rea-
| diness TO fire on the city if necessary. The
! English captain, however, received no sa-
!, tisfation, and in days was ordered from
the place.
The French people at the Cape are in
most distressing situation, expecting eve
ry moment general m assacre; as 1t was
known that Christophe hadreceived orders
from governor Dessalines to that purpose.
None of them are suffered to leave the Is
laNa, and American vessels are strictly
searcsed both before sailing and by the
barges outside. A Danish schooner which
sailed from he Cape for ST, Thomas was
overhauled by a brigand barge, and French
passengers found on board She was i'm
mediately carried into small port to lee
ward of the Cape, and the captain, crew,
and every soul on board shot. The sch'r
was afterwards brought up to the Cape
The whites are daily missing, supposed to
be secretly murdered, and their property
immediately con6scated and sold at aucti-
on. No age or sex is spared from the out.
rage and inhumanity of the blacks, who
boast of their mild treatment when compar-
ed with the cruelties which they have suf-
fered from Frenchmen. Men, women
and children are held in the most abject
slavery, and daily expire from hardship and
fatigue. They are now obliged to carry
cannon balls to fort buildingin the noun
tains about Is miles back, and are not e.
ven permitted to hire it done for them.-
Great numbers drop down with the fatigue,
and die on the road.
The few Americans who arrive at the
Cape are obliged TO be extremely circum-
spect. For want of proper regulations, and
from the Ignorance and jealousy of the
| blacks, they are subjected to much hazard
and inconvenience. Christophe will take
what proportion of the American cargoes
he pleases at his own price and pay in cof-
fee at his own price. One day he will per-
NIT certain goods to be taken on board and
the next orders them to be landed again,
& no dependence can be placed in any trade
with them. The slightest transgression of
| their rules is punished very severely. An
American supercargo was kept days in
dungeon for going on shore after dark
In general the Amer, cans, notwithstand-
ing the professions of the blacks, aretreat-
ed extremely i'll. The arrettes and pro-
carnations of DessaIines and Christophe
are mere fummery and seldom or never
put in execution.
(Ne1ybNryb2tt HefaM)