Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-04-22

y Messrs. Lang. Turner & Co.--Encou
RACED By your Kindness in publishing some
time ago, an official account OF great m
Iterest for the inhabitants OF st. Domlngo,
II have translated with due attention re-
mort made in the house of deputies, which;
Ii think is very important for them; and .1
deserving in many respects the attenllo y
lof all classes of readers. ! am, respect
| fully, gentlemen, your most obt.
C. DE RUSSY.
Literally translated from the Memorial '
| Bordelais, ofthe Gath Oct. 1914.
Report made in the name of the Com
mission, by NJ. Lame, concerning the
colony Of st. Domingo.
Gentlemen, IF the moment is not YET
come to put an end to the disasters OF st'
Domingo, and to re-establish sentlrely
| That intercourse SO necessary for the fate
of the colony, and the prosperity Of the e.
mother country; must you not accelerate
|at,least, by the expression OF your WISH
les, an event which will remove the Tears
of the people Of France.
It is quite superhuous to speak to you
|of the advantages Of st. Domingo, OF its
former weightin the balance of commerce,
of its influence upon our navy, on the
prosperity of our maritime cities, & con-
upon that Of the kingdom.-
Every Frenchmen is convinced Of it's inn
portance, it is not unknown to the other
nations of Europe, and the general OPT.
Mon is that France is almost as much at
tached to that Island as to its finest pro-
vinces.
Without mentioning the riches it has
produced and the afFlueDce which it may
still procure, other motives, independent
of all computations of public economy,
ought to turn your attention towards SO
property. Is there nobler
motive than that Of restoring to peace,
by regular, just, and wise administra-
ton, an immense population always UNI
fortunate since the downfall OF the throne?
Is there a motive more worthy OF 60
vernment tlian to recall to their country
all those colonies dispersed by long ad-
adversely in several regions of the globe,
where they anxiously long for land
where they will be able to improve the
long lessons Of adversely?
One thing permits us to anticipate SO
desirable an event, it is that St. Domin-
go, in its present condition, cannot be
cause of jealousy for other nations, and
that all the governments seem interested
to see good order and the usual industry
re-established there upon the basis ofJus-
tice and humanity.
The treaty of TIE 4th Of June, which
has reduced France to it's ancient limits,
has left it in possession Of its rights on
st. Domingo, and his majesty, by resto-
ring to the king of Spain the Spanish Part
of the Island, has remained by full right
in possession of all sovereignty on the
French part; this has not been this CAN
not be put in question; this nobody can
doubt. But the ministers have prepared
the means to cause the evils which desc
late that island to cease, and to re-estab-
lish an intercourse so impatiently wished
for FIVE months having elapsed since
peace has been restored to France, they
have certainly not neglected the proper
measures to become we'll acquainted with
the interior state of the colony, and TO
prepare for it the blessings of peace and
regulations suitable to circumstances.
However, great number OF the colo
|aists of st. Domingo, prompted by an
|impatience very excusab,e; the CONNER
|cial cities several merchants OF all qua
in tie midst ofthc encourage
|ments Given to them, have addressed pc
titions to the ministers and to the two
houses. A great secret uneasiHess aga
|tated their minds, when NJ. the genera
Desfourneaux, being a member OF the
committee of petitions, called the pubic
attention to these important objects;
The proposition which he has made TO
YOU. and which you have taken under
your consideration, is divided into two
very distinct parts: the one is relative to
the dispositions which must be adopted
for an expedition against st. Domingo
and for establishing thither mode OF 60
|vernment calculated to give security to
every individual Of its different classes !;
the other is concerning the debts OF the
|colonists, and is more especially con-
Injected with private rights.
Under the first aspect, the proposition
which your committees have examined,
essentially belongs to the government, and
will involve questions Of the greatest I'M
|portance these questions could not be
Iso1yed nor even'usefully discussed in this