Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-04-24

lnial administration as should securr
the freedom aud equality of the ons
with the other Bonaparte, w!ip IL.
yer scrupled at any means 10 co3npass
his ends and with whom deceit anu
trick were the prudence of govern,
ment, readily acceded to these terms,
and in the period Of the Peace Of A
miens, sent out an expedition under
his brother in law to possess itself Of
the colony. The chiefs of colour, &
amongst them Tousaint L'Oyerture,
received the fleet according to tie
terms agreed thoy went abroad and
were in the instant made prisoners <
sent to France. The whole popu!a-
ton of the blacks and people Of CO.
Ilour instantly took arms, another war
began and the former excuses were
repeated. The conclusion was, that
the French expedition .ntireiy failcI
and the Empire OF Hayti was es.a'.-
! iished.
| Such was the state of tie things a.
the time when the Gourbons rcturnc
to the throne of France. ChristnpAc.
the black chief, in lninic.y OF tie
Empeor Napoleon had established
himself upon the throne al Ilayti.-
had created new nobi ity-promul,
gated a code oilaws an government.
His tito and Sovernmem was endured
indeed, only not acknowledged. By
several trading nations. and III a long
interval OF those campaigns which had
occupied the whole attention Of Ma
polcon IN Europe. In word We
question whether ChI'istophc IS less
firmly established in st Domin-
go, than was Napoleon Himself il
France.
Under these circum:tan es, It is truly
amazing to US what could lead to th:
present attempt of France to recover III /.
lost ;,land. In our own humble opi:io, ,
all tie power of Europe would nc; be sa'.
ticient totally ~ sGkdac the blacks ard
people Of color OF St. Domingo. They
have two circumstances IN their taycr
which render them i.W!ucible. In tho
: first place climate which is pregnant
with fever, plague aud Sudden death 10
Europeans, but which 10 negroes is the q.
ilemeut ir which they delight and thyIve:
and secondly the mountainous nature OF
the country covered moreover in the ill.,
terror with woods and jrus!es. II all the
power OF France was unequal TO accom-
iplish this enterprise whilst the force of
the Haytiaus was o. disOrde.ly null
titude, what can be expected now that
they are united in regular government !;
nor that /. ?i'ive banditli are all regular.
" armed aid disciplined, aud That IN az
established revenue and due systeIn Of
camm!ssaries they end no want of pay
and provisions. We ca-inot niulge az
expectation Of succe,s--inGeed We al
most doubt whether morally speaking ws
ought to wish this expedition to succeed.
If it were intended 10 establish slave
iry, certainly not, No matter what was
the orisiu: the freedom, the natural rights
of the blacks and people of color are now
es; ablishcd. and It is the duty oi France
to respect their liberties. They had no
hit at first to cnsIavc them, aud still
less right have they to reduce them back
to the same serv!tudc, As respects ta
recovery OF the soil and dO:a.aion Of hir
colony, the case is different; and perhaps
as respects our interest as Enslistmea,
our views OF policy should be different.
st. Domingo, as Etench colony, "oGi !
lcertainly be es' meNscjng toJama.ca an |
the other West iudia islands than Hayti
as an example % black s'vernmeut---t
nation of slaves wEU have recovered thCir
liberties.