Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-30


v;nd,ca,;np the notion entertained in France,
that the negroes would not work withouS cots
pulsou. he takes occasion 10 allude to o'ner nc
eroes who had been liberated by the same proc
lamatisn, but who were more immedia'ey ="
der his own eve and cognsance. I'll, says "e,
avou will take care not to speak 10 them OF
their return TO slavery, but talk 10 them ABOUT
their liberty, you may, with inns 'a'Tr VII ~,
cha;n hem down 10 their labour. How ala
rou,san, succeed? How did l succeed, also,
before his time, in the plain OF the Col de oac,
and ON the plantation Gouraud, more than eighi
months after liberty had been granted 10y roll
vereD 10 the slaves? Let those who Knew
me al that time, and even the blacks themselves
he asked. They will all reply that not a single
negro upon that plantation refused 10 ,corf; ana
vel this plantation was thought to be under tae
wors, discipline, and the slaves the most id'e'
of any in the plain. myself inspired Inc same
activity into three other plantations OF whieh
had the management" -(See Memoire his'o'
rioue Ct politaue des colonies, ct particu'a!re-
men, de cele de St. Dominique, &c. Paris, Au-
gust, 1914, svo. p. So ~
General Lacrox, who published his we
noirs or History of ST. Domingo at faris
in 1919, informs us that when Santhona1, VINO
had beer recalled 10 France by the government
there, returned to the colony in 1896, me ,ods
asion;shed al the state in t0hich he found Them
on his reiurn." "This," says Lacroix, was ow.
ing 10 Toussant, who, while he had succeeded
in establishing perfect order and discipline a
mong the black troops, had succeeded also !"
making the black labourers return 10 the pan
,a,ions, there 10 resume the drudgery oil cui1i'
walton" -,
"rhe next witness to whoml shall appear,
saws Clarkson, "is the es,imable General YIN
cent, who now lives al Paris. though al an AL
vanced age. Vincent was Colonel, and alter
wards a General Of brigade Of artillery in 81.
Domingo. He was stationed there during the
time both Of Santhonax and Toussant. he was
also proprietor OF estates in the Island
He was the man who planned the renovation oil
i,s agriculture after the abolition Of slavery,
aud one of the great instruments in bringing IT
10 the perfection mentioned by Lacroix In
the year 1901 he was called upon by Toussan'
to repair to Paris, to lay before the Directory
The new constitution which had been agreed up
on in ST, Domingo. He obeved the summons.
II happened that he arrived in France just at
the moment of the peace OF Amiens: here he
fou nd, TO his inexpressible surprise and grief,
that Bounaparte was preparing an immense ar
mamen; TO be commanded by Leclerc, Tor the
purpose of restoring slavery in 81. Domingo he
los. no time in seeing the first consul, and ne
had the courage TO say at thi. interview, what,
perhaps, no other man in France would have
dared to say at this particular moment. He
against the expedition: he skold
him TO his face, that though The army destined
for this purpose was composed OF the brilliant
conquerors Of Europe, i, could do nothing in
the Antilles. 1t would most assuredly be des.
,royed by the climate of ST. Domingo, even
though il should be doubtful whether IL would
be DESTROYED by the blacks. He stated as ano-
ther argument against the expedition, that II
was totally unnecessary, and, therefore, crimi-
mall for that every thing ,cas going on ,ceH IN ST.
Domingo.
"The proprietors ,oere in peaceable possession Of
their estates, cultivation ,caS making rapid pro-
eress; The blacks uers industrious and beyond cram
ple happy" He con ured him therefore, in the
name Of humanity, not to reverse this beautiful
state of things. Bu, alas! his efforts were in
effectual. The die had been cast; and the only
reward which he received from Buonaparte for
his manly and faithful representations, was ba-
nishment to the Isle of Elba."
"The hellish expedition at length arrived up
OIL the shores Of ST. Domingo: scene Of blood
and torture followed, sach as history had neUer
before disclosed, and compared with which, though
planned ana eTecueo ~ tO"tfeo, all the DafoaTiss
said to have been perpelrated by the insurgent
blacks, amount comparatively TO nothing" 1t
appears, however, that "the French were no; the
"aulhors of tearing TO pieces the negroes alive
sby blood-hounds, or Of suffocating them by
s'hundreds at time, in the holds Of ships, or Of
"drowning them iwhole cargoes) by scuttling
"and sinking the vessels,-but the Planters."-
After desperate struggle, the French were
driven from the island. "IM that time the plant
"ers retained eteir property, and then il ,ras, and
"not til then, that they lost their all"
In the year 1904 Dessalines was proclaimed
Emperor Of this fine territory, and in PROGRESS
Of time the black troops were disbanded, ex-
cept such as were retained for the peace-estab-
lishment of the army. They who were disband-
ed returned to cultivation. AS they were free
when they became soldiers, SO they continued
to be free when they became laborers again
From that time TO this there has been no want
Of subordination among them. They OF their
descendants are the persons by whom the plains
and valleys Of St. Domingo are stH cultivated,
and they are reported to follow their occupa-
lions still, and with as fair character as other
free laborers in any other quarter of the globe"
1t appears then, from this account, which we
believe may be entirely relied on that the blacks