Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-12-02

SeOui lllS none man ldngulSneu LOT d lew lnOHLlS
of woe, and died; leaving the stigma of eternal
iniamy upon the government which could thus
destroy one of the greatest and the best of the
human race. Touissant was man of the ut
most purity of morals, and probably Of sincere
pley. The treatment he received reused an
universal cry of indignation throughout Europe
against the French Government; and not a few
make pilgrimages of veneraton to the interest
ing scene Of his Imprisonment and death. His
memory haows the spot, and the lapse of time
will but give additional luster to his name.
While such events were in progress, it was
increasingly evident that the islanders though
conquered, were not subdued The inhuman'
re-establishment of slavery in Guadalupe, where
the slaves had also by successful Instruction
thrown off their chains, aud the barbarous MUIR
der Of twelve hundred Of the noblest Of the AZ
rican race, by deliberately drowning them, sent
thrill of rage and despair throughout the whole
length and breadth of st. Domingo. The spirit
of Instruction was every where manifested, and
the French with merciess cruelty, in vain en-
deavored to extinguish it in blood. Simutane-
ousy, instnctiyely, almost without concert, on
every hillside and in every valley, the island
ers again arose. and though without leaders and
without arms, hurled themselves upon the execra-
ted invaders. The enthusiasm become univer-
sal, and the slaves, in the frenzy of their deter
mnaton to relinquish life rather than liberty,
almost courted death int the conflict Christophe,
Dessalines, Clervaux and others of the African
Generals who had Joined the French armies, but
who had not as yet been removed to France,
animated by the unexpected change in affairs,
again joined their brethren in the front of battle,
in the struggle for freedom.
The change in the prospects of the two par
ties was truly great one. The ravages of war
and of the yellow fever, in few months, reduc-
ed apparently irresistible hosts which had inva-
ded the island to thirteen thousand men. OF
these, five thousand were in the hospitals, and
they were dying at the rate of several hundreds
day. 1t was ndeed'apparent, to use the Ian
guage of Touissant, that Providence had at length
come to their aid =" Of nearly forty thousand
troops who had landed on the island, on the infa-
nous mission of perpetating slavery, but eight
thousand remained capable of bearing arms
New hope inspired the bosoms of the Haytens.
They felt that God had come as their ally in
their heroic struggle. LIE CIerc was compelled
to concentrate his forces, and retire before the
foes who, flushed with hope, were swarming a.
round him, AS he was rapidly retreatng to
Cape Town, assaed on every point by the is
landers, he was seized by the yellow fever, and
the victim of disappointment modification and
remorse soon died. His best officers had already
fallen before the pestilence and were reposing
around him in the silence of the grave. The
army was now plunged in the deepest state ofde-
lection. Rochambeau, man of great energy,
but of merciless cruelty, assumed the command,
b,,J e, onJI +oJ
instead Of intimldating these humble yet bold
advocates Of human rights. The mulattoes,
whom LIE Clerc had concated, reused by acts
of oppression on the part Of Rochambeau, now
united, heart and soul, with their more sable
brethren Animated by success, Christophe and
Dessanes, OH the night of the 18th of Fcbrua-
ry, 1903, yentured upon the bold enterprise of a
midnight attack upon the French within the de-
lenses of Cape Town. They succeeded in sur
prsing Fort Belair, and all the garrison were
put to the sword. And it was only by the most
desperate efforts on the part of the French Gen
eral and his dwndng troops, that the attack on
the body of the town was repealed, A reinforce
rnent Of | 200 fresh troops arrived from France,
and with this new force the French ventured
from behind their entertainments, to repel their
besegers The islanders were prepared to re-
ceiye Them and with heroic courage they fought
and conquered. The French were routed with
great slaughter, and driven back behind their
walls.
Just at this time there was a rupture of the
treaty of Amiens, and hostiIities were renewed
between France and England. The British
Cruisers Immediately supplied the islanders with
arms and ammunition, and they pressed upon the
invaders with reslstless energy. The cause Of
the French was now hopeless. Their dying ar
my was now struggling for existence, in Port au
Prince and Cape Town, besieged by the victo-
rious insurgents. Lavalette, who had command
of the forces of the French in Port au Prince
was compelled to capituate to Dessalines, and
surrendering his sword to the African chieftain
succeeded in GLIDING the British cruisers, and
escaped, overwhelmed with mertted shame tc
HAVANA Rochambeau maintained himself fol
some time in Cape Town, with the most deter
mined bravery but cut off from all supplies by
land and by sea, he also was obliged to surren
der at discretion, and was carried with his dis
comfitted troops, as prisoners of war to Jamaica
The Vlscount of Noailles, who remained, with
the last little fragment of this once imposing ar
my upon the island underworld to escape the
vigilance of the English cruisers under false col
ors but tempest drove him upon the rocks o
Cuba, and in the battle of the elements, anC
overwhelmed by the thunders of heavens art
lery, he and his party persisted "as if it hac
been ordained that no part Of that Inflated expe
dition should escape destruction"
, Such was the termination of this most lnfa-
nous attempt to rvet the chains of slavery upon
those who only demanded their inalenable birth
right 1t is seldom that history has recorded Sc
disastrous an issue of an enterprise, commenced
| with such power, and pursued with such energy
Of the mighty host which sailed from the har
Dor of Toulon so triumphantly and confidently
for the subjugation of the island, hardly sever
thousand ever regained their native land. 1t il
difficult for any one to refrain from sympathising
with their heroic islanders, in their struggle fol
liberty Il had rather die than be slave" il
a noble sentiment, by whomsoever it may be ut
tered. And if the soldiers of France wer'
ashamed of their degrading employment in fight
: ing the battles of slavery, what will be the emo
tons in the bosoms of the freemen Of America
- 49,, III he oolIad 10 coil bap hands :,