Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-01-13
tFSom The .vsw York Epangeiist)
The InsurrectiOn in st. Domingo.
NJ REv. JOHN $. C. ABBorr.

rev eyents nave occufTeo, wn'ch nnNs
been more generally misrepresen,ed'and mis-
uaderstond, than the insurrection OF 81. DO
m,.ngo. Fifty years ago st. Domingo was
by far the most furnishing Of the West lndi'
Islands, and was the most important colony
belonging To France. ns fertile fields ant
msjestic mountains spread over q space Of a.
bout fonr hundred miles IN length aud one
hundred iu breadth. FIVE hundred thouss NJ
slaves. as ignorant aud sensual ss il is posi-
BILE for human beings TO be, titled tiese fields
S,xty thousand free blacks found q precari-
aus substance in the cities. Forty thous-
aud whites drove the blacks TO their unpaid
toil. with their pistols and their whips.
The slaves were extremely debased, and
yet iimid aud stfcclionate. Like the dog.
they often fswned upon the hand that
seourged them. They were hardly conscious
of any rights, of which they were defrauded.
They were naked, but they wanted no
clothes they were ignorant but had no de-
sire for knowledge; they ate the coarsest
bran bread, aud slept--men, women and
children-wi,h the dogs upon the straw but
good appeti,es converted their food into lux
urious viands. aud their toll made their sleep
more sweet than is ever found on beds Of
down. They were often scourgeJ, but felt
not the ig,,ominy Of The lash. They were
sIaues, bal the dream of anything different
had hardly eniered their minds. They were
contented with their lot as the vicious are
cnntcnted with wee, as the degraded are
coDtented with degradation. as the mlserably
poor are contenied with poverty and filth and
rags. Providence, kind in Its compensatioos, :,
In abandoning them TO these sutfenDgs,
saved them from others They probably
passed fewer hours Of restlessncss and world
wpariness. than their masters.
The tree colored population were Of ell
shades Of color. from the JET black negro TO
complexIons IN which there could not be de-
iectcd the slightest iinge Of African blood
Many Of them had attained considerable
wealth aud influence, had become military
md civil officers. and were extremely jealous
al their social position and rights. No. =
few mnattoes, whose mothers toiled IN the
fields. and whose fathers luxurlated IN disso-
tie opnlence. Aud these generally CON-
bned IN their nature ell the PRIDE and energy
"f their European pareniage, while they were
siung 10 the quick by The contempt with
which the, were regarded in consequence OF
their maternal origin. They termed class
by themselves above the slaves, below the |
whites. They were nominaly frcemen, yet
excluded by the furce Of circumstances from
~ ary oil The privileges Of freemen.
The white population consisted. in gene
rn'. of n class of wealthy, yet proud and dis
solute landed prnprielors They were young
sons oi the old French and Spanish nobility,
desperate adventurers, broken down prohi-
gates All ihose arstocrstic vices which
had famed into flame the horrors of the
French r"yolntIon, existed with more naughty
preponderance on the Plantations Of st. Do
iDIngo. i
The National Assembly of France, in it's
struggles for the promotion Of freedom, pass
I'd decree on the Slh Of March 1890, EN-
p"werng each colony to express it's wish up
~ the subject ofa Constitution, and declar-
ing that the free eoiored population in the
colonies were entitled 90 vote IN the choice
VI Representatives. Lieut.. Col. Ogee, a
Inulatto officer of distinction, in the service
IT France. was sent by the National Assem-.
BY to st. Domingo with this decree. These
proud planters were so exasperated by the
that they not only refused obedience
10 the decree. but seized Col Ogee and un-
der circumstances of the most a,,rocious cru.
riy, IN token of their contempt, tore hin,
IImb from lImb by torture OF the wheel.
THIS lnlquIious prOcef ding ofcoufse exas-
Drrsied the free blacks and the whole colored !
'opulatun 10 the utmost, but stIll there wus a
~ their side no resort TO arms. The plant r
'r8, with the power IN their hands, persever- i
ii IN refusing Ia comply with the commands r
II the mother country, and trampled upon -
he rights at all the colorcd population, both
laves and free, with increasing rigor aud "
corn. Great bitterness OF feeling was the y
e-nt, and the colnny was in a state of in u
rnsc agitation. The National Assembly "
gain took mp the subject, aud sfter long
ebate. re-afliuned the decree that all per |,
ons nj color, born ofa free tather and a free II
roihsr, were enlliled to the political prlvile :,
es of freeman. The planters loaded their ',
'O,kcts and set the free colOrcJ people and U
'c laws at defiance. The free blacks now li
Iso began TO organize for the defence Of tt
leir rights. Matters were in this state a
hen The slaves formed a conspiracy to ob e.
IN ther freedom The angry discussions cI
hIch had agltated the co!ony, and the mar Il
EALING of hosts for civil war. had aroused "
e slaves to consciousness Of the rights OF -
hIch they were defrauded On the night D'
Ang. 2lI, l79l. the insurrcction brokr St
rth IN The Dothern part of the Island. l. th
Ms headed by Jean Francois, slave pos. AZ
SS'u o' mHhy heroic ana generous traits OF tn
'aracter, combined by The violent passions .,
hIcb had been excited by the lash of tn,
nte man. That was indeed an awful nipht. II
Zen the retrbution for ages of oppression
Ia rolled upon The oppressor. A thousand y
'nldtIons were IN one hour IN flames. No IA
n can ever describe the horrors of that !
lht. An army of negroes intoxicated with of
ccess, inspired with revenge. hurled them. hu
ves upon their masters. The males, al I'm
's' without exception, were massacred and nm
own into the flames of their dwellings,. ~
e females were reserved to be siapts of -
'H formcr slaves. The fires Of this con III
CATION, CLEANED far and wide, drove the an
nhed planters from all quarters to Cape IN
ancoIs. In the heart of The town there shi
re ten thousand slaves, bnrnlng for free
~; while 6he-n thousand Of the victorious r.,
urgen's belesguered the place. The war ,.l
was equally merclless on both Sides -
e blacks and the whites immediately mas oc'
red all prisoners, without regard TO age or ma
I. And tortures were retaliated by tor. II
es. me
The flame thus kndled, rapidly spread to wo
southern part OF the island The ierrif nro
planters horror-strcken by the ruin which am,
rolling upon tn m, aba andoned everything &C
He'd To Port an Prince and there they 'o'
e beseiged by The foe they had so greatly or
pIsed. The National Guard, and troops pro
he line, with all the white male popula.
oi the city. marched out to attack tho II il 8
es, and afier a most sanguinary conflict co,