Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-09-24

journals Of Port-au- Prince the Republican and the
Union, have published sketches Of local manners
aud tales of llaytian life, which would even bcar
in our paror and Railway Libraries.
lgnoce Nau is one of the clcyercst Of the negro
novelists and his tales Of negro sorcery lin which
negroes ere generally profound belle, ers-at least
Iso Of layti) possess great originality and power.
Besides the journals above mentioned, there are
three others published at POrt-auPrince the Rerue
DIES TiiJundt1 the M0aiteur, and the Commercial
Journal The NonitcUr is the organ Of the govern
mcnt and some Of the others opposition papers.
Indeed several of the editors have suffered, like
their white brethren in Paris because of their oc-
casiona severely sairic criticisms of the govern
mcnt measures These papers, like our own, are
often full of long reports Of speeches delivered by
Iaytian orators not less turgid than the speeches
Of our own Chowlers. About the time of the civic
festivals there is grevous ilux of negro rhetoric,
just as there is here at the time Of our elections.
The advocate Mulcry who is the editor OF the
Reuie des TriJWadr, has proved serious thorn IN
the side of the ruling powers by the vein OF satire
in which he treats Of their dongs. Among other
things, he dcplorcs the want of dignity IN the
proceedings Of the Iaytian law courts, and he tries
to shame the judges and the people out OF their
coarse and clumsy mode of procedure by SATIRE
descriptions and comic dialogues Here, for tx-
ample is his sketch of the High Court OF llayu,
at the decisive moment in trial for conspiracy.
Here the judges sit sleeping on the bench,
there the defendants sleep Mt the barr ON one sidc
the accused sleep on their form, ON the other SIDE
the registrars of the court at their desk; oil
round tho sentinels asleep, with arms in their
hands; but the president of the court exhibits an
extraordinary force Of characters he alone, always
on the fdgcts is enabled to subdue sleep; for he is
allowed so much extra, because of the additional
work he performs in rousing up the sleeping judges
The vice president and the military accusor of the
prisoners at the bar yield themselves only OCCASION
ally to pleasant nap the military officers on duty
walk round the court from time to time, startling
and wakcning up the sleeping sentncls with strokes
given with the fat Of their sabres.
g In the midst of all this sleep the sound of a
tombourine is heard outside, accompanying num-
Der of singers passing along the street. lmmcdi-
ately the audience is thoroughly awakened up;
the president of the jury bolts into the street to
the fun. and the heads Of the Supreme Court are
precipitately drawn out at the windowsp Such is
the journalists description of a lIaytian court.
We might proceed to give specimens of llaytan
poetry, which is by no to be dcspiscd, though
Il very often sounds like echoes of Lamartine and
Victor Hugo. IIayti has also already produced
several historians, the most industrious Of whom is
Madiou; his three large volumes of the History o
Iayti published at Port-au-Prncc, form at least
excellent collection of materials, though the book
is wanting in balance and proportion L'Instant
has also furnished some admirable contributions
towards the history of the island and he has proved
his literary merit by having carried off the prize
awarded by the French Society for his essay on the
Abolition of Slavery.
Such is the brief outline of the literary state and
progress of the negro or muatto empire of llayti.
| The result is certainly cheering and proves that
Notwithstanding the enormous disadvantages which
the blacks of that island have laborcd under, spring
ing suddenly rs they have done from Slavery into
full freedom, they have, during the last fifty years,
made decided and even rapid progress in intellectual
culture.