New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-07-27
A VISIT TO HAITI NJ
Osu.syosSenee Of TIE n Y. Trienne
GosAIvEs, Hsyti, Februry 3, 1853.


nsTves. Let me stay there tie we take glance
at Hsytian history
After having read more than twenty volumes IN
order 10 understand the history Of the Island, and
only obtaining, for my pains, clear perception OF
the meaning of the phrase confusion worse con-
founded" have found at last native outline OF
ia mere skeleton, il is true but connected IN
aplipible and short; which, with such alterations
a, the truth of history and contempt for the pre-
iudice of color demand, ! viii herewith 'ran''d'e
and subioin; in order that your readers VINO hho"
potbine about Hayti, or her chronicles, may UNDER
sta the illusions to her past which every Traveller
must make. and without Il knowledge OF which
IL ia impossible TO comprehend or do justice 70
the present condition of the People and the Gov
erBment
The pamphlet from which l take this sketch
now. with notifications and amendments, sub
hined. is Haytian school-boCk, which bears the
bwly title of Alphabet la usage de Ia Jednesse
EaItienne, suve dun Resume de la Geographic, de
EHistoire ct de la Chronologie de / lie, Jusqu'en
|{53." 1t is printed at Port-au-Prlnce chez H.
Vlmensy ct Gle, lS56." Beside the alphabet AMI
elementary exercises, it contains chiefly Cath0hc
PRAYERS, scts," commandments OF the church,
moral ard religious msxims, rules OF conduct and
. couple of fables. 1t is well printed.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF HAYIi.
At the time Of the discovery OF America, the
archipelago of the Antilles embraced two popuia-
tons of different manners bat probably of similar
srigin-for they spoke the same language and had
Ne anne general CHARACTERISTICS: the forehead nat;
The nose long, prominent and very aqullne; the
eyes large and dark; the lips thin; the hair black
and glossy; and the skin Of reddish color. 10
the great islsnds of Cuba, Hsyti, Porto Rico and
Jamaica, lived race OF men KIND, peaceful nos
pitsble without cares and without wants, with
oassion for the chase, fishing and the dance; pa
ternslly governed by Cacques or chiefs who judged
their disputes, and for whom they entertained the
po,t profound generation. In the lesser islands
lived race of saFsges, cruel, hospitable-cannl-
bsls-always at war with each other, or win their
aeshbors Of the lsrger islands, to which they ire
suently made murdeTous incurslons, eating their
enemies killed in war, and reservlDg their PRISONERS
Tor their subsequent feasts.
The former race were called Indians by Chris
topber Columbus; the latter were the Cards.
When the ilustrious navigator landed at Haytl
ION the 9th Of December, 1922, after having dis
covered San Salvador, Cuba and son other islands,
the natives at first frightened by the spendor OF the
Spanish ships Of and the roar OF their artillery,
but soon reassured by the friendly demonstrations
and cordial reception. 1t is stated that some years
before the arrival of the Spaniards the gods OF the
islaId, through their priests, had announced the
Apr oachiDg arrival of a new race OF men, whose
boards should be long, who would wear huge
Knives in sheatbs by their sdes, and, lnyincble IN
war, should externinse the natives of the sol! and
overthrow the ancient worship OF Its inhabitants
But these simple people had since forgotten the or
acle which they had once fully credited with
L.. aA Of th. mi
or of the new corners, the flashes of whose cannon
they supposed 10 be celestial hgbtnings, believing
them 10 have descended from the habltatons Of the
gods offered them their most beautiful fruits and
hewers, as if they had indeed been divlnitles.
Hayti, at this period, was governed by five chiefs,
each independent in his own dominion.
The admiration of the Indians for the Spanards
WAS soon supplsDted by sentiment OF hatred.
The companions of Columbus, taking advantage OF
The reverence of the natives, subjected them to
the most onerous tasks; compelled them, with
cut recOmpense or rest to transport their gold ore
from the mountains destroyed their huts, and cor
rupted and carried off their wives and daughters.
A formidable revolt took place. a hundred thousand
men reese up in arms against their opPressors; out
they we're totally routed by two hundred and thirty
Spanards, aided by their artillery and corps OF
twenty horse, whose rapid evolutiOns and strange
appe arance terrified the simple race, who, having
never seen cavalry mae med the horse and lts rider
70 be- like our Union, "One and inse parable They
made frehtfu carnage of the vanqulshed; they
organized hunt of fugltVes, with bloodhounds
trained expressly for this Democratic purpose;
they condemned the entire population To an lnvol-
untary servitude in order satisfy the cupdity of
the invaders; they demonstrated by their acts that
they had as little regard for the life of an Indian as
one has for the life of 40 insect trodden under foot
in walking. Other subsequent Instructions were
put down with incredible icrocty AT last, from
excess to excess, from cruelty to cruelty, We find
that in fifty years the entire population was exter-
minated. When Columbus dsembarked, We are
assured that the place contained three millions of
soals. In 1925, this number was reduced to fifteen
thousand; while in 1912, according to the testi-
many of u cotempary, there remained. of these
unt Apply people two hundred only!
The conquerors Of the country seeing with what
fearful rapidlty the aboriginal race was disappear
ing, sought to supply the void by nticing to Hayt
the natives of the nechboring inslands. For this
purpose they represented to them that IN Hayt
were their friends who had died; that in the
Of their beloved ones who had gone before they
had come " invite them 10 visit themin the flesh.
This infamous arti6ce prevailed, and thousands
were brought 10 Hsyti-to JOIN their old friends,
indeed, much sooner than otherwise they would
have done; but not Ms their simple unsophlsticated
minds had been taught to believe. Before they
loined them they we're forced TO become familiar
chains, and the sound of the oyerseer's lash.
Then" IL now follow the school book strictly,
which omits the preceding incident of Spanish in
fanny in order to repeople the desert, which they
named EspSlola, they had recourse to infamous
agencies; they resolved to depopulate the coasts Of
Africa, and between the Antilles and Guinea they
organized a commerce without name, of which
the object was the hunting and the sale of men,
Meanwhile the Spanards did not long enjoy the
cole occupation oftaeir rich possession. The Won
derfu accounts which arrived from America had
excited all the class Of adventures in Europe.
Toward the close of the sixteenth century, and al
the commencement of the seventeenth, numbers of