The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-12

JEFF. Davis, in his last message to the rebel
Congress, while admitting II to be perilous
experiment, broke ground in favor Of arning
the slaves Of the confsderacy" in behalf of
Southern independence, and on the basis OF
emancipation and free farm at the end Of the
war 10 each Of tho slaves thus employed. Since
then General Lee and his adjutant, General
Cooper, have both declared themselves earn
esly in favor Of the scheme, and the leading
| journals Of Richmond have become elamorous
for its adoption. The rebel shareholders, whose
ancgro quarters" remain untouched by Yankee
invasions regard this proposition with alarm
and Indignation, and put in their old remon-
STRANGE Of State rights; but as "the confede-
racy" is governed by its army, the master Of
the army, so long as he can play the master
whether Davis OF. Lee-will settle the question,
regardless of State rights or State wrongs.
With Lee and Davis both in favor Of the scheme
there is every probability that, unless speedily
| put down, they will extend the slave arming
experiment, actually commenced at Richmond,
to . general black draft upon the shareholders
from Virginia to Mobile.
The rebel leaders at Richmond, in word,
are ready to go the whole length Of the abso-
lutte abolition Of slavery to escape from cyan
kee subjugation." But, supposing that the
| Shareholders concerned submit to this thing, as
| to military necessity" and that one or two
| hundred thousand of their able bodied negro
men are armed, drilled and brought into the
| field to fight for "Southern independence" the
question recurs, What will be the consequences,
| as between the black and white races of the
! Souths A few facts from the French colonial
history of ST. Domingo, will probably serve to
enlghten the shareholders Immediately con-
cerned, touching this appeal of Davis for San,bo
as soldier.
The terrible French Revolution, which pro-
claimed the reign of "Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity" was heartily responded to by the
whites of St Domingo they sent their depu-
ties to Paris, announcing their adhesion to the
republic and its platform; but they assumed
| that it could only apply to themselves They
| numbered in the colony about forty thousand
against thirty thousand Of the free colored
class, chiefly mulattoes, while the black slave
population numbered half million. Among
the mulattoes were many rich and cultivated
men, through whom their class demanded Of
the colonial authorities the equal rights Of the
French republic. Their demand was indig-
nantly rejected, including the hanging of q
representative mulatto, who had appealed to
the colonial Legislature, and the tearing of
white planter to pieces by mob for presenting
a similar petition. The mulattoes rebelled; they
were defeated, and their ringleaders were put
to death with savage cruelty. When the news
of these events reached Paris the famous So
ciety of Les ximis DIES Notes.-The friends Of the
disadvantages, and the National Assem-
bly, decreed that "people of color, born of free
parents, were entitled to oil the privileges Of
French citizens" The whites of ST. Domingo
were furious at this recognition of negro
equality, though it did not touch their slaves
or institution of slavery. The law was sus-
pended by the white colonial authorities in
view Of remonstranco to Paris. The mulat-
toes were about to appeal again to arms "when
third party, little considered by either of the
others, unexpectedly interfered." The black
slaves on the plantations rose In instruction.
After several years Of savage warfare and ter
rible butcheries on all sides, including the
complications of British invasion, universal
emancipation was decreed, and under Tous-
saint L'Overture, their leader, the blacks be-
came masters Of the whole island. Toussaint
by the French republic, was thus appointed
governor, and under his administration peace
and prosperity were restored TO the colony.
Thus ended the first series of lessons Of negro
emancipation in st. Domingo.
The next series begins with the attempt of
Napoleon, In 1901, as First Consul, to re-estab-
lish slavery in this colony. The decree was
passed, and ON armed expedition, including
ffty-six vessels Of war and thirty thousand
French veteran soldiers, under General lie
Clerc the husband Of Pauline, who accompa-
MED him), was detailed TO the island to enforce
this decree. What followed Between the re-
voting blacks and the destructive yellow fever,
the forces of this expedition were nearly de-
stroyed. The remnants were gathered up by a
hostile British feet The blacks were left
masters Of the island, and their second leader,
Dessalines, in 1904, in imitation Of Napoleon,
proclaimed himself emperor.
Now, if such were the results Of the French
emancipation and re-enslaving experiments
among the savagcly stupid and ignorant blacks
Of St Domingo, what is to be expected from
similar experiments by JED. Davis among the
comparatively enlightened and intelligent
negroes Of our Southern Statesi Their able
bodied men, within the lines now held by the
armies Of Davis, are perhaps more than two
to one against the able-bodied white men left
by the war within the same limits Let
Davis train these blacks % soldiers, arm
them, and put them in the field, Is there any
assurance that they will stop short Of move
ment for the extirpation Of the white race Of
the South and the possession Of portion Of
the country for themselves Against such .
l movement during this war there would be no