The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-01
Some "Reminiscences of the RcrOIu-
toM IN iSnint DoNtiMy0-- Toussui1.t
as u LdtiM Scholar.

"" W s<ste'N toCNOstfs
Toussaint had published his Tariff
He had made the European world be-
ileVe that he was one Of the greatest of
political economists. The fanatics of
France glorifed him in their harangues,
and the Broughams, the Stevens, and
the Wllberforees of England proclaimed
him the genius of the age.
His secretary, Virey, read to him the
opinions of "all the world and the rest
of mankind;'' he even exaggerated his
fame among nations, and the negro be-
came drunk with his own glory.
There was, however, one fact of which
he WAS most painfully conscious, and
that was that he could neither read nor
write, nor would he undergo the labor
of learning. He was III the disaereeable
condition Of knowing that all the nhab-
ltantsof Hayti We're acquainted With the
fact that he was an illiterate negro. and
he looked With envy upon the education
possessed by the detcsted mulattoes,
many OF whom had been we'll instructed
in the schools established forthem in the
Colony, and some of whom had even
been educated III France. As Haman
Was unhappy in all his splenGor so long
as MosesGes.4, tie jew, was sitting at the
King S gate 50 GoGssaint WAS Wretehed
III the consciousness Of MS eWn iga0-
rance. Il Was the poison in his cup Of
prosperity, and he had moi the brains,
or the industry, 10 provide an antidote
by learning even to read.
he Priests oi Saint Domingo We're
reve1ed by their pal.shioaeTs. bath
white and black. The sable portion Of
their fiochs looked upon these excellent
Fathers with such love and veneration
that, up to this time, their Uses had
been spared III All the massacfoa. \
large element in this veAeratian was 81 :
/ respect that the Wl5Ies had always
shown 10 the superior learning Of their
pastors, and When the negroes attended
mass they listened Win awe to the men
who could = talk Latin.n
This requirement they considered The
ne j){tts Hlfr0 OF human knowledge, ard
| they considered q man who possessed 1t
as 4 being OF a superior order 10 them
| selves.
This feeling existed in the pate of the
! Captain General as profoundly as It Git.
in that o. any other plantation negro,
and he imagined that If he could only
:" talk l.atino he should become equal to
the Priests in the estimation of all
around him.
He thought Of how ne should bring
this about, but was for a long time puz-
zled how 20 accomplish IT, Al last
bright idea struck him, and he sent for
his .J,tctottt01, Nirey.
This functiOnary came in and found
the Captain General alone. He said to
him, ;" Nirey, can you talk Latin ~
es, your EXcelency.o
Wei, that is Il very great thing
/ would like to talk like the priests
can You teach ne?a
"Oi, yes, can teach you in a Jew
minutes 10 talk Latin rs well as che
Pore
"Then teach me how to do SO; for
then | will be great man, and willtalk
Latin with you every day. But how
long will it take, Nirey?"
" Not very long; ii YOUR EXcelleney
has leisure | will give you a lesson
now"
80 the Secretary sa1 down and wrote
out few lines of Latin, wllic.4 he read
out 10 Ioussaint until he hai got per-
fectly by heart the portions he would
have to recite. The course, it is true,
was not very extensive, consisting of
but two questions and their answers;
but it was enough for the purposes of
the Captain General''
The next morning the negro chief
held his usual lcvee, at which he met
tIlC SfstilU lullctlOllarleS OF MS govern
ment. AS usual. he called his Secretary
to appear before him, when the negroes
around him We're astounded by hearing
the following Latin conversation:
Toussaint. "Quomodo wales Dom
ine:'
Virey. "Optlme, Domlne.n
Toussaint. " Ecauid novi, Domino -
hirey. Mini, Domino"
His hearers were amazed, and ex-
claimed: -" What a great man is his En-
eel!ency, lie eAn talk Latin as we. as
a Priest y
This same formula was repeated every
morning without variation The levees
were thronged to hear the learned con-
versation, and the classical acquire
ments of The Captain General were soon
trulnpcted by fame all over the Island.
This. By his cunning, the negro chief
not only fumbugged Europe by his
tariff, but his felloW-ctizens by his Lat
in. and Succeeded, both at home and
abroad, in causing himself to be consid-
cred prodigy Of genius.