Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-09-25

: In which Mlra0e2u ana RObespierr
received the manifestation and the gif
of the freeborn mulattoea of the Wes
Indies, and in which the petition fol
equal civil rights was received by I
body that had Just resolved that al
men were equal. The Convention hast
ened to express their gratitude for the
liberal offer of their fellow citizens o
the Republic, and they issued decret
which commences thus; "All free
born Frenchmen are equal before the
law" They selected 0ge-the init
mate friend of Lafayette. a lieutenant
in the Dutch service, the son Of veal
thy mulatto woman, educated in Paris,
the comrsde of all the leading French
Republicans-to carry the decree and
the message Of French Democracy to
of the Islands. He landed. The decree
of the National Convention was laid on
the table of the Constituent Assembly
the island. One old planter seized it,
tore it in fragments, trampled i under
his foot, swearing by all the saints in
the calendar that the island might
sink before they would share their
rights with bastards. They took an
old mulatto, worth million, who had
simply asked for his righu under that
decree and hung him. A white law
yer ofT0 who drafted the petition, they
they hung at bis side. They took 0ge,
broke him on the wheel, ordered him
to be drawn and qurtered and one
quarter Of his body to be hung up in
each of the four principal cities of the
island and then adjourned.
You can conceive better than can
describe it the mood in which Mira
beau and Danton received the news
that their decree had been torn in
pieces and trampled under foot by the
petty legislature of an. island colony,
and their comrades drawn and quar-
tered by the orders of the governor
Robespierre rushed to the tribune and
shouted, Perish this island before We
sacrifice one of the rights of French
citizens" The Convention reaffirmed
their decree, and sent IT, out 8 second
time to be executed. .-
But it was not then as now, when
steam has married the continents. It
took months to communicate, and
whilst the news of the death of 0ge
and the defiance of the National Con-
Vention was going to France. and the
answer returning, great events had
transpired in the island itself. The
Spanish on the Eastern division, per-
ceiVing these dissensions, invaded the
towns of the Western, and conquered
many of its cities. One half Of the
shareholders were Republicans in love
with the new constellation which had
just gone up in the Northern sky, seek
ing TO be admitted 3 State in this Re-
public, plotting for annexation. The
other half were loyslists, anxious, de-
serted as they supposed BY the Bour-
bons, to ally themselves 10 George III.
They sent to Jamacs. and entreated
its Governor to assist them in their in
trigue. The Governor sent Gen. Matt
land, afterward the Admiral who car
ried Napoleon to st. Helena. He Lam
ded with S, 900 Englishmsn ON the north
side of the island, and gained many
successes. The mulatfoes were in the
awaiting events. They
distrusted the Government, which q
few years before they had assisted to |
put down an insurrection of the whites,
and which had forfeited its promise 10
grant them civil privileges Deserted
BY both sections, Blanchland. the Coy
ernor, had left the capital and fed for
refuge to neighboring city. Il
In this state Of events the second
decree found the island. The whites
forgot their qusrrel, sought out Blanch-
land, and asked him to promise that
he never would publish the decree
Afrighted, the Governor consented to
that course, and they left him. He
then began to reflect, that in reality he
was deposed, that the Bourbons had
ost the scepter of the island. He re-
that he had appealed to the
nulattoes FIVE years before to put down
IN insurrection. Deserted by the
whites, deserted by the mulAttoes, no
iorce was left him in the isiand-none
1ut the blacks. To the blacks he ap-
oealed. He sent q deputstion to the
laves. He was aided BY Count DAT
ois, afterward Charles x, whe was
eeking to do in st. Domingo what
Jharles II. did in Virginia, institute q
eaction against the Rebellion at home.
The two joined forces, and sent first to
Tcussaint. Nature made him Net
errich, diplomatist. BE said to the
snvoys, "Where are your credentials :"
We have none" 81 will have moth
ng to do with you." They then sought
francois and Biasson, two other slaves
# strong passions, considerable intel
ect,, and great influence over their
ellow-slsyes, and they said; arm, as
ist the Government, put down the
English on the one hand, and the Span
sh on the other; and on the 2lst Of
Iugust, 1871, 5000 blacks led by :
and Biasson, supplied with
rms from the arsenal of the Govern
nent, appeared in the center of the
appeared in the center
f the colony.
This Is what Edward Everett calls
Ae Insurrection of st. Domingo. It
,ore for its motto Oh one side Of its
'anner, "Long live the King" and on
he other. 1--WE claim the Old Govern
nent." Singular notices for rebel
ION. In fact, it was the posse comita-
US; it was the only French army on
he Island; it was the only force that
.ad right to bear arms; and what it
it achieved. It put Blanch-
and in his seat; it puts the Island be-
eath him. When it was done, the
lacks said to the Governor they had
reated, "NoW, grant rs one day in
even; give US one days labor; we will
ny another, and with the two buy Q !
favorite method Of emanci- i
alton of that era. Like the Blanoh- !
md Of Eve years before, he refused.-Is
Te said: "Disarm. disperse;" and,ths j
lacks answered, "The right hand that (
as saved you-the right hand that has t
aYed the island for the Bourbons may I
save our own rights" and
hey stood still. Cheering. This is
he first gem of insurrection, if any I
lch there be in st. Domingo-the first
etermined purposes on the part OF i
be negro, having saved the Govern I
lent, to save himself. IL
Now let me stop q moment and re-
lind you of one thing. I am going to
pen to you chapter Of bloody history | {
o doubt Of it. Who set the exam a
LEI Who dug up from its grave Of q
Do years the hideous punishment Of
1e wheel and broke 0ge, every bone, L
living mani Whe Jared in the face {
indignant and astonished Europe v
le forgotten barbarity of quartering 1
le yet palpitating bOdyi Our race, q
nd if the black man learned the les e
IN but too well, it does not lie in our /