The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-22

own freedom. He had read with profound
interest the Able Raynals essays on the
multifarious evil effects of slavery, and had
long pondered peaceful schemes for the
emancipation of his race in San Domingo
He was yet powerfully impressed by Raynals
pictures of the great wrong; and In the SER
vile 1nsurrection which now invited his CO.
operation he thought he saw a way open
through Red Sea by which his people might
pass to land of liberty.
Toussaints 8 soul glowed with an intense de-
sire to assist in the liberation Of his people,
and so soon as he could secure the s0fety of
M. Bayou, his benefactor, and that of his
family and some personal property, he joined
the insurgent blacks. His delay had excited
their suspicious and displeasure. They now
received him with open arms. His know
ledge of the medicinal properties of the flora
of the island caused his immediate employ
ment in the medical department. His mill
tary genius, hitherto unsupported, was quickly
developed, and he was promoted first to the
staff of his chief, and then to the rank of a
brigadier-g general. 1t was not long before he
was acknowledged to be superior in martial
ability to the other black commanders, who
were either incompetent or ferocous and
cruel. Very soon San Domingo presented a
most pitiful spectacle. The beautiful prin-
cess of the Antilles was made to bleed from
thousand wounds Her radiant beauty was
marred by the iron heel of war, and her rich
garments were trailed in the dust and cinders
of fiery discord.
French commissioners were sent from time
! to time to quench the flames of civil war, if
possible, by mediation; but they we're unsuc-
cessful. Even the white inhabitants, divided
into royalist and republican factions as fierce
as those in France, were irreconcilable
enemies. The black leaders, regarding the
| National Convention as their foe, took the
royalist side after the beheading of Louis the
Sixteenth, in 1913, and, accepting the prof
fered aid of the King of Spain, refused to
listen to propositions from the republican
| government of France
Very soon new troubles appeared, which
finally produced benefcent results. The
Spaniards and the English invaded the west
ern part of the island. The latter captured
the whole western coast, seized Port-au-
Prince, the capital, and besieged the French
Governor, General Laveaux, and his troops,
in Port-de-Paix. This was the last strong
hold held by the French, and it was in immi-
nent danger, for the garrison was weakened
by disease and famine. Woeful was now the
plight of San Domingo! Englishmen,
Frenchmen, Spaniards, mulattoes, and blacks
were contending for the mastery. The latter
were overwhelming in numbers; and when
| the English invasion was threatened, the
| French commissioners resolved to conciliate
| them bya proclamation of universal free
| dom. That was done in August, 1893. In
February following the National Convention
confirmed the acts of the commissioners,
formally guaranteed the freedom of all the
inhabitants of the French colony, and made
Hayti an integral part of France.
Toussaint, whose object in Joining his in
surgent people was to secure their freedom,
saw in this guarantee of great nation the
only chance for the accomplishment of his
holy purpose. He relied upon the faith of
France. If her government in San Domingo
should be firmly established, he believed that
the emancipation of his race would be fully
secured. He was then virtual commander-in-
chief of the black forces, He openly de-
clared his feslty to France, and formed a
junction with the little army under the
governor. So energetically and successfully
did he work to bring all parties to the same
conclusion that General Laveaux exclaimed,
''MGis Get hOnnae fat Ou0ert1tre pGrt0ut'
But this man opens the way every where.
From that time he was called by the name of
L'Ouverture-The Opening-and he is known
in history as Touissaint L'Ouverture.
From w. S. Turner we have received the
June numbers of ATthur'S Lady'S Home
Mdgdzine, which contains a number of fashion
plates and other illustrations and an enter
tanning variety of reading matter, and 7H
Children'S Hour, which is filled with plea
SAINT stories and sketches for the yount
people.