The Appeal., 1898-04-09
FIRST OF BLACKS :
TOUSSAINT L'OVERTURE'S SER
VICE FOR WEST INDIA LIBERTY

Story Of a Liberator From Slave He Rises
mph as Soldier Ltbe, ator ana .
i Statesman.
Continued from 2na Col.
.n- famous csoe or Napoleon, for thai wa.
promulgated IN 1903, but was apparently the
,roauct OF LOuverture and his advisers for
was put forth in 1901.
French Tribute.
IN due form L'Ouverture sent his const;-
suslon T TO Paris, and received this recognition:
| I0ussatnt L'OuVerture, in the ahsenca of
communication, with the government. and not
oelnG able to know its purpose and inten
Ion, mas sometimes committed error. but he
las constantly rendered great service. The
AV1l war has finally come to an end; the
@ ,olony is Tranquil, and the French people
IAN never forget that they are indebted. in
part at least, to Toussaint L'Ouverture for
tne conservation of this important and bean
aiul colony. This was fair talk, but it was
.o!loweo by an armed expedition to St. Do
nlago, ied by General Leclerc, an expedi-
Ion II is said, sent out by the ruthless Ma
Qoleon to rid himself of some of his old SOL
1lers. At any rate, it was several thousand
strong, and equipped for war. With this ex-
| oealtlon Napoleon sent this letter to L. 'Ouver-
| ture. whether it reflects Napoleon's true
estimate Of the great black or is couched in
| phrases Of esteem for diplomatic reasons only
Though the former construction is the more
1easonable-lt is an Interesting tribute to q
man who is said TO have headed his own cor
| :espondence to Napoleon with: "The First
among AZ the Blacks to the First Among the
| Wnltes. The letter is as follows:
Napoleon to L'Ouverture.
General: Peace has been brought about
with England and all the powers Of Europe, in
such a manner as to give the republic of
France the rank which is only accorded 10
powers first in strength and glory, and at the
same time brings the government where it
may occupy itself with the affairs Of ST.
Domingo.
I'VE have ordered C!tiz<2 LecIerc, our
brother-in-law, to the colony, in the quality Of
captain General, to occupy the position OF
tlrst magistrate Of the colony. He is accom-
panied by force quite sufficient to create
respect for the sovereignty of the French peo-
pie 1t is now that We hope you will prove
10 US and the French nation the sincerity OF
the sentiments you have expressed in the
alHerent letters you have written from time
to time.
We have entertained for you the very high
est esteem, and 1t pleases US to recognize ard
make Known the importance of the service
you have rendered the people OF France. r
the nag OF the French republic floats over
ST. Domingo, 1t is to you and the brave blacks
we are indebted. Called by your talents
snd the force of circumstances to occupy tha
n.snest position in the army, you have al
reaGy brought the civil war to close; placed
q check on prosecutions; re-established re-
lglon and the public worship Of God, to whom,
we are all indebted
His Praise for the Great Black.
The constitution which you have made, in
eetting forth much that is gcod contains
That which Is contrary to the dignity and
sovereignty OF the French people, of which the
people OF st. Domingo form but a portt,n.
me me circumstances In which you found your
self surrounded on all sides by enemies, and
France unable to render you any assistance,
Iustlnes the articles contained in this COR
stltution, which, however, no longer exists.
But now that the circumstances are changed
for the h"t|"-. yon will ~ 40 81 - re-:r.
"o---s.e W l.s sv..lvlsnly OF IN. uallou
wa'cn considers you, by virtue Of the service.
you have rendered and the talents and force
OF character with which nature has endowed
you' among the number Of her most illustri-
Gus c1tlzens We have already communicated
to your children and their pre- e ptor re senti
ments which animate US. We return them 20:
YOU (They had been at school in France.
ASSIST by your counsel, influence and talents.
the Captain General.
.sa9Aphatsdo sedessre?:sThe liberty of the.
oiacks? You know that In all countries
where we have sbsen, we have accorded it
to- the people who Desired 1t. After the sery-.
ices you have rendered, and that you are still,
able to render, with the particular consldera-
ton We have for you. you ought not to be ,,n-
certain with regard to the distinction, for
tune, and honor which await YOU"
L'Ouverture'x Decline.
'Hostilitiss began in February, 1902, Le-
c!erc trying to win over L'Ouverture, but the
latter remaining obstinate, he was y, ocla;;red
an outlaw More fighting ensued, the French
noidlns the seaports, and L'Ouverture's
blacks making their resistance in the noun
tains. Finally two of LOuvertures gen
erals. Christophe and Dessslines, were in
duced to abandon their chief, ard I,oclerc
anxious to end war that was costing him
dear, pardoned L'Ouverture and assigned hin,
FOR residence one of L'Ouverture's estates
But this disposition Of L'Ouverture was mot
nnai' ard on the charge that he was conspr-
ing AGAINST france he was seized, through
treachery, put on, French ship, and foreyer
removed from his beloved island Some cr
his immediate followers suffered violent
deaths Pierre Baptiste, his godfather, aged
l05 being drowned When General Lecier;:
Gispatcaed his distinguished prisoner to
Importance of keeping this man a great d.
lance from the sea coast, and retaining him In
q prison that Is perfectly safe. He has 50
thoroughly impressed hi1nzelf upon his coun-
trymen that his presence at any moment win
create an explosion"
His Death in Prison.
France took this patriot-rebel to a castle
IN the Jura mountains, cn the Swiss from
tier. known as Fort de Joux. It is said he
suffered much from the cold; that he suffered
bitterly In mind from contemplation of his
fate goes without saying. Finally in April,
1903, the first Of the blacks" was found dead
from apoplexy in his mountain dungeon.
When L'Ouverture was taken to France his
family was transported with him, though
given residence-and pension even-in an
other part Besides his wife three sons SUP
vived him.
In 1904 independence was declared in San
Domingo, and the aboriginal name of Hayti
revived. AS might be expected in an infant
state, founded by a people unused TO self
government, much dissensicn followed after
L'Ouverture's removal from the island. In
1874 the people of the eastern end asserted
their independence and established the Do
m1ntcan Republic, division of the island that
has existed to the present day. So two re-
publtcs now control the island that L'Ouver-
| ture, the liberator, gave his life to
make free and independent. In Hayti the
republic of the west nine-tenths CT the rco-
pie are blacks, the rest mulat:oes. In Saint
Domingo, the republic OF the east, the popula-
| tion is mixture Of Spanish, aborigines,
mulattoes, and blacks. Most of the Haytians
speak Creole French; the Domnicans in
cline to Spanish.
That Toussaint L'Ouverture will ultimate
| ~ take SO conspicuous niche in the temple Of
fame as that to which our eloquent abolition