Page images
PDF
EPUB

or

touching at the ports of this country, and paying the customs taxes imposed by the British go. vernment. The neutrals were thus placed between confiscation and confiscation. If they went to an enemy's port without first paying duty here, they were to be captured by our cruizers: and if they came here and paid the duty, then they would be confiscated if they went to the ports of the enemy. The options were both of them hard. The American government prohibited, as far as their authority could have effect, the subjects of the united states from taking either.The French certificates of origin, were devised to prevent British colonial produce from finding a market. Now however, under the operation of these orders, the whole of the colonial produce, French as well as English, being brought to this country, would be so mixed that it would be impossible for the enemy to distinguish the one from the other, and our own colonial produce would no longer be undersold. This was the general spirit or object of the orders of council. It was a kind of compromise be tween belligerent rights, and commercial interests. It was a system that ran into great complexity; order upon order in explanation, was issued respecting various cases. And on the whole, immediately after the orders of council were issued, trade began again to lift up its head, and to flourish: not perhaps so greatly as at its best former period; for the injurious and violent system of the enemy, though counteracted by the orders of council, could not

be wholly fruitless. "Our commerce had been in a state of suspended animation; and to complain now, because it was not as flourishing as in its best former period, was just as reasonable as if a man, rescued from drowning when his vital functions were suspended, should find fault with his deliverer next day, because he found himself weak and languid, or not so full of life and vigour, as before he fell into the river.*

A treaty of amity had been made by lord Grenville, with America, on 31st December, 1806; but it was not ratified by the president of the Congress. For an unauthorised act of force, committed against an American ship of war, spontaneous reparation had been made by Great Britain. But with this particular case, the American government attempted to connect the general question, respecting the right of searching for British seamen, and deserters; to abandon which, was considered by the British govern ment, as inconsistent with the mari time rights of Britain."

To balance, in some measure, the discouragements arising to our commerce, from the misunderstanding with the united states, which was every day growing wor: ', a com. mercial and friendly intercourse was established between Great Britain, and general Christophe, who having defeated and destroyed the emperor Dessalines, governed a great part of the island of St. Domingo, under the more modest title of the presi dent of Hayti. He had been long opposed in arms, by Petion at the head of the Mulattoes. But in the

# Mr, Stephen's speech on Mr, Whitbread's motion, &c. p. 31. Christophe himself was born in St. Domingo, but of African parents.

decisive

decisive campaign of 1807, the Mulattoe party were broken and dispersed, and Christophe remained, though rot without a competitor for the supreme power, yet without any formidable rival. Christophe appears to have possessed in a very eminent degree, the virtues of humanity, and a regard to the true interests of his country, as well as good sense, and military skill and courage. He declared it to be the great object of his government, to repair the havock' and devastation of Hayti, by the establishment of jast laws, social order, freedom of trade, and above all, a commercial and friendly alliance with the only people that had stood forth in support of regular government and law, in so many countries subverted, and every where shaken. He had great condence, and a predilection, for the personal character of the English. He spared the lives of the crowds of prisoners that had fallen into his hands, took great care of the sick and wounded, and assured all men, peaceably disposed, of his protection. This was his ultimate view, even when their mistaken conduct had reduced him to the necessity of opposing it by force of arms. The friend of humanity, (ays he) the man who loves his country, and is submissive to the laws, demands to know what pur. pose the rebel Petion meant to serve, by exposing to massacre the miserable tools of his ambition? What would have been the destiny of those miserable people whom the fate of war had placed under the power of the president, if his cle. mency had not spared even those

who had pointed their weapons against his person? Why should that CANNIBAL Petion shed such deluges of blood. if it was no on a p'an of destruction, conceiv d on purpose to diminish the population of Hayti? A plan in perfect unison with the projects of their im placable enemies, a plan favoured by a faction that had never made any account of the blood that was spilt, when it was to be subservient to the ambitious views of the commander."*

Christophe, with the assistance of other men, of enlarged views, had been employed for some time, in the formation of a new CoNSTITUTION for Hayti; which was proclaimed on the 17th of February 1807, the fourth year of indepen dence. It is founded on a moral and religious basis; it breathes a spirit of moderation, justice, political wisdom, and enlarged views of the true interests of Hayti, in its foreign and in its internal relations, or concerns. Slavery was for ever abolished in Hayti. Every man was to find a sacred asy'um in his own house: his person and property were secure, under the safeguard of the law. Assassination

was punished with death The first magistrate was invested with the title and quality of president and generalissimo of the forces of Hayti, at land and sea. And he was to appoint his successor out of the number of his genera officers. The whole of the articles or clauses of the fundamental laws, or con stitution of Hayti, fifty-one in number, were reduced under ten heads.-I. The condition of the

Proclamations issued at the palace of the Cape, in February, July, and November, 1807; the 4th year of independence.

Q3

citizens.

[ocr errors]

try. What have I not done for the accomplishment of this object? What have I not suffered in order to frustrate the secret intrigues and plots of faction?

"I have always been in the midst of you, and you can declare, if ever I have suffered views of ambition to influence my conduct, or tarnish my honour. Raised now to the possession of power, by the will of my fellow citizens, and my brethren in arms, I have been obedient to their call; I have accepted the heavy as well as honourable load of duty, because it was their pleasure to commit it into my hands, and be. cause by doing so, I might once more be of service to our country: happy if my efforts shall be crowned with success, and procure the feli city of my fellow citizens !

citizens.-II. Government.-III. for the safety of our native coun. Council of state. IV. Superintendant of the finances.-V. Secretary of state. VI, Tribunals.--VII. Religion.-VIII. Public education.-IX. No attempts to be made on the neighbouring colonies.X. General regulations, relating to service in the national militia; security of the persons and proper ties of foreign traders, resorting to Hayti; uniformity of weights and measures in Hayti; marriage, and a rigorous prohibition of divorce; the heritage of children; agriculture, the first, the noblest, and the most useful of all the arts; public festivals for celebrating the national independence, and in honour of the president and his spouse.-The proclamation of the constitution was followed by an address from HENRY CHRISTOPHE, president and generalissimo of the forces, at sea and land, of Hayti, to the ARMY and PEOPLE. The light comes to shine among us, and a beneficent constitution has foiled the intrigues and plots that had consigned you to destruction. At length a wise code of laws, consonant with our man. ners, our climate, our usages, springs as it were out of Chaos, to make yet one effort more for fixing the destinies of Hayti.-You have all of you been witnesses, O my fellow citizens of the purity of my views, and the sincerity of my intentions. But have not abandon. ed wretches abused even that sinceri. ty, in fomenting revolt, and kind ling the flames of a civil war? Their machinations however could not intimidate me, nor divert me for a moment from pursuing, with steady aim, the good of our land. I have never ceased, night or day, to employ myself in devising means

"But for the attainment of this end, my efforts alone are not suffi cient. Obedience to the laws, is farther necessary, and a conformity with that constitution which has just been presented to you. Your rights, in this, have been religiously maintained. Every individual citi zen will find there the safe-guard of his person, his property, and his family.

"The fatal consequences of the wars we have sustained, and still more, the immoral example of the French, had thrown religion into a state of languor, dejection, and depression. Morality was despised, and the corrupted youth abandoned themselves to all the licentiousness to which human nature is so prone at their time of life. Public edu cation was vilified, and committed to the charge of mere mercenaries. It was necessary to restore religion to dignity, respect, veneratio, and; attachment

attachment; to elevate morality to honour, to impress on the minds of the rising generation, the sacred principles of good morals, and of honour; and to convince the people that without morality and relgion, human society cannot exist. "Your interests are also guarded by tribunals: whose decisions will be dictated by equity, and justice. It is, above all, by probity and good faith, that it remains for the people of Hayti, to make them selves known, and to be distinguish. ed in the world. As they are, from their local situation, and the peculiar nature of their manufactures, essen tially a commercial people, it is their business, by equity, fair dealing, and good faith, as well as by the produce of the country, to draw to their territory, merchants from all parts of the world. Commerce being to us the source of all kinds of riches; strangers who come to seek their fortunes in our ports, must receive the same protection we enjoy ourselves, and be treated with that hospitality they well deserve. To feed commerce, and raise it to a state of the highest activity; af ter restoring the dignity, and veneration due to religion, purified morality, re-established good morals, and encouraged agriculture and commerce, great exertions remain still to be made. It is not permitted to us to neglect the use of arms. The enemy watches our motions, and keeps an eye on our proceed. ings. The affections of our friends are yet without any guarantee. Trea ties of alliance must connect with the latter. With arms in our hands, we must always be ready to fight the former.-The politics of

us

foreign nations in regard to us, has not yet been openly displayed. Whatever it may be, let us place ourselves, without however assuming any bravading airs of defiance, in such a position as that we may have nothing to fear from hostile intentions. The states that may be desirous of forming political relations with us, or to enjoy the advantage of our commerce, will find us disposed to meet them half way, on principles of a fair reciprocity. To enemies we hold out nothing but battles and death.

"In the midst of all these subjects of attention, let us never forget that the only guarantee of liberty, is, arms. Though a part of our fellow citizens be necessarily called to the occupations of agriculture, we ought never to forget that we are all soldiers, and that warlike nations alone, have been able to preserve their liberties. Let us bear in mind, how a handful of Greeks confounded the rage of a million of Barbarians, who had come to subdue them to slavery. Let us swear to imitate their example. Let us swear to observe ourselves, and make others observe, our sacred constitution, and rather to die than to suffer that, ever, in the smallest instance, it should be violated.”Given at head quarters, at the Cape, 17th of February, 1807, fourth year of independence."

The readers of Dodsley's Annual Register Continued, will recollect a parallel to the patriotism, virtues, and talents, for government, as well as war, in another native of St. Domingo, Toussaint L'Ouverture, who, after a short but brilliant ca. reer in St. Domingo, fell into the

* See Vol. XLII. 1800. chap. XV,
Q4

bands

hands of the French, and consequently into a dungeon, where he soon died, as was supposed of poi

son.

The whole of the code of Christophe, displays patriotism, moderation, firmness, and political wisdom. The tenth head, guaranteeing the neighbouring colonies, was a mas, terly stroke of policy. "The government of Hayti, declares to the powers possessing colonies in the neighbourhood, never to interfere in the government of those countries. The people of Hayti make no conquests beyond their own isle, and content themselves with the conservation of their own territory."

A number of turbulent persons in the southern part of Hayti, had formed designs of revolt and revo lution in Jamaica, and had sentemissaries there for that purpose. But general Christophe, who had been informed of the plot, and who were the principal individuals concerned in it, immediately denounced them, and they were arrested. It was impossible for the British government to be otherwise than on good terms with such a neighbour. An order of council was issued at the court of St. James's, February 1807, authorizing all British merchant-men bound for Buenos Ayres, and La Plata, to proceed to any port in the island of St. Domingo, not under the power of France or Spain, there to dispose of their cargoes, to take the produce of the country in re. tur and either to bring such car. goes directly to any port of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or to ship them onboard neutral vessels, to be sold at any of the colonies of the enemy: the owners of the cargoes to return with the proceeds of such adven.

tures on-board the neutral vessels to any of the ports of the united kingdom. This measure was certainly wisely calculated both for encouraging the trade of Hayti, and of Great Britain and Ireland.

Another event, fortunate for the British commerce, happened on the 1st of January, 1807. The island of Curaçoa was taken by a squadron of British frigates, commanded by captain Brisbane, under the orders of vice-admiral Dacres, with the loss of only three men killed, and fourteen wounded. Yet the harbour was defended by regu. lar fortifications, of two tiers of guns,

Fort Amsterdam alone mounted 66 pieces of cannon. The entrance was only fifty yards wide, and across it were moored two fri gates, and two large schooners of

war.

A chain of forts on the commanding heights of Misleburg, and Fort Republique, deemed nearly impregnable, was within distance of grape shot, and enfiladed the whole harbour. Soon after day-break, the British frigates made all possible sail in close order of battle. The vessels appointed to intercept their entrance, were taken by boarding; the lower forts, the citadel, and town of Amsterdam, by storm. The port was entered at a quarter after six in the morning. Before ten a capitulation was signed. The British flag was hoisted on Fort La Republique. And the inhabitants of the town, to the number of 30,000, swore allegiance to the British government.

Our affairs in the East Indies too were prosperous; though symptoms appeared of a lurking spirit of discontent, alarm, and daring enterprise, bred by the late horrors at Vellore, the unfortunate and

frivolous

« PreviousContinue »