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told them that a difference of colour was not intended by nature to be accompanied with a difference of condition; that no reason could possibly be adduced from it why liberty should be enjoyed by one person and slavery be inflicted on another; that they were an injured race, and that it concerned them to avail themselves of their superior numbers to redress themselves.

It could not be expected that tranquillity would be long enjoyed in a country where the seeds of discontent and rebellion were sown in the minds of all the different classes of the inhabitants; where each class aspired to privileges which were incompatible with their condition and political circumstances. While St. Domingo existed in the subordinate state of a colony, it was impossible that even the white inhabitants could enjoy precisely the same privileges with the inhabitants of France: nor was it compatible with the relative circumstances of the other classes that they should be admitted to the same privileges with the whites. But when the love of liberty was become a rage, when all men were declared to be born equal as to rights, and the French government was calling on all men to assert their claims to this equality, it was reasonable to expect that its own colonists, taking the expression abstractedly, would carry the meaning of it to its utmost extent, and would not rest satisfied with only a portion of those natural and social privileges, to the whole of which, they were told, they had a well-founded right.

The demeanour of the St. Domingans appears to have been the natural result of these sentiments.-So early as the year 1789 the provincial assemblies of the island unanimously declared their opinion of the necessity of a full and speedy colonial representation.-The ensuing year, a general colonial assembly was held at St. Mark's; where the pretensions of the St. Domingans were notified in a decree which manifested a spirit inconsistent with subordination to the French legislature.d

The islanders, then, were instantly divided between the adherents of the colonial assembly, whose party comprized a great majority of the whites, and the mulattoes, or people of colour, countenanced by Peynier, the governor-general, and the chevalier Mauduit, commandant of the troops. -A civil war was on the point of breaking out, when the members of the general

general assembly adopted the resolution of embarking for France; there to justify their conduct to the king and the national assembly.†

The state of things in France at that time was very unfavourable to their design; which was that of conciliating the support of government to the establishment of the authority which they declared themselves to be invested with.-A society had been formed at Paris, under the denomination of amis de noirs, or friends of the blacks, by those who were desirous to extend liberty equally to every description of the human race. The ruling faction, headed by Petion, Brissot, and Roberspierre, professed these principles. And by their influence a decree was passed,‡ "that the people of colour resident in the French colonies, born of free parents, "were entitled to, as of right, all the privileges of French citizens, and, among others, to those of having votes in the choice of representatives, and of being eligible to seats both in the parochial and colonial "assemblies." h

The consequences of this measure were such as might have been expected to result from it.-The mulattoes, headed by Oge, an enthusiastic advocate for the new opinions relative to an equality of rights, had rebelled in the preceding year. But, they had been subdued; and their leader, who had fled to the Spaniards for refuge, had been delivered up by them and executed. They had before been notorious for their oppression of the negroes. But, when informed of the late decree, and of the general bent of the public opinion in favour of equalization of rights, they associated themselves with them, and breathing vengeance against the whites, they rose in arms, and murdered all who fell into their hands; and committed such cruelties and devastations during two months that it was computed "that, in that short space two thousand white people had been massa"cred-that between ten and twelve thousand of the insurgents perished by the sword, by disease, or famine-that one hundred and eighty sugar plantations, and nine hundred of coffee, cotton, and indigo settlements "had been destroyed-and twelve hundred christian families reduced from a state of opulence to such a state of misery as to depend altogether for "their clothing and sustenance on public and private charity.'

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The evils brought on the community by popular fury at last provided a temporary remedy for themselves.-When the rage of the mulattoes had spent itself, and they saw the horrid effects of that anarchy which they were introducing, they appear to have been shocked at the savage barbarities which they had themselves occasioned. They made overtures for a reconciliation with the white people: which being readily accepted by the planters, the general assembly agreed to the decree of the national convention of France, by which the people of colour were admitted to a free participation of privileges with themselves. ||*

k

The friends of peace were now cheered with the prospect of enjoying that blessing. But the subsequent events proved how delusive their hopes were-how unpropitious the present circumstances of the French colonists and the state of the mother country were to their expectations.—When it was represented to the French government, in the earnest petitions of those who were interested in the trade and plantations of St. Domingo, that their ruin was inevitable, unless means were immediately adopted for checking the progress of civil war, they opened their eyes to the ill tendency of their own measure. And, not being apprized of the compromise which had taken place between the planters and the mulattoes, they repealed the decree which had been represented as so obnoxious to the latter, at the instant when the confirmation of it by the colonial assembly was made the terms of reconciliation.

This hasty proceeding, by a legislature that was soon to be dissolved and wished to recommend themselves to the esteem of the nation by an act which they thought would be acceptable to it, rekindled the flames of civil war. When intelligence of the repeal arrived in the West Indies, the mulattoes, supposing that the planters had only deceived them with a false shew of amity, whilst they had been treacherously employed in procuring this act, instantly flew to arms, declaring that they were determined to avenge their wrongs by exterminating the white people, or to perish in the attempt.-The consequences of this insurrection were dreadful in the extreme. A pitched battle was fought in a district called Cul de Sac, in which two thousand mulattoes and negroes were slain. But the slaughter

in the field, though more destructive, was not so horrible, so repugnant to all the feelings of human nature, as the acts of atrocity which mutual abhorrence and a remorseless spirit of revenge suggested to the different parties.

Three commissioners from the French convention were dispatched to St. Domingo, in the autumn, to re-establish good order by conciliatory means. But the evils bade defiance to their endeavours: and the island continued a scene of civil hostilities during the remainder of this

vear."

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AMERICAN STATES.

THE tranquillity of the American provinces, and the security of person and property enjoyed under the government of the United States at a period when several of the most populous kingdoms in Europe were scenes of dissension, or the seats of war, contributed to the population of this country, and the formation of new settlements.-Two settlements were formed in the course of the present year, and erected into states by the authority of congress. That of Kentucky is situated in a temperate and healthy climate, between 36 and 40 degrees of latitude: it is about 250 miles in length and 200 in breadth; and is bounded on the north by the Ohio river, and on the south by the lands laid off from North Carolina, called the Tenessee government." -That of Vermont, making part of New Hampshire, is situated between 42 and 45 degrees of latitude. It is bounded on the north by Lower Canada, on the east by Connecticut river, on the south by Massachusets, and on the west by New York. It affords good pasturage: but the extreme severity of the winter renders it less inviting to settlers."

These states promise, at some future period, to add to the strength and opulence of the American republic. In the mean-time, the rage for adventure in new lands takes away from the capitals which might,

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perhaps, be more usefully employed in the improvement of those which are already reclaimed.-The Americans were, however, making great advances in husbandry, if we may judge from the quantity of flour exported from the province of Pensylvania in four successive years.In 1786 the export of this article was only 150,000 barrels: in 1787 it was 202,000: in 1788 it was 220,000: and in 1789 it was 369,000.

Tench Coxe's View. 84.

GREAT