-
Articles/Ads
Article TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Toussaint L'Ouverture.
in that character several years before the troubles broke out . Soon after the French Revolution , our readers know how the misrepresentation of the principles' of liberty and equality desolated St . Domingo . The whites were destroyed , and after them the people of colour , tba blacks remaining in face ' masters of the island . In the dreadful scenes that occurred , Toussaint soon distinguished himself , and acquired a sovereign sway over his fellow negroesamounting now to 100000
, , men iu arms , inured to the climate , and educated to war . Toussaint , to the talents of a General and a Politician , adds thosa more amiable of gratitude and humanity . His master fled to the United States of America , and Toussaint remitted him , or endeavoured to remit , as much ofthe produce of his estate as was possible . When General Maitland evacuated Port-au-Princethe treaty for
, that purpose was negotiated and concluded with Toussaint , who executed every condition with the strictest fidelity and honour . But Toussaint did not treat as an independent prince , as some of the papers have said . All he did was in the name of the French Republic-. For while he is absolute monarch over St . Domingo , he affects to be a subject of Francea fact of which the following anecdote is a
suffi-, cient testimony : When Genera ! Maitland evacuated-Port-au-Prince , all the old French planters who hat ! joined the British departed with him of course . In the harbour was the old master of Toussaint , who had come from the Continent to endeavour to retrieve his property , in
which lie had' been unsuccessful ; and he was about to fly with the English , in rags and wretchedness . General Maitland had too much wisdom to treat Toussaint as a brigand ( robber ) , as" he had hitherto been treated ; and Toussaint ' s conduct repaid him for this civility . Toussaint hearing of his master , sent a message to General Maitland , saying he had a favour to ask . What was it ? - To send his master to him . The General did soand Toussaint restored his
; master to his estates , and gave him negroes for their cultivation . He behaved in the most affectionate and kind manner to him who had truly been his father . General Maitland upon this sent a message , asking a favour of Toussaint . What is it ? To restore a dozen of the principal planters to their estates . Toussaint desired they mi ght be sent to his care .
They were so . He clapped them in piison . Some days afterwards he had them brought into a church , before a large body of his fellow blacks , and he mounted the pulpit to preach a sermon ; for his prowess at arms is but a small part of ' his distinction . Here he enforced the virtue of forgiveness to the repentant , saying , ' We were for a while Spaniards ( the blacks fled to the S
pajnsh protection in the beginning of the troubles ) , but , we were inis-Jcd . We were bom Frenchmen , and now we are Frenchmen again . These twelve men have also been misled . They were born Frenchmen . For a time they have been British ; but now they have returned , and are Frenchmen again . Let us embrace . ' Hera Tous-> " « L . xi . " 3 M
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Toussaint L'Ouverture.
in that character several years before the troubles broke out . Soon after the French Revolution , our readers know how the misrepresentation of the principles' of liberty and equality desolated St . Domingo . The whites were destroyed , and after them the people of colour , tba blacks remaining in face ' masters of the island . In the dreadful scenes that occurred , Toussaint soon distinguished himself , and acquired a sovereign sway over his fellow negroesamounting now to 100000
, , men iu arms , inured to the climate , and educated to war . Toussaint , to the talents of a General and a Politician , adds thosa more amiable of gratitude and humanity . His master fled to the United States of America , and Toussaint remitted him , or endeavoured to remit , as much ofthe produce of his estate as was possible . When General Maitland evacuated Port-au-Princethe treaty for
, that purpose was negotiated and concluded with Toussaint , who executed every condition with the strictest fidelity and honour . But Toussaint did not treat as an independent prince , as some of the papers have said . All he did was in the name of the French Republic-. For while he is absolute monarch over St . Domingo , he affects to be a subject of Francea fact of which the following anecdote is a
suffi-, cient testimony : When Genera ! Maitland evacuated-Port-au-Prince , all the old French planters who hat ! joined the British departed with him of course . In the harbour was the old master of Toussaint , who had come from the Continent to endeavour to retrieve his property , in
which lie had' been unsuccessful ; and he was about to fly with the English , in rags and wretchedness . General Maitland had too much wisdom to treat Toussaint as a brigand ( robber ) , as" he had hitherto been treated ; and Toussaint ' s conduct repaid him for this civility . Toussaint hearing of his master , sent a message to General Maitland , saying he had a favour to ask . What was it ? - To send his master to him . The General did soand Toussaint restored his
; master to his estates , and gave him negroes for their cultivation . He behaved in the most affectionate and kind manner to him who had truly been his father . General Maitland upon this sent a message , asking a favour of Toussaint . What is it ? To restore a dozen of the principal planters to their estates . Toussaint desired they mi ght be sent to his care .
They were so . He clapped them in piison . Some days afterwards he had them brought into a church , before a large body of his fellow blacks , and he mounted the pulpit to preach a sermon ; for his prowess at arms is but a small part of ' his distinction . Here he enforced the virtue of forgiveness to the repentant , saying , ' We were for a while Spaniards ( the blacks fled to the S
pajnsh protection in the beginning of the troubles ) , but , we were inis-Jcd . We were bom Frenchmen , and now we are Frenchmen again . These twelve men have also been misled . They were born Frenchmen . For a time they have been British ; but now they have returned , and are Frenchmen again . Let us embrace . ' Hera Tous-> " « L . xi . " 3 M