-nil, ir- -Mi' nil ii i iii i
COLUMBIA
DEMOCRAT,
AND BLOOMSBURG GENERAL ADVERTISE
LEVI L. TATE, EDITOR.
TERMS: $2 00 PER ANNUM,
"TO HOLD AND TRIM THE TO110II OF TRUTH AND WAVE IT O'ER TUB DARKENED EARTH."
VOLtfWtEJ 27, I
VOL. r7.-N, 3.
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENN'A,, SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1863,
i
,4
COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY, Mr
LEVI L. TATE,
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, TJi,
OFFICE
V (At mi tirttt Unildlrg, tiffotilt tht Ksthtngt, iy ids
ls Court Ihuii. "Uinetratlc Ittai Quarter."
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
ft Ok) In uilrunti. for nnccnpy, fnr six months.
I IS l(i mlvmici't Tor nne ropyt one ycnr.
UU If nut p.iiil within the llrt three mnnlln.
1 53 irnotpalil within Hie llrst ill rnnuths.
At) If mit paid within thcyi-ar.
C7 No nitucrlptlon taken fur less than six montlu.
ml nn p.ipcr illicnnliiiueil itiitllull nrrearasce .lull linve
tin'll fluid.
AnvKRri'icMKNT Insirtrd consplcuniilynl oneilottar
ft shi-im, if 10 llm-s enrti.f ir til throe' tlrt IiisitIIoiis
an.l toutv-liv cent, per s mre, for every sulis.'iumil
I nsrrliim, until ordered 1JI.1. niilt.iuo.l.
J. WiiRK.of evrfy ile?crlitlt :., nontly an J eho.j'y
Mucutod at the hnrtc-t nntu
Select roetry.
0t de boor, and get dc banjo, get lie .nundln' turn
borinl When de 'cailon rolls for monslc you enn uuunt dis
nljirer 1 ;
And t firts de glow insplrln', ns A Instruments 1
taki,
i" of da Vaslon l a rrrfnad fur Maa Llnkin's sake.
Oh. 1 1 iiiIjit up de Angeri.
Lei dc serenade ln'glu I
When do eastnn calls for iimo.lr.
You can coin t dl nigger in.
Ohde Fangamlngo darkeys had a standard wl'ich
dey hurc :
Twas a pretty littlf baby'" huaJ. nil dripping in its
gore I
Anil If we -undaNstan-l arlnht de President's Pro
claim, llo tells da Dixie nigger dey may go nnd di? de same I
Oh, limber up de lingers,
Let de seranade begin
When df 'caslan calls fuf inoosic
You Mil count dis nigger iu I
l)h, 4e Siiigaiulnao durkey dare old Mnssa took aud
tin J,
And den de y got de handsaw uud snw'.l 'em till dej
dk'i' I
And after dey had mwM 'tin till dry saVd ntvai
dure lives,
Yuu may bet dey had a good time a Min' ot, dare
wives I
And if we mi lahstand Mm.
Atnssn Linkiu nuiko, proclaim,
111', de niggers donn in Dixie
lliue a ribt to do dc suute !
M sa firecher ! Masa Chu-vrr I )mi must sit atari
a dey,
And g, Lyuur Congo-rations for d handsana for to
pay :
lie little baby' rurly head tuirsrlvas can rnry in
Ali spike It to dc.inudar'1 v.liile It's dripping ann
ami I
On de old l'laiilntluit li":ii:t ml
U-lilts de villi! without a nam?;
If ilaiki ys unil,ilil:iml aris.'1't
The I ;ei tent's Proclaim I
Oh, wako up, llnsiaLinkln ! f.-r-di- night l not far
,icnt,
A 'id luur di- free Am-rlians or African dscent :
Wl , de bum sand uid de bunjo, liild de soundin' tsui
boriu,
V. bavecometo sen nade you ere de sanlu' c lirgin'
We have cnr.U to irr.in.iilu ou,
Ero We raise, with life blood red,
Dc Hangamingu .tandarJ
OI de lillle babj's head I
fcoai (0f) 5a:ril'.
State of tlje cumin).
Tr uu tho flew York C'aurasian J
WHAT A KM I N't! NEGROES
DONE
II VS
THE HISTOKV OF TUB
SAN DOMINGO MASSACRE.
BY LOUIS SC11ADE, OT IOWA. ,
CAUsnswiiKii ixd to the s!.fFurr,r
TIIE WHITES IN ST. DOMINGO.
or
It has generally been conceded by all and children, iu the West Indies. 'Should
historians that the enslavrd negroes in tho . we not,' ho exclaims, 'approve their con
French part of St, Domingo, on the duct iu their violence ? Should we not
vholc were treated with great leniem-y j crown it with culogium, if they exterini
nud indulgence. It has never been deni- , nate their tyrants with firo and sword ?
d thai tbo conduct towards them was in j Should lhj even dehb rule.'y i-Jlict. the
general similar to that of tho masters to- most exquisite tortures on those tyrants,
wards the slaves in the United States. ' would they not be excusable in the moral
It was not tho strong and irrc sistablc im- judgment of those who properly value
pulse of human nature, groaning under ( those inestimable blessings, national and
oppression, that excited the negroes of religious liberty V "
Uayti to, plungo their daggers into thc-j wc perceive that Beeehcrs, Checvcrs
bosoms of unoffending women and help- an(l Wondejj PLillipscs wore not wanting
less infants. They wore driven into those at thal ,imo , ,Iow .,,. aro thpir ox.
excises reluctantly driven by the vilo pr0s;0,w ngaist slavory ! How anxious
ihachinatiens of men calling themselves aI1d 0ager are the thoso pious ministers
philosophers, whose pretenses to philan-1 of th(J Gofpeito jnci,0( iu spit(. ot- ,,uso
throphy were a gross mockery of human dismal historical facts, a rebellion of our
reasons, as men-uouuuui. wuo uu uunuK
on all tho feelings of our nature, and lha
ties which hold society together. Like
those tt Harper's Ferry, the slaves re
fused la join in the rebellion against their
inajters, until thoir afriean savage feelings,
their cruel propensities, wore aroused by
tho free mulattoes. will be uicontro
l P ' It at, HI iiinii-i.
verlibiy proved that the rebellion of the ne
grceiin St. Domingo, and the insurnc
Hon (f Ihe mulullots, were caused by (he
very same means and agencies which are
now'fiuploye.l by our Northern fanatics and
the Republican p nty in general, against
the 'Southern States.
Till AMIS PES NOIIIS AND THE OLD JEWRY.
'1'here prevailed," said Mr. Edwards.f
"at the commencement of tho French Rev
o'.uion, throughout tho cities of Frauce,
a v'try strong and marked prejudice! agaiust
jhis article- is taken from a rmphlet Issued by
tbiiivuitcr, in lfCO.
t ttrymt Edwards, tbtee volumes, published in ltd,
a,y wititMi of la.Revolutlon-of Ot Domingo.
tlirt inhabitants of the sugar islands, on
account of the slavery of their negroes.
It was not indeed supposed, nor even pre
tended, that the condition of this people
was worse at this juncture than in any
former period ) the contrary was hnown
to bo the truth. Hut declamations In sup-"
poit of personal freedom and invectives
agaiost despotism of all kindc, had been
ho favorite topics of many cuiinout French
write rs for a scries of years; and the
public indignation was now artfully rained
against the planters of tho West Indies.
The spirit of liability against the inhabit
nntu of the French colonies was industri
ously omental una aggravated by two
association, namely, the Uritish Associa
tion for the Abolition of the Slavo Trade,
which held its meetings in tho Old Jewry
in London ; and tiie society called Les
dines sOej Noiis, (Friends of the Blacks J
in Paris.
THE HE ECU EKS, CHKKVUKS AND SUMNKRS
OF THAT DAY.
"I kava observed that the society in
Loudon piojisstd to have nothing more
in view than to obtain an act of the Leg
islature for prohibiting the further intro
duction of African slaves into the British
colonies. I have said that Hlieij oisduini
til till intention of inttrfei iig with tli
gavermn-nl ami condition of the n groc.i
already i ti the ptuntaliot.s ; publicly dc
daring tnev' opinion to be, tutt a genual
cmuncijhilion of these peoplr, in their
preset state of ignurnnu and ba-'baiiy,
imtead of a blessing, would prove to them
a so'trce f misfortune an I misery.' But
ilthough huuh wire their ostensible decla
rations as a public body, the leading mem-
b-r.s of ihe society, in ihe same moment,
held a very different language ; and even
the soeiity iti-clf (acting as sueh) pursued
i line of conduct directly and immediate
ly ri'p'iguaitt to their own professions.
Besides u ing every possible emle.ivor to
inflame the public of (.! resit Britain against
the planters, they distributed at a prodi
giou expense, throughout the colonies,
tracts and pan.phlcts ii:Lout number, the
direct tendency of which was to render
tlie white inhabitants odious and coutcmpt
,ble in the nyi"! of their own slaves, and
escile iu the latter .-uch ideas of their nat
ural tights and equality of condition, a
should lead t'leui to a geneial struggle for
freedom through rebellion and bloodshed.
In many of those wiitings arguments are
cxprc-siy aouueeu iu language wi.ieli can ,
not be n isiuderetoodourge tho negroes to
ri.o up and murder their masters without
mercy. 'Kesi.itance,' said they, !:s always
justifiable where force is the substitute of
right 1 nor i-i the commission of a single
crime possible in stale of slavery,' ! !
These sentiments are repeated in a thous
and dill'etent forms, aud iu order that they
miht not lose thiir effect by abstract rea
soning, a reverend divine of tho Church
of England, in a pamphlet addressed to a
chairman of the society, pours forth the
I ino't earnest prayers iu the most undis-
guised exprjsio,.'.1 that the negro would
I destroy all the white people, men, women
nnrn,ai
negroes !
THEIR PAMPHLETS, PICTURES, ETC.
' Besides di.tributin pamphlets of this
complexion gratis at
tho doors of all the
ehurches aud places of worship in the
Kingdom, (England) and throughout tho
colouies, the society, or persons in their
name, caused a medal to bo struck con
taiuing tho figure of a naked nogro, load
ed with chains, and in tho attitude of im
ploring mercy : thousauds of which were
also distributed among tho negroes in
each of the su:ar islands, for the inslruo
tiou, I presume, of such of them as could
not read. But this in stance of provident
caution was hardly requisite j for so mary
negro domestics return annually from
Europe to tho West Iudies, as constantly
furnish u suffioiout nuinbor of living iu
structors; anu cortiin it is (t pronounce
it from my own knowledge respecting Ja
m uca, 1 tuat toe labors ot tne society on
their behalf, a ibelt as many of the viols
violent speeches in the llritUli Parliament,
wheukin tub whom: uoDY oi' lM.ANTEiis
WEKE PAtITi;r AS A HAND OF HLMOD
THIUSTY AND 11EMOUSELES3 TYHANT8,
wero explained to tho negro slaves in terms
wall adapted to their capacities, and suit'
ed, as might havo been supposed, to their j
feelings. It will bo difficult to say what .
measures the Old Jewry associates could
have taken to czeito a rebellion, except j
that of furnishing the objects of their so
licitudo with fire arms and ammunition.''
For general information, it may bo well
to slato here, thai at that time tho total
number of whites amounted to about 30,
000; that of the free colored people, or
iuulattoes,to 2-1,000 ; and that of the negro
slaves to -130,000 about sixteen colored
persons to one white man.
THE l'KKSCH DECLARATION OF KIOIIT3.
"As already mentioned, a considerable
botly of the mul.tttocs from St. Domingo
aud the other Trench islands were resident,
at this juncture, in the French capital.
Some of these wero young people, sent
thither f')r education; others wero men of
considerable property. With these peo
ple, tho society of JJmcs Des Noiis formed
an intimate connection, pointed out to
them the wretchedness of their condition,
tilled the nation with remonstrances aud
appeals on their behalf and poured out
such invectives against the whole body of
planters, as bore away reason and modera
tion iu the torrent.
"In this disposition of tho people of
France towards tho inhabitants of their
colonies in tho West Indies, the National
Assembly voted the celebrated declaration j
of rights.
THE QENEItAL ASSK.MULY OF ST. DOMINGO
E.M11AKK FOU 1'llANCK
The General Assembly ot St. Domingo
met on the 1 0th of Aprii, 1700. One of
their first measures was to retrive tho
people of color from tho hardship to which
they wero subject under the military ju
risdiction. It vas decreed (hat in fmure
no greater duty should he required of them
iu the miiitia than from the whites ; aud
the harsh authority, in paiticular, which
the King's lieutenants, majors and other
officers I'ommaudiLg in the towns, exffreiscd
over those people, (free colored,) was de
clared opprc'sivo and illegal. The As
sembly, however, having expressed too
much i-pirit of independence, as far as the
autll01.ity of ti10 motlt.r couutl-v wa, C0II.
, Governor Pevnier. who was
merely waiting for an opportunity to re
turn to the ancient regime, being a loyal
ist at heart, issued a proclamation to
dissolve tho same. A step, however, was
put to the immediate sheddiug ot blood, by
the sudden and unexpected determination tcntion of taking up arms iu their behalf
of the General Assembly to undertake a unless their wrongs shoilld be redressed,
voyage .to France and justify their conduct About six weeks had intervened be
to the King and the National Assembly in tween tho landing of Ogu and tho publi.
person. Accordingly, eighty five of the cation of this mandate, in which tim he
members (of whom sixty four were fath- and his two brothers had exerted them
ers of families) actually embarked on selves to the utmost iu spreading disaffac
board the Leopold, aud, on the 8th of tiun and excitiug revolt among the niu
Ausust, took their departuro for Europo 'a-toes.
a proceeding which created as much ootrs enormities.
surprise in tho Governor aud his party, estabHlicd his canm at a place
:,s admiration and applause among the
people at largo.
tiie raid of james oge (the John
brown or that day.
From tho first meeting of tho General
Assembly of St. Domingo, to its dissolu-
tiou and dispersion, the colored people auce 0ge himself, with ell his cnthusi
(meaning always the free colored) remain- naturallv mild and humano. Ho
ed, on tho whole, more peaceable aud cautioned hu foiOWPPa aganst the shed
orderly than might have been expected. dngof iunoconl blood.butlittlo regard was
The temperate and lenient disposition id , Ms ct Tho fipifj wllile ma
manifested by the Assembly towards them
produced a beneficial and decisive effect iu
tho western and southern provinces; and,
although three hundred of them from these
provinces had been persuaded by Col.
Manduit to join tho forces under his com-
maud, they demanded and obtained their
dismission, and returned quietly to their
respective habitations. (The reader will
bear in mind that the -1-0,000 negro slaves
at this time never stirred; the 21,000
free colored people alono composed the
uuruly part,)
Sueh of the mulatto people
however, as
resided at that juncture iu France, contin
ucd in a far more hostile disposition.
WHERE HE OOT EDUCATION.
"Among such of these unfortunato peo
ple resident in France as wero thus inflam
ed into madness, was a young man, under
thirty years of ago, named James Oge,
Ho was born in St. Domingo, of a mulatto
woman who still possessed a coffeo planta
tion. Ho had been introduced to tho
meetings ol tho Amis Des JS'oirs, under
tho patronage of Grogoiro, Brissot and
Robenpierre, th loading members of that
society, and was by them initiated into tho
popular doctrine of equality and tbo rights
ot man. I licsc persons, however, nau an-
other object in view. Their aim was, not
to relorm, but to destroy to excito con
vulsions in every part of tho French em
pire : and the ill fated Quo becamo tho
tool, and was afterwards tho victim of
'heir guilty ambition.
.n0 had been led (o believe," (like
John Brown,) "that the whole botly of
colored people in the French islands wero
prepared as ouc man to lisc up against
their masters ; that nothing but a discreet
leader was wanting to set them into ac
tion ; and, fondly conceiving that ho
possessed in his own pcrsou all the quali
ties of an able general, lie determined to
proceed to St. Domingo by tho first oppor
tunity. To cherish the conceits of his own
importance, and animate his exertions, the
society procured him the rauk ot lieuten
ant colonel in tho army of one of tho
German electors.
HE T'AKUS AHMS AND AMMUNITION TO ST. DO
.MI.MJO, ''As it was found difficult to export a
a sufficient quantity of arms and ammu
nition from Fraueo without attracting the
notice of tho government, and awakening
suspicion among tho planters resident in
the mother country, tho society resolved
to procure those articles in the United
States, and it was recommended to Ogc
to make a circuitous voyage for that pur
pose. Accordingly, being furnished with
money and letters of credit, he embarked
for Now England (!) iu the month of
July, 1700.
'He secretly landed there from an
American sloop, on tho 12th of October,
undis-
1790, and found means to convey
covered the arms and ammunition, which
he had purchased in the United States to
the place which hii brother had prepared
lor their reception.
HE DEM N DS EUUAt. RIGHTS FOR MULATTOEP. i
Tito iijtico which the white inhabitants
received of Ogo's arrival, was from him
self. He dispatched a letter to the Gov
ernor, (I'eynicr,) wherein, after roproach-
; ing the Governor and his predecessors
I with noi'.-.'xeeaMoii of the cod" ?ioir, ho
1 demanded, iu very imperious terms that
1 the provisions of that celebrated statute
should be enforced throughout tiie colony..
' lfi rpfinirnd. :il.-,n. that tliK nrivileortfa en-
! invn.1 l.v nnn rWs nf inhabitants Ctho
1 whites; stio
, without dis
whites) should be extended to all persons, j
J .
tiuetion, not including herein ,
however, the four hundred and eighty
thousand negro slaves, but the free mulat
tos, of whom many were slaveholders
themselves, declaring himself the protuctor
of the mulattoes. a!id dunouneing his iu-
, fi , ... . . f f .,
, p.....-:. anj Dnointed his
,w0 brothers, together with ono Mark
, hj8 iieutcnaDts Chavaue was
licrce intrepid, active and enterprising,
Q l0 iso liir, and thirsty for vengo-
that fcll ia tl;eir way theJ, mu.d.rjd on th0
spot . a s,.001)d, 0f the natno of Sicard,
niet the same fate , and it is related that
,;. ,.it towards snnh nnrsnm ofthnir
coinnlexion as refused to ioin in the
rcvolt WM A mulatt0 nia1 of
nroncrtp. i,elnff urod to follow them
. . . . , . childfe .,,
g. .lff tho ,argencs3 of hy famU a3 a
motW(j fof tQ romajn .cti Th,s
conducl wai collsidcrcd contumacious, and
. . , . . . . .
' Y.m llin tulinln rl liiia ffimllv wnfl m-iQsnrrni1
1 Uhou. moroy
HIS FAILURE AND HIS ESCAPE TO THE
SPANISH DOMINIONS.
Intelligence was no sooner received at
tho town of Capo Francois of tho enor
mities, than tho inhabitants proceeded, with
tho utmost vigor and unanimity, to adopt
measures for suppressing tho revolt. A
body of regular troops, and tho Cape
rogimont of militia, wero forthwith dis
patched for that purpose, Tboy soon in
vested the camp of rcvoltcrs, who mado
less rcsislanco than might havo becen cx-
TipnirM frnm nirn in llinir ilnHnnr.-iln r"ir.
cimislanecs. Tho rout bcamo general,
many of them were killed, and about tixty
of them made prisoners ; tho rest dis
persed themselves iu tho mountains.-
Ogc himsalf, ono of his brothers, and
Ohavano, his associate, took refuge in the
Spanish territories. Of Ogo's other bro
ther, no intelligence wag over afterward
obtained.
THE MULATTOES I1ECOMB TIIOUIILESOMK.
After this unsuccessful attempt of Ogc,
nnd his escape from justice, the disposition
of the white inhabitants in gcnoral towards
tho mulattoes was sharpouedtinto great ani
inosity. The lower classes, in particular,
(those whom the colored people call les
pctils bluncs,) breathed nothing but ven
geance against them, and very serious ap
prehensions were entertained, in all parts
of the colony, of a proscription and mas
sacre of the wholo body.
A DEMAND i on OOE AND HIS EXECUTION.
"In November, 1700, Moiis. Pcynior
resigned the Government, and embarked
for Europe. The Crst measure of Mons.
Blancholand, tho new commander-in-chief,
was to mako a peremptory demand of Oge
and his associates from the Spaniards ;
and tho manner in which it was enforced
induced an immediate complianco there
with. Tho wretch Oo, and his compan
ions in misery were delivered over, iu the
latter end of December, to a detachment
of French troops, and safely lodged in
the jail of ('ape Francois, with the pris
oners previously takeu, aud a commission
was afterwards issued to bring them to
trial. Twenty of Ogc's deluded follow
ers, among thorn his own brother, were
condemned to be hanged To Ogfl him-
ae'r iuu u,s l'outcllnti Chavaue, a more
terrible puuisluneut was alLtted ; they
were adjudged to be broken alive, and loft
to pcrhh in that dreadful situation on the
wheel. The bold and hardened Chavane
I met his fate with unusual firmness, and
suffered not a groan to escape him dzring
the extremity of his tortures ; but the
fortitude of Oge deserted him altogether,
Till now, the '130,000 negro slaves had
taken no active part. The free colored
people, impelled by tho French societies,
and aiming at equal political rights with
tho whites, had alono constituted the revo
lutionary element. And even they would
havo kept quiet, if outside influences, es-
! V''J tU("e
philanthropieal societies,
would have permitted them. Besides
these, strong efforts were mado by the
royali-.ts in the colony as well as by the
republican party at Paris to incite blood
shed and strife for their particular pur
pose. Tim decree of the 8tii of March.
Tlie decree of tho 8th of March, 1700,
which gave to the colonists the right to
lcgilato in their internal affairs, was ac
companied by a codo of instructions for
tho Governor, for its duo and punctual
. -...l mi.- ...T-
ouseivancs anu caccuuoh. auu uuuU
containeu, among otner iniiigs, a ttirecuon
"tuat every pcr.,ou oi inc age oi twenty-
live aim upwaras, possessing property , or
having resided two years tin ihe colony,
anu paid taxes, snomu oe permiueu io
vote in the formation of the Colonial As
sembly." Every one of tho friends of tho colo u-
ists iu the Assembly had not the least ;
doubt that only white persons wero meant
by the phrase of ''every person." But
these instructions were no sooner adopted
by the National Assembly, aud converted
into a daerec, thau its Cramers and aip
prters throw oil the mask, aud the mulat
toes resident in Franco, as well as tho so
ciety of Amis des iVat'ri, failed not to ap
priso their friends and agents in St Do
mingo, that tho people of color, not being
excepted, wero virtually comprised iu it.
THE DECIll EOF MAY 15in 1701, CARRIED
In the beginning of May, 1791, the cou-
idoration of this subject was brought throughout tho town of tho Cape. The
forward by Abbu Gregoiro, and tho claims inhabitants wero called from their beds
of the free mulatoes to tho full benefit of by persons who reported that all the no
tho instructions of the 28th of March, gro slaves in the several neighboring par
1700, and to all the riglrs and privileges ishes had revolted, and wero at that uio
enjoyed by tho wholo inhabitants, was ment carrying death and desolntiou over
supported with all tho warmth and clo- the adjoining largo and beautiful plain to
quenco for which ho was distinguUhcd. tho northeast. Tho Governor and most
Unfortunately, at this juuotion, tho news of the military officors on duty assembled
of tho miserable death of Ogo arrived at together, but the repoits wero so confused
Paris, and raised a storm of indignation
in tho midst of all ranks of people, which
tho planters resident in Fraueo wero un-
able to resist. "Perish the colonics,"
said Robespierre, ''rather than sacrifice
ono iota of our principles.'' Tho majority
reiterated tho sentiment, and the famous
decree of tho 15th of May, 1701. was
pronounced amid the acclamation and ap-
plauso of tho multitude.
"impartial freedom" von nboroes.
By this deoreo it was declared and on-
acted, "That (he people of color residing
in tho French colonies, born of free pa-
icnts, ate entitled to, as of right, nnd
should be allowed the cnjc'ymcnt of, all
tho privileges of French citizens, and,
among others, to thoso of having votC3 in
tho ehoico of representatives, and of being
eligible to seats both in the Parochial and ,
Colonial Assemblies,"
CONSEQUENCES IN ST. DOMING! OF
THE
DECREE OF TIIE IGtH OF MAY.
I am now to enter on tho retrospect of
scenes the horrors of which imagination
cannot adequately conceive nor pen de
scribe. The disputes and contests betwcoii
different classes of French citizens, and
tho violences of indiguant factions, claim
no longer attention. Such a picture of
humau misery, such a tceno of woe, pre
sents itself, as no other country, no form
er ago, has exhibited. Upwards of one
hundred thousand savage people, habitua
ted to tho barbarities of Africa, avail
themselves of the silence aud obscurity of
the night, and fall on tho peaceful and
unsuspicious planters, like so many fam-
. i. r- i.
ished tigers, thirsting for human blood.
Revolt, conflagration, and massacre ev
erywhere mark their progress ; and death,
in all its horrors, or cruelties, compared
to which immediate death is mercy, await
alike the old and the young, the matron,
the virgin, and the helpless infant. No
condition, age or sex is spared. All the
shocking and shameful enormities with
which the fierce and unbridled passions of
man have ever conducted a war, prevailed
uncontrolled. The rage of fire consumes
what the sword is unable to destroy, and
in a few dismal hours tho most fertile and
beautiful plains in the world aro convert
ed into one vast field of carnagf a wil
derness of desolation !
FIRST REBELLION OF THE NF.OI10 SLAVES
The decree of tho loth of May was the
brand by which the flames wore lighted,
and the combustibles that wore prepared
sot in action. Intelligence having boon
received of it at Oapo Francois on the
aOth of June, no words can describo the
rage and indignation which immediately
spread throughout the colony. The in
habitants now unanimously determined to
reject the civic oath, although great prep
arations had been made for a general fed
eration on tuo I4tii ot July. 1 uc news
of this decrco seemed to unite the most
discordant elements, 'l'iic national cock
ado was everywhere trodden under foot,
and the Governor General, who contin
ucd a sorrowful and silent spectator of
theso excesses, found his authority anni
hilatcd in a mPrrfcnt.
THE "IRIIEPRESSIULE CONFLICT" DOC
TRINE CARRIED OUT.
Jutly alarmed at all these proceedings,
so hostile towards their pretended rights,
and probably apprehensive of a general
proscrip,i0, , th0 mulattoes throughout the
' ...
coiony began to collect in different places
anned bodies ; aud the whites, by a
; mournfui fatality, suffered them to asscm
. b,Q wilhout molestation. It is natural that
I tho enslaved negreos could not possibly be
; ,mob3Crvant of these combined and eon
, curred circumstances. They beheld tho
I colored people in open hostility to the
whites, They were assured that the for
mcr had the fullest support and cueour
ageraent from the supreme legislature of
the mother country. They wero taught
to believe that they also had become ob
jects of the paternal solicitude of the
King and National Assembly, who wished
to rescue them from the dominion of their
masters, aud invest them with their es
tates. THE MASSACRE COJiMENCKD.
It waa on tho morning of the 23d of
August, 1701, just before day, that a gen
eral alarm and oonsternation spread
and contradictory as to gain but little
credit. As daylight began to break, tho buildings and canoficlds wero evorywhero
sudden arrival, with ghastly countenances, I set on fire, and the conflagrations, wbioh
of persons who had with difficulty cs-! were visible from the town in a thousand
caped the massacre, and flown to the ! different quarters, furnished a prospeot
town for protection, brought a dreadful ' ro slocking and reflections more dismal
confirmation of tho fatal tidiugs. I than fancy can paint or powers of mau
j Th(J rebollioTj first broke out o'n a plan-, can dcsoribo-
(at-on cajjoJ in ,1)e parisll of Consternation and terror now took pe
;no inioa 0j rrom tho city. Twelve- session of every mind, and tho Bcrcatni of
' 0r fourlocn of tho ringleaders, about tho tbo wt men and ohildrcn, running from.
Jiniddlo of tho night, prooocded to the re' door to door, heightened the honors of
finery, or sugar house, nnd seized ori i
young man, tho refiner's npprontico, drag,
gcd him to tho front of the dwelling
house, and thero hewed him into piecos
with their cutlasses ; his screams brought
out tho overseer, whom they instantly shot,
The rebels now found their way to iho
riparimeni of tho refiner and massacred
him in his bed. A vouncman Ivintrsiok
iii a neighboring chamber, was loft appar
ently dead of the wounds inflicted by their
cutlasses. lie had strength enough, how
6vcr, to crawl Id tho next plantation, and
relate the h rrors ho had witnessed. Ho
reported that all tho whites of the eslaU
which ho had left wcrJ murdered, except
only the surgeon, whom tho rebels had
compelled to accompany them, on the idea
that they might stand in need of his pro
fessional assistance. Alarmed by this in
telligence, the persons to who'll it was com
municated immediately sought their safety
in flight.
The rcvoltcrs (consisting now of all tho
slaves belonging to that plantation) pro
e c3jl1 to the hocdj of Mr. a Clement, by
w'hoso necroes thev wero immediately
negroes they wero immediately
joined, and both ho and his refirier wore
massacred. Tho murderer of Mr. Clem
ent was his own postillian, (coachman)
man to whom ho had always shown
great kindness. The other white people
on this estate contrived to make their es
cape. At this juncture, tho negroes on tha
p'antation of M. Favillo, a few miles dis
tant, likewise roso and murdered fivo whito
persons, ono of whom, the attorney for
tho estate, had a wife and three daughters.
Tlicso unfortunato women, while implor
ing for mercy of the savages on their
knees, beheld their husband and father
murdered before their faces. For them
selves, they were devoted to' a more horrid
fate, and woro carried away captives by
the assassins.
The approach of daylight served only
to discover tights of horror. It was novr
apparent that the negroes of all the es
tates in the plain acted in concort, and a
general massacre of the whites took placo
in every quarter. On some few estates
indeed, the lives of the women wero
pared, but tfeoy were reserved only to
gratify the brutal appetites of tho rufHans;
and it is shookinj to relate, thnl many of
them suffered violation on the dead bodies
of thcii husbands and fathers I
THE
STANDARD
DODY OF
OF THE NEGROES THE
A WHITE INFANT.
In tho town itself, tho general belief for
same lime was, that tho rovolt waa by nd
means an extensive, but a cuddon dtii
partial insuriection only; The largest
sugar plantation on the plain wan thai of
Mons, Gallifet, situated about eight miles'
from tho town, the negroes belonging IS
which had always been treated with such
kindness and liberality, and possessed so
many advantages, that it became a pro
verbial expression among the lower whito
people, iu speaking of any man's good
fortune, to say, il est heureux un negrc de
Gallifet, (he is as happy as one of Galli
t'ct's negroes.) Mons. Odcluc, the attor
ney or agent for this plantation, was a
member of the General Assembly, and
being fully persuaded that the negroes be
longing to it would remain firm in their
obedience, determined to repair thither to
encourago themiu opposing the insurgents,
to which end he desired tho assistance of
a few so'.diers from the town guard, thicli
was granted him. He proceeded accord
ingly, but, ou appronchiug the estate, to
his surpriso and grief, ho found all the no
groes in arms on the side of tho rebels,
dud (horrid to tell I) the r stands d was
the body of a white infant which they had
leccntly impaled on a stake! Mons Ode
Iuo haTl advanced too far to retreat undis
covered, nnd both he and hi friend that
accompanied hiiu, with most of the sol
diers wero killed without mcroy. Two
or three of tho patrol escaped by flight,
and ront eyed the dreadful tidings to tho
inhabitants of the town.
MANSIONS AND CANUFIELCS BET ON FIRE.
liy this time, all or most of tho white
porsous had been found on several planta
tions, being massacred or forced to Bcek
their safety in flight, and the ruffians ox
chanced tno sword for tho torch. The
1
rs