XIII.
This is the place to stop; from this point to watch with solicitude, but without fear, the development of this enfranchised people, under the direction of their chief. It cannot be—history does not stop; its march in the past cannot be changed—only the present and the future are plastic.
At this point, the horizon in St. Domingo is clear and serene; no man can see signs of a coming tornado. Only in the heart of Toussaint Louverture does the mercury tremble, indicating “change.” The convulsions which had shaken Europe are spent. Napoleon is the master of France, and the treaty of Amiens (1801) has secured a treacherous peace. Toussaint watched, with feverish solicitude, the movements of Napoleon. Dull flashes streaked the eastern horizon, and muttered threats hardly moved the air. Repeatedly he wrote to Napoleon, once addressing him as “The first of the blacks to the first of the whites”—repeatedly he urged his own loyalty, and that of his race, to France. Napoleon’s vanity was touched—Toussaint was talked about in Europe—in Paris.[54]He was another star—a black Napoleon! The Corsican stomach was quick.
What cared Napoleon, for France? What cared hefor a St. Domingo negro? Napoleon Buonaparte was Napoleon’s god, and him he worshiped.
He received Toussaint’s suggestions and requests with contempt. This neglect moved Toussaint more than all other things; for, in the distance, Napoleon seemed to him a magnanimous and god-descended hero, a lover of liberty—as, indeed, at that time he did to many men in France—as he does to one Abbott at the present time. If we look for weakness in Louverture, we shall find it here; he trusted France, he trusted Napoleon, and he trusted the planters of St. Domingo. He believed that, by his justice and magnanimity to them, he could move them from their insane purpose of reënslaving the blacks. If he had brayed them in mortars he could not have got it out of them. Knowing the experience, education, resources, and power of the whites, and the ignorance and weakness of the blacks, he sought support in his work from the whites. He, in a degree, dimmed the prestige of his greatness, in the eyes of the blacks, by concessions made to the whites. So desirous was he of the confidence of the whites, and of a character for strict impartiality, that when the blacks in General Moyse’s district, in their sensitive fears of reënslavement, rose and murdered some of the whites, and were not hindered by General Moyse, he had him court-martialled, and allowed him to be shot, and he a superb officer and his own nephew. He disarmed his troops and sent them back to the labors of agriculture. But all these availed nothing.
Peace in Europe foreboded war in St. Domingo. Exasperated planters gathered in Paris; they clamoredas ever for their old wealth and rights—they said:—“No slavery, no colonies!” Napoleon’s counselors recommended force. “What do you think of the matter?” said Napoleon, to the Abbé Grégoire. “I think,” said he, “that if these counselors were to change color, they would change opinions.” He never said more truth with less words. Make the blacks white, and to-morrow negro slavery would be ended. The restoration of slavery was resolved on in the Legislative body, by a vote of two hundred and twelve against sixty-five![55]This was in Republican France, under a Republican Consul, who shouted the words, “Peace” and “Liberty” till he was hoarse, and the world became sick of them and him. On the 20th May, 1801, Buonaparte issued the decree restoring the colonies to their condition previous to 1789—this authorized the slave-trade and abrogated liberty. But, perhaps, he had gone too fast? He afterwards decreed that St. Domingo and Guadaloupe should be excepted—for how long, he omitted to say. When General Vincent presented to him the draft for the Constitution sent by Toussaint, he caught his opportunity—“Here,” said he, “is a revolted slave whom we must punish—the honor of France is outraged.” Vincent pleaded; the minister, Forfait, attempted dissuasion—he was silenced by this answer:—“There are sixty thousand men that I want to send to a distance!” Old soldiers of the Republic—some of whom believed “Liberty” to be other than a shout.
The expedition was resolved on—man could not hinder it. The whites interested in this island were exultant;their joy vibrated in the hearts of some whites and mulattoes in St. Domingo. They reckoned that the blacks would at once pass under the yoke—created by God, as they were, for slavery; they forgot what twelve years of struggle and liberty might have done for the negro.[56]Yet, why is this great army sent? The colony is not in rebellion; it has not denied the authority of France—indeed, has not Toussaint driven out the Spaniards and English—those enemies of France—and refused liberty and protection from England? For what, then, is this mighty armament! these fifty-six warlike ships, this General Le Clerc, this Admiral Joyeuse, these 30,000 veteran soldiers—are all these needed to restore to France the island which she has never lost? If not for that, then for what are they intended?
FOOTNOTES:[54]Biog. Universelle, T. L.[55]Beard, p. 154.[56]Lacroix, vol. ii., p. 71.
[54]Biog. Universelle, T. L.
[54]Biog. Universelle, T. L.
[55]Beard, p. 154.
[55]Beard, p. 154.
[56]Lacroix, vol. ii., p. 71.
[56]Lacroix, vol. ii., p. 71.