306 Notes on Haiti. [SEPT. 



ceptible degrees; and every step taken must, to be effectual, be in 

 accordance tvith the peculiar character of the people to be improved" 



The failure of all attempts to force upon societies, composed of dis- 

 similar materials, institutions which, in every other case have required 

 centuries to complete them, ought accordingly to have been foreseen ; 

 and hence such attempts have completely failed in St. Domingo, and 

 have also, or must eventually fail in Colombia, Guatemala, and the other 

 mushroom states of South America.* 



The conflicting opinions and assertions prevalent in this country 

 regarding Haiti, together with those serious considerations of sound 

 policy, which rendered it necessary to attend to a question of such vital 

 importance to the well being and proper regulation of our transatlantic 

 colonies, induced ministers to adopt measures for obtaining an accurate 

 solution of this important question, and they fortunately selected a gen- 

 tleman well qualified for the task. His " Notes," of which we shall, 

 in the first place, endeavour to give our readers some idea, show, clearly, 

 that he fulfilled the important objects of his mission with zeal, industry, 

 and great fidelity. His statements throughout bear the impress of truth, 

 and are evidently entitled to the fullest credence. 



" On my going to Haiti in 1826," says he, " in addition to mere con- 

 sular duties, others of a higher nature were assigned to me ; and among 

 these, I was required to report on the state of society, and the actual 

 condition of the new republic in all its relations : this was a task no less 

 invidious than difficult ; but I performed it with zeal and to the best of 

 my ability, utterly regardless of any consideration beyond the faithful 

 discharge of my public duty." 



Mr. Mackenzie accordingly sent home from time to time various 

 " reports," which were published under the authority of government, 

 and are remarkable for the clearness and ability with which they are 

 drawn up. He has now favoured us with a more detailed account of his 

 sojourn in Haiti, wherein he has endeavoured, in the first place, to show 

 that his relation is " founded on actual inquiry and research ;" and in 

 the next, " to trace the leading features of the origin and progress of a 

 very curious experiment in the history of man." 



The first volume is devoted to an account of the journey made in pur- 

 suit of information, and the second, to a summary of the principal mat- 

 ters of interest, accompanied by such documents as may be illustrative 

 of particular points. The works of Baron Lacroix, and Justin's Histoire 

 d'Haiti, corroborated by his own researches in the republic, and assisted 

 by a large mass of Christophers papers, were Mr. Mackenzie's principal 

 guides in the historical part. 



Mr. Mackenzie embarked in the Druid frigate, in March, 1826, and 

 arrived off Port-au-Prince, the capital, in May following. " We ap- 

 proached by the northern passage, called St. Mark's Channel, and as 

 several hours elapsed after having been fairly abreast of the island of 

 Gonave before we anchored, there was abundant leisure for examining 

 with glasses the appearance of the coast from Arcahai to the capital. 

 The country is composed of a beautiful undulating surface, bounded by 

 a magnificent outline of mountain, the whole completely covered with 



* The case of the United States of America is quite different. These states were chiefly 

 peopled by enlightened Englishmen, who carried with them a full knowledge of the moral 

 and political habits and principles of the mother country. 



