72] 
These islands, inthe event, were to- 
tally ruined by a series of precipi- 
tate measures, of rash and untried 
schemes, adopted without due con- 
sideration, or competent knowledge 
of the subject, and founded upon 
the same abstract notions and me- 
taphysical dreams which had in- 
volved the parent country in its 
present unparalleled situation. 
The first revolutionary symptoms 
exhibited in St. Domingo appeared 
in 1789, soon after the king had 
come to thememorable resolution of 
convening the states general of the 
kingdom. Upon receipt of this 
intelligence, the inhabitants, in ex- 
press contradiction to the com- 
mands of the governor, met every- 
where in a tumultuous manner, 
passed resolutions declaratory of 
their rights ; and at length elected 
eighteen deputies, whom they dis- 
patched to France to represent 
them in the great national council. 
However, things remained for 
some time tolerably tranquil, tho’ 
the planters became daily more 
alarmed and discontented at the 
disposition which prevailed towards 
them in France, and the resolution 
which it was manifest the French 
had adopted, to espouse the cause 
of the mulattoes. 
This state of delusive tranquillity 
was soon interrupted, by intelligence 
being received of the celebrated 
declaration of rights voted by the 
National Convention on the 20th 
of August. The doctrine there held 
forth is incompatible with any form 
of society, above all with that ex- 
isting in the islands. Ameng other 
sentiments of asimilar nature, it is 
there declared, that ‘* All men are 
born and continue free and equal 
as to their rights;” according to 
which the negroes had not only a 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1792. 
right to freedom, but to share their 
estates with their masters. 
The publication of this declara- 
tion excited a violent ferment 
throughout the island; and appre- — 
hensions were entertained of a civil 
war being instantly kindled. The 
mulattoes were inraptures with the 
seemingly near prospect of all their 
gay visions of equality being realiz- — 
ed. The long night of darkness, 
of ignorance, and of prejudice, they 
thought, was drawing to a close. 
They concluded thisto be the dawn 
of a bright day, when man was to 
be treated as man. Dreadful was 
the consternation of the planters, 
and strong their feelings of indig- 
nation and resentment. They said 
that this declaration had been dic- 
tated by political fanaticism, or 
deliberate villany; and that it 
was calculated to produce uni- 
versal confusion and anarchy. An 
assembly was immediately con- 
vened ineach of the three provinces 
into which the French part of St. 
Domingo is divided, to deliberate — 
upon the most proper method to — 
guard against the encroachments of ~ 
the mulattoes. The opinions and — 
decrees of those assemblies were 
various and discordant; but they 
were unanimous in expressing the © 
most marked disapprobation of the 
disposition which France had ~ 
shown to intermeddle with their — 
internal regulations. They here © 
assumed a high tone, talked of their © 
exclusive right in this matter, and — 
seemed to'set the power of France ~ 
at defiance. 5 
The mulattoes meanwhile, exas-_ 
perated by the conduct of the 
whites, and their steady determina- — 
tion not to admit the validity of” 
their claims, became turbulent and — 
seditious, and prepared to enforce — 
their — 
we 
