82] 
St.Domingo,the National Assembly 
_of France, in the preceding autumn, 
had appointed three commissioners, 
4#o assume the government of the 
province; whom they invested with 
unlimited powers. They arrived 
about Christmas. Men of low birth, 
mean talents, and profligate man- 
ners, commanded little attention or 
respect; and, as they had no troops 
to support their authority, thev 
were soon neglected and despised. 
They published the decree of the 
repeal of the decree of 15th of May, 
1791 ; by which they beeame odi- 
ous to the mulattoes. They then 
iteok upon them to publish a gene- 
ral amnesty to all who sliould lay 
‘down their arms within a certain 
time; and thus lost the confidence 
of the whites, who considered this 
measure as a justification of the 
‘most horrible enormities, as hold- 
dng out a dangerous example to 
such of the negroes as had preserved 
‘their fidelity. Having travelled 
through several parts of the island, 
without being able to accomplish 
any thing of consequence, and see- 
ing themselves hated and contem- 
med by all parties, they returned 
‘separately to Francein the months 
‘of March and April 1792. 
‘Affairs in the colony remained 
‘fer'some months without any ma- 
‘terial change. The white people 
continued masters of Cape Francois, 
‘Port au Prince, and most of the 
towns and fortresses throughout,the 
island, The mulattoes and negroes 
were in possession of all the open 
‘country in the northern and west- 
ern) provinces, and had formed se- 
weral strong camps in it, particu- 
- larly at a place called Le Croix 
des Bouquets. All cultivation, 
commerce, and industry were com- 
pletely suspended. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 17092. 
But important events during this 
period, were falling out in the mo- 
ther country. The Jacobin faction 
had now gained a complete ascend- 
ancy, had dethroned their sove- 
reign, and were pursuing, without 
opposition, their plan of universal 
change and subversion. They de- 
termined, without delay, to intro- 
duce their system into the colonies. 
No motives of prudence, no repre- 
sentations from others could retard 
the execution of their purposes. 
May 4th, 1792, a decree was 
passed, which declared that <‘ the 
people of colour and free negroes 
in the colonies were French citi- 
zens, and should henceforth be ona 
footing of equality with the whites.” 
But this was but a part of the plan; 
commissioners were appointed for 
all the islands, and vested with ab- 
solute powers. To these it was 
given in charge to do their utmost 
for a total emancipation of theslaves. 
They were desired to hesitate at no 
sacrifice in bringing about this 
event;—they were told that insur- — 
rection and anarchy were prefer- 
able to peaceful slavery. 
The commissioners appointed for 
St. Domingo were Messrs. Santho- 
nax, Polveril, and Aithaud, three of 
the most violent and unprincipled 
Jacobins to be found in the French 
empire. ‘To ensure respect and au- 
thority to their commands, they 
were furnished with 8000 troops, 
selected with great circumspection 
from the national guards. 
order in the state, and keep the ne- 
groes in order, if they should be-— 
come turbulent and seditious; but 
they were chiefly meant to intimi- 
date the planters, and to lay them at 
the mercy of the commissioners. | 
The commissioners, with their at- 
‘tendants, 
These, — 
it was meant, should overawe every — 
