STATE PAPERS. 



739 



and we feel the most lively joy at 

 the sight of the formidable succours. 

 Every where, in these seas, is the 

 flag of the English humbled ; all 

 their men of war hide themselves ; 

 their trade is annihilated, and their 

 merchantmen have sought security 

 and protection in neutral ports, 

 since they did not conceive them- 

 selves safe behind fortifications which 

 surrendered as soon as they were at- 

 taeked. — This expedition, as useful 

 as unexpected, has fixed for the co- 

 lonies, the period of your glorious 

 accession to the empire, and the true 

 interest which your majesty has in 

 all your people, whatever part of 

 the empire they inhabit. What have 

 we not to expect from the future ? 

 — Your majesty will deign io accept 

 kindly the tribute of love, admi- 

 ration, and gratitude, vvhich I offer 

 you in name of the first authorities, 

 the inhabitants, the merchants, and 



the military of Guadaloupe 



I have the honour, sire, with the 

 deepest reverence, to subscribe my. 

 self, &c. 



ConstUulion of Hayti. 



We, H. Christophc, Clerveux, 

 Vernet, Gabart, Petioii, Geffrard, 

 Touissant Brave, Raphel, Remain, 

 Lalondrie, Capoix, iMagny, Daut, 

 Conge, Magloire Ambroise, Yoyou, 

 JeanLouisFrancois, Gcrin,]Morean, 

 Fcrvu, Bavelais, Martial Besse,a8 well 

 in our name as those of the people of 

 Hayti, who have legally constituted 

 us faithful organs and interpreters 

 of their will ; in presence of the su- 

 preme Being, before whom all man. 

 kind are equal, and who has distri. 

 bated so many species of creatures 

 on the surface of the earth, for the 

 purpose of manifesting his glory and 



his power by the diversity of his 

 work : in the presence of all nature 

 by whom we have been so unjustly 

 and so long a time considered as 

 outcast children do declare, that 

 the tenor of the present constitution, 

 is the free, spontaneous, and inva- 

 riable expression of our hearts, and 

 the general will of our constituents ; 

 and we submit it to the sanction of 

 H. M. the emperor, Jacques Dsissa- 

 lines, our deliverer, to receive its 

 speedy and entire execution. 

 Preliminary Declaration. 

 Art. 1. The people inhabiting 

 the island, formerly called St. Do. 

 mingo, hereby agree to form them, 

 selves into, a free state, sovereign, 

 and independent of any other power 

 in the universe, under the name of 

 empire of Hayti. — 1. Slavery is for 

 ever abolished. — 3. The citizens of 

 Hayti are brothers at home ; equa- 

 lity, in the eye of the law, is incon- 

 testibly acknowledged, and there 

 cannot exist any titles, advantages, 

 or privileges, other than those ne- 

 cessarily resulting from the consi- 

 deration and reward of services ren. 

 dered to liberty and independence. 

 — 4. The law is the same io all, 

 whether it punishes or protects. — 

 5. The law has no retro-active ef- 

 fect. — 6. Property is sacred, its 

 violation shall be severely prose- 

 cuted. — 7. The quality of citizen of 

 Hayti is lost by emigration and na- 

 turalization in foreign countries, and 

 by condemnation to corporeal or 

 disgraceful punishments. The first 

 case carries with it the punishment 

 of death and confiscation of pro- 

 perty.— 8. The quality of citizens 

 is suspended in consequence of bank- 

 ruptcies and failures. — 9. No person 

 is worthy of being a Haytian, who is 

 not a good father, a good son, a good 

 husbandjundespeciallv a good soldier 

 3 li 2 ' - 10. 



