GENERAL HISTORY. 



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an 

 ii)ight vie 



n strength and clearness 

 with any manifesto of 

 an European sovereign. It con- 

 cluded with the solemn declara- 

 tion, that he would never consent 

 to any treaty, or any Condition, 

 that should compromise the ho- 

 nour, the liberty, and the inde- 

 pendence of the Haytian people. 



It was not, however, by arms, 

 that the first attempt was made 

 to restore Hayti to the dominion 

 of France. A French general, 

 named D'Anxion Lavaysse, and 

 bearing the character of an envoy 

 from Louis XVIII. addressed from 

 Kingston in Jamaica, on October 

 1st, a letter " to Gen. Henry 

 Christophe, supreme Head of the 

 government of the North of 

 Hayti," in which, at considerable 

 length, he placed before him every 

 argument to induce him to pro- 

 claim the king of France. He 

 endeavoured to shew him, that it 

 ■was his personal interest rather to 

 become " an illustrious servartt of 

 the great sovereign of the French, 

 than a chief of revolted slaves." 

 Like the generality of his coun- 

 trymen in their diplomatic func- 

 tions, he did not scruple to em- 

 ploy falsehood to gain his point ; 

 and the following passage of his 

 letter is worthy of notice : " Do not 



deceive yourself. General the 



Sovereignsof Europe, although they 

 have made peace, have not returned 

 the sword in to the scabbard. Doubt- 

 less, you are not ignorant of what 

 €very body in Europe knows, al- 

 though a thing not yet diploma- 

 tically published — that the princi- 

 pal articles of the compact which 

 all the European sovereigns have 

 just signed, on their royal honour, 

 ns to unite their armies, if need 

 •Ih>, and to lend each other all ne- 



cessary aid, in order to destroy all 

 the governments which have been 

 the offspring of the French revo- 

 lution, whether in Europe, or in 

 the New World. Know also, 

 that it is Great Britain, who is the 

 centre of and principal party to 

 this convention, to which, a few 

 months sooner or later, every go- 

 vernment will find it necessary to 

 submit : every government and 

 every potentate that shall refuse 

 so to sumbit, must expect to be 

 treated as traitors and brigands." 

 That this assertion, as it respects 

 England, is a gross falsehood, we 

 presume, is undeniable ; and it 

 may be hoped, that it is not less so 

 with respect to the other powers. 



It was with true magnanimity, 

 that King Henry, convoking an 

 extraordinary council of the nation, 

 laid before them this document, 

 together with the pamphlet of one 

 H. Henry, printed at Jamaica, 

 desiring them calmly to deliberate 

 on their contents, and form such 

 resolutions as they should deem 

 necessary for the welfare of the 

 country. This confidence was re- 

 paid by an address to the King, in 

 the warmest language of patriotic 

 devotion. It adds, " No, never 

 shall this execrable enterprize 

 (against Hayti) take place. There 

 is honour, there is a sense of 

 glory, among the sovereigns and 

 people of Europe ; and Great Bri- 

 tain, that Liberator of the World, 

 will prevent such an abomination." 



Lavaysse made an application of 

 a similar purpose, though in am- 

 biguous language, to Petion, and 

 on Oct. 2Ist, he was suffered to 

 land at Port au Prince, that he 

 might explain in person the pro- 

 posals of which he was the bearer. 

 On hib urrival he fell danjjerously 



