“648 Retrospect of French Literature—Miscellanies. 
generals for a constitution, the very first 
word of which they are ignorant of, and 
of which they never heard until it was 
published: as to the people, they detest 
it. If the despot of Constantinople 
had composed it, it could not have 
been more cruel: laws are in existence, 
and yet a recurrence is had to execution 
by means of muskets and bayonets dur- 
ing the night,andwithout anyprevious trial. 
“In short, were any one to analyze 
the evils with which the people are op- 
pressed, the French butchers themselves 
would be taught to blush! The public 
is shocked, and no man of sentiment can 
exist any longer under such a govern- 
ment. One can never die but once; 
and whoever permits himself to be de- 
based, deserves to be so. As for me, I 
consent to nothing, but to recognise you 
for the first chief of this empire, until 
the happy moment shall arrive when I 
can have the opportunity to declare the 
same to you in person, and in the mean 
time I have the honour to be, 
Your excellency’s 
Most humbie servant and friend, 
Er. Gerin.” 
The next Jetter is addressed from the 
chiefs of the forces of the South to the 
-commander general of the army; and 
it is dated, Aux Cayes, October 13, 1806, 
and subscribed by Colene] Wagnac, the 
commandant of the first division, and 
also by Voltaire, Beauregard, Papalier, 
Vanevs, Racollié, Barret, Hocher, and 
Lacour.” This epistle is preceded by 
the following motto, taken from a cele- 
brated French author: 
‘* Ils sont donc connus, ces secrets pleins 
@horreurs !” 
It is here intimated again, that Moreau, 
who had received written orders to ex- 
terminate all the unhappy class of ci- 
devant freemen of every colour, without 
distinction, was arrested. Dessalines is 
at the same time accused of having 
united to his own property the estates 
‘held by others in consequence of the 
most authentic titles; and of having le- 
vied money against the law. Henry 
Christophe is saluted as the general in 
‘chief, and vows are offered up on the 
part of the subscribers, who offer lives 
and fortunes, &c. that he may triumph 
over the emperor, with whom they ex- 
ect he is now about to engage. 
The third dispatch is dated at Port au 
Prince, October 18, 1806, and is ad- 
dressed to the new commander in chief, 
-by Gerin, who designates himself the 
minister of war and the marine. 
‘“‘ A multitude of arbitrary acts, (says he) 
a reign of terror, injustice of every kind, 
added to a government, the end and aim 
of which was destruction and a total sub- 
version of every thing, made it necessary 
that you should succeed to a tyrant, and 
make us forget, by means of your virttes 
and your talents, the excesses of our late 
Nero.” He then intimates that the peo- 
ple had risen in a body, and that Dessa- 
lines had perished. 
A letter from the celebrated Petion to 
his future rival, closes the correspondence, 
It is dated Port-au-Prince, October 16, 
1806, and is addressed fiom Petion, ge- 
neral of division, and commander in chief 
of the second division of the west, to his 
excellency the general in chiefof the army 
of Haiti, Henry Christephe. 
<¢ GENERAL, 
“¢ Escaped from that destruction, which 
the agents of an ungrateful and barbarous 
goverment had meditated against thie in- 
habitants of this country, we have thought 
fit to confide the means of our restoration 
to a man, who in consequence of the per- 
sonal dangers he has encountered, as well 
as his experience, may be enabled once 
more to introduce happiness among us. 
When abusing our patience, he forced us 
against our will, to cover his head with’a 
diadem, we had reason to expect that on 
attaining the height of power and gran- 
deur, he would have recollected that the 
edifice of his authority was but the work 
of our hands, and the price of our cou- 
rage. 
“« Even he himself appeared to be pe- 
netrated with these sentiments, and we 
hoped that, sheltered by the laws, we 
should have enjoyed in peace the fruit of 
all those sacrifices, which we have unceas- 
ingly made. But what, general, was the 
result? Scarcely did he perceive his autho- 
rity strengthened, when he forgot all his du- 
ties, and to the scorn of thesacred laws ofa 
free people, he imagined there was no other 
real enjoyment, than that which springs 
from the exercise of the most despotte 
power, and the most outrageous tyranny. 
“Our hearts have long siyhed, on ac- 
count of this state of affairs, and we fora 
while only empioyed submission and do- 
city to brig him back to those princi- 
ples of justice and moderation, with 
which he had promised to govern us, 
*¢ }iis last journey into the southern dis- 
trict, at length, however, fully developed 
is projects, even in the eyes of these i 
id 
