L'OUVERTURE, François-Dominique-Toussaint (1746-1803). Letter signed to 'Citoyen Vincent' (Director of engineering and fortifications of Saint-Domingue, in Paris), 'Au quartier general Dekao, le 2me jours complémentaires l'an sixième' [18 September 1798], announcing that he is sending his secretary to Paris with dispatches and to request his retirement from the Directorate, next giving at length and very frankly his opinion of the new commissioner of the island, General Hedouville, 'La plus parfaite concorde regnait á son arrivée et déjà il se manifeste des germes de divisions. Il porte un esprit soupçonneux contre les hommes qui ont le mieu servis la republique. Il ne reve que complots, rassemblements, que soulevement'. The colony is constantly vulnerable to the ignorance and prejudice of new administrators and Toussaint contrasts Hedouville most unfavourably with a previous commissioner, Raymond, which another, Sonthonax, 'avait divise tous les esprits'. He takes full credit for having relieved the island of its enemies and re-established order and progress, 'J'ai trouvé la colonie demembrée, livrée à toutes les horreurs de la guerre civile - ruinée, incendiée, saccagée. Je la rend à la France purgée d'enemmis extérieurs, tranquille et sa culture ayant fait de grands progres'. After giving further details of the state of the island, he reputiates rumours that the blacks have been guilty of barbarous conduct, and points out that 'les noirs ont reçus leurs anciens maitres à bras ouverts ... Ils seron toujurs bons, humains et amis des lois', 4½ pages, folio, blank leaf (printed heading 'Toussaint l'Ouverture, General en chef de l'Armée de Saint Domingue').Toussaint l'Ouverture had declared his support for the French in 1794, defecting to them with a large swathe of land in the island. In 1798 General Maitland reached an agreement with him that the British would evacuate Port-au-Prince and other places, Toussaint having given assurances to save the white planters, and declared that the laws against the emigrés meant nothing to him. By effectively handing over the whole island to Toussaint, Maitland exacerbated the rivalry between him and the mulatto leader Rigaud. He further split the contenders by surrendering Môle-St-Nicolas to Toussaint and not to General Hedouville. Toussaint's efforts in the present letter to discredit Hedouville reflect the success of the Commissioner's strategy, following the example of Maitland, of fanning the rivalry between the leaders. But by October, the military situation now settled, Toussaint was free to promote the circulation of rumours about the commissioner, including one that he wanted to reintroduce slavery. The resulting demonstrations led to Hedouville hurriedly leaving for six months in France.Toussaint's correspondent, Colonel Vincent, was the trusted associate of King Christophe. He was active in introducing into the island the highly profitable system of fermage, and presented the first draft constitution (after it had been proclaimed) to Napoleon in 1801. His last service in connection with the island was to find a house for Christophe's widow and daughters, in Pisa in 1824.

L'OUVERTURE, François-Dominique-Toussaint (1746-1803). Letter signed to 'Citoyen Vincent' (Director of engineering and fortifications of Saint-Domingue, in Paris), 'Au quartier general Dekao, le 2me jours complémentaires l'an sixième' [18 September 1798], announcing that he is sending his secretary to Paris with dispatches and to request his retirement from the Directorate, next giving at length and very frankly his opinion of the new commissioner of the island, General Hedouville, 'La plus parfaite concorde regnait á son arrivée et déjà il se manifeste des germes de divisions. Il porte un esprit soupçonneux contre les hommes qui ont le mieu servis la republique. Il ne reve que complots, rassemblements, que soulevement'. The colony is constantly vulnerable to the ignorance and prejudice of new administrators and Toussaint contrasts Hedouville most unfavourably with a previous commissioner, Raymond, which another, Sonthonax, 'avait divise tous les esprits'. He takes full credit for having relieved the island of its enemies and re-established order and progress, 'J'ai trouvé la colonie demembrée, livrée à toutes les horreurs de la guerre civile - ruinée, incendiée, saccagée. Je la rend à la France purgée d'enemmis extérieurs, tranquille et sa culture ayant fait de grands progres'. After giving further details of the state of the island, he reputiates rumours that the blacks have been guilty of barbarous conduct, and points out that 'les noirs ont reçus leurs anciens maitres à bras ouverts ... Ils seron toujurs bons, humains et amis des lois', 4½ pages, folio, blank leaf (printed heading 'Toussaint l'Ouverture, General en chef de l'Armée de Saint Domingue'). Toussaint l'Ouverture had declared his support for the French in 1794, defecting to them with a large swathe of land in the island. In 1798 General Maitland reached an agreement with him that the British would evacuate Port-au-Prince and other places, Toussaint having given assurances to save the white planters, and declared that the laws against the emigrés meant nothing to him. By effectively handing over the whole island to Toussaint, Maitland exacerbated the rivalry between him and the mulatto leader Rigaud. He further split the contenders by surrendering Môle-St-Nicolas to Toussaint and not to General Hedouville. Toussaint's efforts in the present letter to discredit Hedouville reflect the success of the Commissioner's strategy, following the example of Maitland, of fanning the rivalry between the leaders. But by October, the military situation now settled, Toussaint was free to promote the circulation of rumours about the commissioner, including one that he wanted to reintroduce slavery. The resulting demonstrations led to Hedouville hurriedly leaving for six months in France. Toussaint's correspondent, Colonel Vincent, was the trusted associate of King Christophe. He was active in introducing into the island the highly profitable system of fermage, and presented the first draft constitution (after it had been proclaimed) to Napoleon in 1801. His last service in connection with the island was to find a house for Christophe's widow and daughters, in Pisa in 1824.

Details

L'OUVERTURE, François-Dominique-Toussaint (1746-1803). Letter signed to 'Citoyen Vincent' (Director of engineering and fortifications of Saint-Domingue, in Paris), 'Au quartier general Dekao, le 2me jours complémentaires l'an sixième' [18 September 1798], announcing that he is sending his secretary to Paris with dispatches and to request his retirement from the Directorate, next giving at length and very frankly his opinion of the new commissioner of the island, General Hedouville, 'La plus parfaite concorde regnait á son arrivée et déjà il se manifeste des germes de divisions. Il porte un esprit soupçonneux contre les hommes qui ont le mieu servis la republique. Il ne reve que complots, rassemblements, que soulevement'. The colony is constantly vulnerable to the ignorance and prejudice of new administrators and Toussaint contrasts Hedouville most unfavourably with a previous commissioner, Raymond, which another, Sonthonax, 'avait divise tous les esprits'. He takes full credit for having relieved the island of its enemies and re-established order and progress, 'J'ai trouvé la colonie demembrée, livrée à toutes les horreurs de la guerre civile - ruinée, incendiée, saccagée. Je la rend à la France purgée d'enemmis extérieurs, tranquille et sa culture ayant fait de grands progres'. After giving further details of the state of the island, he reputiates rumours that the blacks have been guilty of barbarous conduct, and points out that 'les noirs ont reçus leurs anciens maitres à bras ouverts ... Ils seron toujurs bons, humains et amis des lois', 4½ pages, folio, blank leaf (printed heading 'Toussaint l'Ouverture, General en chef de l'Armée de Saint Domingue').

Toussaint l'Ouverture had declared his support for the French in 1794, defecting to them with a large swathe of land in the island. In 1798 General Maitland reached an agreement with him that the British would evacuate Port-au-Prince and other places, Toussaint having given assurances to save the white planters, and declared that the laws against the emigrés meant nothing to him. By effectively handing over the whole island to Toussaint, Maitland exacerbated the rivalry between him and the mulatto leader Rigaud. He further split the contenders by surrendering Môle-St-Nicolas to Toussaint and not to General Hedouville. Toussaint's efforts in the present letter to discredit Hedouville reflect the success of the Commissioner's strategy, following the example of Maitland, of fanning the rivalry between the leaders. But by October, the military situation now settled, Toussaint was free to promote the circulation of rumours about the commissioner, including one that he wanted to reintroduce slavery. The resulting demonstrations led to Hedouville hurriedly leaving for six months in France.

Toussaint's correspondent, Colonel Vincent, was the trusted associate of King Christophe. He was active in introducing into the island the highly profitable system of fermage, and presented the first draft constitution (after it had been proclaimed) to Napoleon in 1801. His last service in connection with the island was to find a house for Christophe's widow and daughters, in Pisa in 1824.

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