por those objects.

People of St. Domingo! the ob- only share of sovereignty that a jects of all political institutions colony can exercise; it ought to being the general interests of fo- enact laws beneficial to the come ciety, and the good of the members munity, and not clathing with

of that society, an exact observance thote of the mother country which R of the laws can alone accomplith protects it.

Admitting this simple truth, his It is necessary to convince you majesty is willing to preserve to you Entre of this inconteftible truth, the in- all your rights. I accordingly de

attention to which has been the clare to you, in his royal name, max: bay cause of all your misfortunes, viz. that as soon as peace shall be esta* * That while we wish to exaá the blithed, you will have a colonial ingen, most abject submillion from others, affembly, to regulate, establish, 63.97 we ought not to be daily giving and enable you to exercise those put examples of insubordination in our rights.-- In the mean time all the od the own conduct. Union is neceffaryold French laws will be enforced, plebers among you ; it will redouble your as far as they are found not adverse.

to the measures requisite for the rewa very long experience must have establithment of peace. 2 10 informed you, that the most effec Every individual shall enjoy his bet li y tual tie you can have on your slaves, civil rights, and the laws for the paleis is the white people affording an security of property Thall also be this pure: example of obedience to their fu- enforced and maintained, ted me u periors. Call to your recollection His majesty is desirous to fe-, body at the flourishing state of St. Domingo cure to creditors the payment are refer under this order of things, and of their debts. But being sensibly dat de with that compare the horrors of affected by the causes which have. w bo ter which it has since become the thea- concurred to distress the colony, tranger i tre, by the neglect of those laws and waste your property, and at the ether or which formerly governed you. same time anxious to favour your 5. A m"It was not with a view to erect a exertions to repair your shattered

and theatre of republican virtues, nor fortunes, he has authorised me to maid bare for the display of human know- declare to you, that at the express ng; du ledge, that colonies were established prayer of the inhabitants and doube er : in ihe West Indies. The real prof. planters, he is graciously pleased to o lumea perity of a colony depends on the grant a suspension from prosecu.. als or quantity of its produce; and the tions for debts, with a sufpenfion

object of the parent state is to in- of intereft on such debts, to be straps crease its exports with as little computed from the first day of

expence as poifible. A colony de- Auguft, 1791, and to continue from reabe is, pendent on its mother-country for that time for twelve years under es dits commercial advantages, for its certain restrictions. Leto protection and defence, can con The local taxes for the expences

lequently have no exterior politics, of your protection, and the adminiyou and never should affect what be- ftration of government, thall be, Drilongs to sovereignty.

until further orders, upon the footTo assess the imposts, and watch ing of 1789. England will make over their application, this is the the necessary advances to make

03

good

good the deficiency; Tuch ad. Such ate the beniga intentions of vances to be reimbursed at a future the king of Great Britain towards dáy by the colony.

you. Compare with them the atroThe municipal taxes for defray. cious acts of the three individuals ing the expences of divine worship, who are your oppreffors, of men of the interior guards in the quar- who have afurped an authority

, ters, and for the punishment of which could only bave been connegroes, shall also be on the fame fided to them for the purpose of footing as in 1789, except the dif- destroying you. Reduce them at charges to those whose plantations once to that insignificance from have been burned.

which they sprang, and which The inhabitants shall enjoy the awaits them. Undistinguished by privilege of exporting their clayed birth, new Eroftrati, they are knows sugars, subject to such duties as by their crimes ; while those who Ihall be deened neceffary.

delegated them, astonished at your The Roman Catholic religion patience, and trembling before the mo shall be maintained, without pre combined forces which press on judice to any other form of divine every fide, leave them to your worship, the "exercise of which vengeance. thall be alike permitted.

Men of colour! Have you fuf- fare Your ports shall be open to fered yourselves to be duped by the parent. American vessels.

declamations of these traitors, boatt- 160 cm If any of the inhabitants know ing to you of liberty and equality ? big her that any part of their property has Have they not abused you, in maka moters been carried into foreign countries, ing you thare them with your own dept they may freely address themselves slaves ? Recover speedily from your to me, and I will, in the name of errors : come and obtain from your me his Britannic majesty, reclaim such fathers and benefactors, an oblivion zo i property, as belonging to his sub- of those ills which you bave occa- c je&s.

fioned, and which otherwise mult i alt You fee, unfortunate people, that lead to your own ruin. your interests are dear to his Bri. Can you imagine that Naves, sud- og tannic majesty. In granting the denly called to freedom, to liberty

, nie prayers of your countrymen, he does and equality, will patiently endure not defire to subject you inftantly that superiority which you with to Engra to laws to which you are strangers. exercise over them, and to which frü He preserves to you your ancient you have no title but that founded customs, where they are not con- in the generosity of those who gave us trary to civil order and the general you freedom! No! Soon overpower interest

. He wills only, that ne- ed by numbers, your crimes would ceffary measures of every kind should be punished by the very bands in be employed, to compel the flaves which you have placed arms. to due submission and obedience, Determine on the enjoyment of and to oppose an insurmountable those privileges which our confiibarrier to the fpirit of innovation, tution grants to people of your and to the measures which your defcription in the Colonies-- or the enemies are conspiring for your ruin. punishment of your offences.

Ley

Ichquot under our government, find a se. dence is coeval with the laws.on secure prote&ion--then will you ex- Range yourselves then under her Vacature perience those sweets, that ease and government.

Lay down those arms which have attacks of foreign powers. Your been put into your hands for your property will no longer become the own destruction, resume the ma- prey of privateers. nagement of your plantations; or, The immense resources which the come and unite yourselves under commerce of Britain affords, will our standard, to purchase the re- revive your planting.–These remillion of your faults, by aiding sources will be presently offered you

our troops in reducing the rebel to repair the ravages made by mur. 1. Beste y laves to obedience. You will, then, der, rapine, and fire ; for confi.

Cease to bedew your 17, bo calm, which only result from good fields with blood. Yield to me the the conduð.

traitors, and those who despoil you In fine, obey the voice of nature of your property. Point out to me, Kement and of reason; avail yourselves of yourselves, those vi&ims for justice, es while the moment of indulgence and le. by abandoning them, and by an die teinity; it will pass rapidly away, and immediate junction under my ore

when the day of vengeance arrives, ders, enable me to have nothing to terepentance will not avert your regret in that exemplary punith. 5 to be done punishment.

ment which I may be forced to the traz Negroes employed in planting! inflict. berta ao You who have remained faithful to

JOHN WHITELOCKÉ, obtiet pa your masters, and who have spurn

Lieut. Col. 15th Reg. bem uite-ed at the proffers of traitors and Jeremic, Sept. 23, 1793. feed their agents; you who have seen and out that the men of colour have not educere a granted to their faves that liberty Declaration fent, by his Majesty's ich you but which you had been taught to ex Command, to the Commanders of sich dorthing peat; rest assured of favour and pro his Alajesty's Fleets and Armies emto min. teation. But thole negroes who ployed against France, and to his the betthall continue fugitives fifteen days Majesty's Ministers residing at fredo of after the issuing of this proclama Foreign Courts. 08. 19, 1793. il pareridtion, being unworthy of the pardon stid et I with to grant in my lovereign's The circumstances, in consehumo , zd z name, will be punished as rebels. quence of which his majesty

Planters of every class! I am has found himself engaged in a dey of their bound to fhew you, in proper co- fensive war against France, are al6. See on Jours, what you have to hope, and ready known to all Europe. The what to fear.

objects which his majesty has proIilanders, you require the pro. posed to hiinself from the com

tection of a maritime power. Is mencement of the war are of equal teen there any one more formidable than notoriety, To repel an unprovoked

England? Her ships cover the seas, aggression, to contribute to the im

and bring her annually from every mediate defence of his allies, to obthquarter of the globe, riches, the tain for them and for himself a just corery foal of her national commerce. indemnification, and to provide, as Her fleets will secure you from the far as circumstances will allow, for

undertaking. His majesty was deep.sha

the future security of his own sub From the first period, when his . jects, and of all the other nations of most Christian majetty, Louis the Europe; these are the points for XVIth, had called his people around which his majesty has felt it incum- him, to join in concerting measures bent on bim to employ all the for their common happiness

, the means which he derives from the king has uniformly shewn by his resources of his dominions, from the condu, the sincerity of bis wilhes zeal and affection of his people, and for the success of so difficult, but, from the unquestionable justice of at the same time, so interesting an his cause.

But it has become daily more and ly afflicted with all the misfortunes more evident, how much the inter- which ensued, but particularly when nal situation of France obstructs the he perceived more and more evi: conclusion of a solid and permanent denily that measures, the conse. treaty, which can alone fulfil his quences of which he could not dilerin majesty's juft and salutary views for guise from himself, must finally a the accomplishment of these impor- compel him to relinquish the friend. Ex tant objects, and for restoring the ly and pacific system which he had saiba general tranquillity of Europe. His adopted. The moment at length parere majesty fees, therefore, with the ut- arrived when his majesty saw tħat us the repe molt satisfaction, the prospect, which it was neceffary for him not only takes cachy, the present circumstances afford defend his own rights and those of textmy of him, of accelerating the return of his allies, not only to repel che un- se med to peace, by making to the well dis. just aggression which he had re. defu withia posed part of the people of France, cently experienced, but that all tbę of all tre a more particular declaration of the dearest interests of his people in ties of principles which animate him, of posed upon bim a duty still more arrupti the objects to which his views are important, that of exerting his ef. tescudette directed, and of the condu& which forts for the preservation of civil 1o

. fusored it is his intention to pursue. With ciety itself, as happily established actions of respect to the present situation of among the nations of Europe. affairs, the events of the war, the The designs which had been pro- that conf confidence reposed in him by one feffed of reforming the abuses of the mil of the most considerable cities of the government of France, of estate of th France, and, above all, the with blishing personal liberty and the z sitbout which is manifested almost univer- rights of property on a solid foun. Pag power sally in that country, to find a re- dation, of securing to an extensive riboat fuge from the tyranny by which and populous country the benefit of thout i it is now overwhelmed, render this a wife legislation, and an equitable pacaty, te explanation on his majesty's part a and mild administration of its laws; which pressing and indispensable duty: and all these falutary views have unhis majesty feels additional fatisfac- fortunately vanithed. In their place, and tion in making such a declaration, has succeeded a lyftem deftru&ive erial pri from the hope of finding, in the of all public order, mantained by reis weite other powers engaged with him proscriptions, exiles, and confisca-e, in the common cause, sentiments tions without number, by arbitrary panies th and views perfe&ly conformable to imprisonments, by massacres

, which sea is low cannot even be remembered with his

out

over al

his own.

out horror, and at length, by the influence of external force with reexecrable murder of a juft and be- 1pect to the particular forms of geneficent sovereigo, and of the illus- vernment to be enablished in an intrious princess, who, with an un- dependent country. Neither has thaken firmness, has fhared all the he now that wish, except in so far as misfortunes of her royal confort, his fucb interference is become effential protracted sufferings, his cruel cap. to the security and repote of other tivity, bis ignominious death. The powers. Under these circumstances,

inhabitants of that unfortunate he demands from France, and he country, so long flattered by pro. demands with juftice, the terminamiles of happiness, renewed at the tion of a lyttem of anarchy, which period of every fresh crime, have has no force but for the purposes of found themselves plunged into an mischief, unable to discharge the abyls of unexampled calamities; primary duty of all government, to and neighbouring nations, instead repress the disorders or to punish the of deriving a new security for the crimes which are daily increasing in maintenance of general tranquillity the interior of the country, but diffrom the establithment of a wife and pofing arbitrarily of the property moderate governinent, have been and blood of the inhabitants of exposed to the repeated attacks of a France, in order to disturb the tranferocious anarchy, the natural and quillity of other nations, and to ren

necessary enemy of all public order. der all Europe the theatre of the 10. They have had to encounter ads same crimes and of the same milis be of aggression without pretext, open fortunes. The king demands that tel violations of all treaties, unprovok- some legitimate and stable governbis

med declarations of war; in a word, ment lhould be established, founded cast whatever corruption, intrigue, or on the acknowledged principles of eurt violence could effea for the purpose universal juttice, and capable of est fo openly avowed of subverting all maintaining with other powers the pisec

. ishe institutions of society, and of accuftomed relations and union of i Euro extending over all the nations of peace. His majesty wishes ardentb bora y Europe that confusion which has ly to be enabled to treat for the re

the produced the misery of France. ettablithment of general tranquillity Faxe

, This state of things cannot exist with such a government, exercising Exete in France without involving all the a legal and permanent authority, a në furrounding powers in one common animated with the with for general to les danger, without giving them the tranquillity, and poffesfing power Toer i fight, without imposing it upon

to enforce the observance of its enand then as a duty, to ftop the progress gagements. The king would proincu.f of an evil which exifts only by the pole none other than equitable and 23 La succeslive violation of all law and moderate conditions, not such as In: all property, and which attacks the the expences, the risque, and the en e fondamental principles by which sacrifices of the war might justify, men mankind is united in the bonds of but such as his majesty thinks him. ora civil society. His majesty by no self under the indispensable ne:) means disputes the right of France ceflity of requiring with a view to

to reform its laws. It never would these considerations, and ftill more baye been his with to employ the to that of his owo fecurity, and of

the