eminded them of the cruelties of Frenchmen. There still
remained, he said, Frenchmen on their island--creatures, alas! of their
indulgence; when would they be tired of breathing the same air? Their
cruelty, when compared with the patient moderation of the blacks--their
difference in colour--everything said that they were not brothers, and
would never become so. If they continued to find an asylum, troubles and
dissensions would be sure to continue. "Citizens, inhabitants of Hayti,
men, women, girls, children, cast your eyes upon each point of the
island! Seek in it, you, your wives; you, your husbands; you, your
sisters!" Their ashes were in the grave, and they had not avenged their
deaths. Let the blacks learn that they had done nothing if they did not
give the nations a terrible but just example of the vengeance of a brave
people, who had recovered liberty, and were jealous to maintain it.

They were again roused, and from the 29th of April to the 14th of May an
indiscriminate massacre of the whites took place, as many as 2,500 being
killed during the fifteen days. On the 28th of April Dessalines issued a
manifesto congratulating them on their success. At length, he said, the
hour of vengeance had arrived, and the implacable enemies of the rights
of man had suffered the punishment due to their crimes. His arm had too
long delayed to strike, but at the signal, which the justice of God had
urged, they had brought the axe to bear upon the ancient tree of slavery
and prejudice. In vain had time and the infernal politics of Europe
surrounded it with triple brass. They had become, like their natural
enemies, cruel and merciless. Like a mighty torrent their vengeful fury
had carried away everything in its impetuous course. "Thus perish all
tyrants over innocence and all oppressors of mankind!" Where was that
evil and unworthy Haytian who thought he had not accomplished the
decrees of the Eternal by exterminating those bloodthirsty tigers? "If
there be one, let him fly--indignant nature discards him from our
bosom--let him hide his shame far from hence! The air we breathe is not
suited to his gross organs--it is the pure air of liberty, august and
triumphant." Yes, they had rendered war for war, crime for crime,
outrage for outrage. He had saved his country--he had avenged America.
He made this avowal in the face of earth and heaven--it was his pride
and glory. Black and yellow, whom the duplicity of Europeans had
endeavoured