a-t-il ete commis? si le Negre libre n'en est
point l'auteur, il en est au moins le receleur. Lorsque par la
suite de son travail ou de son economie un esclave peut racheter
sa liberte, qu'il aille en jouir parmi les nations qui voudront
le recevoir, ou qu'il retourne dans son pays, c'est tout ce que
le Gouvernement lui doit. Mais je ne crains pas d'assurer que
toute colonie ou l'on souffrira des Negres libres, sera le
repaire du brigandage et des crimes.

Quant aux hommes de couleur, plus dangereux encore, il seroit
probablement tres-avantageux d'en former des colonies dans
quelques parties inhabitees du continent: cette mesure auroit une
suite doublement utile; elle priveroit les colonies de ces etres
par lesquels elles seront tot ou tard aneanties, et elle
diminueroit ce gout crapuleux des Blancs pour leurs esclaves, qui
est la ruine de la societe et la cause premiere du pen de
population des pays qu'ils habitent.--_Voyage dans Les Deux
Louisianes_, 1801, 1802, and 1803, pp. 408-415, par M. Perrin Du
Lac.

OBSERVATIONS OF BERQUIN DUVALLON ON THE FREED PEOPLE OF COLOUR IN
LOUISIANA IN 1802

The class of free people of colour is composed of negroes and
mulattoes, but chiefly of the last, who have either obtained or
purchased their liberty from their masters, or held it in virtue
of the freedom of their parents. Of these, some residing in the
country, cultivate rice and a little cotton; a great number, men,
women and children collected in the city, are employed in
mechanical arts, and menial offices.

The mulattoes are in general vain and insolent, perfidious and
debauched, much giving to lying, and great cowards. They have an
inveterate hatred against the whites, the authors of their
existence, and primitive benefactors. It is the policy of the
Spanish government to cherish this antipathy; but nothing is to
be feared from them. There is a proportion of six whites to one
man of colour, which, with their natural pusillanimity, is a
sufficient restraint.

The mulatto women have not all the faults of the men. But they
are full of vanity, and very libertine; money will always buy
their caresses. They are not without personal charms; good
shapes, polished and elastic skins. They live in open concubinage
with the whites; but to this th