A summer on the borders of the Caribbean sea.Harris, J. Dennis
History
A summer on the borders of the Caribbean sea.
Harris, J. Dennis
Caribbean Area -- Description and travel
The “Aurora of Peace” which Dessalines and his colleagues had predicted,
was now ushered in. On the 14th of May following Dessalines departed
from the cape, determined, like his unfortunate predecessor Toussaint,
to make a tour through the island, to note the manners which prevailed,
and to observe how far the regulations he had already introduced were
enforced, and what beneficial effects had resulted from their adoption.
During this journey the people, animated by the presence of their
victorious chief, resolved to exalt him to the dignity of emperor.
Whether any intrigue had been used on this occasion by Dessalines, or
that the offer was a pure emanation of gratitude originating with the
people, it is impossible to say. This much, however, is certain, that
the proposal was accepted without any reluctance, and in due time he was
enthroned as _Jean Jacques Dessalines, the first emperor of Hayti_. This
was at Port au Prince, on the 8th of October.
After the imposing ceremonies which necessarily attended the imperial
coronation, the people, not forgetful of Him who had guided them through
this arduous struggle in defence of those rights with which He had
originally endowed them, marched to the church, where a Te Deum was sung
to commemorate the important transactions of this memorable day. From
this place of solemnity the whole procession returned in the order in
which they came to the government house; after which a grand
illumination took place in all parts of the city, amid the roaring of
cannon and every demonstration of joy that both language and action
could possibly express.
In tracing the narrative of this remarkable revolution, we have
purposely omitted the invasion of the British from 1793 to 1798. Suffice
it to say, that after a profuse waste of blood and treasure during five
years, Great Britain was constrained to withdraw the remnant of her
troops, acknowledge the independence of the island as a neutral power,
and relinquish forever all pretensions to Hayti.
Such, then, is a brief outline of the principal features in the history
of this new-born empire, as recorded by Edwards, Rainsford, and Coke,
and as given me from the lips of veterans yet upon the soil. The
principal changes since are briefly these:
The reign of the emperor Dessalines was short and turbulent, and his
designs against the mulattoes cost him his life. After the death of
Dessalines, (in 1807,) General Christophe was made chief magistrate, and
in 1811 he crowned himself King Henri I. Meanwhile the mulattoes having
cause to distrust him also, elected General Petion, a companion of
Rigaud, to preside in the south-west, which he did with great leniency
and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents, by many of whom he
is still affectionately remembered. He died in 1818. Christophe shot
himself in 1820. In 1822, Boyer, who had been elected President, united
the whole island under his government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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