The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His AchievementsBrown, William Wells
History
The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements
Brown, William Wells
African Americans -- Biography
his government out of debt, and commerce was in a flourishing condition.
The removal of Napoleon from the throne of France once more gave to
the French planters residing in the mother country hope of again
possessing their estates. A move was made in the court of Louis
XVIII. to send another expedition to Hayti, to bring the colony back
to her allegiance. On learning this, Christophe issued a proclamation,
in which he said, "If we love the blessings of peace, we fear not
the fatigues and horrors of war. Let our implacable enemies, the
French colonists, who for twenty years have never ceased from their
projects for the reëstablishment of slavery, and who have filled all
the governments of the earth with their importunities,--let them put
themselves at the head of armies, and direct themselves against our
country. They will be the first victims of our vengeance, and the soil
of liberty will eagerly drink the blood of our oppressors. We will show
to the nations of the earth what a warlike people can accomplish, who
are in arms for the best of causes--the defence of their homes, their
wives, their children, their liberty, and their independence."
A despatch was next sent to Christophe, in which he was threatened with
an invasion by all the forces of combined Europe in case of his refusal
to submit himself to the will of France. This last threat, however, had
no influence over the black monarch, for he felt that no European power
would invade Hayti after the failure of the sixty thousand men sent out
by Napoleon. Nothing was attempted by the French, and the king of Hayti
was left in possession of his government. In the month of August, 1820,
Christophe was attacked, while at mass, with a paralytic disease, and
was immediately conveyed to Sans Souci, where he remained an invalid
until a revolt occurred among his subjects. He ordered his war-horse,
his sword was brought, and he attempted to mount his charger; but in
vain. He gave up the attempt, retired to his chamber, locked the door,
and the report of a pistol alarmed his attendants. They rushed in, but
it was too late; Henri Christophe was no more.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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