French during the revolution, were highly calculated to produce a severe retaliation, and had their vengeance been exercised upon those who came within their grasp immediately after the departure of the French troops, or afterwards upon those only who had been instrumental in their sufferings, some allowances might have been made for the passions of human natúre. But suppose we could for a moment admit, with the Haytiens, that deliberate vengeance upon the whole white population for the crime of the wicked part, was justifiable in the present instance, we must surely be convinced that the whole merit or virtue of the act is tarnished by a base passion for pillage. Instead of beholding an act of retribution" which the justice of God has urged," as expressed by Dessalines in one of his proclamations, we see a band of robbers and ruffians rioting in plunder. Pillage appears to be their principal object, and the sacrifice of the lives of their enemies, a mere secondary consideration. Disgraceful robbery is honoured with the appellation of an act of vengeance intended " to appease the manes of the parents, wives and children of the citizens of Hayti, who have been the prey of vultures."

It will perhaps afford you some interest, to peruse the three proclamations relative to this melancholy affair, which were issued by the chiefs. In the first, signed by Dessalines, Christophe, and Clervaux, dated 29th of November 1803, the day of the evacuation of the Cape by the French army, a spirit of amity and friendship is breathed throughout. There is a cordial invitation to the "landholders of St. Domingo, wandering in foreign countries to return to their property." They then say, "Toward those men who do us justice we will act as brothers; let them rely forever on our esteem and friendship; let them return among us. The God who protects us, the God of freemen, bids us to stretch out towards them our conquering arms." They even go so far as to lament the murders of some individuals who had fallen victims to "the cruelty of a few soldiers or cultivators too much blinded by the remembrance of their past sufferings, to be able to distinguish the good and humane landholders from those that were unfeeling and cruel," and declared that they "were committed contrary to the wishes of their hearts." What language could have inspired the French with more confidence in the government than such professions of sincerity? But mark now the contrast. On the first of January 1804, after the French troops had departed, and the whites who had remained in consequence of this apparent friendly invitation, were completely in their power, a new proclamation of an entirely different complexion was published by Dessalines, then denominated general in chief. It contains a spirit of the most deep-rooted animosity against the French, expressed in a style of bitter energy, and was extremely well

calculated to arouse the dormant feeimgs of the people, to the performance of bloody deeds. The following passages extracted from it are specimens of Haytien composition, which though you are not to consider as the production of Dessalines, will enable you to form an opinion of the talents of some of his officers.

"The French name still darkens our plains; every thing recalls the remembrance of the cruelties of that barbarous people; our laws, our customs, our cities, every thing bears the characteristic of the French. Hearken to what I say! The French still have a footing in our island." "Citizens, men, women, young and old, cast around your eyes on every part of this island; seek there your wives, your husbands, your brothers, your sisters-what did I say? seek your children-your children at the breast. What is become of them?-I shudder to tell it—the prey of vultures. Instead of these interesting victims, the affrighted eye sees only their assassins. Tigers still covered with their blood, and whose terrifying presence reproaches you for your insensibility, and your guilty tardiness to avenge them.—What do you wait for to appease their manes? Remember that you have wished your remains to be laid by the side of your fathers. When you have driven out tyranny, will you descend into their tombs without having avenged them? No: their bones would repulse yours. And ye, invaluable men, intrepid generals, who, insensible to private sufferings, have given new life to liberty, by lavishing your blood; know, that you have done nothing if you do not give to the nations a terrible, though just example of the vengeance that ought to be exercised by a people proud of having recovered its liberty, and jealous of maintaining it.

Let us intimidate those who might dare to attempt depriving us of it again. Let us begin with the French. Let them shudder at approaching our shores, if not on account of the cruelties they have committed, at least at the terrible resolution we are going to make-to devote to death whatsoever native of France should soil, with his sacrilegious footsteps this territory of liberty." "Peace with our neighbours; but accursed be the French name! Eternal hatred to France! Such are our principles." "Let us swear to the whole world, to posterity, to ourselves, to renounce France forever, and to die rather than to live under her dominion; to fight till the last breath for the independence of our country."

Notwithstanding the dreadful tenor of this proclamation, it would appear, from a document which was issued under date of the 22d of February following, entitled "Extract from the secret deliberations of the government of the island of Hayti," that the vengeance of the nation was to have been exercised only upon those who had been instrumental in the villany of the French army. That paper sets forth "that there are still in the island individuals who have contri

buted either by their guilty writings, or sanguinary accusations, to the drowning, suffocating, assassinating, hanging, and shooting of more than sixty thousand of our brethren, under the inhuman government of Le Clerc and Rochambeau, and who ought to be classed with assassins, and delivered up to the sword of justice."

This decree, in the most explicit language, directs all commandants of divisions to punish none but persons who were proved guilty upon the most unequivocal testimony, under penalty of suffering a like punishment. Whether the government did in fact ever intend to confine their vengeance to the guilty alone is matter of very great doubt. You have seen how soon after they changed their minds, and transformed the system of a just punishment into a general and indiscriminate mas

sacre.

On the 28th of April, nine days after the the commencement of the sanguinary affair at the Cape, another proclamation was issued by Dessalines then governor-general. It contains the following passages, and commences thus:

"Crimes the most atrocious, such as were hitherto unheard of, and would cause nature to shudder, have been perpetrated. The measure of their cruelty overflowed. At length the hour of vengeance has arrived, and the implacable enemies of the rights of man have suffered the punishment due to their crimes.

"My arm, raised above their heads has too long delayed to strike. At that signal which the justice of God has urged, your hands, righteously armed, have brought the axe to bear upon the decrepid tree of slavery and prejudice." "Where is that Haytien so vile, Haytien so unworthy of his regeneration, who thinks he has not fulfilled the decrees of the Eternal by exterminating these bloodthirsty tigers?"— "Yes, we have rendered to these true cannibals, war for war, crime for crime, outrage for outrage; Yes, I have saved my country; I have avenged America. The avowal I make in the face of earth and heaven, constitutes my pride and my glory. Of what consequence to me is the opinion which contemporary and future generations will pronounce upon my conduct? I have performed my duty. I enjoy my own approbation; for me that is sufficient."

R.

THE LAUGHING WORLD.

We believe that David Hume himself, with all his purity as a writer, sometimes, from an affectation of complying strictly with the Saxon, was in the habit of employing the ill-favoured, unharmonious, and superfluous words got and gotten. In an obsolete number of The Port Folio we published many years ago, a sarcasm upon the uncouth terms alluded to; and we are delighted to discover that some London lexicographer, who combines wit with philosophy, has thus successfully rallied what we think is an absolute barbarism. Editor.

There, sir, an attack upon my language! what do you think of that? An aspersion upon my parts of speech! Was ever such a brute! Sure, if I reprehend any thing in the world it is the use of my oracular tongue and a nice derangement of epitaphs. Sheridan's Rivals.

"We laugh heartily at the absurdities of Mrs. Malaprop and Daniel Dowlass, but the vulgar and the wealthy illiterate are not the only persons whose phrases might be reformed. Among those whom education should have taught a more elegant mode of expression, how frequently have we heard, I have got a bad headach, I have got the first edition of such a book, I have got an excellent treatise on grammar, I got the best places to see the new play. Indeed the instances are innumerable where the word got is misapplied, or unnecessarily introduced. In conversation this impropriety is not so palpable, but the following letter exposes the fault in glaring colours: I got on horseback within ten minutes. after I received your letter. When I got to Canterbury I got a chaise for town, but I got wet through before I got to Canterbury, and I have got such a cold, as I shall not be able to get rid of in a hurry. I got to the treasury about noon, but first of all I got shaved and dressed. I soon got into the secret of getting a memorial before the board; but I could not get an answer then; however, I got intelligence from the messenger that I should most likely get one the next morning. As soon as I got back to my inn, I got my supper and got to bed, and it was not long before I got to sleep. When I got up in the morning, I got my breakfast, and then got myself dressed in order to get out in time to get an answer to my memorial. As soon as I got it, I got into the chaise, and got back to Canterbury about three, and about tea time I got home. I have got nothing particular to add, and so adieu.”

For the information of our juvenile readers is subjoined a letter in which the same information is conveyed without once using

the little, low, and contemptible word, which we have just stigma

tized.

"I mounted my horse within ten minutes after receiving your letter. As soon as I arrived at Canterbury, I engaged a postchaise for town. I was wet through before I reached Canterbury, and I have taken such a cold as I shall not easily remove. I arrived at the treasury about noon, being previously shaved and dressed. I soon discovered the secret of introducing a memorial to the board. I could not, however obtain an immediate answer, but the messenger told me I should probably receive one next morning. I returned to my inn, supped, went to bed, and slept well. I rose early, and dressed immediately after breakfast, that I might be in time for my memorial. As soon as I received it, I took a post chaise, and reached Canterbury by three, and my home about tea time. I have nothing particular to add, and so adieu."

THE SENTENTIOUS WORLD,

To" serious Spain," to plodding Germany, and to pensive England, we should naturally turn, whenever we were in search of sententious Wisdom. But the reign of Apothegm, it seems, is not restrained within the fogs of Albion, or the forests of Scandinavia. Gay France, debauched Venice, and luxurious Naples, each has had her sons, who could utter the oracles of Prudence, or the sayings of pith. For the following string of proverbs we are indebted to the genius of Italy; and the reader, perhaps, will wonder that so much good should come out of Ninevah.

Editor.

He who serves God hath the best master in the world.

An idle man is a bolster for the devil.

He who lives disorderly one year, does not live comfortably for five years to come.

Friendships are cheap when bought by pulling off the hat. A beggar's wallet is a mile to the bottom.

I once had is a poor man.