ST. DOMINGO, OR HAYTI.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume III, Issue 6, 18 July 1863, Page 6

ST. DOMINGO, OR HAYTI.

We give a brief history of the above island, in accordance with the wishes of our friends. Hayti, next to Cuba, is the largest of the West India Islands, and was discovered by Columbus in 1492. It is upwards of 400 miles in length from East to West, and averages more than 100 miles in breadth. The towu oT La Isabella was founded by Columbus on the North Coast, which was the first settlement of the Spaniards in the New World. At the time of the discovery the Natives numbered one million, all of whom perished in thie space of fifty years. Numbers of slaves from Africa were imported by the Spaniards to work the mines of the Island, and after a time the blacks were employed in the cultivation of sugar, tobacco, cocoa, cassia, ginger, and cotton. The Spaniards quitted St. Domingo in great numbers, seeking wealth on the continent, but they retained possession till 1665, when the French gained a footing on its Western shores, and laid the foundation of a flourishing colony. In October 1790, James Oge t a free Mulatto, returned from Paris and put himself' at the head of the negroes, who were estimated in the French part of St. Domingo at about. 500,000; but he was defeated, captured, and broken alive on the wheel in 1791. At this time 8,000 troops arrived from France, and the new Governor was brutally murdered by his own soldiers. In September 1791, a truce was signed between the whites and Mulattos, soon after, however, war broke out in all its horrors, and no fewer than 10*000 negroes and Mulattos, it is estimated, perished by the sword and famine, in the' space of two months, and 2,000 whites were massacred. In 1793 a body of British forces landed and took possession of upwards of ninety miles of the Eastern Coast of the Island. It was a disastrous expedition, for in less than six months after their arrival, 6,000 fell victims to disease. In 1798 the British abandoned the Island. At this time the Spanish part of the Island was taken pos-

session of by Touissant L' Ouverture, whose army of negroes numbered 100,000. The independence of St. Domingo was proclaimed in \ 804, and while Ihe inhabitants were indulging the hope of future happiness, a storm was gathering, which burst upon them with accumulated fury. A formidable armament of twenty-six ships of war was equipped by order of Napoleon, with the determination of reducing the revolted colony of St. Domingo. On board this fleet were embarked 25,000 chosen troops, amply furnished with all the appliances of military slaughter. The French forces arrived in January 1802, and Touissant, the reigning Prince, having refused to admit the claims of the French, war commenced. After several conflicts in the open field, the blacks were overpowered and compelled to retire into the interior of tbe country, and carried on a desultory war under their brave Chieftain Touissant, destroying many of their enemies. At length, however, the negroes were subdued, and the French General, Le Clerce, having solemnly promised that the inhabitants of St. Domingo, of all colors, should be preserved inviolate, the people agreed to the French rule.

The French having obtained possession of Ihe whole island, they began to put in execution their system of Government. The black Chieftains again raised their standard, and were soon found at the head of a considerable body of troops ready to renew the struggle. Many and desperate were the contests which ensued; and-the harrassing war and disease having made great inroads upon the French armies, they were glad to surrender themselves as prisoners of war to a British squadron, and were conveyed to England, there being a war at the time between England and France. Hayti was again free, and Dessalines created the West, or French part, inro an Empire, of which he became Emperor under the title of Jacqjies, in the month of January 4804. His reign was of short duration; his cruellies caused a conspiracy to be formed against him, and two years after his coronation he received his death blow. The assassination of Dessalines caused another division of the Island, and another

civil war. In the North Christophe assumed the Government, while Petion, a Mulatto, asserted his claim to sovereign power. Warfare continued between these rival Chiefs till the year 1810, when the country again enjoyed the blessings of peace. In 4811 Christophe was crowned King of Hayti, by the title of Henry 1., and Petion asp resident of Hayti governed the Southern part, in 4818 Petion died, and was succeeded by General Boyer. Christophe's reign, like that of his predecessor, was short. A conspiracy was formed against him, and finding himself surrounded by an overwhelming force, he committed suicide in 18210. Boyer now took possession of the whole Island, and the Spaniards having acknowledged him in 1821, Hayti once more was blessed with peace. In 1825 a treaty was concluded with France, the independence of flayti was acknowledged, and the Haytians agreed to pay to the French ISO million of francs, in five yearly payments. The first instalment of 30 millions was paid in 1836, and in 1838 it was agreed to reduce the original sum to 60 million francs.