a deputation of two citizens, Arrault, and Cefar, the late member of the civil tribunal of the South, in confequence of the orders which I have received from government, and the confidence which it repofes in me to reftore peace and tranquillity. These citizens. will communicate to you my mode of thinking, and will affure you that I am difpofed to grant to people of every description a general amnesty, to pardon and forget the paft, provided they fhall return to order, and that all men deceived or led aftray fhall return into the bofom of their families, and that all the cultivators forced to leave their houfes thall rejoin their refpective habitations. It is my duty to inform you of fome paffages in the letter of the minifter of marine and colonies, of which the following is an extract: "Aftrong government has fucceeded an executive power, feeble: and divided. "I depend on your zeal and your fidelity. Inform the troops under your command that the time of fchifms is paft. Unite all around the new focial compact of the French people. "The rank of general in chief, with which the republic has honoured you, and which the new government has confirmed, is the firft of the military militia. It requires prudence and moderation. Use your influence, your talents, to calm all hatred; ftifle all refentment, and be great by the good which you do. "The First Conful places confidence in you. You will fhow yourself deferving of it by reftoring peace in the fine colony of St. Domingo, which interefts the whole nation in fo many points of view. "The government expects that the firft avifo which you fhall difpatch, will announce that by your cares and your prudence peace has been re-established at St. Domingo. (Signed) (A true copy.) "FORFAIT. "TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE." In conformity with humanity, which is always my guide, and the letter of the minifter, I proteft to you that I have forgot and pardon every thing. I hold out my arms to receive you should you ftill refift my call, it is no longer my fault." An immediate anfwer, Yes or No. Health to the French republic. Inftructions for Citizens Vincent, Arrault, and Cefar, Deputies to the conftituted Authorities, as well civil as military, of the City of Cayes, for the Purpofe of putting an End to the civil War which afflicts this unhappy Colony, conformable with the Orders of the French Government, and faving the Department of the South from the Calamities which a longer Refiftance must bring after it. MY object in fending you to Cayes, in quality of deputies, was, you know, to enlighten the falfe religion of the people of the departments of the South, through the organ of the constituted authorities of that city, for whom I contented myfelf with fending, to be delivered by you, a letter explanatory of the intentions of the French government and of my own, all tending to the fame point. I thought that it ought to have fufficed to terminate a difaftrous war, with fo much more reafon, as the interest of each, and the welfare of all, ought to make men figh for peace, who have been fo long a prey to all the calamities of a civil war. But the meffage which I have received from the deputation, by showing me that the people could not have been informed of my intentions, from the ftate of nullity to which its reprefentatives have been reduced, has determined me to fend you particular inftructions, which may ferve you for the bafis and rule of your conduct in the negotiation which you are charged to enter upon, and by which you may be recognised as invefted with all the neceffary powers for that purpofe, and by virtue of the authority of the agent of go vernment I grant to you by these prefents. The only means to reftore tranquillity to the department of the South, and avoid all the difcontents which might refult from the part which General Rigaud has refolved on, is to publish the letter with which I have charged you for the civil and military authorities of the fouth, in order that, being fully informed of the national will, and convinced of my principles of juftice and humanity, the people of that department may be perfuaded that, by fubmitting to the legitimate authority, they will fecure their own happinefs, and fulfil the wifhes of government. In confequence, having feen the inactivity of the civil authorities, you must demand that my addrefs fhall be immediately printed, and circulated through every place of the department of the South; and you are hereby authorized to make known, by every means which you fhall think most proper, my ardent defire to terminate the war which afflicts us, my immutable wifh to forget the paft, to pardon the guilty, and protect every individual in his property and con nexions. Four perfons only will not enjoy this general amnesty, because, having been guilty of treachery, I muft, for the maintenance of fubordination and military difcipline, make a diftinction between the men who, attached to the army of the South, have obeyed the chief who commanded them (himfelf alone being charged 1 charged with the responsibility of his operations), and the men who, ferving in the armies of the North and Weft, have betrayed confidence, honour, and the republic. Thefe four perfons are, Bellegarde, who, by reafon of his quality of a foreigner, fhall be fent back from the colony; Millet, Dupons, and Petion, who fhall be punished for their treachery by fuffering arrest for some time, after which they fhall be restored to their families. The part which General Rigaud has refolved on, viz. that of leaving the department of the South to go and give an account of his conduct to the French government, is one which honour prefcribes, but the fituation of affairs requires that he should do it forthwith firft, Because the General of Divifion Michel being on the eve of departure for France, it is neceffary that he should carry to France certain intelligence of the pacification of St. Domingo; and fecondly, because the leaft delay might throw ob ftacles in the way of the faid pacification. The departure of General Rigaud having for its object to give an account of his conduct to government, he should not confider himself as banishing himself from St. Domingo. Why should he wish to tear his family from their country, their properties, and their homes? He may leave them fafe at St. Domingo, where they fhall find fecurity and protection. He might, befides, charge them with the direction of his affairs, the care of his effects, and he may be affured that every thing belonging to him shall be refpected. For this, I give him my word of honour, and he may depend upon it. In fuch event I fhall do for them all I could with another would do for me in a fimilar fituation. This affurance, on my part, ought to determine him, for his own interest, to depart alone. He need make no longer delay than is necessary for his preparation. If he fhould not find in the South a veffel ready to fail, offer to bring him with you to the Cape, to the agent, either by land or fea: I fhall furnish you with every thing neceffary for your fafe and speedy conveyance. If, on his arrival at the Cape, he fhould perfift in his wifh to go to France, he may fet out with General Michel, who is going there by the way of the United States, on board the frigate of that nation, the Boston, in which the Commodore has offered him a paffage: if, on the contrary, he fhould prefer giving to the agent the accounts required from him by government, he may do fo; and be affured, after his fubmiffion, he fhall fee me agree with pleasure to his return to the Southin quality of General of Brigade, commanding under me the army of the faid department. He will then have answered the with of the Firft Conful, who will not fail to fanction every thing which his agent fhall have done, in concert with me, for the pacification of the colony. In the interval until his departure, it is neceffary that he should employ employ himself without delay in endeavours to bring back to their refpective quarters, and the bofom of their families, all the inhabitants, proprietors, cultivators, and other inhabitants of the North and Weft who have taken refuge in the South; that he fhould fend back to Jacmel the legion of the Weft, as well officers as foldiers, and into their garrifons their refpective troops which he may have withdrawn from them. And as, according to advices which I have received from General Deffalines, I am informedthat advantage has been taken of the fufpenfion of arms which I have ordained, to fortify St. Louis, in fuch a manner, as induces me to think that it is not in conformity with my fentiments, with an intention to fubmit it to the national will, and that it is not intended to make any facrifice to fave the department of the South, and fecure the happinefs of its inhabitants, I require that the garrifon fhall be no greater than is necellary for the guard of that city, and fhould be compofed, one half of the troops of the South, and the other half of the troops under the command of General Deffalines, who thall fend them in as foon as General Rigaud fhall have withdrawn the furplus number, hoping that the fame good faith which governs me, fhall be used in the means employed to put an end to the war. Thefe, Citizens, are the objects on which you ought to found your measures, to bring about the peace for which you are charged to treat; but do not forget that you have not a moment to lofe. Ufe every effort to arrive at a prompt decifion, in order that General Michel, who is preparing to fet out, may carry with him the refult, and make it known to the French government. May you be able, in conformity to the wifh of the First Conful, ex prefsly declared by him to Citizen Vincent, one of your members, in conformity with my defires and thofe of every friend to the profperity of St. Domingo, to accomplish that peace for which I figh more than any other perfon. Inform all our brethren of the South, without diftinction of colour, that on their fubmiffion to government, and yielding obedience to their chiefs, I promife them, on my part, to maintain good order and perfect understanding among them; to fecure them from all difcontents and diforders whatever; finally, to give them the enjoyment of peace, tranquillity, and perfect fecurity. Citizens Martin-Belfond, Latulipe, and Chalviere, who are on their return to Cayes, will make known to their fellow-citizens the purity of my intentions: they will inform them in what manner they have been received, and will communicate to them that, on their arrival here, they had free intercourfe and fociety with their brothers at Petit Goave. May you have the fame liberty, that you may be enabled to open the eyes of our brothers of Cayes, who may ftill entertain any doubt of my loyalty, my humanity, and and my invariable principles of attachment to France and liberty. Soldiers, cultivators, and inhabitants of the South, to prove to my government and my fellow-citizens that I with the good of my country, I promise you, upon my word of honour, a general pardon, a fincere oblivion of the paft, and to abstain from any inquiry into the guilt of any of you; and I grant you, in the name of the republic, protection and fecurity. These are the last words of peace which I offer you in the name of the French government and of humanity. Head-quarters, Petit Goave, 30th Meffidor, 8th Year of the Proclamation published at Munich the 24th of Auguft. BEFORE the entry of the French into the Electoral countries, we have already paternally exhorted our fubjects, by a special proclamation, to obferve a tranquil and civil line of conduct towards the foreign troops, and to abstain from all bad behaviour, and every excefs which might plunge themselves into the greatest, calamity. Notwithstanding thefe exhortations, feveral fubjects, principally in the country occupied by the left wing of the French army, have taken part in exceffes and crimes unworthy of the nation, which not only cannot remain unpunished, but which have alfo led, on the part of the French troops, to meafures very burdenfome to the innocent communes. We therefore charge all magiftrates and civil authorities, as alfo curés, who fhould direct their flocks by the principles of religion and morality, reiteratedly to exhort our fubjects to a conduct tranquil, pacific, friendly, and calculated to prevent any disagreement with the French military: at the fame time we remind the ordinary tribunals of their duty, to punish the guilty without delay, in all cafes where any excefs or crime may have been committed; and alfo to prevent all ulterior baneful confequences. Notwithstanding this rigour, the public functionaries must use all their efforts to fupport, with energy and moderation, all just complaints of our fubjects, and thus remove the discontent which might drive them to acts of defpair. Moreover, it is proved by. inquefts taken, that the ill ufage received by the French foldiers has proceeded, for the greater part, from deferters, marauders, and vagabonds, who begin to defolate the country, whofe crimes have been imputed to our fubjects, who themselves fuffer from these disorders. To fecure our fubjects, then, from fufpicion, the regencies, tribunals, and electoral magiftrates, muft, in concert with the French military authorities, regulate patroles and |
