H I S T O R Y
86 CHAP.
VII.
OF
two claffes. The negroes, apprized that it was only through the agency of the mulattoes, and the connections of thofe people in France, they could obtain a regular fupply of arms and am munition, forgot or fufpended their ancient animofities; and the men of colour, fenfible that nothing but the co-operation of the enflaved negroes (docile, as they fuppofed them to be, from their ignorance, and irrefiftible from their numbers) could give fuccefs to their caufe, courted them with fuch affiduity as gained over at leaft nine-tenths of all the flaves in the Northern pro vince of St. Domingo. feems however to have been fome apprehenfions en tertained by the leading men among the Amis des Noirs, that the decree of the national affembly of the 15th of May, confined as the benefits of it were to the people of colour exclufively, (and of thofe, to fuch only as were born of free parents) might give rife to jealoufies and fufpicions, deftructive of that unani mity between the different claffes, the maintenance of which was an object of the laft importance. To obviate any mifapprehenfions on this account, as well as to keep the mulattoes firm to their purpofe, the Abbe Gregoire wrote and publifhed his celebrated circular letter;—a performance which, if the in tentions of the writer had been as pure as his expreffions are eloquent, would have reflected luftre on his abilities (b). What effect this diftinguifhed piece of oratory may have had on the rugged and unenlightened minds of favage people, THERE
(b) T h e reader will find a tranflation of this letter at the end of the prefent Chapter.
I pretend