236 C H A P . VI. P.77
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NOTES
a copy of the decree, it has not been received officially, no troops are yet arrived to enforce the execution of it ; and that decree may, in our critical circumftances, add to our calamities, inafmuch as the free people of colour, knowing the enormity of their crimes, declare that they will fooner perifh than fubmit to this lafl decree ; they are again forming a camp in the parifh of La Croix des Bouquets, near Port au Prince, and every hour I dread to hear of their having commenced hoflilities againft the white inhabitants ; if fo, our ruin is inevitable. " If this fhould unfortunately be the cafe, your Ifland, Gentle足 men, would of courfe be expofed to fimilar deftruction, as the fuccefs of our flaves would induce your own to rebel againfl you. 束 Negroes have not fufficient refolution to encounter the. whites in the field of battle ; but no men bear with greater for足 titude hunger, pain, and fatigue, when once their imagination is heated, and their refolution fettled ; we have amongft us men, who, pretending to be philanthropifts, have preached freedom even to our flaves ; thefe men are connected with men of weight and fortune in Old France, by whom they are greatly encou足 raged, and who are alfo connected with the philanthropifts in Great Britain, from whose conduct, indeed, the first example was taken ; and I moft fincerely pray, that this ifland may not be expofed to the fame evils as have refulted amongfl us from fuch an enormous mifinterpretation and mifapplication of phiknthropical principles.
" The