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confiderable) who were interefted in the maintenance of thofe abufes which the affembly had corrected, were filled with indignation and envy. To thefe were added moft of the men who held military commiffions under the king's authority. Habituated to the exercife of command, they indignantly beheld the fubverfion of all that accuftomed obedience and fubordination which they had been taught to confider as effential to the fupport of government, and offered themfelves the willing inftruments. of the governor general in fubverting the new fyftem. were the perfons that oppofed themfelves to the new order of things in the colony, when the Chevalier Mauduit, colonel of the regiment of Port au Prince, arrived at St. Domingo. He had not come directly from France, but circuitoufly by way of Italy ; and at Turin had taken leave of the Count d'Artois, to whofe fortunes he was ftrongly attached. He was a man of talents ; brave, active, and enterprizing ; zealous for his party, and full of projects for a counter-revolution. By his dexterity and addrefs, he foon acquired an afcendancy over the feeble and narrow genius of Peynier, and governed the colony in his name. His penetration eafily made him difcover that, in order effectually to difturb the new fettlement, it was abfolutely neceffary to prevent a coalition of interefts between the colonial affembly, and the free people of colour. He therefore proclaimed himfelf the patron and protector of the mulattoes, and courted them on all occafions, with fuch affiduity and fuccefs, as gained over the whole body. SUCH
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IT
CHAP. III.