28
H I S T O R Y
O F
CC HHAAPP. . It feems however extremely probable that the peace of the III. III. country would have been preferved, notwithstanding the machi足 nations of Peynier and Mauduit, if the planters, true to their own caufe, had remained united among themfelves. But, unfortu足 nately, the provincial affembly of the North was induced, through mifreprefentation or envy, to counteract, by all poffible means, the proceedings of the general affembly at St. Marc. T h u s , difcord and diffention every where prevailed ; and a p 足 pearances feemed to indicate an approaching civil war, even before the plan for the new conftitution was publifhed. This was contained in the famous decree of the general colonial affembly of the 28 th of May ; a decree, which having been the fubject of much animadverfion, and made the oftenfible motive, on the part of the executive power, for commencing hoftilities, it is proper to state it at large. May 1790. 1790.
I T confifted of ten fundamental positions, w h i c h a r e preceded
by an introductory difcourfe or preamble (as ufual in the French decrees) wherein, among other confiderations, it is ftated, as an acknowledged principle in the French constitution, that the right in the crown to confirm the acts of the legiflature, is a preroga足 tive, inherent and incommunicable : of courfe that it cannot he delegated to a colonial governor, whofe authority is precarious and fubordinate. T h e articles are then Subjoined,in t h e order and words following: I. T h e legiflative authority, in every thing which relates to the internal concerns of the colony (regime interieur), is vefted
in