God's Image in Ebony - Toussaint L'Overture - Revision history

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 ** [[Toussaint letter to Napoléon on the 1801 Constitution]]
 ** [[Toussaint Louverture letter to Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1802)]]
-** [[Toussaint letter to Napoléon from Fort de Joux (1802)]]
+** [[Toussaint letter to Napoléon from Fort de Joux (1802)]]<br>
 * [[Toussaint Louverture's 'Dictatorial Proclamation' (1801)|Toussaint Louverture's 1801 Proclamation]]
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 * [[Toussaint L'Ouverture and the Haytian Revolutions]] - 1841 speech by James McCune Smith.
 * [['Toussaint L'Ouverture' A lecture by Wendell Phillips (1861)]]
 ==Reference==

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 * [[The Last Days Of Toussaint L'Ouverture]] - account of a 1859 visit to [[Fort de Joux]] (Includes ''[http://thelouvertureproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Last_Days_Of_Toussaint_L%27Ouverture#Post-mortem_Examination_of_Toussaint_L.27Ouverture Minutes of the Post-mortem Examination of Toussaint L'Ouverture]'')
 * [[William Wells Brown - Toussaint L'Ouverture]]
-* [[God's Image in Ebony - Toussaint L'Overture]]
+* [[Toussaint L'Ouverture and the Haytian Revolutions]] - 1841 speech by James McCune Smith.
 * [['Toussaint L'Ouverture' A lecture by Wendell Phillips (1861)]]

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 <p>And what became of Toussaint L'Overture, whom we left heavily ironed, and confined in a cabin, apart from his family, on board the French man-of-war? When he arrived in the harbour of Brest, a few moments only were allowed him to say farewell for ever to his wife and children. According to some accounts he was first taken to Paris, and confined in the prison of the Temple, and there meanly persecuted by inquiries about much treasure, which it was supposed he had buried in St. Domingo. Finding that he would not, or, as it really appears, could not, make any revelations on this head, [[Napoleon]] had him conveyed with great secrecy to a [[Fort de Joux|solitary fortress in the Jura Mountains]], where, after an imprisonment of ten months, in a miserable dungeon, whose stone walls and roof were glassy and beaded with moisture, the strong constitution of this child of the tropics yielded to the wasting influences of cold, hunger, and confinement; and he died, as surely, and more cruelly murdered, than if he had been shot, or hanged, like the vilest criminal.</p>
-<p>In the "Quarterly Review," No. 42., will be found an able and elaborate article on "The Past and Present Condition of Hayti," in which full justice is done to the character of Toussaint, as well as to that of [[Henri Christophe]] and others associated with him in the work of delivering his race from bondage. This Christophe himself afforded a remarkable instance of Negro capacity, as did [[Dessalines]], who shared with him for awhile the government of [[Hayti]]; but the good qualities of the latter were obscured by his sanguinary disposition, and intense hatred of the Whites. Of Toussaint's family nothing more is known than that they remained in France; his [[Saint-Jean Louverture|younger son]] died of decline soon after his father, and his wife in 1816; the second son, [[Isaac Louverture|Isaac]], wrote a brief memoir of Toussaint, which appeared in 1825.</p>
+<p>In the "Quarterly Review," No. 42., will be found an able and elaborate article on "The Past and Present Condition of Hayti," in which full justice is done to the character of Toussaint, as well as to that of [[Henri Christophe]] and others associated with him in the work of delivering his race from bondage. This Christophe himself afforded a remarkable instance of Negro capacity, as did [[Dessalines]], who shared with him for awhile the government of [[Hayti]]; but the good qualities of the latter were obscured by his sanguinary disposition, and intense hatred of the Whites. Of Toussaint's family nothing more is known than that they remained in France; his [[Saint-Jean Louverture|younger son]] died of decline soon after his father, and his wife in 1816; the second son, [[Isaac Louverture|Isaac]], wrote a brief memoir of Toussaint, which appeared in [[1825]].</p>
 <p>A [[To Toussaint Louverture - poem by Wordsworth|fine sonnet]], penned by Wordsworth about the time of Toussaint's disappearance, will serve to show how his lot was regarded by the thoughtful and generous spirits of the period:--</p>

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 * [[To Toussaint Louverture - poem by Wordsworth]] - More information on the above cited poem.
 * '''[[Memoir of Toussaint Louverture, Written by Himself]]'''
 ==Reference==

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 ==See also==
 * [[To Toussaint Louverture - poem by Wordsworth]] - More information on the above cited poem.
 ==Reference==

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 Soon, under the firm, judicious, and temperate rule of the Negro chief, the island of St. Domingo began to assume an aspect very different from what it had lately presented. The devastated plantations, which had become overgrown with the rank vegetation, and converted into perfect wildernesses, were again brought under cultivation, on a system which ensured to the cultivators, no longer toiling for the profit alone of exacting masters, a sufficient remuneration for their labour, while it rendered a considerable sum for the purposes of government. The White and [[mulatto|Mulatto]] planters were invited to return and take possession of their estates, under certain conditions of allegiance to the ruling powers, and of payment to their free labourers. Outrages were repressed, whether committed by Blacks or Whites, and a feeling of peace and security began to take the place of the universal terror and distrust which had lately prevailed. Wherever his presence was most required, there was the Negro chief, calm, yet energetic; resolute, yet gentle and urbane. Of all plots and conspiracies he seemed to be made aware by some mysterious intuition, and he was in the midst of the plotters, sometimes alone and unarmed, to subdue them by the dignity of his moral courage and mild persuasion; sometimes with an overpowering force, to awe them into submission.
-The French commissioner deemed it expedient to make him Governor-general of the island, of which he was in fact King, long ere he had thrown off the yoke of France, and declared his independence of all foreign power. Spain retired from the contest with him, and gave up the possession of that large portion of the island which she had held ever since its first discovery by [[Columbus]]. The British, who had for some time maintained a footing there, were also obliged to evacuate their posts, and leave him undisputed master of the fortifications. An anecdote, which exhibits the character of Toussaint in so honourable a light that we cannot refrain from quoting it, is related in reference to this period of his career. [[General Maitland]], who commanded the British forces, before he finally left the island, was desirous that an interview should take place between himself and the Negro chief, and for this purpose did not hesitate to visit his camp, and thus place himself completely in the power of those with whom he had lately been at mortal enmity. Nothing could show more strongly a perfect confidence in Toussaint's integrity; which confidence the event fully justified. The Black general had received from [[Roumé]], the French commissioner, a letter urging him to take this opportunity of serving the government at home, by seizing the person of the British officer, who, while on the way to the camp, had some intimation of this. He proceeded, nevertheless, and having reached Toussaint's quarters, had to wait some considerable time before the Black chief appeared. When he did so, be bore in his hand two letters, which he requested [[General Maitland]] to read. One was the treacherous proposal from the commissioner, the other the answer to it, just written, and containing an indignant refusal to act in so base a manner. "I am" he said in conclusion, "faithfully devoted to the republic, but will not serve it at the expense of my conscience and my honour."
+The French commissioner deemed it expedient to make him Governor-general of the island, of which he was in fact King, long ere he had thrown off the yoke of France, and declared his independence of all foreign power. Spain retired from the contest with him, and gave up the possession of that large portion of the island which she had held ever since its first discovery by [[Columbus]]. The British, who had for some time maintained a footing there, were also obliged to evacuate their posts, and leave him undisputed master of the fortifications. An anecdote, which exhibits the character of Toussaint in so honourable a light that we cannot refrain from quoting it, is related in reference to this period of his career. [[General Maitland]], who commanded the British forces, before he finally left the island, was desirous that an interview should take place between himself and the Negro chief, and for this purpose did not hesitate to visit his camp, and thus place himself completely in the power of those with whom he had lately been at mortal enmity. Nothing could show more strongly a perfect confidence in Toussaint's integrity; which confidence the event fully justified. The Black general had received from [[Roume|Roumé]], the French commissioner, a letter urging him to take this opportunity of serving the government at home, by seizing the person of the British officer, who, while on the way to the camp, had some intimation of this. He proceeded, nevertheless, and having reached Toussaint's quarters, had to wait some considerable time before the Black chief appeared. When he did so, be bore in his hand two letters, which he requested [[General Maitland]] to read. One was the treacherous proposal from the commissioner, the other the answer to it, just written, and containing an indignant refusal to act in so base a manner. "I am" he said in conclusion, "faithfully devoted to the republic, but will not serve it at the expense of my conscience and my honour."
 It was not long after this that he sent his two sons, [[Isaac Louverture|Isaac]] and Placide, to France, that they might be there educated under the eye of the Directory, and serve as hostages for his good faith and fidelity; and what a return he met with for his misplaced confidence! Every means were taken to attach these youths to the interests of France, and when [[Napoléon Bonaparte|Buonaparte]], urged, partly by the misrepresentations of the enemies of Toussaint and the Blacks, who had been obliged to leave St. Domingo, and partly, it seems more than probable, by jealousy of a growing greatness that might one day overshadow his own, determined on sending an expedition against the island, these sons of the Negro chief were sent with it, as instruments to be used in any way that might best conduce to the overthrow of their father's power and influence. Twenty-five thousand men, the flower of the French army, were embarked on board this squadron, of more than fifty sail, and the leader of the expedition, [[Leclerc|Le Clerc]], seems to have been fettered by no just feelings, nor honourable scruples, in his dealings and negociations with the ruling powers of the colony. He had proclamations for the people, full of fine-sounding words which meant nothing, and false representations of the good intentions of the home government towards the colony and the Negroes, for the generals to whom Toussaint had entrusted the defence of the various divisions of the island, some of whom were induced to betray the trust reposed in them, and to join their forces with those of the invaders; and, as a last resource, he had well-trained Cuba blood-hounds, which he did not fail to use when opportunity offered, for hunting down such of the Negroes as could neither be threatened nor cajoled into a desertion of the cause of freedom.