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Preliminary Declaration of Independence — St. Domingo, 29 November 1803

“In the Name of the Black People, and Men of Color of St. Domingo: The Independence of St. Domingo is proclaimed.” Issued by Dessalines, Christophe, and Clervaux after the French capitulation at Cap-Haïtien — the declaration that preceded the formal Acte of 1 January 1804.

The text

Transcription note: the text below is machine-transcribed from the printed source named on this card and lightly corrected; the scan itself (linked on the card) is the citation-grade copy.

In the Name of the Black People, and Men of Color of St. Domingo :

THE Independence of St. Domingo is proclaimed. Restored to our primitive dignity, v>-e have asserted our rights; we swear never to yield them to any power on earth ; the frightful -^ eil of prejudice is torn to pieces, be it so for ever. A'^'oe be to them who would dare, to put together its bloody tatters.

Oh! Landholders of St. Domingo, wandering in foreign countries, by proclaiming our independence, we do not forbid you, indiscriminately, from returning to your property; far be from us this unjust idea. We are not ignorant that there are some among you that have renounced their former errors, abjured the injustice of their exhorbitant pretensions, and acknowledged the lawfulness of the cause for which we have been spilling our blood these twelve years. Toward those men who do us justice, we will act as brothers ; let them rely for ever on our esteem and friendship ; let them return among us. The God who protects us, the God of Freemen, bids as to stretch out towards them our conquering

5 arms.

No. xrii.

Declaration of the Independence of St.Dominso.

I:

r-^

No. XÎ1I. arms. But as for those, Avho, intoxicated with fooHsh pride. Declaration interested slaves of a guilt}^ pretension, are bhnded so much as to pendence of beHevc thciTiselves the essence of human nature, and assert that

St. Domingo. i • i . i i

they are destnied bj^ lieaven to be our masters and our t3Tants, let them never come near the land of St. Domingo : if the}^ come hither, they will only meet wdth chains or deportation; then let them stay w^here they are ; tormented by their w^ell-deserved misery, and the frowns of the just men whom they have too long mocked, let them still continue to move, unpitied and unnoticed by all.

We have sworn not to listen with clemency tow^ards all those Avho would dare to speak to us of slavery ; we will be inexorable, perhaps even cruel, towards all troops who, themselves forgetting the object for w'hich they have not ceased fighting since 1780, should come from Europe to bring among us death and servitude. Nothing is too dear, and all means are lav^^ul, to men fiom w^hom it is wished to tear the first of all blessings. Were they to cause rivers and torrents of blood to run; were they, in order to maintain their liberty, to conflagrate seven eighths of the globe, they are innocent before the tribunal of Providence, that " never created men, to see them groaning under so harsh and shameful a servitude.

In the various commotions that took place, some inhabitants against whom we had not to complain, have been victims by the cruelty of a few^ soldiers or cultivators, too much blinded by the remembrance of their past sufferings to be able to distinguish the good and humane land-owners from those that were unfeeling

and

APPEiNDIX.

and cruel, we lament with all feeling souls so deplorable an end, and declare to the world, whatever may be said to the contrary by wicked people, that the murders were committed contrary to the wishes of our hearts. It was impossible, especially in the crisis in which the colony was, to be able to prevent or stop those horrors. They who are in the least acquainted with history, know that a people, w^hen assailed by civil dissentions, though they may be the most polished on earth, give themselves up to every species of excess, and the authority of the chiefs, at that time not firmly supported, in a time of revolution cannot punish all that are guilt\^ without meeting with new difficulties. But now a-days the Aurora of peace hails us, with the glimpse of a less stormy time; now that the calm of victory has succeeded to the trouble of a dreadful war, every thing in St. Domingo ought to assume a new face, and its government henceforward be that of justice.

No. XIIJ.

Declaration of the Independence of St. Domingo.

Done at the Head-Quarters, Fort Dauphin, November 29, 180.-3.

(Signed) Dessalines.

Christophe. Clerveaux. True Copy, B. Aime, Secretary.