denies, and certainly intellectual aptitudes, p
parents to children. And the facts now narrated
show how it was that Toussaint wa9 not sunk in that
stagnation and moral depravity ot' whiih slavery is com
the parent.
 The exact day and year oft Tunssaint's birth are not kno
 It is said to have been the 20th or May, 1743.* What is
 more importance is that he lived fifGy years of his life in slave
 before he became prominent as the vindicator o' his brehr
 rights. In that long space he had full time to become acquaint
 with their sufferings as well as their capabilities, and to f4
 such deliberate resolutions as, when the time for action caq
 should not be likely to fail of effect. Yet does it seem a
 period in a man's life for so great an undertaking; nor col
 any one endowed with inferior powers have approached to I
 accomplishment of the task.
 Throughout his arduous and perilous career, Toussaint L'(
 overture found great support himself and exerted great idn
 enee over others, in virtue of his deep and pervading sense!
 religion. We nmght almost declare that from that source
 derived more power than from all others. The foundation
 Lia religious sentiments was laid in his childhood.
 There lived in the neighborhood of the Gaou-Guinou famj
a black esteemed for the purity and probity of his charact
and who was not devoid of knowledge. His name was Pies
Baptiste. He was acquainted with French, and had a smatt
ing of Latin, as well'as some notions ol' geometry. For I
education he was indebted to the goodness of one.of those m
sionaries, who, in preaching the morality of a divine religi
enlighten and enlarge the minds of their disciples. Pierre BI
tiste became the godfather of Toussaint, and therefore thought
his duty to communicate to him the instructions and impressio
he had received from his own religious tea,.her. C.',otinuing
speak his native African tongue, which was ueld in his family
 *t is not Improbable that Toussaint was born on .11 SuantfJ Day, E
derived his name from that fact--ED.