= L'OTERTURE. 77

 other element or thought had to be weighed.
 |yti was in a mi8erable condition. Should she be
 .she was crushed, the alternative lay between the
 of England, and the slave-dominion of Spain.
isrance was depressed, could she be crushed ? Her
tiiumphant in Europr, and a strong efTort to rescue
wrelony might reasonably be expected. The present
Wa such as to call for gratitude toward any efect-
i. The possible continuance of the depression gave
I the probability that, even in opposition to France,
i conjunction with France, the independence of the
F not the independence of the island -might be
WlLy, then, not seek the opening" in union with
-p disposition implied in the question was confirmed
|ideeree of the Frenc-h Lcgislature (Feb. 4, 1794),
ring Hayti an hnegral part ot France, confirmed
pSd the freedom of all the slav-s. This was a very
' act of the mother country, not a mere device of
Miioner; this was a dliberate and solemn recogni-
ory object of Tousaint's lis,. not a trick in war for
 of frustrating that object. And this step was
 ito some extent, the days of French republican
 given place to days of strength, and when the
 mlbcan France had begun to become a terror in
 !.Hence, many things pointed to a coalition with
 Sweaknes, her power, her liberality. Alliance,
 seemed the natural course. Independence by
 and eventually -if it might be without her,
 introduction of no tbreign element into the
 --no new language, no strange customs, and
 rs. A Frenc.h colony would till remain
 ch. Old usages would remain in honor; old
 nd not be trampled on; old asso-iations would
 ed or broken up. E;pe,:ially would religion
 Sand unchanged. Hayti was a Catholic island,
 a Catholic country. Toussaint L'Ouvcrture,
 7*