146 TBHE LIFE O

they were ready for political intrigue rather than civ
ence, and would be most sally employed in a distant e
in which Euccess.would increase the number of his own
and Ihilure ine in their permanent removal out of his.:
That the climate in whbib hb thought of employing th
destructive to European?, was a consideration which c
deter him, and only added another reason why, on his
should decide in Pfaor iof the attempt.
 Yet, if he left Hiayti in the hands of Toussaint L'Ouv
he would po-tset., in an army o' thirty thousand black
obedient to their actual commander, the means of rount
ing the power of Great Britain in the We~ t Indics, and of
trolling its descendants in the United States. The emplo
however, of su h an ally seemed scarcely compatible wit
dignity which he affected; nor was it impossible, if the
of Saint Domingo were left undisturbed in his authority,
he might assist the. absolute independence of the colony
either by augmenting his own power or joining the En
inflict a heavy blow on the supremacy of France. Then
question of colonial slavery presented itself Ibr consider
Should he recognize or nullify the freedom which existed:
Saint Domingo ? The recognition would bring him no ad
tage, lor Tousaint ard his associates consideredd their work
accomplished. To nullitl it would secure on his side the "'
pathies and co:up.ration of the colonit.ts who had lost th
estates, and who, regretting their past opulence, and believe
its recovery imuposiible in the present state of the island,.
sieged the cabinet of the Tuileries with importuuities for t
restoration of slavery. The wise and just held a different I
guage. Even as a matter of policy an expedition to Hay
they urged, was to be deprecated, for the risk would be va
great, and failure would end in disgrace. Tho-e who now h1l
power in the island were men of valor and of great militia
skill. As administrators of the colony they ernj:.yed genem
sympathy and support, and had proved their ability by the pi
perity they had called into being. And while it did not beeti