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The struggle for supremacy had cost the lives of over 50,000 Frenchmen. Dessalines

desired to notify France by a solemn declaration that a new State had replaced her former colony. By a happy inspiration he chose for the proclamation of the Independence of Haiti the very spot on which had been enacted the treacherous deportation of Toussaint Louverture. Toward the end of December, 1803, he went to Gonaives, at which place he had given instructions to the generals of his army to assemble. On the 1st of January, 1804, they all met together on the Place d'Armes and swore to abjure forever allegiance to France, to die rather than to live under her domination. The oath was met by the ringing cheers of a people mad with joy. Enthusiasm reached its highest pitch when Boisrond Tonnerre, Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, read out Haiti's certificate of birth, consisting of the following words:

"On this the first day of January, 1804, the Commander-in-Chief of the army of the indigenes, accompanied by the Generals of the army assembled for the purpose of taking the measures destined to secure the happiness of the country:

Act of Independence

"After informing the Generals of his true intentions to give forever to the natives of Haiti a stable government, which he had previously done in a speech which aimed at acquainting the foreign Powers with the resolution to make the country independent and to enjoy the liberty acquired with the blood of the people of the island; and after taking the opinion of all present;

Requested the Generals to swear to abjure forever allegiance to France, to die rather than to live under her domination, and to fight to the last for the preservation of their independence.

The Generals imbued with these sacred principles, after proclaiming in a loud voice their unanimous adhesion to the resolution of independence, swore for all their posterity and to the world to abjure forever allegiance to France, and to die rather than to live under her domination.

Done at Gonaives on the 1st of January, 1804, and on the first day of the Independence of Haiti.

(Signed) Dessalines, Commander-in-Chief; Christophe, Pétion, Clematis, Geffrard, Vernet, Gabart, Major-Generals; P. Rom

ain, E. Gérin, F. Capois, Daut, Jean-Louis François, Férou, Cangé, L. Bazelais, Magloire-Ambroise, J. J. Herne, Toussaint-Brave, Yayou, Brigadier-Generals; Bonnet, F. Papalier, Morelly, Chevalier, Marion, Adjudant-Generals: Magny, Roux, Chiefs of Brigades; Chareron, B. Loret, Quenez, Macajoux. Dupuy, Carbonne, Diaquoi ainé, Raphael, Malet, Derenoncourt, Officers of the Army; and Boisrond Tonnerre, Secretary.

In order to efface the last vestige of an abhorred domination, the very name of Saint-Domingue was changed. The island assumed once again the name given to her by her first inhabitants and henceforth was known as Haiti.

That the young State conferred absolute power on its liberator is testified by the following act:

"In the name of the people of Haiti:

We, Generals and Chiefs of the army of the island of Haiti, thankful for the benefits received from the Commander-in-Chief Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the protector of the liberty which we are enjoying;

ln the name of Liberty, Independence and of the people he has made happy,

Proclaim him Governor-General of Haiti for life. We swear entire obedience to the laws he shall deem fit to make, his authority being the only one we acknowledge. We authorize him to make peace and war, and to appoint his successor.

Done at the headquarters of Gonaives this 1st of January, 1804, and the first day of the Independence of Haiti.

(Signed) Gabart, P. Romain, J. J. Herne, Capois, Christophe, Geffrard, E. Gérin, Vernet, Pétion, Clervaux, Jean-Louis François, Cangé, Féron, Yayou, Toussaint-Brave, Megloire-Ambroise, L. Bazelais, Daut.

The dictatorial power entrusted to Dessalines was the natural sequel of events. The generals who had just led the people to victory considered themselves to be the legitimate representatives of the country. According to their views, their most pressing duty was the immediate organization of a government capable of defending their newly acquired conquest. At the head of such a strong government they naturally placed their Commander-in-Chief. Not all the elation at their success, great though it was, could make them forget that they were to be prepared for all contingencies should France choose to renew the struggle. The Spanish portion of the island was still in her possession; she had thus a convenient basis for her military operation. In consequence the Haitians clung to their military organization. Instead of a Commander-in-Chief they had at their head a Governor-General, merely a change of title.

Pétion, Christophe, and Geffrard were respectively appointed Commandants of the Western, Northern, and Southern departements; Gabart was given command of the Artibonite. They were all animated by the one thought to be ready for an energetic defense in case of an attack by their former opponents. The soldiers were constantly kept on the alert. Profiting by the experience acquired on the battlefields, they began fortifying all the valleys and the summits of hills and mountains where it would be easy for them to stand their ground against an enemy superior in forces.' Every citizen was compelled to join the army. Christophe undertook the building of Laferriere, which later on became the Citadelle Henry; Pétion built Fort Jacques and Fort Alexandre. In the South Geffrard erected the Fort des Piston. Forts Campain, Cap Rouge, Bonnet Carre, Marfranc, Desbois, etc., were built in the mountains around Leogane, Jacmel, Anse-à-Veau, Aquin, and Jérémie, etc.

The municipal and judicial powers were all in the hands of the military authorities: Haiti was an immense military camp.

Great Britain Tries to Obtain a Quasi-Protectorate

The task of the new Government was a difficult one. Everything had to be organized. Rochambeau's crimes had so much incensed the natives that the Frenchmen who had not accompanied the remainder of their army had been put to death. All functionaries of the Government and administration had to be created, from policemen to statesmen. In reality there were many worthy and gallant officers and brave soldiers; but experts in civil administration were scarce. Notwithstanding the absence of special knowledge on this subject, the natives to a man were determined to preserve the independence of the country they had just conquered. Dessalines courageously set to work. He began by rejecting the insidious overtures made by Great Britain. This power, whose advances to Toussaint Louverture had not met with success, believed that these people, whose existence seemed to be so precarious, would be more than happy to have its protection. In consequence the Governor of Jamaica lost no time in dispatching Edward Corbed to Haiti with the object of obtaining the exclusive right to the commerce of the island and a quasi-protectorate. The request was denied; and Admiral Duckworth, angered by the failure of his scheme, threatened to capture the Haitian guard-ships. In the event of this Dessalines declared that he would at once prevent the English merchant ships from entering the ports of the island. This threat produced the desired effect; for just at that time the United States frigate Connecticut was at Gonaives and on board there was an agent sent to renew with Dessalines the commercial relations which had formerly been carried on with Toussaint Louverture. The Governor-General of Haiti was thus turning all his efforts toward safeguarding the dignity and the interests of his country.

In accepting the title of Emperor he was not prompted by mere foolish vanity. The Agents sent by France to Saint-Domingue had been known as Governors-General; the continued use of this title might therefore leave the impression that the Haitians were still dependent on the former mother country; thus it was thought proper to adopt another name more suited to the chief of a sovereign State. Bonaparte had just been proclaimed Emperor of the French. This seemed to be a particularly fit occasion to affirm once again the independence of the country. Accordingly Dessalines decided to assume the same title with which the ruler of France had been invested. In September, 1804, the army acclaimed him Emperor of Haiti. This new appellation added nothing to the dictatorial power with which he was already clothed. And Dessalines gave the best evidence of his great common sense by refusing to create a nobility. He avoided establishing any discrimination of rank; he even refused to allow any special privileges to be conferred upon his children: the equality of all citizens was to be the prevailing feature of the new State.