Gazette Of The United States

ROSEAU, October 10.

By accounts from Martinique, we learn, that the disturbances which we mentioned in one of our late papers, are so far from being abated, that they seem daily to gain additional force.—Our readers may remember, we left the French general in our last accounts, at Fort Royal, to bring over part of the military to his side, against the people; we have since obtained the following particulars, which will form no bad sequel to that account.

It seems he began with the subalterns, several of whom took a certain oath of attachment which he administered unto them; but when he came to the major, that officer declined;—saying, he had already engaged himself on the side of the people. Incensed at his reply, he reviled him in very opprobrious terms, in which he was not sparing of that epithet, so offensive to a Frenchman's ear, with which we will not defile our paper—fout—e, and informed him that he would send him his conge; which the other replied he was most heartily disposed to receive from him—our accounts say that he laid the cane upon the refractory major.

Frustrated in his attempts upon the infantry, he made his next application to the regiment of artillery—but with as little success. These informed him, that themselves and culverins were stationed there for the protection of the people, and for them only should be used.

Driven to the last shift, his distress suggested the sorry expedient of having recourse to the people of colour, who there form a considerable corps. By a small dose of flattery these people, so readily to be caught by a little seeming attention, promised to stand by him: and did so as long as they usually stand firm to any thing; that is, till their fears for their own persons became an object of more weighty concern—they then abandoned him.

The humiliating familiarities to which he descended to this motley rabble, was truly disgusting. He embraced them, called them his Infants and cher Amis, and practised all the dirty condescensions, which those only who are conversant in the praiseworthy art of cajoling can form any conception of.

The effect of this conduct was, as might be expected, insolence. One of this banditti presumed to strike a grenadier.—This incensed both the military and the people; the consequence was, their doughty leader was laid hold of, who his trusty leaders left to his fate. He was put into confinement, and had the pleasure of beholding from the window of his prison, him whom he had inspired with the innocent temerity to strike a white, suspended on a gibbet.

The inhabitants of St. Pierre then assembled to confer on the measures to be taken on this occasion, when ten deputies were chosen to bring the deposed commander to that part of the island for trial, and twelve judges were chosen to preside at that, to him, very important trial.

Thus stood matters at Martinico on Thursday last: at which time a rumour prevailed that the Marquis de Bouillee had suffered death by the extraordinary and ingenious method of being put between two planks and sawed in pieces by a cross-cut saw.

Oct. 14. Thirty-six of the rebellious slaves have been sent to Fort Royal for execution. Their principal ringleaders were a mulatto and a mustee, one of whom had modestly pitched upon the place of intendant, had they succeeded; and had cast his eye upon one of the most celebrated belles of that island, as the partner of his exaltation.

Of these banditti two were broke on the wheel, ten racked, fourteen hanged, and ten condemned to the galleys for life.—Some of them were so daring as to declare at the place of execution, that the whites need not yet think themselves secure, for that there was not a man of colour left behind, but had sworn to carry their views into effect.