Gazette Of The United States

Recent accounts from Port-au-Prince, by Capt. Webb, arrived at Salem, say, "There appears to be no longer any subordination—The Provincial Assembly and the Municipality would, no doubt, compromise matters, if their proceedings could be free and unawed. The Mulattoes, as a body, allege their innocence with respect to the destruction of the town—their wives—their children—their property, suffered in the conflagration; but the mob declare them guilty. The Mulattoes wish to return—and, to secure themselves, as well as the Whites, against the outrages of lawless people—to be put in possession of the forts, &c.—but the mob say they have formed a plot to massacre all the Whites. The troops act without much regard to the civil authority, and the officers cannot controul them. The nominal commander of the ship in the harbour is obliged to submit to the will of his under officers and crew. If the populace cry out against any one, as an enemy, the civil arm cannot protect him.

On the 25th of December, three respectable men were taken up on suspicion of having supplied the Mulattoes: the Municipality, finding no proof against them, committed them to jail, in order thereby to secure them from the violence of the mob; but they were taken from the guards (who pretended they were forced to give them up) and hanged: two days after, four others shared the same fate. Among the sufferers, were an Attorney at Law, a Counsellor and his Clerk, and the Doctor of the King's hospital. These executions the civil and military officers beheld with tears in their eyes, but were unable to prevent them."