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Alexandria Advertiser And Commercial Intelligencer
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Extract of a letter from Port au Prince dated October 21, 1802, detailing heavy taxes of 19 million livres, forced requisitions without payment, despotism by commanders, and inhabitants compelled to guard duty and fight rebellious negroes in the mountains of St. Domingo, fostering silent complaints and a desire to flee the colony.
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Port au Prince, Oct. 21. 1802.
The inhabitants of this unhappy island
are loaded with taxes. They have just
been taxed nineteen millions of livres, un-
der the pretense that these different duties
are for the maintenance of the army charg-
ed with re-establishing order in St. Do-
mingo.
The commodities, goods or animals of
every person whatever are put into requi-
sition; and when payment is asked for, the
plaintiff is laughed at, and after having
poured on him a thousand injuries, they
roughly push him out of doors. Every
day such a scene is renewed.
The very inhabitants who are overload-
ed with such enormous taxes, are compel-
led to go upon guard 15-times a month,
often to go out of the city to fight in the
mountains, where they are sent to be mur-
dered by the rebellious negroes.
Every body privately complains of the
despotism of the commanders, and of the
general oppression; but alas! no one dares
to raise his voice, and only laments his
doom in silence.
This is, in a few words, our deplora-
ble situation. Hence, nineteen out of
twenty inhabitants of the colony would be
very glad to leave it. Far from seeing
any chance to better our situation, we are
but too much convinced that they only
want to take from us the few dollars left
us by the negroes.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Port Au Prince, St. Domingo
Event Date
Oct. 21. 1802
Outcome
inhabitants compelled to fight in mountains where they are sent to be murdered by rebellious negroes; widespread desire to leave the colony due to oppression.
Event Details
Inhabitants face heavy taxes of nineteen million livres for army maintenance; goods requisitioned without payment amid insults; forced to guard 15 times monthly and fight rebels; complain privately of commanders' despotism but fear speaking out.