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Foreign News
January 21, 1805
Jenks' Portland Gazette
Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
What is this article about?
A French colonist's letter reports that Haitian Emperor Dessalines mocks European institutions by decreeing imitations like a Legion of Honour and Senate for his people, claiming to be the Bonaparte of the New World to enrage enemies.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
The Haitian Emperor.—The following is given in a late Paris paper as an extract of a letter from a French Colonist to his relation Senator Kellermann:
“Dessalines is not ignorant that most of the institutions, as a Legion of Honour, a Senate, Prefects, Maids of Honour, &c. &c. which he has so easily to decree for his people of Hayti, exposes him to be laughed at by all strangers, and that it is extremely ridiculous in him to pretend to conduct vagabonds, such as those of whom he is the chief, according to a system designed after the most beautiful models of Europe. But he answers, that he owes it only to enrage his enemies, by imitating one of their inimitable institutions, and that as long as he is alive, no changes shall take place in France, without being decreed by him at St. Domingo, being, as he has the modesty to say, the Bonaparte of the New World.”
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“Dessalines is not ignorant that most of the institutions, as a Legion of Honour, a Senate, Prefects, Maids of Honour, &c. &c. which he has so easily to decree for his people of Hayti, exposes him to be laughed at by all strangers, and that it is extremely ridiculous in him to pretend to conduct vagabonds, such as those of whom he is the chief, according to a system designed after the most beautiful models of Europe. But he answers, that he owes it only to enrage his enemies, by imitating one of their inimitable institutions, and that as long as he is alive, no changes shall take place in France, without being decreed by him at St. Domingo, being, as he has the modesty to say, the Bonaparte of the New World.”
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What sub-type of article is it?
Political
Colonial Affairs
What keywords are associated?
Haitian Emperor
Dessalines
French Institutions
St Domingo
Bonaparte New World
What entities or persons were involved?
Dessalines
Senator Kellermann
Where did it happen?
St. Domingo
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
St. Domingo
Event Date
As Reported In A Late Paris Paper
Key Persons
Dessalines
Senator Kellermann
Event Details
Dessalines decrees institutions imitating European models like Legion of Honour and Senate for Haitians, aware of ridicule but aims to enrage enemies; claims no French changes without his decree at St. Domingo, calling himself Bonaparte of the New World.