The Alexandrian: A Commercial, Agricultural And Literary Journal

FROM ST. DOMINGO.

We have been favored (says the New-York Mercantile Advertiser,) with a St. Thomas paper of the 27th ult. containing the following extract of a letter from Cape Henry, which supplies the information hitherto wanted, of the cause and manner of Christophe's death, and the subsequent occurrences in his own dominions.
Cape Henry, 15th Oct. 1820.
"There has been some very important changes in this government since I last wrote you; about two months ago the king was suddenly attacked with a severe fit of apoplexy, and it was thought he never would completely recover. During his life time you have heard of his tyranny and cruelty, which of late has been more excessive; on the 30th Sept, he put in irons the colonel of the 8th regiment: his men, who were much attached to him instantly revolted and took possession of the town of St. Marc's; the king immediately sent a force against it, but they were repulsed. As soon as the news reached this, the garrison revolted also, and declared themselves free, and by the 4th inst. the whole country was in arms to depose the king and do away with royalty altogether; on the 8th the king assembled his body guards, offered them money and also the village of the Cape, but they refused to take up their arms; finding himself totally deserted, he retired to his room, and shot himself through the heart. The Queen and his family had him immediately carried up to the Citadel, where he was buried under one of the bastions in statu quo, as he was so detested, that they could not find any person even to make a coffin for him.; his body was hardly out of the palace of Sans Souci before the soldiers entered, and in two hours time they pillaged to the amount of one million of dollars in plate, jewels and money.
The prisons have all been thrown open, and to the number of nearly four thousand poor devils have been set at Liberty--it is too shocking to relate to you the miserable appearance of some of these poor wretches, many of whom have had their backs broken by bastinading, and will be crippled for life. His crimes and cruelties will now be known, and will astonish the world--the Dey of Algiers has not been near so bad. It is said that one of his last orders was to murder all the whites and mulattoes, as he attributed the commotions entirely to them. They are now about forming the new constitution, which is to be something like the liberty they enjoyed under Toussaint Louverture; it is expected General Romain will be President, a very good man, and very popular.
The soldiers are all to have double pay, and are to be allowed to go and come when they please; there are about 40 millions of dollars in the Citadel, and a good deal of it is to be put in circulation, from every point we can receive it--it must benefit commerce, and I am of opinion, that twice the imports and exports will be seen in less than one year; consider that there have been for the last fifteen years not less than 12000 people in garrisons and public works, who will now be allowed to work for themselves, and there is no country in the world that holds out greater encouragement to cultivation.
The Queen, Prince and Princesses are in town; they did not save more than was on their backs--there are also several of the chiefs here that stuck by the king; some of them have but a poor chance to live. I shall be able by next opportunity to inform you more about it; in the mean time, I consider myself and property perfectly safe."