1799-June-24: Dr. Edward Stevens informed Secretary of State Pickering of his belief that Toussaint Louverture was preparing to consolidate total power over the island.

1799-June-24: Dr. Edward Stevens informed Secretary of State Pickering of his belief that Toussaint Louverture was preparing to consolidate total power over the island. Stevens predicted that as soon as Toussaint defeated his rival, André Rigaud, he would likely expel Roume, the last remaining French civil agent. This assessment suggested that Toussaint was moving toward a state of de facto independence while maintaining a thin veneer of loyalty to the French Republic. The American government remained wary of these ultimate designs, fearing that a total break with France might lead to a more radical and unpredictable “Negro despotism.”