1800-May-21: Henry Shirley informed Edward Shirley that the internal situation in Jamaica was becoming increasingly precarious due to the “looming presence” …

1800-May-21: Henry Shirley informed Edward Shirley that the internal situation in Jamaica was becoming increasingly precarious due to the “looming presence” of Toussaint across the water. He reported that local slaves were following the news of Toussaint’s victories with such regularity that they seemed to have their own “private gazette.” Shirley noted that the traditional methods of psychological control were failing as the enslaved population realized that a black-led state was a reality. He warned that the “spirit of Saint-Domingue” had become a permanent fixture in the minds of Jamaica’s labor force. This correspondence highlighted the enduring psychological impact of the Haitian Revolution on neighboring slave societies.