1802 (The Abyss of Calamity at Amiens): Following the negotiation of the peace of Amiens, a “formidable armament” was dispatched to the Haytian coasts, takin…
1802 (The Abyss of Calamity at Amiens): Following the negotiation of the peace of Amiens, a “formidable armament” was dispatched to the Haytian coasts, taking the population by surprise during a moment of perceived security. This swarm of “barbarians” from an allegedly intelligent and enlightened nation issued forth with the criminal design of exterminating a “civilized and peaceable nation.” The narrative laments that an enterprise so abominable could take place in an age where “philanthropy was generally diffused” among mankind. The resulting conflict plunged the people once again into an “abyss of calamity” and a desperate struggle against bondage. This period of history was used to remind the Haytian people of the inherent treachery of European colonial powers.