1802 (The Choice Between Slavery and Death): King Henry Christophe recalls his efforts within General Leclerc’s council (in 1802) to prevent the “excessive i…

1802 (The Choice Between Slavery and Death): King Henry Christophe recalls his efforts within General Leclerc’s council (in 1802) to prevent the “excessive injustice” of re-enslaving free men. Despite representing the Haytian love of liberty and warning that such measures would detach the colony from France forever, his pleas were ignored. Convinced that no hope of conciliation remained, the Haytian leaders chose to “undeceive” their fellow citizens and take up arms with a resolution to either expel their tyrants or die. This pivot marked the definitive transition from internal political negotiation to an all-out war for national survival. In his manifesto, the King frames this decision as an inevitable response to the “detestable enterprise” of the French government.