1816 (The King as the Sanctuary of Goodness): The Council of State described King Henry Christophe’s heart as the “sanctuary” of sense and goodness, suggesti…

1816 (The King as the Sanctuary of Goodness): The Council of State described King Henry Christophe’s heart as the “sanctuary” of sense and goodness, suggesting that his elevated rank was a divine tool for the “extended influence” of virtue over the country. They placed at his feet a “tribute of love, of respect, of gratitude, and admiration,” asserting that his virtues were the true source of his legitimacy. This highly stylized, quasi-religious language was used to differentiate the “sacred” authority of the King from the “disorganized” and “criminal” authority of the Southern republic. The monarchy was thus presented as a moral necessity for the “healing of afflictions” caused by the revolution.