LETTER of the Minister to MM. de la Rochalard and Duclos, on several matters of humanity and religion

A Memorandum from Saint-Domingue has been addressed to me, stating that there are settlers who, on suspicions that come to them that they have nègres who are sorcerers, give themselves the license of putting them to death on their own authority, some by fire, and others by breaking their bones with blows of a stick or hammer, without providing them with Baptism or any other Sacrament; that many settlers refuse, for entire years, to have their children baptized, in spite of the repeated representations of the Curés; that impiety has been pushed so far as to perform emergency baptisms of children at debauched feasts, because the Curé refused to accept godfathers who were not admissible, offering nevertheless to baptize the child privately in the meantime, to forestall danger; which they refuse with insult, saying that they will baptize it without his ministry, and they do so; that on Feasts and Sundays there are held at the doors of the Churches, particularly at the Cap, Fairs of the busiest trade, well beyond mere Markets, accompanied by clamors that interrupt Divine Service.