England. Praised in Pierrot’s proclamation for proclaiming equality of rights in her colonies.

“Everywhere our enemies have struggled and still struggle to prevent the complete emancipation of the Black people and their descendants. See how they struggled to oppose generous England when she proclaimed in her colonies the equality of rights that God has bestowed on all men without distinction, without regard to the shade of their skin. See how they oppose the triumph of this truth among other nations which nevertheless profess the religion of Christ, whose divine precepts call all men to share in His beatitude! See how plainly they protect the insurgents of the East, because retrograde ideas, in spite of twenty-two years of brotherhood with us, threaten to bring back there the shameful chains of slavery! See, lastly, how Haiti is ever the butt of their ill will: insidious talk spread abroad, though void of all likelihood; fallacious counsel given to the faint-hearted and the ambitious; perfidious insinuations made to one party and the other; lying and perverse writings spread by design; nothing is neglected in the attempt to sow division among us. We must therefore constantly guard ourselves against colonial Machiavellism.

“Haitians! Since my accession to the presidency I have not ceased to remind you of what the maintenance of your nationality imposed upon you toward one another, while at the same time I have made the foreigners admitted among us feel what they owe to the hospitality we grant them. Inwardly persuaded of the necessity of holding each man to the line of his duties, I order as follows:

“Article One. Any individual whatsoever who shall permit himself talk of color tending to sow division among the Haitians and to arm citizens against one another shall be arrested, lodged in the prisons and handed over to the courts, to be judged in conformity with the laws.

“Art. II. The commandants of department and, under their orders, the commandants of arrondissement shall see to the execution of the present order, which shall be printed and published, not only in the customary places, but at the head of the troops and in all the rural sections, where it must be explained to the citizens.

“Done at the National Palace of Cap-Haïtien, 4 November 1845, year 42 of Independence. Louis Pierrot. By the President: The Secretary of State for War, the Navy and Foreign Relations, President of the Council, Hyppolite.