The agent Hédouville landed at Santo-Domingo, conferred with Roume, and then travelled overland to the Cap.

Toussaint, by the great successes of his arms, had become, so to speak, the master of the destinies of the colony; his administration, subject to no control, gave cause to fear that he would grow too accustomed to the role of potentate which he was beginning to play. The DIRECTOIRE EXÉCUTIF sent General Hédouville to moderate his power. Hédouville, according to the terms of his instructions, dated 9 nivôse, Year VI (29 December 1798), “was to fulfill in Saint-Domingue the same functions as the Directoire exécutif in France; he could not command the army in person, his functions being more properly civil; he had, however, the right to confer the command of it on other generals who would act according to his instructions; his principal mission was to have the laws of the Legislative Body promulgated; to have the constitution respected; to ensure internal and external tranquillity; to appoint to offices and to dismiss; to have the law of {{4 brumaire, Year VI|25 October 1797}} enforced, to have general liberty respected; to maintain strictly the law against the émigrés. Rigaud being designated as the enemy of the national authority, Hédouville could have him arrested and put aboard ship, as he also had the right to grant him amnesty.” Such, in substance, are the instructions that were given to Hédouville. This general landed at Santo-Domingo on 9 germinal (20 March). He hastened to announce to Toussaint the purpose of his mission. And after some conferences with Roume, who had never ceased to occupy the special post that had been assigned to him in the Spanish part; after these conferences, in which Roume gave him information on the principal personages of the colony, and in which Roume devoted himself above all to effacing the prejudices that the calumnies of Sonthonax had spread in France against Rigaud, Hédouville made his way overland to the Cap, where Toussaint had ordered a magnificent reception to be given him. Raymond at once handed over his powers to him and prepared to go to France to fulfill his mandate as deputy (1).