privileges of citizens, and of the murder of Ferrand and Labadie, he imprudently armed his slaves.  With a small but faithful band he rushed upon superior numbers, and was defeated; taking refuge at length in the Spanish part of St. Domingo, he was given up, and his enemies, to strike terror into the people of colour, broke him upon the wheel.  From this time reconciliation between the parties became impossible; a bloody war commenced, and with it all those horrors which it has been our lot so frequently to deplore.  It must be remembered, however, that the Slave Trade, by means of the cruel distinctions it occasioned, was the original cause; and though the revolution of France afforded the occasion, it was an occasion which would have been prevented, if it had not been for the intrigues and injustice of the whites.

[Footnote A:  Africa.]

Another upon whom I had time to call was the amiable bishop of Chartres.  When I left him, the Abbe Sieyes, who was with him, desired to walk with me to my hotel; he there presented me with a set of his works, which he sent for while he staid with me; and, on parting, he made use of this complimentary expression, in allusion, I suppose, to the cause I had undertaken,—­“I am pleased to have been acquainted with the friend of man.”

It was necessary that I should see the Comte de Mirabeau and the Marquis de la Fayette before I left Paris, I had written to each of them to communicate the intelligence of my departure, as soon as I received it.  The comte, it appeared had nearly canvassed the Assembly; he could count upon three hundred members, who, for the sake of justice, and without any consideration of policy or of consequences, would support his motion.  But alas! what proportion did this number bear to twelve hundred!  About five hundred more would support him, but only on one condition, which was, if England would give an unequivocal proof of her intention to abolish the trade.  The knowledge of these circumstances, he said, had induced him to write a letter to Mr. Pitt.  In this he had explained how far he could proceed without his assistance, and how far with it.  He had frankly developed to him the mind and temper of the Assembly on this subject; but his answer must be immediate, for the white colonists were daily gaining such an influence there, that he forsaw that it would be impossible to carry the measure, if it were long delayed.  On taking leave of him he desired me to be the bearer of the letter, and to present it to Mr. Pitt.

On conversing with the Marquis de la Fayette, he lamented deeply the unexpected turn which the cause of the Negroes had lately taken in the Assembly.  It was entirely owing to the daily intrigues of the White Colonists.  He feared they would ruin everything.  If the Deputies of Colour had been heard on their arrival, their rights would have been acknowledged.  But now there was little probability that they would obtain them.  He foresaw nothing but desolation