Toussaint Louverture

Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in the United Stated and is widely known for this achievement. While Hitler was an effective leader, he is rightfully known for the terrible and immoral things that he has done. Great leaders are remember by their greatest achievements and the decisions that they make, some can be despised like Hitler and some can be idolized like Lincoln. All noble leaders make mistakes, like George Washington bringing his men to Valley Forge. These small mistakes are not what define them. Toussaint Louverture started as a doctor to the troops in Saint Domingue in 1791. In the midst of the slave revolt Toussaint gains the peoples trust and works up the ranks to later became the leader of the only successful slave revolt in history. With the prior guidance of Louverture, after he died in 1803, Haiti declared independence from France in 1804. Louverture, like other great leaders, had some mistakes, but these are not how he should be remembered. Toussaint Louverture should be remembered as a liberator of slaves, military commander and a Ruler of Saint Domingue.

 

Primarily the most important aspect that should be remembered of Toussaint Louverture was that he was a liberator of slaves. Throughout the whole revolution he always fought on the side of the salves. In 1794 under Robespierre, the revolutionary French government abolished slavery in France. Toussaint and his troops stopped their revolt and now supported the French (A). Louverture always stayed true to his aspiration of having freedom for slaves, even in that meant switching sides in a revolt. Toussaint also stood up freedom rights even in other countries. He wrote a letter to the French government once he heard that they were going to reinstate slavery. In that letter he stated “Could men who have once enjoyed the benefits of liberty look calmly while it is taken from them!” (B) and “We have known how to confront danger to our liberty, and we will know how to confront death to preserve it” (B). Louverture confronted the French government saying that they cannot take away these peoples freedom after they have already been free. He is sticking up for slaves that are not even in his country. He also threatened the French in the last statement, basically saying that he and his troops are not afraid to fight them for the French peoples independence. This shows that Toussaint Louverture was passionate for freedom for the whole world, not just people of his race or land. In 1801 Toussaint signed the Saint Domingue Constitution. In this constitution article 3 stated that “There cannot exist slaves in this territory, servitude is therein forever abolished. All men are born, live and die free and French” (C) . This article was to enforce that slavery will never be reinforced. Louverture put this in place to make sure that what he and his troops fought for will never be taken away. Under any means Toussaint Louverture always fought for the liberation of slaves.

 

Toussaint was also a wise ruler of his land of Saint Domingue. Although some people would not agree. In 1801 Toussaint Louverture set a Proclamation to address the fact that even though the slaves are now free they still have to work and work at the plantation they are assigned. A Lot of people either tries to leave and not work or run away to other plantations with better conditions. Louverture set this proclamation to keep the land economy afloat. The sugar production is the main source of financial support of Saint Domingue and without it the economy would crash. As the ruler, Toussaint set this proclamation to become more organized and strict about working so that Saint Domingue as a whole does not suffer. In order to keep the plantations going Toussaint placed stricter consequences for runaway workers or ‘vagabonds’. Such threats included that “Vagabond cultivators arrested . . . shall be taken to the commander of the quarter, who will have them sent to the gendarmerie [local police] on their plantation” (D). The citizens obviously did not like working on plantations because it was too similar to when they were slaves, but if they did not work then Saint Domingue would fail. These stricter laws were a smart idea on Toussaints behalf because it ensured better working numbers and outcomes. Now that people were afraid of the consequences they would work, which was beneficial to not just Saint Domingue but the rest of the world that count on its sugar imports.

 

In addition with liberator of slaves and a ruler Louverture was a noble military leader. In 1802 Napoleon sent 21,000 soldiers to try to reinstate slavery in Saint Domingue. Knowing this, Louverture gathered his troops and burned down the port city of Samana, where Napoleon's troops were headed. He did this because he knew that once Napoleon's troops came they would take over the city and utilize its resources and by burning it down, once they got there they would have no other resources. He then had everyone flee to the mountains and hide. Toussaint chose to have everyone in the mountains for two reasons; one, it was a good place to hide and two, his citizens knew the mountain range more than Napoleon and his troops did which brought them to an advantage. This was very wise of Toussaint to do. Although,a year earlier in 1801, Toussaint louverture did something that many consider to be quite ignorant. In 1801, Hyacinthe Moyse, Toussaint adopted nephew, believed that Toussaint was wrong to support plantation farming. Hyacinthe then organized a rebellion against Toussaint policies in agriculture. On the night of the rebellion in October of 1801 many whites were massacred. The war cry of the rebels of Hyacinthe Moyse was “General Moyse is with us- death to all whites” (E). Toussaint was raged when he heard this news and had some of the men summoned. He then had a firing squad kill the rebels. He had his nephew arrested and had him confined and then had him “brought before a firing squad, Moyse himself gave the order to fire”(E). The measures Toussaint took after the rebellion were very extreme. It is horrific that he would have his own nephew arrested and killed for his rebellion but this event should not override all of the good that Toussaint has done. Aside from this Toussaint Louverture was a very respectful military leader.

 

Although Toussaint Louverture did have some immoral actions he was still a noble man and should be remembered as one. Toussaint Louverture should be remembered primarily as a liberator of slaves, but also as a great ruler and military leader. Toussaint has proved himself through his actions and words that he is both knowledgeable and is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. Toussaint Louverture achieved great things and has affected history. His legacy should never be forgotten.

 

Sources:

Document A - Timeline created from various sources 

Document B - Toussaint Louverture, "Letter to the French Directory, November 1797"

Document C - The Saint Domingue Constitution of 1801. Signed by Toussaint Louverture in July 1801.

Document D- Toussaint Louverture, "Proclamation, 25 November 1801." 

Document E - Madison Smartt Bell, Toussaint Louverture: A Biography, 2007

Documents F - William Wells Brown, "A Description of Toussaint Louverture," from The Black Man, His Antecendents, His Genius, and His Achievements, 2nd edition, 1863. Engraving of Toussaint Louverture, 1802.