Hearing this, Toussaint Louvidur laughed.

"Mr. Treyville, I have heard that during the Revolution many nobles were hung on lamp poles. Why do you hang those nobles when the council already exists? ”

"That's because they're trying to subvert the republican system." "The Republic has given them many opportunities," said Victor with great firmness. ”

"That's certainly one reason, but I'd say it's not the most fundamental reason." Toussaint Louvidur shook his head and said, "The most fundamental reason is that they occupy too much land. If the French Revolution could not destroy their control over the land, then the ordinary people of the third estate would still not have a good life. If this is still the case, then what is the point of a revolution?

It's the same in Santo Domingo. Just as before the revolution in France, society was divided into three classes: clergy, nobility, and plebeians, and there was such a hierarchy in Santo Domingo.

The first estate was the white slave owners, and their numbers were very small, just as in France, the first and second estates together were only a few percent, and they were only a small minority in numbers. ”

Speaking of which, Toussaint Louvidur even reached out and put his three fingers together in a gesture

"Well, just a little bit, no more. But just as the First and Second estates of France, which were small in number but occupied most of France, these white slave owners also occupied the vast majority of Saint-Domingo. If this situation continues, then black people will still not have a good life, and will still struggle with hunger and death. If this is the case, what is the point of our previous revolutions? ”

"In other words, the reason why you want to be independent is to solve the land problem?" "But have you thought about the economic consequences of doing so?" ”

"The economic consequences?" "Can you elaborate on that?" ”

"First of all, you know that Santo Domingo's economy is very dependent on trade. Whether it's cane sugar or coffee, it has to be traded to be useful, and without trade, these things are worthless waste. And these things are not irreplaceable, and there are many places in the Caribbean that have the potential to replace Santo Domingo.

You know the attitude of the Spaniards and the British towards your ideal country. Even the Americans, who are also in a country that uses a lot of black slaves, are equally unwilling to see a rich free black country in the Caribbean, because it will become an example for slaves to imitate within them.

To put it more plainly, if the blacks of Santo Domingo have made a rich living by rebellion, then why don't the blacks of America and Cuba follow your example? The better your life is, the greater the motivation for the slave revolt on their side, and the higher the cost they have to pay to suppress or pacify the slaves. Conversely, the worse your living conditions and the more difficult your life is, the more stable they will be on their side.

So, your Excellency the Doge, if Santo Domingo became independent, and the Negroes generally acquired land, neither the English, nor the Spaniards, nor the Americans, would trade with Santo Domingo again. I reckon they must have given you a lot of assurances by now, but Mr. Governor, it is the least reliable thing to assure. Just analyze where everyone's interests are, and you can see it. ”

"But ......," Toussaint Louwidur said.

"Your Excellency, I understand what you mean. Even if excluded from the trade chain, independence was still a bargain for most blacks. Because under the existing system, the benefits of trade do not fall into the hands of blacks at all. In that case, what does it have to do with blacks whether or not you can make money? Even if Santo Domingo couldn't sell a pound of cane sugar or coffee, and even if Santo Domingo's land had to be converted to grow enough food to feed their stomachs, blacks would still have more to gain than they do now. ”

"Isn't that right?" Toussaint Louvidur asked.

"What's wrong with that. But the First Consul felt that the blacks had a better way to go—a much better way to go than they did now. Victor said.

"What way?"

"Santo Domingo remained in France. At the same time, we are trying to solve the problem of the lack of land for blacks. Victor said.

"How to fix it?" Toussaint Louvidur asked.

Victor replied, "The first option is that blacks are free to leave Santo Domingo and go to Louisiana." The Spaniards have now returned it to us. In order to develop the land, the First Consul had just passed a policy whereby anyone willing to swear allegiance to France could receive a share of not more than 6,500 acres of state land in Louisiana. 5 years of cultivation - during these 5 years, the applied land shall not be abandoned, and after 5 years, or if the person has lived on the homestead for half a year within 5 years and paid a fee of 21 centimes per acre, the land received shall belong to him. In addition, for five years, these lands are exempt from tax.

Blacks in Santo Domingo also had French citizenship, and they could also go to Louisiana to apply for land. Of course, a person can't really cultivate such a large land, but as long as you can cultivate it, after five years, it will be his own. And if he had stayed in Santo Domingo, he would not have gotten so much land anyway. ”

"Hehe......" Toussaint Louvidur sneered, "Mr. Treville, the reason why I am still qualified to negotiate with you from the First Archon is because we blacks are now united. And are you trying to separate us blacks first? ”

"Your Excellency, I and the First Consul have no such intentions. If you don't agree with this option, or if you don't think it's okay for the time being, then we have a second solution, which is to solve the land problem in other ways. ”

"Ransom?" Toussaint Louvidur smiled, "Other ways? Do you mean redemption? Am I just redeeming now? And isn't that why the whites of Santo Domingo are trying to turn against me? And that's why you're here, aren't you? Of course, I know that the price I give is very low, but it is much more gentle than you just hanging the nobles. At least, I gave them enough money to go to Louisiana and claim that piece of land, didn't it? ”

"Mr. Governor, I suddenly discovered that there may be a serious misunderstanding between us." Victor frowned, "You may have mistaken me and His Excellency the First Consul for white people, so you will definitely side with those white people. However, this thinking is absolutely wrong. It's like, the Americans, the British are also white, but are they on our side this time? ”

"What do you mean?" Toussaint Louvidur was a little surprised.

"In the eyes of the government of the republic, the vast majority of the white slave owners in Santo Domingo were the remnants of those feudal nobles, who were not all the same as the republic. When the Revolutionary Government of the Republic abolished slavery and granted citizenship to blacks, they were filled with hatred for the Republic. I'm sure most of them had secret dealings with the exiled aristocracy. If they had been in France itself, they would have been guillotined for the crimes of the counter-revolution. How can we stand with these people in the current ruling government, which is also a republican government that wants to defend the fruits of the revolution? ”

"And what does the First Consul mean?" Toussaint Louvidur asked.

"Although these guys are our enemies politically, this is not the time to open a revolutionary court casually. The First Consul has just promulgated the Code, I don't know if you have seen it? ”

"I've seen it. The Statute of Laws is indeed immortal. Dusan Louvidur praised.

"The Code stipulates the protection of private property, and although these guys are our enemies, we can't break our own rules, so it is not okay to confiscate their land directly. But if they had committed treason in the first place, it would have been different. You see what I mean, right? Victor replied with a smile.

"What do you mean......"

"The Doge's Office, as the supreme authority of the French government in Santo Domingo, has the power to investigate any crime of treason and punish those who are treasonous, and the Doge's Office is punishing the traitors. The economic consequences could have been avoided a lot, at least, the merchants of France would not abandon the ...... of Saint-Domingo," Victor said, since those white slave owners would not really be grateful anyway, and really supported the French republican government, since the ruling government had decided to sell them out, then simply sell them completely, so as not to leave hidden dangers.

"Your Excellency, I don't think you have any doubts about our sincerity now, do you?" Victor smiled, "Of course, if you still want Santo Domingo to become an independent country, it's not impossible to talk about it. ”

Toussaint Louverdur thought for a moment and asked, "What if I still want Santo Domingo to be independent?" ”

"Then, France must be compensated to a certain extent. First of all, those white slave owners, although they are our political enemies, they are French after all. And if you are independent, you are foreigners. We cannot tolerate foreigners casually bullying the French and depriving them of their legal property. So if you want to keep the trade routes, you have to do it in a real 'buy-in' way, and it has to be on a real 'voluntary' basis.

In addition, Santo Domingo is a French territory, and if you are going to become independent in French territory, the cost of buying these lands is also essential. Of course, we can provide you with a loan. Finally, Santo Domingo is very important militarily, and if you stand on the side of Britain and the United States after independence, it will pose a great threat to the interests of France. So, if you still want independence, then you have to accept France as a protectorate. In addition, France needs to have some military bases in Santo Domingo to ensure that the connection between Louisiana and mainland France is not easily severed......"

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