It was a ship in miniature, about a yard long, and little
wooden men and women, which were painted black to represent the slaves,
were seen stowed in their proper places.
But while the distribution of these different articles thus contributed
to make us many friends, it called forth the extraordinary exertions of
our enemies. The merchants and others interested in the continuance of
the Slave Trade wrote letters to the Archbishop of Aix, beseeching him
not to ruin France; which he would inevitably do, if, as then president,
he were to grant a day for hearing the question of the abolition. Offers
of money were made to Mirabeau from the same quarter, if he would
totally abandon his motion. An attempt was made to establish a colonial
committee, consisting of such planters as were members of the National
Assembly, upon whom it should devolve to consider and report upon all
matters relating to the Colonies, before they could be determined there.
Books were circulated in abundance in opposition to mine. Resort was
again had to the public papers, as the means of raising a hue and cry
against the principles of the Friends of the Negroes. I was again
denounced as a spy; and as one sent by the English minister to bribe
members in the Assembly to do that in a time of public agitation, which
in the settled state of France they could never have been prevailed upon
to accomplish.
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