Explanation: [ Do they think that men who have been able to enjoy the blessing of liberty will calmly see it snatched away? They supported their chains only so long as they did not know any condition of life more happy than that of slavery. But to-day when they have left it, if they had a thousand lives they would sacrifice them all rather than be forced into slavery again. But no, the same hand which has broken our chains will not enslave us anew. I declare to you to re-establish slavery would be to attempt the impossible: we have known how to face dangers to obtain our liberty, we shall know how to brave death to maintain it. —Toussaint L'Ouverture, 1797 ]
