Since You Insist on Joining the Fun, Don't Blame Me for Hitting Hard

In the conference room on the second floor of the Port-au-Prince Parliament Hall, Auge and three abolitionist members of Parliament stared in astonishment at Brisot as he delivered his impassioned speech, trying several times to stop him from continuing.

The other two pro-slavery members of Parliament were even more stunned, standing there dumbfounded.

Brisot paid no heed to their expressions. Raising both arms, he declared loudly, "We cannot be satisfied with the liberation of Saint-Domingue's black slaves. We must make this great cause shine across the entire Caribbean Sea!

"The sinful and shameful institution of slavery must vanish from this world.

"In Jamaica, Barnabas, and even the West Indies, sinful whips still lash Blacks who should have been free!

"And we, the bearers of the spirit of freedom—we have an army capable of fighting the slaveholders, and the support of five hundred thousand free Blacks. What reason do we have not to save the slaves of the Caribbean Sea..."

At last, Auge forced himself to rise. "Mr. Brisot, we certainly wish for the abolition of slavery in other parts of the Caribbean Sea as well, but surely that is something the English and Spaniards themselves ought to do..."

The other members of Parliament nodded in agreement. "Interfering in those places could very likely provoke retaliation from England and other countries."

"Mr. Brisot, abolition is an issue that will take a long time to resolve..."

"Even if we wanted to promote abolition throughout the Caribbean Sea, I'm afraid we simply do not have sufficient strength."

"Please forgive us, but we truly cannot do this..."

Brisot swept his gaze over them, mockery in his eyes. "Is this what you meant by 'breaking the shackles and letting freedom and equality shine upon every inch of land watched over by God'?

"Have you fulfilled