Their habits of command, fortune, intelligence, energy, boldness, naturally pointed them out as the leaders of the blacks.

They fraternised with them, they became popular amongst the blacks, from the very tinge of skin for which they had recently blushed, when in company with the whites.

They secretly fomented the germs of insurrection at the nightly meetings of the slaves.

They kept up a clandestine correspondence with the friends of the blacks in Paris.

They spread widely in the huts, speeches and papers from Paris, which instructed the colonists in their duties and informed the slaves of their indefeasible rights.