Chapter 658: Political Gains
Oréol had recently received £50,000 from the Saint-Domingue "Abolition Alliance"—yes, the same money the British had paid to Brissot earlier. Using these funds, he procured essential supplies for his troops.
Taking advantage of Jamaica's governor sending reinforcements to the Bahamas, Oréol led his forces to reoccupy Kingston.
Meanwhile, Jones returned to Barbados with his vengeance burning and £50,000 in hand. He had expected to lie low for a while before reigniting the resistance. But surprisingly, the British soon left Barbados to reinforce the Bahamas.
Seizing this golden opportunity, Jones swiftly rallied hundreds of black soldiers and began raiding sugar plantations.
Thus, the independence movements across the Caribbean surged like a hurricane, an unstoppable wave of liberation.
Blame and Fury
In the officer's meeting room aboard the British third-rate warship Black Mountains, General Bland slammed his fists on the table, glaring at Gallisonnière across from him:
"If it weren't for your incompetence and cowardice, we wouldn't have been defeated by those damn blacks! You, and the French government, bear full responsibility for the debacle in the Bahamas!"
Bland shot a glance at Spanish commander García Cortés, hoping for his support.
Gallisonnière sneered and shouted back, louder than Bland:
"Who bribed that greedy envoy to redirect my troops away from Fort Maqua to reinforce Nassau?
"It was you!
"Your foolish decision led to Maqua's fall. When my soldiers learned that they had lost their supply base, their morale plummeted, leaving them vulnerable to the black insurgents' ambush.
"You, General Bland, are the one responsible for all of this!"
Cortés sided with Gallisonnière, saying:
"We should have reinforced Fort Maqua instead. In hindsight, your operational decisions were clearly flawed."
"You... both of you..." Bland stammered in rage.
Gallisonnière cut him off coldly:
"My government will file a formal protest with Britain over this matter!"
Cortés shook his head and added:
"General Bland, your string of mistakes has caused the entire Caribbean situation to deteriorate."
Saint-Domingue's First President
Meanwhile, in Saint-Domingue, Vincent Ogé was overwhelmingly elected as the country's first president.
The day after his inauguration, Ogé held a pivotal meeting with Brissot and senior members of his government at the parliamentary building.
Brissot began with an impassioned speech:
"Without a doubt, this is a victory for liberty and equality! This land is a great and hopeful nation. Congratulations to you all, and to the Republic of Saint-Domingue!"
Ogé replied humbly:
"This is all thanks to the benevolence of His Majesty and the guidance of His Royal Highness the Prince. Saint-Domingue, and all those freed across the Caribbean, will forever remember their generosity!"
Other officials enthusiastically echoed their gratitude toward France.
After the formalities, Ogé got to the heart of the matter:
"Honored envoy, you must know that the newly founded republic faces daunting challenges.
"Our foremost concern is the military threat posed by Britain and Spain."
Ogé was not exaggerating. While Saint-Domingue remained a French colony, it had become the epicenter of the Caribbean abolitionist movement. To suppress the abolitionist uprisings in their colonies, the British needed to eliminate this "command center" first.
The next British expeditionary force to the Caribbean was almost certain to target Saint-Domingue.
At the same time, Spain, eager to protect its own colony on Hispaniola, might join the British campaign.
French Support
Brissot nodded and offered a reassuring smile:
"Since our expeditionary forces have 'surrendered,' all their weapons and equipment will now belong to you. That should allow you to arm an army of over 10,000 soldiers.
"I also plan to travel to America to procure additional weapons.
"You must take advantage of the coming months to recruit as many soldiers as possible.
"Additionally, I am confident that insurgent forces from other regions will find ways to assist you."
"Thank you for your generosity!" exclaimed a middle-aged, balding man—Saint-Domingue's newly appointed Finance Minister, Straut.
"But such a large army will require substantial funding, and the Parliament cannot afford it."
Brissot nodded, expecting this concern, and replied:
"You need not worry. His Royal Highness the Prince has already approved a loan of 5 million francs for Saint-Domingue. This should be sufficient to defeat the British."
In Europe, 5 million francs wouldn't cover the costs of a major campaign. But in the Caribbean, it was an enormous sum. Black soldiers required no pay—providing food and shelter was enough to motivate them to fight, as defeat meant returning to plantation slavery or, worse, execution.
Moreover, expenditures on uniforms, boots, and tents could be minimized.
With 5 million francs spent on food and ammunition, Saint-Domingue could sustain an army of 10,000 for one to two years.
Ogé and his officials beamed with excitement:
"This is excellent news!"
"With these funds, we can definitely defend Saint-Domingue!"
"Thanks to His Royal Highness the Prince—our beacon of freedom!"
Straut hesitated before cautiously asking:
"Mr. Brissot, may I inquire about the interest rate on this loan? As you know, Saint-Domingue's finances are under significant strain after the recent turmoil."
"33%," Brissot replied. "Saint-Domingue carries significant repayment risks, so His Highness could not convince the banks to offer a lower rate."
Straut nodded solemnly. He knew that as a fledgling nation at odds with Britain, Saint-Domingue had no other lenders. But such a high interest rate was almost unbearable for the republic.
Brissot, noticing his concern, added with a sly smile:
"Of course, His Highness is aware of your financial difficulties. He has instructed me to waive the interest."
"Really?!"
Straut, Ogé, and the other officials were visibly overjoyed, their faces lighting up as they turned to the French envoy.
Brissot nodded.
"Absolutely. His Highness has only one small condition."
"Please, tell us! We are ready to serve His Highness at any time!"
"For the next ten years, all sugar produced in Saint-Domingue must be sold exclusively to buyers with a trade permit authorized by His Highness."
Brissot added, "You don't need to worry about pricing. It will not fall below 70% of the landed price in Philadelphia."
Given the transport, labor, and merchant profit margins, sugar sold in Philadelphia typically fetched 25–30% more than its production cost. The proposed rate was undeniably fair.
Ogé and Straut exchanged a glance before nodding decisively:
"We are deeply grateful to His Highness. This condition is entirely reasonable."
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