An Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An - Essay Example The first article is a deposition by one Francois Lapierre, â€Å"a man of color from the small town of Petit Anse† (Lapierre 222) who is a sublieutenant in the Compagnie Beaubert of the National Guard of the town (Lapierre 223). Traveling to Cap Francais on business his boat is stopped and boarded by another boat looking for free black men to arrest that they believe are part of a revolution. He resists and white soldiers, including its captain try to protect him and other coloreds threatening to kill the white French sailors if they dare try to take him. (Lapierre 223). Over time he is transferred to several ships, including the Jupiter where officers protect him from the violent crew who want to â€Å"cut off his head† (Lapierre 224). Lapierre and other coloreds are eventually assured of safety by Cambis and Roussel but are falsely accused as â€Å"agents of the...Commissioners† (Lapierre 227) [a group backing the cause of the slaves], and without trial are su bsequently condemned at one point to death. He eventually finds his way to an American vessel and is transported safely home to Petit Anse with the help of French dignitaries. It is hard to say whether I believe his story or not since the deposition was apparently not corroborated by other witnesses. Although he does not appear political, one might ask does he want to return home for sentimental reasons or to perhaps rejoin his fighting comrades? The second article, The Oge Insurrection, concerns Vincent Oge, a free man of color, overtly political and an official representative of freed blacks to the French government (Verneuil 45) who leads a brief insurrection in 1791 to convince the Assembly to approve political rights to free black men, a move fiercely opposed by white plantation owners. The account of Oge’s insurrection is told by Louis-Francois-ReneVerneuil , white plantation owner. From that perspective one must challenge its recounting as undoubtedly