This is doubtless one of the finest Islands in the West Indies, whether we consider its general Soil, ... capable of bearing all the productions of the Tropics in the richest abundance; its variety of Climate, ... furnishing many temperatures, by reason of its useful proportion of Mountains, rivulets & rivers; its Salubriety, ... from a genial atmosphere; or, its extent of Territory, so great as to supply all the reasonable wants of a great population.

Its location, between the 18" & 20th Degrees of No. Latitude ensures it a perpetual Spring, & its consequent Verdure & beauty of scenery has always caused it to be regarded as the "Garden of the West Indies."

It is the general nature of this Excellent Island to be covered with Plains & Savannahs of great Extent, which are severally encircled with great Mountains, whose bosoms possess fertile glades, & whose sides are well watered  with abundant Rivulets; & the Island itself, is benefited by several Small Rivers.

This general advantage of Water, connected with the natural fertility of the Soil (every where indicated by that sure token of the Latanier, a Thatching tree) which can only grow in rich Soil) has always made this Island, which produce two thirds more in Sugar Cane on any given quantity of Land, than it's neighbouring Island Jamaica.

Its chiefest Mountains lay in the Centre & on that Eastern part, of the Island, which belongs to the Spaniards— The Western End, which has been called Hispaniola & belonged to France, is now divided between the Emperor Christophe (who seems to possess the smaller share & on the No West Quarter) and the President Boyer on the South West part— Their joint Territories, which is but one third of the Island, is much the best cultivated part, although, if we except the rich Sugar Plains of Cul de Sac, near Port au Prince & those to the East of Cape Francis, both of great extent, it is not in general so good soil, as lays Waste & wild, all over the remaining two thirds parts, held in Sovereignty by the Spaniards,¹ & called the St. Domingo Part. Their extensive Plains adjacent to their City of St. Domingo, called Llos Llanos & those of Vega-Real, more to the north, divided & watered by several Rivers, are said to be of the finest Soil in all this noble Island— But with all these natural Advantages, the few occupants seem to possess no faculties to improve them, & they are actually Content to regard the whole as a vast Range for Wild battle, so that the wild-swine, horses & horned cattle, which multiply in such abundance, as to be slain chiefly for their hides, or are sold very cheap to the French Planters in Hispaniola (with the sale of some Mahogany) is all the benefit they seem to derive from their ample Domains! Sugar, Tobacco, Cacao, & Indigo, which used to be more cultivated there, is now little more attended to, than for domestic use; and the population which remains, is like the remnant of a City, rather than the Masters of a wide spread Country. They are not exceeding 3000 Whites of mixed Indian & African character, & 15,000 Slaves— This is all that remains by their Conquest of this Island, & the cruel butchery of one million of innocent Natives! But this desolate state, of a once Garden-Country, furnishes a reason why hopes may be entertained that Spain, to whom it was never productive & where since the time of the Buccaniers, it has been chiefly a wild-cattle Country, may be the easier disposed to part with it for the use a black population. Her disposition to part with it easily, has been already manifested, in its having been given to Buonaparte.

The French part of the Island however, clearly proves the value of the Island, to those who have ingenuity & industry enough to rise the Soil.

To aid the judgment in this comparision the following data will be proper for Consideration— The French with a population of 31,000 whites, 440,000 Country Slaves, 45,000 town Slaves & mechanics, & 24,000 Free people of colour, occupying in tillage 2 1/3 millions of Acres, two thirds of which was situate on the Mountains, & employing 16,000 horses & mules & 12,000 horned cattle acquired a valued property of 600 millions of Doll[ar]s— They cultivated 800 Sugar Plantations, 3100 of Coffee, 3200 of Indigo & 800 of Cotton, producing in Comparative Value vizt of Coffee in proportion to Sugar 1/3d, of Cotton to Coffee 1/3d, & Indigo, was one 1/3d more than Coffee— Their Exports to Europe was about 28 millions of Dollars & employed 500 Ships & 11,000 Seamen; & the Exports by Foreigners were about 2 millions of Dollrs more. Their Imports from France was equal to 12 millns of Dollrs more. They usually imported 30,000 negroes annually (equal to the permanent white population!) at an average expense of about 275 Drs each. The preceeding Estimates are derived from Public Registers at the Commencement of the internal Wars, about the year 1790 & may be found Confirmed in various parts of Bryan Edwards' West Indies. & in Walter's present State of the Spanish Colonies.

To judge further of the importance of this Island, as a desireable assylum for the Black population from the U. States, we are to consider, its ability to supply the wants of any future encreased population: to this End, it is proposed to compare it with other known territories—Its own Extent is 320 miles long by 150 miles Wide, producing an Area of 28,000 Square miles; thus equal in magnitude to either Scotland or Ireland— If compared, with well known parts of our own Country it is more than three times as large as either Massachusits, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maryland; Five times, as large as New Jersey; & Seven times as large as Connecticut–

If we estimate its ability to support its population by that of other known countries, the result will be as follows, vizt: if as China proper, by 280 inhabitants to the square mile, it will Allow place for Eight millions; if as the netherlands at 240 allows six & half millions; if as England, at 180, allows five millions; if as Ireland, four & half millions; if as Scotland, Connecticut, or Massachusets at 60, the least possible computation, allows one & half millions.

The inference, then, from all this Data is, that if we admit the population at the medium rate of England, the Island may compute an ability to sustain Five millions of Inhabitants— That this is sufficiently low, is confirmed by the Fact, that the actual population of the French part of Hayti before the War in 1790, was 540,000, which occupying 2 1/3 millions of Acres, which was less than 1/7th of the whole Island, confirms the fact of Four millions having been its actual ratio, even in a State of Slavery.

This is the Island, which is now offered to the consideration of those Americans, who possessing a gross number of one million of Slaves from Maryland to Georgia inclusive, are purposing to transport their Surplus—