Louverture sabotaged a plan to spread slave revolution to Jamaica to court Britain

Evidence

Louverture proved his willingness to prevent the export of revolution in 1799, when he betrayed a conspiracy to incite a slave uprising in Jamaica. The plan—a “diabolical attempt to extend the destructive influence of French principles,” in Edward Stevens’ words—was for the revolt to pave the way for an invasion from Saint-Domingue. The Directory regime supported the idea, though Hédouville was unable to carry it out before he was expelled. In late 1799, however, a man named Sasportas—a Jew involved in contraband trade in the region—entered Jamaica secretly along with another conspirator with the intention of mobilizing slaves there. Louverture let the British know, and the two were soon captured. — Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ The Story of…, 786

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the wider picture of Louverture trading strategic containment of revolution for a British/American alliance — echoes his need for recognition discussed across the chapter.
• QUESTION: Why would the emancipator general betray a slave uprising in another colony? The strategic calculus here is worth probing against his later statements.