Thread by @_nuevaRD

@lacontraria1844 1-
Dominicans: We want to be independent. We want to walk by ourselves.

Haitians: No, no, no. We fear slavery. We gained our independence, but you don’t deserve yours. You don’t have the right to decide. We abolished slavery, but we bought our independence from France.

@lacontraria1844 2-
Haitians: No, no, your elite called Boyer because… uh, uh, uh… they feared recolonization from Spain. But please, don’t tell anybody that that elite was looking for the salvation of their economic situation under Haiti, because Haiti was in a much better state than yours.

@lacontraria1844 3-
Dominicans: How? We were born thanks to Spain. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here. The elite did what? Ohh, yes, we already knew that. Spain was in decadence, and the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo was abandoned.

@lacontraria1844 4-
Haitians: But it was your elite that sent letters to Boyer to come here.

Dominicans: Yes, we knew that already. Tell us, did those elites have slaves under their power?

Haitians: Well, we don’t know. The slaves were under Spanish hands.

@lacontraria1844 5-
Dominicans: And that elite was Spanish?

Haitians: Maybe. Why?

Dominicans: Why would that elite want to lose their slaves by calling Boyer?

Haitians: Well, they feared the powers.

Dominicans: What powers?

Haitians: France, Spain.

@lacontraria1844 6-
Dominicans: But we defeated the remaining French at Palo Hincado.

Haitians: That’s not true! We killed them all.

Dominicans: Do you know Juan Sánchez Ramírez?

Haitians: No, and he didn’t exist.

Dominicans: How do you know? So again, why did the elite call Boyer?

@lacontraria1844 7-
Haitians: To protect you from the powers.

Dominicans: Why?

Haitians: Because they wanted slaves.

Dominicans: Tell me the truth…

Haitians: That’s the truth.

Dominicans: Tell us the real truth.

@lacontraria1844 8-
Haitians: Ok… because we needed to pay the debt we gained with France for our independence. Also, since two decades before 1822, our leaders didn’t care about anyone else but ourselves. They thought that if we controlled the whole island, we would be protected, even if ...

@lacontraria1844 9-
we needed to kill all of you.

Dessalines, and especially Boyer, used many beautiful words to deceive you with promises of freedom—but only words. Because once he got control, he was going to impose his own perspective of how things were going to be. The center of everything

@lacontraria1844 10-
...was going to orbit around him.

Because of his rhetoric, you fell into his hands. Remember, you were in a weak economic and military state, and also divided politically and socially. That was the easiest way to attract you into his net, because you were in need, and ...

@lacontraria1844 11-
that pushed you to place your trust in him. And yes, the abolition of slavery was just a consequence. You didn’t come to us for that. Your elite near the border and other zones were behind that plan. They were merchants and businessmen, and they saw their pockets getting...

@lacontraria1844 12-
...poorer because of the economy. That’s why they took the easiest way.

Cáceres didn’t ask for that at first, but he surrendered, because he was facing all the problems at the same time.

@lacontraria1844 13-
In the end, he made a wise decision: to present himself as someone friendly toward Boyer. Because after all, Boyer was advancing toward Santo Domingo with an army of thousands of men, and Cáceres didn’t have another option but to remain calm and hand over power.

@lacontraria1844 14-
Dominicans: Ahh… ok. What would have happened if he didn’t surrender?

Haitians: Hehehehehe.

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