1788-March-12: Count de Moustier, the French minister to the United States, reported to his government that American merchants were conducting an extensive a…

1788-March-12: Count de Moustier, the French minister to the United States, reported to his government that American merchants were conducting an extensive and sophisticated smuggling trade with Saint-Domingue. He observed that legal restrictions meant to protect French domestic commerce were largely ineffective, as Americans frequently bypassed formal customs by utilizing isolated bays and bribing local officials. Moustier argued that these illegal activities were so pervasive that they undermined the authority of the French crown in the colony. He warned that unless France offered more legitimate commercial concessions, the Americans would continue to dominate the island’s economy through contraband. This report highlighted the growing inability of the French “Exclusif” system to prevent the economic integration of Saint-Domingue and the United States.