1789-July-02: Count de Moustier submitted a detailed memoir to the French foreign secretary, Montmorin, outlining a strategy to manage American commercial am…

1789-July-02: Count de Moustier submitted a detailed memoir to the French foreign secretary, Montmorin, outlining a strategy to manage American commercial ambitions without granting them full liberty of trade. He proposed a “triangular trade” where French ships would carry American flour and salted meats to Saint-Domingue, thereby keeping the shipping profits in French hands. Moustier cautioned that the United States should never be allowed to re-export sugar or coffee from the islands, as this would allow them to compete with France in European markets. He emphasized that any concessions should be viewed as acts of French “benevolence” carrying no legal obligation or treaty right. This memoir reflected the French diplomatic effort to maintain control over Saint-Domingue’s wealth while acknowledging its dependence on American resources.