1789-May-09: An “Ordonnance concernant la liberté du Commerce” was issued for the southern part of Saint-Domingue, further opening the colony’s ports to inte…

1789-May-09: An “Ordonnance concernant la liberté du Commerce” was issued for the southern part of Saint-Domingue, further opening the colony’s ports to international trade. This decree allowed for greater interaction between French enslavers and foreign merchants, particularly those from the United States and the British West Indies. While intended to boost the local economy, the ordinance also facilitated the movement of people and news across the Caribbean. The increased presence of foreign vessels provided new avenues for enslaved people and sailors to share information about global political developments. This liberalization of trade inadvertently weakened the “cordon sanitaire” that officials tried to maintain around the colony.