1790-May-20: The General Assembly of the French part of Saint-Domingue enacted a series of strict measures to control the movement of “masterless” people and…

1790-May-20: The General Assembly of the French part of Saint-Domingue enacted a series of strict measures to control the movement of “masterless” people and the distribution of radical literature. This was a reaction to the increasing instability in Port-au-Prince and the growing confidence of the gens de couleur. The decree authorized the military to seize any publications that had not been approved by the colonial authorities. It also mandated the registration of all foreigners and mobile laborers within the city limits. These repressive measures aimed to create a total “cordon sanitaire” around the colony to prevent the entry of egalitarian principles.