1799-June-26: President John Adams issued an official proclamation formally reopening commercial intercourse with the ports of Saint-Domingue under Toussaint…

1799-June-26: President John Adams issued an official proclamation formally reopening commercial intercourse with the ports of Saint-Domingue under Toussaint’s control. The President acted on his authority under the Non-Intercourse Act after receiving satisfactory assurances that French privateering had effectively ceased in those areas. This proclamation was technically issued before the official news of the June 13 convention had reached the United States, showing the administration’s eagerness to proceed. It allowed American merchants to legally export food and supplies to the island in exchange for colonial staples like sugar and coffee. This executive action solidified the “quasi-alliance” and provided the economic lifeblood necessary for Toussaint to maintain his autonomous regime.