1802 (The Demand for a Legal Code): General Christophe informed Vilton that his distrust of the French generals could only be removed by the production of th…
1802 (The Demand for a Legal Code): General Christophe informed Vilton that his distrust of the French generals could only be removed by the production of the specific code of laws promised by the French Consuls. He argued that only in such a code could the inhabitants find proof of a sincere intention to maintain and consolidate the principles of “liberty and equality.” Christophe asserted that the restoration of tranquility and the reconciliation of the colony with the republic depended entirely on the open proclamation of these laws. He challenged the French to produce this documentation to prove they had not “willingly renounced” their children in the Antilles. This demand shifted the conflict from a military dispute to a requirement for legal and constitutional guarantees for the black population.