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1707-06-10

LETTER from the Minister on the nègres brought to France

Haitian

mo o THE INTENTION of His Majesty is that nègres who have been brought into the Kingdom by Settlers of the Islands and who refuse to return there may not be compelled to do so; but that from the moment they have, of their own free will, chosen to follow them and to go with them to America, they may no longer allege the Privilege of the Soil of France, which they appear to have renounced by their voluntary return to the place of enslavement; this is the rule that must be followed on this subject, which cannot lead to any consequence, or considerably increase the number of free nègres, because Settlers bring few, and choosing, when they are obliged to bring some to serve them, those whom they know best and in whom they have most confidence, they will be more certain that these will not wish to leave them; this rule answers the particular case concerning the négresses, whose Petitions are not to be received.

Registered at the Conseil du Cap, on 1 July 1709.

And at that of Léogane, on 5 August following.

Source  ·  p. act 01:88 Médéric Louis Élie Moreau de Saint-Méry, Loix et constitutions des colonies françoises de l'Amérique sous le Vent (Vol. 2) (1784-1790), p. act 01:88