LETTER of the Minister to the Administrators, concerning an introduction of foreign Black people into the Southern Part of Saint-Domingue; and the Outfittings made in the Colonies for the Coast of Africa

I have seen with regret, Sirs, from your letter of 14 January last, that the complaints that had been addressed by the Chamber of Le Havre, about the permission you had granted to introduce 4,000 foreign Black people into Saint Domingue, were well founded. Whether French or Foreign Vessels were used for this introduction is a rather indifferent detail, which does not prevent this breach of the prohibitive Laws from being very alarming for the French trade in the traite, although in truth it has suffered little harm from it, because of the period of the introduction of the Black people, and of the part of the Colony for which you permitted it. I am moreover surprised that you did not report at the time on an operation so considerable, and on the reasons that had determined you to it: the need of the moment was not a sufficient reason. It is important, as I have indicated to you, to maintain the confidence of Commerce so as not to slow its speculations.