1794 and 1802 France and Slavery

[allodial]

This might be of interest to some:

Slavery was first abolished in France in 1794, then definitively abolished in 1848.

On 4 February 1794, the First Republic (Convention) voted for the abolition of slavery in all French colonies. The abolition decree stated that "the Convention declares the slavery of the Blacks abolished in all the colonies; consequently, all men, irrespective of colour, living in the colonies are French citizens and will enjoy all the rights provided by the Constitution."

Restored by the Consulate in 1802, slavery was definitively abolished in 1848 by the Second Republic, on Victor Schoelcher’s initiative.(Source)

However it appears that 1802 "restoration" was ONLY pertinent to French colonies invovled in growing sugarcane.

1802 The First Consul Napoleon re-introduces slavery on French colonies growing sugarcane.(Source)

And also:

May 20 – By the Law of 20 May 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte reinstates slavery in the French colonies, revoking its abolition in the French Revolution.(Source)

What did such mean for the Colony of Louisiana? Could there be some series of events which in the U.S. which mirrored these abolitions in France? Isn't it interesting that slavery was "reinstated" in 1802..just before 1803 (the Louisiana Purchase)?

1762: Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762) signed, by which France secretly ceded Louisiana to Spain

1763: Treaty of Paris signed by which France ceded the east side of the Mississippi and Canada to Great Britain prompting a Cajun migration to French controlled New Orleans and the west side of the river. Louisiana, including New Orleans is ceded to Spain.

[David Merrill]

What do you know about this symbol?

[allodial]

The hand in coat?



Perhaps related to "the Lion's Paw"?



Or "the Hidden Hand" or...



both?

[allodial]

Left is Major Robert Anderson of the Confederate Army and at right is General George McClellan, Union General of the Army of the Potomac.


The hidden hand.. conveniently slavery is "reinstated" just before Louisiana reverts to France and then the "slaves" are sold to the United States?

[shikamaru]

How convenient that one's rights can be created or abolished at will of the executive !!

Civil rights at its best?

[David Merrill]

I presumed that it originated because a professional artist would charge extra to paint hands. If you look, hands are as unique as faces and really quite hard to capture. That gesture though would have been done away with come photography.

Thank you for the graphic description!

[allodial]

I presumed that it originated because a professional artist would charge extra to paint hands. If you look, hands are as unique as faces and really quite hard to capture. That gesture though would have been done away with come photography.

Very good point.

[allodial]

How convenient that one's rights can be created or abolished at will of the executive !!

Civil rights at its best?

Or... did Napoleon even have the authority to sell the Colony or to even make any laws affecting the colony? I recall reading somewhere that US government heads regarded the original French government that they knew to be no longer exist. That could mean that a reversion happened in for the Colony of Louisiana. But who told the French Colonists that they were free and sovereign?

"Who will inform the {slave} that he is free?" Abraham Lincoln, "Peoria Speech" (16 Oct 1854), p 221, asking rhetorically.

[shikamaru]

Or... did Napoleon even have the authority to sell the Colony or to even make any laws affecting the colony? I recall reading somewhere that US government heads regarded the original French government that they knew to be no longer exist. That could mean that a reversion happened in for the Colony of Louisiana. But who told the French Colonists that they were free and sovereign?

Authority works many times by assumption .

[allodial]

Authority works many times by assumption .

Or even better question..was the colony anything more than a few lots and buildings?

[shikamaru]

This might be of interest to some:



However it appears that 1802 "restoration" was ONLY pertinent to French colonies invovled in growing sugarcane.


And also:



What did such mean for the Colony of Louisiana? Could there be some series of events which in the U.S. which mirrored these abolitions in France? Isn't it interesting that slavery was "reinstated" in 1802..just before 1803 (the Louisiana Purchase)?

The Haitian Rebellion was very costly to France. That's the reason why the Louisiana Purchase was sold to the US.

Ultimately, France lost. The Haitian Rebellion is the ONLY slave revolt successful in deposing an established government in 6000 years of human history.