In
the name of the French Nation,
The provisional government,
Considers that Slavery is an attempt to human dignity, that the destruction of men's free will suppresses the natural principle of Right and Duty, and that Slavery is a blatant violation of the French republican dogma: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity".
The provisional government,
Considers that Slavery is an attempt to human dignity, that the destruction of men's free will suppresses the natural principle of Right and Duty, and that Slavery is a blatant violation of the French republican dogma: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity".
Considers
that effective measures must follow the proclamation of the principle
of Abolition in order to avoid disgraceful disorders in French colonies.
And decrees :
---Article
1---
Slavery will be totally abolished in every French colonies and possessions, two months after the promulgation of this decree. Since the promulgation of this decree, every corporal punishments and every sales of slave people
And decrees :
---Article
1---Slavery will be totally abolished in every French colonies and possessions, two months after the promulgation of this decree. Since the promulgation of this decree, every corporal punishments and every sales of slave people
will
be forbidden.
---Article
2---
The engaging system set up in Senegal is abolished.
---Article
3---
---Article
2---The engaging system set up in Senegal is abolished.
---Article
3--- 
Governors and general commissioners of the Republic are in charge of applying every measures to assure freedom for slaves in Martinique, in Guadeloupe, in Reunion, in French Guyana, in Senegal and other French trading posts of the west coasts of Africa, in Mayotte, and in Algeria.
---Article
4---
Every former slaves who were condemned to corporal or prison penalties for acts that would not have been punished if they were committed by free people, are amnestied. People who were administratively deported will be called back.
---Article
5---
The
French National Assembly will institute the amount of the indemnity which
will be paid to colonists.
---Article
6---
Colonies where Slavery disappeared and French possessions in India will be represented in the French National Assembly.
---Article
6---Colonies where Slavery disappeared and French possessions in India will be represented in the French National Assembly.
---Article
7---The principle which establishes that "every slave who reaches French territory is emancipated" is applicable to colonies and possessions of the French Republic.
---Article
8---
In
the future, and even in foreign countries, we forbid every French to have,
to buy, or to sell slaves, and to takepart
directly or indirectly in every traffic or exportation of that kind. Every
offence to these dispositions will lead to the loss of French citizenship.
Nevertheless, French who will suffer these prohibitions will have three
years to conform to the law since the promulgation of the decree.
---Article
9---
---Article
9---
The
minister of Navy and colonies, and the minister of War are in charge of
the execution of this decree.
Made in Paris, in the Council of the Government, on April 27th 1848.
Signed by the members of the provisional government.
Made in Paris, in the Council of the Government, on April 27th 1848.
Signed by the members of the provisional government.
Remarks
:
Liberty and Equality principles, inherited from the French
Revolution, planned the theory of the political assimilation of colonies
put in practice by the republican governments of the 19th century.
The period of two months should have allowed to finish the harvesting of sugar cane. But the governors of Martinique and then Guadeloupe, proclaimed slaves' liberty as from the 23rd and 27th of May, because of the growing threat of Slaves' rebellions, who were informed of the decision made in Paris by English letters.
The period of two months should have allowed to finish the harvesting of sugar cane. But the governors of Martinique and then Guadeloupe, proclaimed slaves' liberty as from the 23rd and 27th of May, because of the growing threat of Slaves' rebellions, who were informed of the decision made in Paris by English letters.
The
Article 2 abolished the "in time" engaging system,
put in practice to develop the economy of the Senegalese valley, which
allowed the recruiting of slaves who were officially released with a promise
for emancipation.
The originality of the French decree was in its Article 6, which planned the election of colonies' representatives in the French Parliament, elected at universal suffrage (by men above 21 years-old).
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The originality of the French decree was in its Article 6, which planned the election of colonies' representatives in the French Parliament, elected at universal suffrage (by men above 21 years-old).
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Victor
Schoelcher, deputy for Martinique and Guadeloupe,
contributed to the passing of the decree of 1848.
He had been struggling for a long time
for the Abolition of Slavery.
contributed to the passing of the decree of 1848.
He had been struggling for a long time
for the Abolition of Slavery.
