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Saint-Domingue Grain Shortage of 1789

Cocherel, Nicolas-Robert, marquis de

[Caption title:] Réflexions de M. de Cocherel, Député de Saint-Domingue, Sur le Rapport du Comité des Six.

Paris: Chez Clousier, Imprimeur du Roi, (1789 or 1790). First edition. In later half leather, spine gilt. Bound by Claude Honnelaitre. Some pages misbound, but complete. 16 p. In fine condition.

Cocherel's paper concerning the importation of American grain to Saint-Domingue to alleviate famine.

In his pamphlet Nicolas-Robert Cocherel (1741–1826) an early supporter of liberalized trade with Saint Domingue, urges the Comité des Six, a commercial and agricultural committee, to evaluate the request of the Deputies of Saint Domingue in regards to potential famine, to open all of Saint-Domingue’s ports to foreign trade of grain and flour. He claims that the famine turned into a political question and attacks François Barbé-Marbois, the intendant of Saint-Domingue, for putting his personal interests ahead of public good. “Citing his experience during the American War for Independence, in which no harm was done to French commercial interests by doing so, he pleads that Saint Domingue ports be opened to U.S. ships.”

(JCB Library; Paphlet Wars. Arguments on Paper from the Age of Revolutions. url: http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/John_Carter_Brown_Library/exhibitions/pamphletWars/pages/revolution.html; A Colony in Crisis: The Saint-Domingue Grain Shortage of 1789. url: http://colonyincrisis.lib.umd.edu/1789/11/10/m-de-cocherels-reflections-deputy-of-saint-domingue-on-the-report-from-the-comite-des-six/#_ftnref5)

Sabin 14056 and 14057.

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Price: €1,500.00