Discours de M. Benjamin-Constant, Député de la Seine, Dans la discussion des articles du Projet de Loi sur l’indemnité à accorder aux colons de Saint-Domingue; prononcé dans la séance du 20 mars 1826. (Extrait du Moniteur du 21 mars 1826.)
Paris: Imprimerie de Mme veuve Agasse, (1826). First edition. Published unbound. 12 p. First and last leaves slightly discoloured, torn at spine. Possessor’s inscription on first page in ink. Overall in very good condition.
Benjamin Constant’s speech regarding a draft law related to the Haiti indemnity.
After the successful slave rebellion of Saint-Domingue which culminated in the elimination of slavery and the founding of the Republic of Haiti it took more than twenty years until the French ruler, King Charles X of France recognised the independence of the island in return of 150 million gold franc indemnity in April 1825. The sum was later reduced to 90 million in 1838.
The issue of the indemnity appeared again in 2003 when the President of Haiti demanded France to pay back over 21 billion U.S. dollars, the equivalent in today’s money of the 90 million gold francs, however in 2004 the prime minister rescinded the reparations demand.
Benjamin Constant (1767-1830) was a liberal politician and writer, one of the most visible of the French liberal party; he was elected to parliament in 1819, and later became president of the cabinet.
Not in Sabin. We could trace only 3 copies in institutional holdings worldwide.
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Price: €1,500.00