1 sheet ([1] p.) ;|c53 x 42 cm. (fol.) Caption title

Name of printer from foot of third column

Dated and signed at end of third column: Fait au Haut-di-Cap, le 2 juillet 1793, l'an 2 de la République. Polverel, Sonthonax. Par les Commissaires civils de la République, Picqenard, sécretaire adjoint de la Commission

An exceedingly rare translation, printed mostly in Creole, of: Proclamation nous, Étienne Polverel & Léger Félicité Sonthonax, commissaires civils de la République, délégués aux iles françaises de l'Amérique sous le vent, pour y rétablir l'ordre & la tranquillité publique, [Cap-Français, i.e. Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, 1793]

This proclamation fulfills the promise made by Polverel and Sonthonax in their "emancipation proclamation" of June 21 of freedom for the slaves who came to the defence of the Republic. It spells out the procedures and requirements whereby rebel slaves could secure their freedoms in return for future military service. In addition to the proclamation, it also describes the attack on Cap-Français by General Galbaud, who had now fled the island by sea

Cf. Roquincourt, T. Marine et les colonies, 2549

Printed in three parallel columns after caption title and statement of responsibility; caption title and statement of responsibility are separated by printer's rules; engraved ornamental headpiece bearing the words "La République française" printed above caption title

"Pour copie conforme à l'original. Polverel (?)" followed by indecipherable ms. notation beneath name of printer in column three; official seal of the Commissaires nationaux-civils of Saint-Domingue beneath stamped printer's rule between columns two and three

John Carter Brown Library copy has "No. 34" in ms. hand in upper left hand corner

John Carter Brown Library copy acquired with the assistance of the Sophia Augusta Brown Fund

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