58 Ethel Lee Howie 



colonies and concluded his long speech by saying: "Let the 

 deputies of San Domingo declare today that they will enter an 

 assembly founded on natural rights ; that they will regard slavery 

 of the black as a crime against nations, which no political interests 

 can justify ; that they will never oppose any attempt on the part 

 of the national assembly to stop this crime; that they promise 

 that all the time this question is being considered in the assembly 

 they will not vote ; on this condition, more votes should be granted 

 but I wait till then before I shall declare the number of deputies 

 which should be accorded to them."^"^ Saint-Fargeau spoke on 

 July 4 and asked that six deputies be admitted. He thought that 

 the divisions of the island should be considered and two deputies 

 accorded to each of the three divisions.^°^ The remaining 

 deputies should have consultative voice. If twelve deputies were 

 accorded, it would give San Domingo a superiority over the 

 provinces having a smaller delegation, but not less populous. The 

 capital, he thought, should never lose its influence and the mother 

 country should never destroy itself. ^°^ 



Those who favored the admission of twelve deputies were 

 Pison du Galland, Mounier,- Dillon, Malouet and the Due 

 Choiseul de Praslin. Pison du Galland said on July 3 that it was 

 not the time to talk of the culture of the island or of distinction 

 regarding persons of color, but that the assembly was to decide 

 if more than twelve deputies should be admitted. This number 

 had already been admitted and the decision could not be revoked, 

 but more could be added should the assembly desire it.^°* 

 Mounier thought that the twelve oldest should be chosen without 

 distinction as to the noble or plebeian condition. Malouet, on 

 the other hand, thought that the twelve provisionally admitted 

 should become members of the assembly.^"^ Dillon, cure of 



301 Courrier de Provence, I, i6th letter, 17, 18. 



^'^^ Assemble e nationale, I, 348; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 

 4. The Assemblee nationale states that he desired to develop the motion 

 of Montesquiou " in the shape of an amendment." Montesquiou desired 

 four deputies while Saint-Fargeau wanted six ; Point du jour, I, 107. 



303 Assemblee nationale, I, 348. 



^^^Ihid., I, 331-332. 



305 Assemblee nationale, I, 332. 



