On this day in ...... 1848, the Conseil of the provisional government of France issued Décret relatif à l'abolition de l'esclavage dans les colonies et les possessions françaises, which outlawed slavery in all French territories. The decree stated in part:
A l'avenir, même en pays étranger, il est interdit à tout Français de posséder, d'acheter ou de vendre des esclaves, et de participer, soit directement, soit indirectement à tout trafic ou exploitation de ce genre. Toute infraction à ces dispositions entraînera la perte de la qualité de citoyen français.
That is,
In the future, even in foreign countries, every French person is forbidden to possess, to purchase, or to sell slaves, and to participate directly or indirectly in the trafficking or exploitation of slaves. Every infraction of this provision will be subject to loss of French citizenship.
This was not France's 1st go-round on the issue: Slavery had been abolished in 1794, during the French Revolution, but then was reinstated in 1802 by Napoleon. (credit for photo of 1998 commemorative stamp)
(Prior April 27 posts are here, here, and here)
