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The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
French Minister de Sartine informs British merchants that King Louis XVI has repealed prior ordinances in conquered Grenada, preserving debts between inhabitants and British subjects, establishing a French court, allowing English proprietors to manage plantations with trade restricted to French or neutral vessels, and reinstating forcibly dispossessed estates pending judicial review.
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"I acquaint you, Gentlemen, that the King has ordained and enacted, by two arrets of his Council, repealing the ordinances assigned by the Count de Durat, dated the 7th, 10th, and 19th, of July last. One of these arrets enacts, that the debts, titles, and claims, reciprocally subsisting between the inhabitants of Grenada, and the subjects of his Britannick Majesty, shall be preserved and maintained entire and inviolate. The other, at the same time that in order that the French laws shall be observed in the said island, ascertains the rules, the times, and the forms, according to which justice shall be there administered by the court of law, which his Majesty has thought proper to establish."
His Majesty has also given orders that the absent English proprietors may dispose, as they think proper, of the produce of their plantations, under this exception only, that the importations and exportations, shall be on board of French vessels, or, in case of necessity, on board neutral vessels, which shall depart from and return to France. Finally, his Majesty's intention is that the English proprietors, if there are any who have been disposed of their estates by force, shall be re-instated in their possessions by authority, reserving to those, who may have committed the violence, the right of making good their claims before the Courts of Justice; which recourse such of the English shall also have as having formerly acquired possession by force, may have been in their turn forcibly dispossessed upon the conquest of Grenada.
"You will be convinced by these arrangements of the justice, the beneficence, and moderation, which characterize the King, and from which examples to the contrary have not influenced him to depart. I am, Gentlemen, your very humble, and very obedient servant,
(Signed) DE SARTINE."
The arrangements which I have above communicated to you, annul the late ordinance of Mon. de Durat, of the 6th of September last. His Majesty has given orders to the administrators to abolish the office of conservators, established by that ordinance, and to leave the attorneys of the absent English proprietors in the full and entire power of acting for their constituents.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Grenada
Event Date
Versailles, Dec. 21
Key Persons
Outcome
repeal of ordinances dated july 7, 10, 19 and september 6; preservation of reciprocal debts and claims; establishment of french court for justice; allowance for english proprietors to dispose of plantation produce via french or neutral vessels; reinstatement of forcibly dispossessed estates with right to judicial claims.
Event Details
The King has enacted two arrets repealing prior ordinances by Count de Durat. One preserves debts, titles, and claims between Grenada inhabitants and British subjects. The other establishes rules for administering justice via a new royal court. Absent English proprietors may manage plantation produce, restricted to French or neutral vessels departing from and returning to France. Forcibly dispossessed English estates to be reinstated, with violent actors reserving judicial recourse. The September 6 ordinance is annulled, abolishing conservators' office and restoring full power to attorneys of absent English proprietors.