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EDITORIAL
This week, the French press and a part of the international press have made a great fuss about the current bi-centenary of the Consulate's re-establishment of slavery in certain colonies (by a law of 20 May, 1802). A spectacular event at the Paris Town Hall and and a brilliant conference were organised.
Now, let us be very clear, once and for all: slavery is a detestable and criminal institution. This is a fact.
But one can see that there are two ways of looking at the problem as it appeared in 1802.
On a moral level, no doubt it is a serious fault to be put down to the Consulate's discredit and, to a large extent, the very powerful pro-colonial lobby in Bonaparte's entourage (Cambacérès, Talleyrand, Barbé-Marbois, Forfait, etc...). In this sense, the judgements of today, politically correct though they may seem to be, are completely justifiable.
If on the other, you take the historian's point of view, you have to come to conclusions about the past using the most sophisticated of decoders. In this respect, without in any way justifying it, the re-establishment of slavery in some (but not all) colonies can be explained.
You may choose one or the other point of view, with complete freedom. The worst thing, of course, would be to mix the two together.
Thierry Lentz
Director of the Fondation Napoléon
THIS MONTH'S OBJECT
Desert plate from the Emperor's "Service particulier"
An exhibition is currently being held showing the history of the famous French military school, Saint-Cyr. We bring you the Fondation's contribution to that exhibition, a plate from one of the most prestigious services ever produced by the Sèvres manufactory.
SCOOP
According to leaked information, the 'Napoléon' everyone in France is talking about, produced by France 2 (with Christian Clavier in the title role), is to be broadcast on four consecutive Mondays starting on 30 September, 2002.
The Fondation Napoléon has chosen Fayard as the publisher of the paper version of the future complete critical edition of the Correspondance of Napoléon in preparation. The first volume is to be published in the Autumn of 2004.
BIBLIOTHEQUE M. LAPEYRE - FONDATION NAPOLEON
During the month of August, the library will be open on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 1 to 6pm.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
23 June, 1802 (4 Messidor, An X), the consuls of the Republic, after a report from the Ministre de l'intérieur, and after a hearing by the Conseil d'Etat, published the following bill:
" Art. 1. In the hospices of Paris set aside for the aged and incurably infirm, there shall be 200 places exclusively reserved for men and women whose children have either served the Republic or died defending it.
II. In order to be assured of a place, those so wishing must be enrolled as paupers in the place where they are domiciled, and be able to provide justification that because of their age or infirmities, they are unable to provide for themselves the means with which to live. They must also be able to prove, by means of certificates received from the Ministries of War or the Navy, that their children have either served the Republic or died defending it.
III. Places will be apportioned by Ministre de l'intérieur, in the name of the government, and he will provide for the subsistence of those chosen drawing upon the general resources of these establishments. "
Le Moniteur universel, 6 Messidor, An X
24 June, 1802 (5 Messidor, An X), the Gazette de France announced the first results of the vote for the life Consulship: apart from the votes, not yet known but recorded by the secretariats of the different ministries and the reporters of the Appeal Courts (Tribunaux d'appel) and the Magistrate's court (Tribunal de première instance), Paris registered at that time 60,395 ayes and 80 noes. In 1789, 14,010 voters had taken part in the election of the Mayor of Paris, and the Constitution of An VIII had received on 27,675 votes.
24 June, 1802 (5 Messidor, An X), General Edouard-François Simon (1769-1827), who had acted as a cover for his superior officer Bernadotte, the initiator of the "complot des libelles" (the pamphlet plot), was arrested and interned at Quiberon. He was not reinstated to his rank until 1804, , he was "exiled" to Champagne, finally to be sent to Spain in 1809. Wounded during the battle of Busaco on 27 September, 1810, he was taken prisoner and did not return to France until four years later. He rallied to Napoleon during the Hundred Days. he was sent into retirement in 1826.
25 June, 1802 (6 Messidor, An X), France and the Sublime Porte signed a peace treaty.
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
Snippets
- Honours: William Smith made Officier of the Ordre des Arts et Lettres
- Name Change: Ajaccio airport renamed "Napoleon Bonaparte"
Just Published
Extremities: Painting empire in post-Revolutionary France, by Darcy Grimaldi Grigsby
Fondation News
Fayard chosen as publisher for the correspondance
Fondation Napoléon: report for 2001
What's on
- Exhibition: First Empire clothing at the Riversdale House Museum (USA)
- Conference: 1802, the re-establishment of slavery. Changes and continuities in French colonial policy, 1802 - 1804 - 1825 - 1830
- Re-enactment: Historical re-enactment on Elba, 21-23 June
- Re-enactment: 4th Napoleonic Bivouac - Genappe (Belgium)
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: The French Second Empire: An Anatomy of Political Power, by Roger Price
- This month's picture, Costume ball at the Tuileries Palace, by Carpeaux
- Article of the Month, Napoleonic art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, by Arie Ribon
- In the Collectors Corner, Desert plate from the Emperor's "Service particulier"
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