Autograph Letter Signed to Cyrille Charles Auguste Bissette, Paris August 10, 1834
12mo, 2 1/3 pages, formerly folded, postal markings on integral address leaf, in very good clean condition.
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Very interesting letter from Laisné de Villevêque to Cyrille Bissette (1795-1858) Black politician and abolitionist born in Martinique, he was involved in the so called "Bissette affaire," whose anti-slavery activities begin to be radicalized about this time. Bisette was born July 9, 1795 at Fort Royal (now Fort-de France) Martinique, and died on January 22, 1858 in Paris. He was a leader of efforts to abolish slavery in the French Colonies and member of the National Assembly from Martinique from 1848-1851.
Gabriel Joseph Laisné de Villevêque was an ardent proponent of French imperialism; among other ventures. He opposed Bonaparte's sale of the Louisiana Territory in 1803, championed expeditions to West Africa, and supported unsuccessful French colonization efforts in Mexico. He was an opponent of the slave trade and proposed the gradual abolition of slavery. In the early Restoration, he appeared a particularly vocal supporter of the rights of the gens de couleur. Laisné de Villevêque is the probable author of an 1823 pamphlet entitled: De la situation des gens de couleur libres aux Antilles françaises, the circulation of which provoked the Cyrille Bissette affair, a major cause célèbre over the status of free people of color in Martinique. This pamphlet was circulated by Bissette in early December 1823. The work was a denunciation of the slave system, it advocated for the civil rights of free blacks in the Caribbean colonies and proposed the gradual redemption of slaves, free schools for the new freedmen and the abolition of corporal punishment of slaves. Bissette was arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to perpetual banishment from French territory he appealed and was subsequently branded with the letters "GAL" and sentenced to the galleys for life. A subsequent appeal reversed this extreme sentence and he was sentenced to a ten year period of banishment from French colonies.
Bissette removed to Paris where he was able to give voice to his now radicalized views on the issue of abolition. He proposed, in 1832, with Fabien and Louis Richard Mondesir in the Journal des Debats a negotiated solution which would avoid bloodshed. He founded shortly thereafter the Societe des hommes de Couleur and in 1834 the Revue des Colonies and became its director, publication lasted until 1843. The goal of Bissette and his journal was the immediate abolition of slavery in the French Colonies.
After the decree abolishing slavery on April 27, 1848, Bissette was elected in the National Assembly's August elections and in 1849 returned to St. Pierre from his exile. He was involved in a series of political struggles on the island with Victor Schoelcher and held his seat in the Assembly until 1851.
Laisné de Villevêque writes in part:
"Mon tres cher & honorable ami,
... je vous fournirai quelques articles intèrisans pour votre excellent journal. La publicité épouvantera ... sur les pachas & les séides qui tyrannissant les colonies.
J'accepterai avec plaisir a faire partie de l'Association pour L'Abolition de l'esclavage, & me rendrai chez mon ancient colleague Laborde Aujourdhui pour cela depuis Le Restoration j'ais été le 1er qui ai pris la dèfense des castes opprimer dans les colonies, & serai charme d'honorer la fin de ma vie, en contribuant a L'abolition de l'esclavage il y a 14 a 15 ans j'ai proposé l'affranchissement avec indemnite aux colons, d'un 20 mille des esclaves chaque année, en serant tomber les chois sur les plus laborieux & les meilleurs sujets.
L'affranchissement serait complet en ce moment on serait prêt a l'être.
Je regrette que la corruption & l'intrigue non moins que las séduction ai ent empeché mon nomination a la chamber; malgré les malheurs immenses que j'ai eprouvis dans ma fortune je pouvais encore payer le cours ..."
