Economy - Slavery. Lot of 4 works.

COCHIN, Augustin. L'Abolition de l'Esclavage - Tomes premier et second.

Paris, Jacques Lecoffre, 1861

Large 8vo, 214x125 mm; quarter calf and marbled boards binding, gilt titles and ornaments on the spine with 4 ribs, marbled end papers, sprinkled edges; pp. XXXVII, 483 pages; pp. 533, errata. Bookplate insidecover “Ex libri Jules Delalain”. Fine specimen.

Rare and important first edition. Cochin examines in two volumes the history of slavery and its abolition: the first volume bears the title 'Résultats de l'abolition de l'esclavage', the second 'Résultats de l'esclavage; Le * christianisme et l'esclavage '. In the introduction Cochin evokes the forerunners of the fight against slavery and for the abolition of the tract, among them Destutt de Tracy, Tocqueville and Schoelcher. In chapter III, pages 76-88, entitled "Abolition de l'esclavage par la République de 1848", Cochin cites the decree of March 4, 1848 and mentions the Arrêté of March 5. Interesting remembrance of the session of the Assembly National of 16 pluviôse an II- (4 February 1794), in which slavery was abolished in France for the first time: Cochin reproached the chief supporter of abolition, Danton, of ignoring God in his speech.

Exemplary belonged to the French writer and publisher Jules Delalain, 1810-1877, who places his ex libris in the counter-party.

Paris, Ottobre 1789 - 1 Febbraio 1790

8vo, 195x115 mm; Contemporary full leather binding, gilt ornaments on the spine, red edges; pp. 516.

Very rare first edition, with interesting news on slavery. Publication which was published in Paris three times a week during the first phase of the French revolution: these are the first 38 issues, from 3 November 1789 to 1 February 1790. Each issue generally begins with the column dedicated to the Assemblée Nationale; follow the News from Abroad, from the Province, from the Municipality, from the Districts. Concerning slavery, it contains: a news related to Franklin, "the s'est retiré des affaires publiques et ne s'occupe plus qu'à présider la sociè pour l'émancipation des esclaves" (Philadelphia, 23 November 1789, pp. 153-549 ); slavery in the French colonies. Chronicle of a revolt of black slaves in Martinique, for the false announcement by a Capuchin friar of the abolition of slavery. Revolt sedated with the killing of 80 slaves. (3 October 1789, pp. 153-54). Also a letter from Franklin to the King of France dated Philadelphia November 23, 1789 (page 339-409 and a news about Corsica and Corsica and Filippo Antonio Pasquale de 'Paoli, here called' Generale?: ?il a cherché à secourir son pays contre les attaques du despotisme.? (2 dicembre 1789, p 206). Nel 1789 Paoli si recò a Parigi e con il permesso dell'Assemblea Costituente fu rimandato in Corsica con il grado di generale. Pierre Rétat, Les Journaux de 1789. Bibliographie critique, Paris, Editions du CNRS, 1988, p. 36-39.

Paris, Chez Baudoin, Imprimeur de l?Assemblee National 1791

8vo, 200x130 mm; contemporary quarter calf binding; general title page, pp. 1p.,500. Fine copy.

Very rare first edition. Very important collection of legislative acts of the National Assembly, with some fundamental decrees related to slavery. Decree concerning the status of non-free persons in the Colonies, May 13 (p.112); Decree on people of color relating to political rights, May 15 (page 178); Decree containing the exposition of the reasons that determined the previous provisions ... on the state of persons in the Colonies, May 29 (page 345-353) This last long decree explains the reasons that led to the absence of the political rights of the people not free in the Colonies' expressed in the previous two Decrees, justifying the continuation of slavery in the French colonies The Decree of 3 May was opposed by Robespierre who intervened with a harsh sentence ? « ...Dès le moment où dans un de vos décrets, vous aurez prononcé le mot esclaves, vous aurez prononcé et votre propre déshonneur et le renversement de votre Constitution.? Segnaliamo inoltre il curioso Decreto del 31 Maggio che dispone la traslazione delle ceneri di Voltaire nella chiesa di Sainte-Gèneviève.

Collection Générale des Décrets rendus par l'Assemblee National. Mois de Mai 1791. 

Paris, Chez Baudoin, Imprimeur de l?Assemblee National 1791

8vo, 200x130 mm; contemporary quarter calf binding; general title page, pp. 1p.,500. Fine copy.

Very rare first edition. Very important collection of legislative acts of the National Assembly, with some fundamental decrees related to slavery. Decree concerning the status of non-free persons in the Colonies, May 13 (p.112); Decree on people of color relating to political rights, May 15 (page 178); Decree containing the exposition of the reasons that determined the previous provisions ... on the state of persons in the Colonies, May 29 (page 345-353) This last long decree explains the reasons that led to the absence of the political rights of the people not free in the Colonies' expressed in the previous two Decrees, justifying the continuation of slavery in the French colonies The Decree of 3 May was opposed by Robespierre who intervened with a harsh sentence ? « ...Dès le moment où dans un de vos décrets, vous aurez prononcé le mot esclaves, vous aurez prononcé et votre propre déshonneur et le renversement de votre Constitution.? Segnaliamo inoltre il curioso Decreto del 31 Maggio che dispone la traslazione delle ceneri di Voltaire nella chiesa di Sainte-Gèneviève.