Chapter 614: The Sugar Wars
Ogé froze for several seconds, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
Brissot nodded firmly. "Absolutely. The King's decree is with me."
Ogé, barely able to contain his emotions, asked, "How much will each enslaved person have to pay for their freedom?"
Brissot placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "There will be no cost and no restrictions, my friend. Everyone will be granted freedom, completely and unconditionally."
Ogé's heart raced as he looked at Brissot with suspicion. "You're not here to stall for time while a military force marches toward Port-au-Prince, are you?"
"I swear before God," Brissot replied solemnly. "There is no conspiracy, no army. Slavery in Saint-Domingue is now history."
Ogé asked him repeatedly to confirm this. When he was finally convinced, he began crossing himself fervently, overwhelmed and unable to speak. The dream he had fought for over decades had suddenly become a reality.
Noticing Brissot still standing, Ogé hurried to bring him a chair. "Please, sit down. This is all so sudden. Can you tell me what led His Majesty to grant us this great mercy?"
Brissot patiently explained the King and the Prince's commitment to the ideals of liberty, equality, human rights, and fraternity. As a seasoned abolitionist, Brissot eloquently articulated these principles.
Finally, he presented the abolition decree to Ogé with great formality.
Clutching the decree, Ogé nodded fervently. "Long live His Majesty! Long live the Prince!
"Mr. Brissot, let us go to the assembly immediately to announce this decree—"
Brissot raised a hand to stop him. "Mr. Ogé, I'm afraid the decree cannot be made public just yet."
Ogé froze, then his expression darkened. "I knew it! This is all a lie!"
"No, you must believe in His Majesty's commitment to abolition," Brissot said quickly. "The assembly in Saint-Domingue can immediately pass an abolition resolution. I assure you that even pro-slavery members will vote in favor.
"The French government, however, will publicly oppose it, and may even send troops as a façade, but there will be no real action."
Ogé sneered. "Why the charade?"
Brissot sighed, his face a mask of helplessness. "Please understand the government's position. Publicly abolishing slavery would severely disrupt the interests of other nations—particularly Britain, whose plantations in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles rely heavily on enslaved labor.
"If France announces abolition, enslaved people in other countries will demand their freedom too. This would bring immense diplomatic pressure on France. Therefore, we must proceed discreetly…"
Ogé sank back into his chair, his anger dissipating.
He knew the envoy was right. Nations like Britain, the United States, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands all depended on slavery. They would undoubtedly oppose France's abolition policy. Excessive international pressure could force France to abandon abolition altogether.
"I apologize for my outburst," Ogé said, bowing his head. His voice carried newfound hope. "This will take time, but abolition will eventually be accepted by all nations.
"Ah, as for Britain—they have been quite supportive of abolition in Saint-Domingue. The Duke of Leeds even visited Port-au-Prince recently to fund the abolitionist movement…"
Ogé's words weren't a slip. He was sending a message to Brissot: if the French government breaks its promise, the abolitionists have alternatives.
He quickly added with a smile, "But now that abolition has been achieved, we no longer need the movement. There's no reason to maintain contact with the British."
Brissot's suspicion flared. "Did you say the British supported your movement?"
"They did."
"What kind of support did they provide?"
"Well…"
"Be honest. I know you were planning an uprising. Were the British involved in this?"
After a moment's hesitation, Ogé admitted, "Yes, we were preparing for an armed protest. The Duke of Leeds was part of the plan. He supplied flintlock muskets and cannons and promised monthly provisions worth £30,000."
The British had never anticipated that France would willingly abandon Saint-Domingue. Their efforts to infiltrate the abolitionist movement were now exposed, losing all leverage.
Ogé, seeking to demonstrate sincerity, added, "I assure you, once the assembly passes the abolition act, our armed forces will disband immediately."
"No, your forces must remain intact…"
Brissot paused mid-sentence.
According to the Prince's plan, Ogé's forces would secretly collaborate with the Saint-Domingue governor's troops to drive the Bookman Revolt's radicals toward British Jamaica, where they would wreak havoc on the British.
Meanwhile, Saint-Domingue's French forces would feign weakness, abandoning vast amounts of weapons and supplies to Ogé's army. From there, Ogé's abolitionist forces would spread to the Bahamas and the Lesser Antilles, ultimately dismantling the Caribbean's plantation-based economy.
This would leave France with only the loss of Saint-Domingue, while Britain would suffer catastrophic damage to its sugar-producing regions, including Jamaica and its vital cotton plantations.
The abolitionist movement could even ripple into Brazil, devastating Portugal's economy—Brazil being its economic linchpin.
As the first nation to "suffer" from abolition, France would face no accusations of manipulation.
If 80% of the world's sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean were destroyed, France's beet sugar industry would gain control of Europe's sugar market.
But Ogé's revelation of British involvement introduced a new dynamic. Perhaps the plan could be slightly adjusted.
After a brief contemplation, Brissot said, "We'll discuss your army later.
"For now, I must relay His Majesty's expectations."
Ogé furrowed his brow but nodded. "I am at His Majesty's service."
Brissot handed over a prepared document. "The King believes that after abolition, all property in Saint-Domingue must be respected. No harm should come to plantation owners."
"Of course," Ogé agreed.
Brissot continued, "Plantations will still require workers to operate. Freed individuals should remain on their current plantations for two years, receiving fair wages and proper respect from their employers."
After a moment's thought, Ogé nodded. "That is reasonable."
He understood that newly freed individuals, lacking resources, would still depend on plantations for survival. Fair wages would encourage them to stay.
Brissot glanced at Ogé, then added, "Plantations damaged by the Bookman Revolt should receive compensation, and those responsible for the violence must be punished."
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