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Procès-verbal of the election of the deputies of Saint-Domingue (23/24 September 1793)

In execution of the proclamation of the civil commissioner Sonthonax, dated the 12th day of the current month ;

The majority of the electors of the parishes the Northern province of St. Domingue, which have been appointed in the diverse primary assemblies in accordance with the aforesaid proclamation, being situated in one of the rooms of the house which has formerly been called the Government, where the municipality holds its session, in order to undertake the appointment of six deputies and three substitutes to be sent to the National Convention, for the Northern province, following the decree of the National Assembly of 22 August 1792.

Said citizens have firstly gathered in an assembly, under the chairmanship of citizen Chaviteau, as the eldest, and have taken citizen Richebourg, the eldest after him, as secretary.

Afterwards, one proceeded to the verification of the powers of the diverse present electors, and the assembly that was consulted on the legality of said powers unanimously decided that they were in due form.

A member of this place observed that some electors were missing which, maybe, had been restrained or delayed by some extraordinary cause, and he proposed, although article 5 of the aforementioned Proclamation orders that the electors will proceed on this day, regardless of the number in which they find themselves, to the nomination of said deputies and substitutes ; to postpone and defer said appointment until tomorrow, 9 o'clock in the morning, in order to give said electors who are absent from the assembly the time to go there. The assembly unanimously accepts said proposition, and decided that, given the article of the proclamation which is formal and positive, a deputation would be sent to the citizen civil commissioner in order to submit the object of said proposition to him. Consequently, the citizen president has appointed the citizens Rouge and J. L. Desgrieux for this deputation, the latter, having accepted their mission, left immediately in order to go to the civil commission, and said deputies, after returning, have reported that the citizen commissioner has approved that the appointment of deputies and substitutes to the National Convention, which was to be done, would be postponed to tomorrow, and that he has even given his written authorisation in this regard, which they presented to the president who had it read by the secretary of the sitting assembly, after which it was annexed to the present procès-verbal for recourse.

And all electors who were present were considered to be informed of finding themselves here tomorrow at eight o'clock.

Made and decreed on the aforesaid day, month and year, thus signed in this minute, Chaviteau (presid.), Richebourg (secret.).

And on the 24th day of said month and year, at 9 o'clock in the morning, under the same chairmanship of citizen Chaviteau and of his secretary Richebourg, one proceeded to the verification of the powers of several electors who have arrived since yesterday, said verification did not experience any complaint.

A member has observed that, the subject of the assembly only being for the greatest good of the res publica, it was suitable to proceed to the election of deputies with all doors open, so that the public could be witness of the operations of said electors, which has been accepted unanimously and then executed.

Then, one proceeded, by voting, to the nomination of the president of the assembly, and after the counting of votes was made by provisional scrutineers, chosen for their high age, the result was that citizen Rouge has gathered the absolute majority for the place of president, he, by accepting said place, took, in the hands of the ancient president, the oath to be faithful to the French Republic and to fulfil, with fidelity and accuracy, the functions which have been confided to him, and, as elector, to choose in his soul and conscience the deputies and substitutes who are the most worthy of public confidence.

In the same way, one proceeded to the appointment of the secretary of the Assembly by the same manner of individual voting, and the absolute majority of votes appointed citizen Alexandre Bourgeois who, when accepting this position, took the same oath as the President.

The president them demanded from all electors forming the Assembly the performance of the same oath, which was immediately executed by them.

Then, the assembly proceeded to the appointment of three scrutineers and, successively, after several voting rounds, the absolute majority of votes was assembled in favour of the citizens Mainvielle, Fleury and Richebourg, who accepted said position, and promised to fulfil it well and faithfully.

After this, the electors proceeded to the election of six deputies and three substitutes for the Northern province to the National Convention in individual voting, and the majority of votes has given citizen Belley for first deputy.

The absolute majority of votes then gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Dufay for second deputy.

Then, the absolute majority of votes gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Joseph Boisson for third deputy.

The absolute majority of votes then gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Mills for third deputy.

The absolute majority of votes then gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Garnot for fourth deputy.

The absolute majority of votes then gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Mills as 5th deputy.

And finally, the absolute majority of votes gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Réchin for sixth and last deputy.

Then, one likewise proceeded, by individual voting and with the absolute majority of voices, to the appointment of three substitutes.

The result of diverse ballots gave citizen Laforest the Elder, as a result of individual voting, the absolute majority for first substitute.

Then, the absolute majority of votes gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Marc Chavannes for second substitute.

And finally, the absolute majority of votes gave, as a result of individual voting, citizen Richebourg for third and last substitute.

Then, the citizens Belley, Dufay, Garnot, Mills, all four deputies, and citizen Richebourg, substitute, presented themselves and accepted, each separately, the functions which the electoral assembly has just conferred to them in the name of the people, and each individually has taken, in the hands of the president and of the entire assembly, the oath to be faithful to the French Republic, to obey all laws of France which have been decreed and will be decreed, and to maintain Liberty and Equality with all their strength.

And given the absence of the citizens Joseph Boisson and Réchin, deputies, and of the citizens Laforest the Elder and Marc Chavanne, substitutes, it was decreed by the assembly that the president will write to each of them in order to inform them of their appointment, and to ask for their acceptance or their non-acceptance of said position.

The present procès-verbal [was] made and closed on the day, month and year given above, at three o'clock in the afternoon, and the president [has] thus signed along with the secretary in this minute, Rouge (presid.), Alexandre Bourgeois.