A judicial turning point in the French West Indies

Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville (1776-1857).

Ordonnance du Roi portant établissement de l'enregistrement à la Martinique, à la Guadeloupe et dans ses dépendances, et à la Guyane française.

Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1829.

4°. 122 pp. With the woodcut coat of arms of France on title-page.

Contemporary coloured marbled calf with gold-tooled borders, smooth gold-tooled spine with title label in red morocco, gilt edges. 

First and only edition of an ordonnance of significant governmental administration reform in the colonial French Antilles and Guyana. This copy beautifully bound and from the library of Proser de Barante (1782-1866). The rare ordinance declares that the registration of anything official will have to be centrally administered and paid for, meaning a farewell to the colonial ways of administration that was largely conducted by plantations. It was modelled after the successful administrative reform in the French East Indies in 1804. The fees for registering several specific matters, such as the transfer of deeds, are introduced in this book. The responsible official for this reform program was Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville, Minister of Colonies. In the foreword he declares that the proposed reform was controversial and met much resistance in the West Indies, particularly because it would cost the citizens much more to do their business, while the plantations would lose income and authority. However, Hyde de Neuville counters that the fees for registration in the French Antilles will be significantly lower than those on the mainland.

Condition: Minor wear to joints and corners of binding. Slight foxing. Otherwise in very good condition.

Reference: Ephémerides orientalistes 168-172, 1957: nr. 227 “rare”.

Provenance: Exlibris “Bibliotheque de Mr. de Barante” and library mark on front paste-down from Amable-Guillaume-Prosper Brugière de Barante (Proser de Barante, 1782-1866).