Convention free-Dutchwoman of November 28th, 1839

Convention free-Dutchwoman of November 28th, 1839

This convention relates to " arrangements of good friendship on news bases" of the Treaty of the Agreements of Concordia signed nearly 2 centuries earlier, on March 23rd 1648, between French and Dutchman, who defined the division and the coadministration of the island of Saint Martin's day in the the Antilles. They are in theory changes in form, " without anything to change with the fond" , relating to only hunting, fishing, the common exploitation of the saltworks and the extradition of the delinquents.

However, the preamble to this convention considers that " the treaty of March 23rd, 1648… forever be strictly observé" and its article 1st stipulate that " the Treaty of 1648 and all those which could be concluded since… will be considered of any effect and will be cancelled by these présentes" , after approval of this convention by the Governors of Suriname and the Guadeloupe.

Here the text of this convention:

Les aforesaid concordant being joined together with the Government with Philipsburg, the Commander Particulier of the Dutch part gave communication to the Commander Particulier of the French part of a dispatch of Its Excellence Mister Against Admiral General governor of the Dutch Colonies residing at Paramaribo, Capitale of Suriname. This dispatch dated September 10th of this numbered year 1199, authorizing Mister the Commander of the Dutch part to agree of arrangements of good friendship on new bases relating to the Convention of March 23rd, 1648, having report/ratio at the Community of the Saltworks of the two parts of the island.

Les contracting parties considering that the treaty of March 23rd, 1648 authorized by the two respective governments at that time so distant strictly observed forever and that because of the amount of time which ran out since and of the political events which are succédé, it was necessary to change the form without anything it to change at the bottom, fell from agreement that, in the interest of the inhabitants of the two parts of the island and to maintain the good intelligence which always remained between the two dependences, the treaty of 1648 would not be faded in its form, which as much their Excellence the Governors Suriname and Guadeloupe would have approved the following conditions:

Article 1st - the Treaty of 1648 and all those which could since then be concluded between the authorities of the Dutch part and the authorities of the part French will be considered of any effect and cancelled by these present.

Article 2nd - the inhabitants of the two parts of the island will have the privileges of hunting and of fishing on all the littoral, the saltworks will be also joint and the salt collected on one or the other territory will be prone to the rights of export required by the laws of the one and the other dependence.

Article 3rd - besides the contracting parties also considering that the goal of an enlightened administration would have happy effect only as much as there would be triad for the expression of abuse justice with regard to the individuals which, being under the blow of a judgment is due to debts or other more serious offenses, would flee in one or the other Dependence to seek refuge there, are agreed that no protection will have to be to them granted, their arrest having to be immediate; the extradition will as far as possible take place in the 24 hours in the forms of use and at the request of the appropriate authority.

Article 4th - the present convention made in two originals will have effect only with approval of their Excellence the Governors of Suriname and the Guadeloupe.

Fait and last with the Government of Philipsburg left Dutch St-Martin on November 28th, 1839.

D.J van Romondt

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