Roume insisted French republican doctrine barred even consented enslavement

Evidence

For him, too, slavery offended “French genius and its traditions” and contradicted “the fundamental principles of French public law.” “We cannot proclaim,” Roume declared, “as have certain powers with monarchist governments, which are not bound by the same doctrines as the French Republic, the theoretical freedom of the natives, only to deny it in practice.” Furthermore, “individual liberty is for [France] indefeasible and inalienable. It does not recognize the individual’s right to contract a personal engagement that forever deprives him of his own freedom.” — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 336

Categorization

• XREF: Roume’s argument that republican doctrine cannot proclaim theoretical freedom while denying it in practice strongly echoes themes in the broader mission civilisatrice literature being read for this project.
• DEEPTHINKING: Roume’s insistence that republican public law prohibits even voluntarily contracted permanent servitude is a genuinely subtle doctrine — republicanism forbids alienating freedom itself, not just being coerced.