DECLARATION OF EMANCIPATION
Whereas it is the belief of this government that all men are born free, we can not in good faith continue to accept what is happening on the Danish West-Indian Islands.
Therefore, with the full support of his Majesty, this government hereby declares all slaves are to freed effective from New Years Eve, this year. Effective immediately though, all slaves are to paid in coin for their work.
All former slaves capable of reading and writing Danish will be granted full citizenship and all those who do not possess these skills will be offered teaching to learn these skills with full citizenship granted upon passing their exams. This will apply to all Scandinavian Territories.
Those former slaves who should wish to leave the territory of the Danish West-Indian Islands will be granted free transport to a place of their choosing as long as the local authorities there, in the case of a foreign nation, approves of them. Should any wish to leave for Scandinavian Central Africa or Scandinavian Australia, they will be allowed to do so and given land to work.
In recognition of the importance to the economy of the Danish West-Indian Islands all plantationowners will be granted free mechanical equipment to compensate for their losses and to keep production high. It is not the wish of our government to bring any people to ruin and for this reason we will purchase production equipment and give it to the people of the Danish West-Indian Islands.
In addition, all ships found to be carrying slaves in Scandinavian Territorial Waters will be confiscated, the slaves freed and the captain placed on trial for violations of human rights. This decree takes effect immediately.
Finally, in recognition of the value of all human beings and their rights as individuals all women in the Scandinavian Union are granted full voting rights, effective immediately.
To oversee that things are done as decreed the government of the Scandinavian Union have appointed Hermann von Scholten as new Governor-General of the Scandinavian Islands with the primary responsibility to see that these new laws are carried out.
In our hand and with the approval of his Royal Highness.
Prime Minister of the Scandinavian Union,
Olaf Krake