Description:

Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette
Paris, France, August 24, 1830
Lafayette Signed 1830 National Guard Orders: "This last revolution was superior to all others… You will not dismiss the voice of this old servant of the people's cause" - Providing Bodyguard to Charles X's Ex-Ministers
MDS

A 3pp manuscript document in French signed by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), then in his role as Commander of the French National Guard, as "Lafayette" near the bottom of the third page. August 24, 1830. Paris, France. Secretarially inscribed on bifold paper, with a red wax seal impressed "Cabinet du Roi" located just under Lafayette's signature. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, some well-worn, with a few extra wrinkles, chipped edges, and tiny closed edge tears. Else near fine and very legible. 7.875" x 12." Ex-RR Auction, ex-Thomas Vincent.

This Lafayette signed document offers us an interesting perspective on the Revolution of 1830: not its throes, but its immediate aftermath. The coup achieved, this was the period when civil order must be reinstated, a proper government restored, and a political reckoning assessed.
Lafayette was uniquely positioned to play a significant leadership role in the days following the July Revolution, because he had not only observed two prior revolutions (the French Revolution of 1789 as well as the American Revolution), but he had also participated in them. A zealous lifelong revolutionary, Lafayette was ideologically and politically opposed to monarchy. Lafayette had been unanimously appointed as Commander of the French "Garde Nationale," or National Guard, on July 29, 1830, the last day of the "Trois Glorieuses" (July 27-29, 1830).

This military directive orders one Alphonse Foy, Captain of the National Guard attached to Lafayette's staff, to report to Tours, gathering together all necessary guardsmen, in order to oversee the transport of four important political prisoners to Paris. Lafayette anticipated that angry crowds might threaten the prisoners - who were former members of Charles X's cabinet - en route. Therefore, he ordered that the prisoners' safety and dignity should be vouchsafed at all costs. His reasoning: to ensure that the ideals espoused by the Revolution of 1830 were not disgraced through uncivil conduct.

The document states in part, with punctuation silently added to improve clarity:

"All judiciary measures having been taken relative to this transfer, accusation, and legal judgement, the General in Chief knows all too well the patriotism of the French populace on the route that the accused must take to permit him to slander these fellow citizens in supposing them capable of besmirching our beautiful revolution by any excesses or violation of the laws.

This last revolution was superior to all the others by the happy alliance of justice and generosity, the veritable character of patriots and the courageous, with the admirable devotion and heroic courage, of which there are so many and so large examples, given before the face of the entire world.

If General Lafayette could fear that exasperation, so little in accordance with noble French character, or by confusion perhaps excited by the enemies of our liberty and by those jealous of our glory, no portion of his fellow citizens would be tempted to bring themselves to unjustified violence, or even to undignified insults towards the accused who, from the present, belong to the law, and to whom the law owes protection until their free and legal judgment, he would call on the personal confidence with which the people honor him.

He would say to the population who would thus dismiss their own dignity, and the respect that we owe all under the law: 'The defense of Liberty and legal order is entrusted in me, first by the voice of the people and also by the high functions which the national King tasked me with. I answered for you: I answered on my honor for the safety of the prisoners; my honor is in your hands. You will not dismiss the voice of this old servant of the people's cause…"

Some of Foy's more notable prisoners were: Jules de Polignac (1780-1847), ex-President of Council; Jean de Chantelauze (1787-1859), ex-Keeper of the Seals; Pierre-Denis de Peyronnet (1778-1854), ex-Minister of the Interior; and Martial Guernon-Ranville (1787-1866), ex-Minister of Public Instruction. Charles X's former cabinet members failed to escape as the French king had done earlier in the month when he fled to England. Instead, seven of his former high-ranking functionaries - including the abovementioned men - were tried for high treason before the Chambre des Pairs between December 15-21, 1830. The men were convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment. An 1836 amnesty later commuted these sentences to exile, or "civil death."

French monarch Charles X had precipitated the Revolution of 1830 by publishing three ordinances on July 26, 1830; these laws dissolved the French parliamentary body, virtually abolished freedom of the press, and modified electoral laws in such a way as to reduce the voting population to about 25,000 people, almost all landed proprietors. The French people were incensed by the king's high-handed rescinding of such core liberties. Charles X ousted, the Marquis de Lafayette smoothed the way for Louis Philippe, the citizen king, to take control of the provisional government. Ironically, Louis Philippe opted to dissolve Lafayette's National Guard on December 24, 1830: he feared its growing power and influence.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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