Description:

Marquis de Lafayette
n.p., July 24, 1822
Marquis de Lafayette 2x Signed Lengthy ALS With Great Content, 1 Week Before He Was Implicated in February 1822 Charbonnerie Plot to Overthrow the Bourbons!
ALS

A 1p autograph letter in French, twice signed by American Revolutionary War hero Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), the first time when writing out the title of his soon-to-be published speech, as "M. de Lafayette," on line 6; and the second time in the salutation, as "Lafayette," on line 9. July 24, 1822. N.p. Inscribed on laid paper. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and a few extra wrinkles. Isolated mat burning to edges could be easily matted out. Discreet mounting traces on the blank verso. Else very good. 7.125" x 5.75." Accompanied by a portrait print of Lafayette after Ducarme, artist-signed in stone, 5" x 7."

Lafayette addressed this letter to Alexandre Baudouin (1791-1859), the Parisian printer, publisher, and bookseller, and a founding partner in the firm Baudouin Frères. Alexandre, along with his twin brother Charles and his younger brother Hippolyte, operated Baudouin Frères at their headquarters at No. 36, rue de Vaugirard. The brothers had taken over their father's printing house by 1816 and the business remained active until declining and eventually closing in the late 1820s/early 1830s.

In the letter, Lafayette gives Alexandre Baudouin detailed instructions about printing a speech which Lafayette had delivered at the Chambré des Députés the previous day, on July 23, 1822. Lafayette explicitly instructs Baudouin to silently correct "little mistakes" in the text; to redact parliamentary asides not essential to the speech, but which may have been included in the transcript; and to pay special attention to the printing layout. Lafayette requested that Baudouin print 1,000 copies of the speech only after showing him the printer's proof and getting his approval.

Lafayette wrote in part, translated, with punctuation silently added to improve clarity:

"I send to you, my dear Alexandre, my speech from yesterday: it is superfluous to tell you that the [parliamentary] interruptions, endorsements, etc. must be removed; and that also, as a side note, the paragraph ending 'to the choice of the accused', to that of [the paragraph] beginning 'when' must be [illegible] because the indentation is only justified by the interruption.

You know the title:

'Speech of M. De Lafayette, deputy of La Sarthe, July 23, 1822 session.'

Please print out 1,000 copies at first - then we will see… Good day and a thousand good wishes.

Lafayette

Correct the little mistakes which could have slipped into the impression that I am sending you. I also pray that you send me the first proof.

24 July 1822."

Lafayette's July 23, 1822 speech would indeed go to the press, under the title "Discours de M. De La Fayette, Député de la Sarthe, Prononcé dans la Séance de 23 Juillet 1822" (Paris: Baudouin Frères, Imprimeurs-Libraires, Rue de Vaugirard, no. 36, 1822). This 8pp printed pamphlet of Lafayette's speech included his progressive ideas about criminal justice system reform. An excerpt of Lafayette's speech is included in Étienne Charavay's 1898 biography of Lafayette, "Le Général La Fayette, 1757-1834" (Paris: Au Siège de la Société, 3, Rue de Furstenberg, 1898), in Chapter XXV. In Charavay's excerpt, Lafayette is quoted as railing against counter-revolutionary forces at work in French society. Bolstered by the State, other institutions, aristocrats, and European despotic governments, Lafayette argues that this counter-revolutionary force jeopardizes the fundamental liberties of the people.

Very interestingly, Lafayette's criminal justice system reform speech took place just one week before he himself was accused of a serious crime: conspiracy. On August 1, 1822, the General Prosecutor of Poitiers accused Lafayette and several other liberal deputies - including political theorist Benjamin Constant - of having conspired in a Charbonnerie plot to overthrow the Bourbon government several months earlier, in February 1822. These charges were absolutely true: Lafayette had been deeply involved in La Charbonnerie, a secret society of political revolutionaries, since 1821. In addition, Lafayette absolutely did intend helping to overthrow the Bourbon monarchy, just as he intended on leading its replacement provisional government. The original overthrow in January 1822 never happened, and Lafayette was warned in time to reverse course and act natural. An offshoot of the initial plot transpired in February 1822, led by General Jean-Baptiste Breton, aka Berton, who was apprehended and eventually executed. Although Lafayette and the other deputies were named as Berton's conspirators, they were never prosecuted due to a lack of evidence.

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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  • Dimensions: letter: 7.125" x 5.75"
  • Medium: ALS

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