Talleyrand Autograph Letter Mentioning Lafayette & French Émigrés Heading to Philadelphia: "adieu, my friend, embrace on my behalf everyone who is around you"

A 3p autograph letter in French written in the hand of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), the remarkably resilient French politician. Though unsigned, the political, social, and intellectual content of this letter makes it significant. Written in Paris, France on March 28, 1798 (also written in the republican form as "8 germinal an 6.") On bifold watermarked paper. Docketed with received and responded dates, etc., by the letter recipient at upper right. Three partial red stamps (possibly revenue?) scattered throughout. The last page is blank. Expected paper folds, else near fine. 6.125" x 7.75." Accompanied by the French transcript. Provenance: Poniatowski Collection.

Talleyrand addressed this letter to his close friend and confidante Médéric Moreau de Saint-Méry (1750-1819), a Martinique-born lawyer and author living in exile in Philadelphia. Moreau's Philadelphia book shop served as the hub of French expatriate affairs in the capital city. Moreau was then President of the American Philosophical Society, where Talleyrand, Lafayette, and other notable French intellectuals were also members.

In the letter, Talleyrand, then serving as the over-worked Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Directory, confessed that he is exhausted by public service. This is an illuminating confession, considering that Talleyrand was just one year into his first term as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and that he would serve two more terms equaling more than eleven more years of public service in that same role. As he would amply demonstrate, however, Talleyrand had the extraordinary ability to endure. His canniness enabled him to survive any political environment, and easily transition between even diametrically opposed regimes. He served in official capacities from early 1789, during the last years of Louis XVI's reign, through the administration of Louis Philippe: in all, six tumultuous upheavals in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century French politics.

Talleyrand asked Moreau to welcome a newcomer to Philadelphia named Mourgues. This was almost certainly the same Mourgues that American authorities, including U.S. Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, later suspected of possible espionage in service of the French Directory. Many French refugees, whether guilty or not, faced prosecution under the terms of the newly enforced Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.

Talleyrand's letter is translated in part below, with original spelling and punctuation and paragraph breaks added for enhanced legibility. Note that a French transcript of Talleyrand's entire letter can be found in the 1943 Yale University Press edition of Moreau's "Voyage aux États-Unis de L'Amérique, 1793-1798."

"my dear moreau,

be good to young mourgues who goes to america on personal business; he knows paris very well, he will teach you. and as he knows me also as well, he will tell you that I love you with all my heart, that I will be very happy the day we find each other again, when it will never be to leave the same spot.

-- I believe that la fayette decided to go to america, at least for a trip. -- dupont has grand projects; he is more young and more romantic than ever. bureau du puzy leaves with dupont. liancourt doesn't know what he will decide.

-- me, I am still in the same situation, serving the republic to my best ability; but having need of rest, the type of respite that I would want to take would require an absence of one or two years; but on this nothing is yet in my head, and in my head only in a very vague manner.

-- send me the tartans of M. van braam. I responded to him in two letters to thank him for his good idea that we are rich in beautiful things from all countries but we are short on curiosities from China.

adieu, my friend, embrace on my behalf everyone who is around you. I love you very tenderly. -- If you decide to return; it is essential that I know the moment and the port where you will arrive, you will find all that is necessary for a large family to return to paris. I embrace tenderly the excellent la colombe."

Talleyrand mentions significant figures of the French diaspora and émigré community in Philadelphia. French refugees came from continental France, where the French Revolution rendered everything unsafe, and from the Francophonic Caribbean, where there was also considerable unrest. Besides Moreau, the recipient of this letter, well-known French émigrés/travelers included:

- "la fayette"

Gilbert Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), who had fought during the Revolutionary War and was later granted honorary American citizenship. American Philosophical Society member.

- "bureau du puzy"

Jean-Xavier Bureau de Pusy (1750-1806), a close companion of Lafayette, with whom he was imprisoned during the French Revolution. De Pusy later visited America and was offered vast lands on the Delaware River.

- "du pont"

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817), who immigrated to the United States in 1799. Du Pont was acquainted with Thomas Jefferson from 1797 and is credited with conceiving of the Louisiana Purchase. American Philosophical Society member.

- "liancourt"

François Alexandre Frédéric de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt (1747-1827), a friend of Lafayette and du Pont. Traveled through America and Canada between 1792-97, for a time with Talleyrand. American Philosophical Society member.

- "la colombe"

Like Lafayette, de la Colombe fought during the Revolutionary War. He later escaped from a prison in Belgium and fled to the United States.

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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