TALLEYRAND-PERIGORD CHARLES MAURICE DE: (1754-1838) French Statesman.

D.S., Ch. Maur. Talleyrand, one page, 4to, Paris, 8th January 1797, in French. The manuscript document was issued at the Ministry of External Affairs and Talleyrand, in his capacity as the Minister of External Affairs, confirms the content of a general receipt issued by the cashier of the Treasury, relating in particular to a man named Palomba who 'is included for the sum of thirty francs, total of one twentieth retained for the aforementioned four month period, on the basis if eighteen hundred francs annual salary, counting from the first of Vendemiaire (September) last.' Signed by Talleyrand with a typically small signature at the conclusion and countersigned by Paganel, the Secretary General. Some light age wear and minor traces of former mounting to the left margin. A small, neat tear at the centre of the head of the page has been repaired to the verso. About VG

Talleyrand worked at the highest levels of successive French governments, usually as Foreign Minister or in some other diplomatic capacity. His career spanned the regimes of King Louis XVI, the years of the French Revolution, Napoleon I, King Louis XVIII and King Louis-Philippe I. Those he served often distrusted Talleyrand but, like Napoleon, found him extremely useful.