[BRAZIL - RIO - MONTEVIDEO]. LA GRANDIÈRE (Pierre Paul de). - Lot 294

[BRAZIL - RIO - MONTEVIDEO]. LA GRANDIÈRE (Pierre Paul de). Signed autograph letter to Alfred GUICHON DE GRANDPONT, written in Montevideo on April 1, 1838 from the Minerve, 5 1/2 pages in-4. Very interesting autograph letter from La Grandière concerning the situation and his feelings about the blockade of Buenos Aires that took place in 1838, in particular in order to obtain by force a trade and navigation treaty with the Argentine Confederation and to strengthen France's commercial position in a region that was very important for French trade at the time. He also describes the Brazilian lifestyle and activities of the soldiers and gauchos: "At last the d'Assas is leaving, my dear Guichon, and you are carrying my letter. I've been waiting for this opportunity for nearly 4 months [...]. Before I start, I have a small reproach to make to you. It's that you haven't given me any news of you since May [...] You haven't lacked the time, so you must have been lazy, because I can't believe you've completely forgotten. I can see how one might lose one's memory in the company of a kind and gentle woman, but only for a while. I would have liked to know how you are finding your new way of life. It seems to me that you must be very happy. Is that so? What do you do? Worms and children, no doubt. Bravo, my friend, bravo, procreate, procreate, give some citizens to our beautiful France and above all make the hydrophobes so they don't curse you one day. What are you up to? What are your plans? There are many things you shouldn't have let me ignore. The Adour arrived in Rio on March 3rd, bringing us letters, some of which we received, some of which stayed at the consulate. I still have some hope of getting something from you. Since December, which is when I last wrote to you, we have had a bit of movement in the Station L'Hercule, la Favorite, la Camille and l'Expéditive [...] to the monotony of our usual life. The Prince de Joinville has been feted on all sides and we have witnessed some of the pleasures. On his return from his trip to the mines, the Prince gave a ball on board the Hercule for H.M.S. Don Pedro II. We saw the preparations for this ball but were unable to attend. We left 8 days earlier to come to Montevideo to settle a matter that has been in dispute for 18 months. Some people give this departure as having no other purpose than to save a [...] or a party that the admiral would have been obliged to offer the prince: but this pretext is so disgusting that I refuse to believe it, and yet I wonder why we left so quickly, and at a time when the admiral's presence was so necessary. We came to Montevideo in no great hurry, and spent 15 days there doing nothing, 15 days corresponding with Rosas, President of the Argentine Republic, whose capital is Buenos Aires. If we are well informed, this is something we got wrong. You'll be the judge of that, because I'm going to tell you about it in a few words. The French chargé d'affaires had died in Buenos Aires, and a young man of 25, who had come to the country as a secretary, was appointed consul. Immediately invested with this dignity, he dealt directly with Rosas, President of the Republic. The latter listened to him, thinking that there had been no time to send another chargé d'affaires. It had been 6 months since the representation was made by a young man, when a French journalist [...] from Rosas, was caught in the act of spying, giving Ste Croix, the country's enemy, all the information he wanted about the Republic's strengths and resources. Rosas, on his own authority, condemned the man to death. Our consul learned of this, and made representations which were not heeded at first, but, either after reflection, or at the request of the chargé d'affaires, the unfortunate man's sentence was commuted to that of imprisonment. After 3 months in captivity, he fell ill and died. It was claimed that his illness was due to poor treatment at Rosas, and our Consul wanted to make further representations, but this time he was sent [...]. The self-esteem of our little diplomat was wounded, and he cried out from all sides to demand reparations for the insult done to France, in the person of its representative. The French government appointed a new consul in charge of affairs, who has not yet appeared. The cross was sent to Mr. Consul, and the Admiral was ordered to see to the matter. We stayed in Rio for 3 months after the Minister's letter. The Admiral tried to arrange everything by correspondence, but seeing that he couldn't do it, he decided to