BONAPARTE (JOSEPH). - Lot 12

Lot 12
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300 - 400 EUR
BONAPARTE (JOSEPH). - Lot 12
BONAPARTE (JOSEPH). Letter signed "Joseph cte de Survilliers", with 8 autographed lines, addressed to Joseph Hopkinson. POINT-BREEZE [IN PENNSYLVANIA], October 30, 1839. 2 pp. 3/4 in-4; some staining in lower margin of first page. "Being on the eve of my departure for Europe, unaware of the time of my return, I have settled as best I could the interests I am leaving in this country: 1° I leave to the cashier of the Bank of the United States the continuation of the cashing of the dividends of the various investments I have made... 2° I have left it to Mr. Alphonse Lejambre, who furnished MA MAISON DE GIRARD ROW, to sell the furniture or to rent it with the house, as he sees fit, having full and complete confidence in what he will do. 3° I have given my instructions to Mr LE THORN, CONCIERGE OF MY HOUSE, OF WHOM I WAS SO CONTENT DURING MY LAST ABSENCE: I have put under his orders the persons necessary for the upkeep and conservation of my non-rented properties. He is also responsible for overseeing the farms and collecting the proceeds, which he must use to pay taxes and other expenses. I hope you will lend yourself to any advice they may seek from you in important circumstances, with the same good will you have so far extended to me. There are two remaining items which I beg you to take charge of personally: 1° that of THE UNION STREET HOUSE which I wish to sell for a minimum of thirteen thousand dollars; it is purchased in the name of Mr. L. Maillard and you have his power of attorney; I have made arrangements for this with him. I add that unless I give orders to the contrary, you will recognize him as the owner of this house and will hold it at his disposal, or the price of the sale you would have made of it, according to the above authorization. 2° I enclose six bounds and a mortgage for the value of six thousand dollars on THE SPRING VILLA sold to Mr. Girault. These six thousand dollars are payable at the rate of one thousand dollars per year from one thousand eight hundred and forty-one. As I have disposed of these securities in advance, you will rigorously demand payment, which you will have paid on my behalf to the Bank of the United States. [In his own hand:] Please, my dear Mr. Hopkinson, preserve the sentiments you have bestowed upon me during the quarter of a century I have spent close to you: I hope to see you again one day, and to bring you back the same sentiments of friendship and deep esteem with which I shall never cease to be your true friend..." From 1815 to 1832, Joseph Bonaparte lived in Philadelphia under the name of Comte de Survilliers, maintaining good relations with the American authorities. His property at Point Breeze became a rallying point for Bonapartists in the United States. He then moved to England, but returned to the U.S. from 1837 to 1839. In 1841, he was allowed to stay in Florence, where he died. JOSEPH BONAPARTE'S FRIEND IN THE UNITED STATES, JUDGE JOSEPH HOPKINSON (1770-1842) lived in Bordentown near Philadelphia. He was a member of Congress from 1814 to 1819, a member of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Committee, and wrote the lyrics of the first of the American national anthems for Pennsylvania.
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