COUTHON (GEORGES). "WE WOULD GIVE THESE GREAT CHARACTERS, - Lot 194

Lot n° 194
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Estimation :
3000 - 5000 EUR
COUTHON (GEORGES). "WE WOULD GIVE THESE GREAT CHARACTERS, - Lot 194
COUTHON (GEORGES). "WE WOULD GIVE THESE GREAT CHARACTERS, LESSONS IN CARMAGNOLE..." Autograph letter signed to his fellow citizens of Clermont-Ferrand. Paris, 1er messidor an II [19 juin 1794]. 1 p. 3/4 in-4, small tear not affecting text. LETTRE VIBRANT D'ENTHOUSIASME REPUBLICAIN, ECRITE UN MOIS AVANT SON EXECUTION AUX COTES DE ROBESPIERRE, le 28 juillet 1794. Couthon was a member of the Legislative Assembly and then of the Convention for his home department of Puy-de-Dôme, and a shrewd politician, maintaining regular correspondence with his electoral base in Clermont-Ferrand. A member of the Comité de Salut Public, and an unfailing friend and accomplice of Robespierre, he fell with him on 9 Thermidor. "More excellent news... Ypres, that important place that denied us the port of Ostend, and prevented us from completely encircling the enemy, Ypres is ours. Long live the Republic. Charleroi will not fail either to fall incessantly to our power, by means of which the enemy enclosed on our territory, i.e. in Valenciennes, Condé, Landrecy, and the country of Quesnoi, without being able to withdraw subsistances from any part, all the avenues being closed to him, will be forced before perhaps one month, to return to us all that treason had delivered to him. O THE BEAUTIFUL DAY THAT WE MAY SAY, "THE HOLY LAND OF FREEDOM IS NO LONGER SOILED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE SLAVES OF AUSTRIA, PRUSSIA AND ENGLAND; we are at home, and woe betide the foreigner who dares to attempt to enter it by force or cunning. The only thing missing from this glorious day would be to see His Royal Highness THE DUKE OF YORK and His Eminence THE PRINCE OF COBOURG triumphantly led to Paris. WITH WHAT PLEASURE WE WOULD GIVE THESE GREAT CHARACTERS CARMAGNOLE LESSONS. I hope it won't always happen in my dreams. The news from the other armies is also very good. The Navy is still going from capture to capture; yesterday's courier announced 14 more, including a 36-gun Sardinian frigate; private letters inform us that one of our 3 dismasted vessels has returned happily, and give us great hope for the other two, but there is nothing official in this regard. Now that our affairs are going well, I'm going to get ready for my big trip, I must also say my delicious trip since it takes me for a few days among my good friends from the Puy-de-Dôme [he would be executed before he could make this trip]. Farewell all yours. Dieu, et la Liberté vous gardent!" Provenance: the famous Benjamin Fillon collection (no. 618 of his auction catalog, 1877).
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