Description: 1848 French Revolution - An Eyewitness Account From a Parisian Merchant to a Yorkshire Mill Owner. Just over two pages in length signed “P. Cardou” to the Yorkshire mill owner, John Wilford of Brompton (near Northallerton). Dated “Paris 18 August 1848” at top. “The part of Paris where we live has been one of the quieter because the national guard prevented making barracades. During four days it was forbidden to go out from the house, excepted the servants who were allowed to go and fetch what we could get to live, and only the morning till eight o’clock. Since a long time I have left the grade of officer in the national guard, and as my three clerk’s were all the time on duty, I kept the house with my gun and two pistols loaded, ready to assist the friends in case of danger, I was in the rear guard. You may suppose all the uneasiness we had all that time, our boy was in an other part of Paris. We could not go and see him, but we thought him safer where he was than with us, because we knew that if anything was to happen our quarter was more exposed than his. It would be very difficult now to have such a bloodshed for, at that time, we had not more than seven or eight thousand soldiers in Paris and now we have perhaps forty, and what was worse is that the national ? Were of Moore than hundred thousand, and all of them were well armed and well provided with ammunition, part of them were in the active army, and the other part was expecting the success to assist the other in pillaging” Cardou goes on to give his thoughts on the current thinking and behaviour of the French people in general: “…the French people, who could boast six months ago to be the most civilised people in the world, must be considered now, as the most barbarous and the most stupid…The greatest evil in our Country is that we have no stability in our opinion, and what is worse no nationality, every one is selfish and every one thinks that his opinion is the best, every one has his pretending part is for Henry V some ones for Regency some others for Napoleon and what is most curious I scarcely know any body for Republick…” Finally, Cardou notes the current state of his business: “I do not see any chance for my going this autumn in England, all the fancy and dyed goods which you have sent me were left for my account, I sold, but a few of the common 548 bleach and the imperials in the beginning of the season. All the goods I had ordered for the season were in my house when the revolution took place and I find myself now with a stock of about 3 or 4 thousand pounds sterling, more than the previous year. Consequently I do not suppose that I shall want any for next year unless business proves very brisk, then I shall pay you a visit…” Outer wrapper showing address panel and several postal despatch, transit and arrival date stamps. Variously annotated with figures in pencil on outer cover. Approx. 210x272mm., minor soiling, though overall in good order. An interesting piece of history from the “February Revolution”.
Price: 125 GBP
Location: Dorset
End Time: 2024-08-05T11:04:03.000Z
Shipping Cost: 7.68 GBP
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Type: Documents
Era: Pre-1900
