Item 22: Letter from Former King of Spain, Joseph Bonaparte [Joseph Count de Survilliers], to Monsieur [Peter Stephen] Duponceau [French Language], 1832 April 17
Item — Box: 2, Folder: 22
Dates
- Created: 1832 April 17
Creator
- Bonaparte, Joseph, 1768-1844 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter
Condition Note:
Fair: Parchment browning; ink fading; staining throughout the document; appears to be water damaged; hole in the center of the letter, approximately 2 in. x ½ in.
Measurements:
10 in. x 8 in. (closed); 10 in. x 16 in. (open)
Description:
The following is a letter from Joseph, the Count of Survilliers [Joseph Bonaparte] to Monsieur Peter Stephen Duponceau, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 17, 1832. Within the letter, Joseph Bonaparte states that he sent Duponceau a copy of a mandate that Duponceau had rewritten in favor of Cardinal Fesch (likely referring to Joseph Fesch). Bonaparte asks that Duponceau approve and sign the mandate again and to get it certified by the General Consul of the Roman State that was in Washington. Bonaparte mentions a Monsieur Sico(?) who may have been a member of the Consul of Rome in Philadelphia. Bonaparte signs this letter as Joseph C[om]te de Survilliers (the Count of Survilliers). This is the name that he gave himself after emigrating to the United States. Joseph Bonaparte was the older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. Joseph originally worked as a lawyer and diplomat, and once his brother came to power he was made the King of Naples from 1806-1808 and the King of Spain from 1808-1813. Upon Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, Joseph was exiled from France. He fled to the United States in 1815, originally residing in New York City and Philadelphia before he finally purchased Point Breeze. Cardinal Fesch in this letter likely refers to Cardinal Joseph Fesch, the half-uncle of Joseph and Napoleon and Napoleon’s most important ambassador to the Vatican in Rome. In 1811, Fesch was the President of the Council of Paris that was created to impose Napoleon Bonaparte’s wishes upon Pope Pius VII. Under Napoleon, Fesch obtained significant political and religious power. In 1815, Fesch was ultimately named a Prince of the Papal States by the Pope. Upon Napoleon's fall, Fesch fled to Rome. Although born in France, Duponceau served as a translator and secretary for Baron von Steuben in the Continental Army in the American Revolution. Following his discharge from the Army due to illness, Duponceau continued to live in Philadelphia. During his time in the Army, he was closely involved with notable figures such as General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, and throughout his life, he became close acquaintances with many other notable American figures such as Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, and James Monroe. In 1782, Duponceau was made the under-secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Having begun practicing law in 1785, he ultimately became an extremely prominent lawyer. Duponceau became Counsellor of the United States Supreme Court and helped establish the Law Academy of Philadelphia. Records indicate that Duponceau was connected to Joseph Bonaparte as he acted as the “confidential agent” for Bonaparte, helping him execute deeds for tracts of land. Bonaparte could not have the deeds in his name as he was not a local resident, so the deeds were put into Duponceau’s name instead. Joseph Bonaparte likely wrote to Duponceau due to his fluency in both English and French, his legal expertise, his connections to many highly influential figures of the time, and/or his political influence. Under Napoleon’s rule, France invaded the Papal States, and the states were annexed by France in 1809. With the fall of Napoleon, the majority of the Papal States were formally restored as Italian territories. According to this letter, it appears that the Vatican had a diplomatic representative present in Washington, D.C.; however, the identity and official title of this individual are unknown as the Vatican Embassy did not begin in the United States until the late 19th century. In 1826, Count Ferdinando Lucchesi represented the Papal States as their Consul General in the US and Consular Officers were stationed in the US until at least 1867.
Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; District of Columbia.
Transcription:
[Front]
Philadelphie 17 avril 1832.
Monsieur,
Vous trouverez ci[-]joint copie d’une procuration que vous redigeotez[sic] [rédigiez](?) à ma demande, il y a quatre ans, en faveur du Cardinal Fesch; M. MalEnfant(?) vous l'addresse[sic] [l'adresse]; et je vous prie de la revoter(?) de votre signature, et de la faire legalizer[sic] [légaliser] par le Consul Général de l’Etat Romain qui est à Washington, cela [*hole*] fut envoiée[sic][envoyée] à Rome avait été legalizée[sic] [légalisée] par M. Sico(?)[*hole*] aux fonctions de Consul de Rome à Philadelphie, la [*hole*] n'était pas connue à Rome et a[sic] [au] presente[sic] [présente], quelques [*holes*]ltés(?). Puisque vous etes[sic] [êtes] vous mène à Washington vous etes[sic] [êtes] à sortée d’obtenir la signature du Consul Général dont j’ignore le nom, mais qui sera bien comme un ministere[sic] [ministère] des affaires etrangeres[sic] [étrangères].
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur, le nouveau temoignage[sic] [témoignage] de mon ancienne amitié et la consideration[sic] [considération] la plus distinguée avec laquelle je suis
Monsieur
Votre affectueux
Joseph C[om]te. de Survilliers [Signature]
Monsieur Duponceau [Back] M[onsieur]. le Comte de Survilliers Phild[elph]ia 17 avril 1832
Translation Attempt:
[Front] Philadelphia April 17, 1832 Monsieur You will find attached a copy of a mandate that you rewrote per my request, four years ago, in favor of Cardinal Fesch; you call him Monsieur Malenfant(?); I ask you kindly to reapprove it with your signature and to get it certified by the General Consul of the Roman State who is in Washington. This [*hole* mandate?] was sent to Rome was certified by M. Sico [*hole* acting?] in function of the Consul of Rome in Philadelphia. His [*hole* action?] was not known in Rome, at present some [*hole*]. Since you are going to Washington, you are about to obtain the signature of the Consul General, whose name I do not know, but who will indeed represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Please accept, Monsieur, this new testimony of my longtime friendship and most distinguished consideration with which I am. Monsieur Your affectionate Joseph Count de Survilliers [Signature]
Monsieur Duponceau
[Back] Monsieur Count of Survilliers Philadelphia April 17, 1832
Monsieur Duponceau [Back] M[onsieur]. le Comte de Survilliers Phild[elph]ia 17 avril 1832
Translation Attempt:
[Front] Philadelphia April 17, 1832 Monsieur You will find attached a copy of a mandate that you rewrote per my request, four years ago, in favor of Cardinal Fesch; you call him Monsieur Malenfant(?); I ask you kindly to reapprove it with your signature and to get it certified by the General Consul of the Roman State who is in Washington. This [*hole* mandate?] was sent to Rome was certified by M. Sico [*hole* acting?] in function of the Consul of Rome in Philadelphia. His [*hole* action?] was not known in Rome, at present some [*hole*]. Since you are going to Washington, you are about to obtain the signature of the Consul General, whose name I do not know, but who will indeed represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Please accept, Monsieur, this new testimony of my longtime friendship and most distinguished consideration with which I am. Monsieur Your affectionate Joseph Count de Survilliers [Signature]
Monsieur Duponceau
[Back] Monsieur Count of Survilliers Philadelphia April 17, 1832
Creator
- Bonaparte, Joseph, 1768-1844 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu