Talleyrand. [Cf. p. 306, n

VOUS remercier ici de nos obligations particulières envers vous ; plusieurs amis vous auront déjà dit avec quelle sensibilité nous avions appris les témoignages de votre intérêt.

Lettre XLII.

A Mo Ji sieur Clarkson.

Lehmkuhlen near Ploën, January the 27lh 1798.

Dear Sir,

I was sure thatyour philanthropie andfriendlyheart had felt for us in our misfortunes; your kind favour, dated January the 5*^, has been affectionately wellcomed, and my family join with me in the tribute of grateful sentiments which I beg you to accept. My health is now recovered; but the sufferings of my wife in the prison of the coalesced governments hâve so deeply injured her, that she cannot for the winter move from this place, nor can I guess the time when her painful and lingering condition may be tolerably bettered.

While I did cooperate with you in our African concerns, you saw what opposition we had to encounter namely from the French aristocrats and the Jacobine leaders of that time; procrastination became necessary; yet I was ashamed to tell foreigners how necessary it had been. But I told you that in our doctrine of lil)erty, you could confidently anticipate a speedy destruction of the slave trade, and an enfranchisement of the negroes, which I wished to be gradnnl. îlow the measure has since been hurried, and to what effect, you hâve seen — to what intent, God knows. Anarchy, to us so détestable, has been lo our adversaries a favourite enginc. Nor do I need re-

mincliiig you, my goocl Sir, of some early and pointed assertions of mine, which you tliought yourself, in diarity, obliged to combat. It is a comfort at least that in one colony wlierc graduai émancipation had for some years been attempted, and a spirit of lenity diffused around, the black révolution was not attented witli the liorrors that hâve suUied it elsewhere. It now remains for my countrymen to heal the wounds which might hâve been prevented, and to secure for ail the colonists, wliite and black, the enjoyment of frcedom and légal order.

I am sorry to find that, on the other side, your Parliament is too backward — far am I to accuse the nation for parliamentary doings, I know how to discriminate — but I can't help lamenting that Mr. Pitt who, in very other measure, is so regularly supported by both Houses, lias been, in tins business, so very infortunate as to be regularly opposed by many of his most intimate and trusty friends. I forbear, as you do, to search in the ways whereby Providence might remove the obstacle — one of them however I must with earnest désire and fond expectation point out.

I hope a peace is not far distant, wherein almost ail the maritime powers are concerned. What better atonement can be devised for the calamities and the crimes of this war, than to insert a formai article which shall at once put a stop to the infamous trade, and promote as well as we can, the restoration of our negroes brethren to the rights of men? What Christian government would oppose it? I am sure the French Gommonwealth shall not. In a convention that is to be universal, no selfish pride can interfère. Innovation, in this point at least, cannot, I

think, be deemed irréligions, or immoral. Equalily in the forbearance of tlie most liorrid piracy cannot be considered as subversive of good order.

Let then every man wlio bas been in earnest in this afTair, or wisbes to be tliougbt so, let liim, say I, wliatever be bis political creed or national affections, exert himself witli incessant zeal to obtain, with hearty eagerness to wellcomc an event for which no siich opportunity had hitherto offered.

Adieu, my dear Sir; my best wisbes, my most

affectionate acknowledgments attend you. Believe-

me with great attachment and regard,

Your sincère friend.

La Fayette.

traduction

Lehmkuhlen, près Plocn, 27 janvier 1798.

Cher Monsieur,

J'étais sur que votre cœur [d'ami et de philanthrope] avait battu pour nous dans nos malheurs. Votre honorée du 5 janvier a été reçue avec affection, et ma famille se joint à moi dans le tribut de sentiments reconnaissants [que je vous prie d'accepter. J'ai maintenant recouvré la santé; mais les souffrances de ma femme dans la prison des gouvernements coalisés l'ont si profondément atteinte, qu'elle ne pourra, de tout l'hiver, bouger d'ici, et que je ne puis prévoir l'époque où son état douloureux et languissant sera suffisamment amélioré.]

Pendant que je travaillais avec vous à nos affaires africaines*, vous avez vu quelle opposition nous rencontrâmes, particulièrement de la part des aristo-