Partie de la lettre mentionnant Clavière

Acquisition d'une lettre de Brissot

The Library recently acquired in a public auction an autograph letter from Jacques Pierre Brissot de Warville (1754-1793) to David Williams (1738-1816), dated 20 May 1787. Brissot acknowledges receipt of D. Williams' translation of the prospectus of the Société gallo-américaine, and announces the publication of a book he had written with Etienne Clavière: De la France et des Etats-Unis ou de l'importance de la révolution de l'Amérique pour le bonheur de la France, des rapports de ce royaume et des Etats-Unis, des avantages réciproques qu'ils peuvent retirer de leurs liaisons, du commerce.

This letter proves Brissot's interest in American affairs and his links with both the Rebels and English intellectual circles. The Société gallo-américaine, founded by Brissot, Saint-John Crèvecoeur, Nicolas Bergasse and Clavière in 1787, sought to encourage contact between the young United States and France.

Although the Société gallo-américaine was short-lived, it prefigures – less in its aims than in its organisation and recruitment – the Société des Amis des Noirs founded by Brissot and Clavière the following year. The society's precious archives came to the Library in the Marcel Chatillon donation (2003).

This letter and the papers of the Société des Amis des Noirs are listed in Calames.