Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, Prince de CONDÉ (1736-1818) leader - Lot 44

Lot 44
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500 - 700 EUR
Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, Prince de CONDÉ (1736-1818) leader - Lot 44
Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, Prince de CONDÉ (1736-1818) leader of the Émigrés army. L.A.S. "LJB", Villingen February 12, 1793; 2 1/2 pages in-4 with a few numbered passages (Crawford collection stamp). Important political letter, written three weeks after the execution of Louis XVI, in which the Prince de Condé seems unconvinced of the effective help of the powers with regard to the French royal cause. Condé would like to deserve his correspondent's compliments: he has only done his duty, and he will only deviate from it when the ongoing struggle has come to a conclusion one way or another... "The great efforts that are being prepared," he writes, "will be a great help to the French royal cause. Are the great efforts being prepared purely for our cause? Probity and reason seem to ensure this, and are surely in the hearts and minds of the Sovereigns, but are they the basis of Cabinet policy? One can allow oneself many things, by putting forward this eternal and terrible word, the good of my subjects [...] History teaches us, that the most just of considerations has often served only as a mask, for the most unjust of projects; besides, the veil will soon be lifted, the recognition of the title of Regent, the means which will be given to him to support his dignity, seem to me the touchstone, which will make it possible to judge the intentions of the Sovereigns"... He points out that "the Nation" has declared war "on the King of England, and on the Stathouder; Dumouriez will surely enter Holland". Condé feared that his army, which constituted "a nucleus of armed nobility", would be sacked. What would "a Regent be, outside the Kingdom, and without an army? It is to be hoped that the Powers will meditate on this, and not suffer this apparent nullity"...
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