American Financier David Parish, Secret ALS to Stephen Rensselaer Re. General Moreau

Lot 219

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American History

By Cowan's Auctions

Jun 10, 2016 - Jun 11, 2016

Set Reminder 2016-06-10 10:00:00 2016-06-11 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American History https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-history-1497 Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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Lot Description

American Financier David Parish, Secret ALS to Stephen Rensselaer Re. General Moreau

Lot of 2: Parish, David (1778-1816). ALS, 1p, to Stephen Rensselaer. Philadelphia, PA, June 19, 1813, Albany, NY. Parish, an American financier deeply involved in European affairs, writes about French General Moreau, who, because of his anti-Napoleonic stance, had been living in the United States (NJ). Moreau sailed from New York and was killed in battle shortly after he returned to Europe.

Parish writes:

I have rec'd your letter of the 13th with an enclosure for your Son which letter I have sent to Gen. Moreau who embarks tomorrow at New York for the North of Europe--he has been invited by the Emperor Alexander to cooperate in the deliverance of Europe & will I trust arrive in time to prove serviceable to the good cause. Please keep this information to yourself as we do not wish to have the General's plans divulged till he is embarked. I am not sufficiently acquainted with Mr. Crawford or you should have sent your Son an introductory letter to him.

(Gen. Moreau's close relationship with Czar Alexander played a vital role in consumating the Treaty of Ghent.)

Accompanied by the title: Svinine, Paul. Some Details Concerning General Jean Victor Marie Moreau, and his Last Moments. Boston: Nathaniel Willis, 1814. Sextodecimo, 107pp. This rare American edition has heavy hard covers and a lithograph of Moreau opposite the title page.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Parish emigrated to the United States in 1808 as an agent for a house in Amsterdam to conduct a great financial operation under contract with the elder Napoleon. Seizing the opportunity to build his wealth, he stayed in America and began acquiring land in New York from Gouverneur Morris. By 1810, his fortune expanded from $50,000 to $800,000 (equal to 15 million dollars today). He purchased the site of Ogdensburg, BY, and extensive tracts of land, built furnaces, warehouses, vessels, etc., and was largely engaged in improvements when the War of 1812 occurred. Treasury Secretary Gallatin arranged for Parish and Stephen Girard to loan the bankrupt US Treasury 7 million dollars to help finance the war. In 1816 David Parish returned to Europe, but still remained connected to the US. He hopped from cosmopolitan city to city, enjoying his wealth until a worldwide financial crisis left him destitute. Unable to cope with financial ruin, he drowned himself in the Danube Riveron April 29, 1826.

General Jean Victor Marie Moreau (1763-1813), who Parish discusses in the letter, took Emperor Alexander's invitation to "deliver" Europe from his military rival, Napoleon. He ended his exile and assisted the king of Prussia only to die at the Battle of Dresden in August 1813.

Included is an extensive modern research archive placing the Parish letter in its historical context.

Condition

The condition of the letter is excellent. Svinine's book, however, has some shelf wear and deterioration of the spine and some brittleness of the margins of the paper.
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