François Guillaume GERVAIS (OF CAEN), an influential member - Lot 504

François Guillaume GERVAIS (OF CAEN), an influential member of the Republican Party, convicted, Prefect of Police in 1848, Administrator: Letter A.S. from the political prison in PÉLAGIE, dated June 16, 1834. 2 pp., in-8°, addressed to Mr. MARCHAND. “You are right, my dear Guillaume; this matter has prevented me from working on our article, and the unexpected outcome has had to change my views. I do have an article: ‘The Prisons of Paris since 1830,’ and another, ‘Letters of Cachet and Preventive Detentions.’ But to finish them, I would need to be free; they require research that I cannot conduct in prison. I can think of only one way to give you something right away. No one has published the trial except for the newspapers, which reported it very inaccurately. Would you like an article titled “A Defamation Trial in 1834”? I would write a few pages on the events leading up to the April crisis, on the crisis itself, the arrests, and the trial, based on my notes and those of my lawyers. Then some reflections on political trials... If you agree with me, I’d like to request permission to address the Chamber of Peers—and please come so we can discuss it. I’m ready to get to work... ” + Enclosed are 3 letters in-8°: 1850, 1863, 1866, addressed to Mrs. or Mr. GUILAUMIN (2 are on the letterhead of the Director of the École Supérieure de Commerce, 24 rue de Popincourt.)